20 Best Characters from TV Comedies in 2021

The television comedies of today are varied and diverse. There are sitcoms and dramedies, satire and reboots, family shows and rom-coms, even one about vampires. They can inspire, provide relatability and comfort, and most importantly, make us laugh.

The source of that laughter lies in the capable hands of the actors and in the heart and soul of the characters they so carefully craft.

From moms to musicians, father figures, and a familiar, the characters on this list have stood out against the inundation of options that make up the small screen’s vast comedy realm. 

In no particular order, here are the characters from TV Comedies that made us laugh, made us feel, and comforted us most throughout 2021. 

1. Deborah Vance (Hacks)

Jean Smart is having a well-deserved renaissance and part of that is her brilliant turn as stand-up legend Deborah Vance on Hacks. She is able to stretch her finely-honed comedic chops as well as showcase her dramatic skills in the type of role that women on the other side of middle-age rarely have the opportunity to play. 

If anything, Smart in this role makes the case to demand more storytelling that focuses on older women and their experiences. 

The age difference between Deborah and young comedy writer, Ava (Hannah Einbinder), offers a nice contrast and introduces fresh conflict. Smart and Einbinder’s chemistry is something that doesn’t come along often, but when it does, it’s magic.   

2. Marina Hayworth (Home Economics)

If I were to liken Marina from Home Economics to another sitcom character, it would be Claire Dunphy of Modern Family. I truly believe if the two were to cross paths, they would become fast friends. 

Marina is sarcastic and blunt, loves to listen to true crime podcasts and drink wine, and is passionate about her Mexican heritage and her family. Karla Souza has really made this salty yet charming character totally her own. 

As a former lawyer, Marina handles conflict fairly and gives the Hayworth siblings some valuable outsider perspective (that they so often need). Home Economics Season 2 Episode 9, “Secret Santa Gift, $25 Limit,” showcases this as she mediates a dispute between the brothers. 

Marina brings both a coolness and warmth to every scene which is an impressive balance considering the family into which she married, and the show is all the better for it. 

3. Amina (We Are Lady Parts)

Amina’s story on We Are Lady Parts Season 1 is one of beautiful growth and self-discovery.

The Amina that we are introduced to is a cheerful, awkward Ph.D. student whose search for a husband is a priority. Joining the punk band, Lady Parts, forces her to look inside herself to find out what she truly wants out of life. 

On We Are Lady Parts Season 1 Episode 4, “Godzilla,” Amina faces and takes control of her anxiety. Anjana Vasan plays the poetry night scene with incredible nuance and vulnerability, depicting anxiety in an accurate and compassionate way to which audiences can relate and empathize with.

By the end of the (too) short season, Amina displays self-acceptance and fully embraces her passions, no longer letting societal expectations and pressure dictate her life.   

4. Jessie (Starstruck)

Starstruck is quintessentially a romantic comedy in the vein of a Nancy Myers flick with big Nora Ephron energy. Rose Matafeo as Jessie is a natural fit as leading lady in this classic rom-com style updated for millennials.

Matafeo is the creator, writer, and star, so we know she understands exactly what makes Jessie tick. Her carefree attitude is infectious and her down-to-earth sense of humor feels fresh. Jessie is someone who you really want to be friends with in real life.

Starstruck Season 1 Episode 5, “Winter,” showcases her ability to display genuine emotion as her complicated feelings for Tom come to a head. Her tearful monologue to her coworker is unexpected but very welcome as it gives us a deeper understanding of Jessie’s sensitive side.  

5. Elizabeth (The Great)

On The Great Season 2, Aunt Elizabeth’s loyalties flit between Catherine and Peter, but it’s all driven by her love of them both and the love she has for her country. Her wisdom and understanding of human nature are so often underestimated; people foolishly mistake her eccentricities for flightiness or frivolity.

She is able to politically maneuver and campaign for her causes with such an easygoing manner that her scheming goes undetected or her advice is received, and even acted upon, unknowingly.

Elizabeth, played so thoughtfully by Belinda Bromilow, is nurturing and warm-hearted but can be merciless and detached when the situation calls for it. 

She’s not afraid to show vulnerability or to own up to her mistakes. Deep wounds from the death of her son Igor are reopened by an accidental confession on The Great Season 2 Episode 9, “Walnut Season,” that may change or strengthen her motivations. 

