Throughout TV sitcom history, there’s one thing you can count on: the wacky neighbor. The wacky neighbor has it so much easier than the main characters. They can be wild and crazy (in fact, it’s usually better the wilder and crazier they are). The star has to be somewhat stable, or the whole show will be like watching the inmates running the asylum.
The neighbor can drop in, create chaos and leave as quickly as they came. In their wake they leave a comical mess that your hero or heroine has to clean up. We love TV neighbors, and this list is a tribute to the funniest and wackiest in TV history.
10. Boner Stabone – “Growing Pains”
“Growing Pains” needed someone who could actually make Mike Seaver look smart. Enter the Bone. That sounded just as dirty as we intended it to.
9. Eddie Haskell – “Leave It To Beaver”
The ass-kissingest ass-kisser in all of ass-kissing history.
8. Larry Dallas – “Three’s Company”
Did you even know Larry’s last name? We sure didn’t until we looked it up. Thank you, Google.
7. Cosmo Kramer – “Seinfeld”
Long before Michael Richards turned out to be a crazy racist, he was just crazy.
6. Glenn Quagmire – “Family Guy”
Larry Dallas wishes he was half as horny as Quagmire.
5. Ethel and Fred Mertz – “I Love Lucy”
Come on. The real stars of “I Love Lucy” were the absolutely adorable couple Ethel and Fred. We would rather live next door to the Mertzes than the Ricardos anyday.
4. Ned Flanders – “The Simpsons”
Hi diddley-o, neighbor! Homer would still be funny without stupid Flanders, but we wouldn’t want to imagine it.
3. Lenny and Squiggy, “Laverne and Shirley”
Michael McKean’s comic genius was born right next door to Laverne and Shirley. Schlameel, schlamozzel.
2. Ed and Trixie Norton – “The Honeymooners”
Could Ed and Trixie be the original wacky neighbors? “The Honeymooners” is still one of our all-time favorite sitcoms and the Nortons are a huge part of that.
1. George Jefferson – “Archie Bunker”
George was such a funny neighbor that he got his own damned show, and it was better than the show it was spun off from (or least it had a better theme song).
Feeling neighborly? Check out this post about Ashton Kutcher talking about his “dickweed” neighbor at Hollywood Fail. And Big Stupid Idiot highlights the 10 Idiots You’re Probably Going to Have to Deal With today, including your neighbor.
