The ones who bear no resemblance to real humans. The ones who are walking, talking jokes--virtual cartoon characters in human form. The ones who seem too dumb to function. Or too "evil" (cartoonish evil). Or too innocent to be believable. Or too something, anything. They're plot devices/joke machines, and that can be okay. Occasionally a show may venture into trying to fill out their character, and it can work, but the important thing is that in many ways they don't even need it.

The Bundy's
The Clampetts
Barney Fife
Sheldon Cooper

Ones that instantly pop into my mind....I love all of these characters:

Pretty much everyone on "Green Acres".
Karen Walker (Will & Grace)
Mimi Bobeck (The Drew Carey Show)
The Clampetts (The Beverly Hillbillies)
Suzanne Suagrbaker (Designing Women)
Cody Lambert (Step by Step)

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PAUL LYNDE


and



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ALF

Maxwell Smart Agent 86. (Get Smart)
Gilligan (Gilligans Island)
Arthur The Fonz Fonzarelli (Happy Days)

Even though I love these characters and the shows, they are still over the top.

Sophia Petrillo and Rose Nylund from The Golden Girls
Suzanne Sugarbaker from Designing Women
Monroe from Too Close for Comfort
All the male characters Les Lye played on You Can't Do That on Television, with Barth, Ross and Lance Prevert my all-time favorites.

Most of the Green Acres characters
The Great Gazoo

Cosmo Kramer - Seinfeld

jr ewing dallas

Steve Urkel played by Jaleel White on Family Matters.

Kenan & Kel - Kel Kimble

1. Tootie (Facts of Life) can be over the top dramatic at times.
2. Jo (Facts of Life) can be over the top mean and angry at times.
3. Screech (Saved By The Bell).

I'll add Audrey Penny from "Ellen" to my list above. She's hilarious!

Also, she must be somewhat related to Iola Boylen!

I'll say Dean Pelton (Jim Rash) on Community.