Elizabeth is a fun character that plays into emotion and understands the more complex matters of the heart. I, for one, would want her on my side. 

6. Jean Milburn (Sex Education)

Jean Milburn, played by the always superb Gillian Anderson, spends Sex Education Season 3 pregnant (and gassy) and trying to put out the fires that all the people in her life seem to be set on setting.

She can handle it because she is a trained professional and an understanding person who genuinely cares about others, but that doesn’t mean she deserves to get the brunt of everyone’s issues taken out on her.

She’s got her own stuff to deal with.

An untrusting partner, a shifting family dynamic, and a strained home life are just a few of the uphill battles she faces. There’s also resentment from Otis and Ola and unfair judgment from all sides. I especially like when she calls out the doctor giving her an ultrasound:

Doctor: Well, it’s easy to forget that being an elderly parent can have a negative effect on your children’s lives.
Jean: Do you have children, Doctor?
Doctor: Yeah, two.
Jean: And do you think having a king-sized arsehole for a father had a negative impact on their lives, too?

With her own relationships in varying stages of upheaval, it’s easy to forget that she is a good therapist that helps others with the chaos of their lives. Her sessions with Aimee (Aimee Lou Wood) are standout scenes that reinforce the show’s underlying mission to impart some actual sexual health advice.

Oh, and she is the King of Everything, so she’s got that going for her, too. 

7. Frank (Frank of Ireland)

Frank (Brian Gleeson) lives his life in a cinematic fantasy world, communicating through film references and approaching problems as if he can simply yell “Cut!” at any moment. Possible consequences and morality do little to dissuade him from doing what he sets out to do.

As a result, hilarious hijinks ensue and ill-thought-out plans inevitably backfire.

He may be a bit of a loser, but he has a certain charisma that encourages those around him to participate in his madcap ideas. It’s a combination of Frank’s failings and his richly-concocted inner world that creates a chaotic cycle that is so much fun to watch. It’s a loop one can be content to stay stuck in.

8. GaTa (Dave)

GaTa plays a fictional version of himself alongside the eponymous rapper. As a real-life friend and hype man to Dave Burd, their relationship on the show is deeply imbued with authenticity.

Kind-hearted, funny, and talented in his own right, GaTa is an ideal hype man, who hypes up his friends on stage and off. We should all be so lucky to have someone like him in our corner. That’s why it is difficult to watch Dave treat him poorly as his fame takes off on Season 2. 

One of the major character arcs of the series focuses on GaTa and his bipolar disorder. This is another aspect of the actor’s real-life that shows up in the narrative. A mental health-heavy storyline is not something one might expect from a comedy show about a white Jewish rapper. 

It not only gives GaTa depth but the entire series as well.

On the Season 2 finale, GaTa finally gets fed up with Dave’s selfish diva act, Dave thinks he’s having a manic episode, and they have it out in a big argument. Thankfully, GaTa’s words get through to Dave and the two of them perform together on the VMA stage.

It’s a rather touching and feels-inducing final scene to an irreverent show that regularly deals in dick jokes. And that is, in large part, due to GaTa and his powerful performance throughout the series that builds and pays off. 

9. Brooke Dubek (The Other Two)

It’s quite a thing to watch someone realize their potential. Brooke Dubek, one half of the titular “Other Two,” finds something she is really good at; media management comes naturally to her.

Heléne Yorke plays Brooke’s new-found confidence well — with a good amount of wariness, precise comic timing, and meeting the demand for physical comedy head-on.

She thrives in the fast-paced environment of media PR, but soon finds that it’s not without its difficulties. She may be instinctively savvy in this area, but she is still new to the industry in this specific capacity. She overworks and overcommits, makes newbie mistakes, and lets herself lose sight of the things that matter.

But she keeps at it anyway; she learns and grows.

10. Willie Jack (Reservation Dogs)

Tough, sarcastic Willie Jack on FX’s Reservation Dogs was originally written as a male character. Paulina Alexis first auditioned for the part of Elora, then the only girl in the gang, but the producers saw Willie Jack in her and made the change. Alexis took the role and ran with it.

Willie Jack in her hands is this wonderful combination of hard and soft elements. She’s a profanity-loving badass that reaps most of the laughs with her biting line delivery, but there’s also a sensitive side. We see it when she talks to the photo of her deceased cousin, Daniel, and when she’s with her father, Leon (Jon Proudstar). 

Reservation Dogs Season 1 Episode 6, “Hunting,” features this father-daughter bond when the two go hunting, an activity they used to do with Daniel. The way Willie Jack is able to express her emotions and thoughts so freely with him is a beautiful thing to see. 

11. Garrett (Superstore)

The voice of Garrett (Colton Dunn) introduced us to the world of Cloud 9 on Superstore’s very first episode. It’s only right that he sends us off on the bittersweet series finale, too.

As a mainstay, seeing him at the customer service counter and hearing his announcements over the PA system brings a sense of comfort and stability. It’s been there from the start and it helps soften the blow of the inevitable closing the Ozark Highlands store faces on Season 6.

While Amy and Jonah are the main couple on Superstore, the relationship that develops between Garrett and Dina is fascinating and creates depth for both characters.

Their on-again-off-again status goes through its ups and downs — even taking a detour into polyamory territory — but this unlikely pairing is able to weather the storms.

Garrett often hides real emotions behind cool sarcasm and a blase attitude. It adds so much to the character when his vulnerable side is shown, and Dina brings that out in him, especially in the final season as they contend with their escalating feelings for each other.

12. Arpi Meskimen (Mr. Mayor)

Arpi Meskimen is, by far, the most interesting character on Mr. Mayor. Portrayed by the inimitable Holly Hunter, Arpi is a quirky type A with a work ethic and drive that rivals that of Amy Poehler’s Leslie Knope. This comparison is made in the most complimentary of ways. 

Her line delivery is always fresh and often unexpected, catching the viewer off-guard with endearing nuance and funny background facts about the character. It’s a delight each and every time we learn something new about her.

She steals so many scenes, it might behoove the show to shift focus to the Deputy Mayor instead.

13. Roy Kent (Ted Lasso)

He’s here, he’s there, he’s every-fucking-where, Roy Kent.

He’s here, being the supportive and understanding boyfriend to Keeley. He’s there as the adorably protective uncle to Phoebe. He’s every-fucking-where, cursing, growling, helping, mentoring, and being the grumpiest, big-hearted softie of AFC Richmond.

Roy Kent.

Brett Goldstein’s Roy Kent has come a long way from Ted Lasso Season 1. On Season 2, he continues to grow and become an even more complex character that one can’t help but love.

His prickly relationship with Jamie Tartt (Phil Dunster) challenges him in new ways and tests his patience, but he’s able to put their issues aside when necessary. The compassion Roy shows Jamie on Ted Lasso Season 2 Episode 8, “Man City,” is a stunning example of the emotional maturity we’ve seen him struggle with and conquer.

14. Guillermo (What We Do in the Shadows)

On a show full of socially inept, centuries-old vampires, being a human, a familiar, can be a rough role. But Harvey Guillen made Guillermo one of the funniest, relatable, and impressive characters on FX’s What We Do in the Shadows.

We have gotten to see him start off as an errand boy and grow into a smart, badass vampire slayer after learning that he’s descended from Van Helsing last season which opened up a world of possibilities for the character in the series’ third season.

Taking on the role of “vampire bodyguard” shows how much he’s grown keeping Guillermo hilarious, included in most of the situations the vampires find themselves in, and a few steps ahead of his wards.

15. Issa Dee (Insecure)

Issa (Issa Rae) shines as a character on Insecure because she’s so open to change and growth. She wasn’t always, but watching her grow up and become almost a new person because she’s learned to accept herself and her flaws is one of the best things about her.

Issa is a loyal friend, a kind lover, a smart businesswoman. She’s someone you watch and think, “I want to be like her.” 

The decisions Issa makes in the final season of Insecure are proof that people can change so long as they want to. She’s a carefree, loving, talented woman, and getting to know her is a privilege. 

16. Raymond Holt (Brooklyn Nine-Nine)

The final season of Brooklyn Nine-Nine throws some curveballs in Captain Raymond Holt’s direction.

From marital trouble to a vow renewal, big career changes, a final heist, and a difficult goodbye, Holt’s unwavering poise amidst heavy subject matter and the usual kooky chaos of the precinct provided much-needed consistency during a clunky-paced season.

That reliable steadiness, which Andre Braugher so brilliantly conveys while still elevating Holt’s signature dry humor, is one of the reasons he is such a good father figure and mentor. He is those things, especially, to Jake (Andy Samberg) and Amy (Melissa Fumero).

It’s comforting to know that as we bid farewell to these characters, they are not saying goodbye for good to each other. Holt and Amy are a dream duo moving on from the 99 to work together on their proposed police reform program.

The final heart-to-heart between Holt and Jake on the finale is a series-culminating moment that is played with poetic poignancy and just the right ratio of humor to heart, even the audience feels a sense of pride with Holt’s proud dad speech. 

17. Wickie Roy (Girls5eva)

Wickie Roy of Girls5eva is larger than life and a legend in her own mind. Self-centered, opportunistic, and fame-driven, Wickie may not be a shining role model, but the confidence she possesses and her fierce tenacity are admirable.

Renée Elise Goldsberry brings so much to the role as the antagonist of the reunited girl group from the 90s, Girls5eva.

She has a vice-like grip on both her dreams and delusions that makes her fun to watch even when she’s being awful or selfish. This grandiose portrayal never veers into caricature thanks to Goldsberry’s skillful handling of the character and the material. 

With her impeccable comic timing and musical talent, Goldsberry takes what could’ve been a surface-level character and hones her into a sharp, fully-faceted archetype armed with rapid-fire hilarity.

18. Casimiro “Pop” Morales (Gentefied)

Gentefied is without question an ensemble show. Still, much as he is for his family, Pop is the bedrock of the series. 

That was true in Season 1, and even more true for Season 2 which focuses on Pop’s fight against deportation. Through Pop’s story, the topic of immigration and undocumented people is made intimate and human in a way that is often lost to the rhetoric and grandstanding of our political discourse.

We also learn more about how complicated he is as he responds to the prospect of being forced to leave his home and to his family’s efforts to help him. 

Pop is the supportive grandfather we met in Season 1, but he is also a man who has made mistakes. In Season 2, we see the ripple effect those mistakes have had on his family through generations as tensions come to a head and fences begin to mend.

We, of course, can’t talk about Pop without talking about his portrayer, Joaquín Cosío. So much of what makes Pop a great character starts with the writing, but it is Cosío, that brings the warmth and the vulnerability to the words Pop speaks. 

There are moments in Season 2 — particularly on the Thanksgiving episode and during Pop’s big TV interview — where Cosío’s masterful performance combines with the show’s always exquisite writing to take your breath away. 

Pop is a wonderfully rich character. The love and compassion his story is told with come through on the screen, easily making him one of the best characters of 2021.

19. Charles-Haden Savage (Only Murders in the Building)

There aren’t a lot of septuagenarian actors starring as leads on television. Steve Martin’s performance as Charles-Haden Savage on Hulu’s Only Murders in the Building reminds audiences why we need to see more age diversity on screen. 

What starts as a stereotypical washed-up actor role turns into a deeper exploration of loneliness and identity. Martin shows off his legendary comedic chops while also creating a character that is relatable and sympathetic.

Whether it’s crossing the intergenerational divide with Mabel or bickering with Oliver like an old married couple, he delivers plenty of laughs and quotable moments.

There’s a particularly hilarious scene of physical comedy on Only Murders in the Building Season 1 Episode 10, “Open and Shut,” involving him crawling through the Arconia that will leave you cracking up. 

The more Charles’ secrets unravel over the course of Season 1, the more interesting he becomes.

20. Lexi Haddad-DeFabrizio (Saved by the Bell)

Played by Josie Totah, quick-witted Lexi on the new Saved by the Bell is one of the show’s standout characters. She’s the most popular girl in school, a reality TV star, and a loyal friend. Her bold personality and confidence paired with her sharp humor make her a joy to watch.

Saved by the Bell Season 2 has Lexi navigating a new relationship that creates some complicated feelings for a friend. As a transgender character, she also gets some unwanted extra attention when there’s news about discrimination regarding a transgender student at another school. That experience creates an opportunity for her character to grow in an entirely new way. 

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Who were your top characters from TV comedies this year? Let us know in the comments below!

*Additional contributions by Ashley Bissette Sumerel, Brianna Martinez, Breeze Riley, Laura Wanberg, and Sarah Fields.

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