SITCOM CHARACTER ARCHETYPES
(taken and edited from my great, amazing Television professor last spring.)
The Square — Often the central protagonist, and usually The Everyman or the Only Sane Man or Woman. A large portion of the comedy from such a character comes from his/her reactions to the situation or other characters.
The Wisecracker — The domain of the SNARKER or PUN MAKER. This character just lives to make fun of others. If the protagonist isn’t a Square, s/he is most likely a Wisecracker.
The Bully — Despite the name, The Bully is oftentimes not an actual bully per se, but is sometimes a Jerk with a Heart of Gold. Typically more outright belligerent than The Wisecracker, if written as a complete Jerkass, The Bully may actively dislike all the other characters. If female, this will be The Rich Bitch.
The Dork — Aka the Nerd, the Dork need not be stereotypically nerdy or geeky, at least not visually, though he or she should be such in relation to the other members of the cast.
The Goofball — This role is typically filled by The Ditz or the Cloud Cuckoo Character, but the character could also be generically zany or a Blithe Spirit rather than outright ditzy. Could also be a Pollyanna, with naivety serving as the defining trait; if so, expect this to be the youngest character.
The Charmer — This character comes in two varieties: First, the Casanova, the lover, the player. Enough said. Second, a more classically refined character, someone who is a devout adherent to old-fashioned politeness, grace and decorum.
The Stick — Crank The Square up to eleven, and you have The Stick. This character is extremely uptight and stuffy, a stickler for the rules if you will, a stick in the mud as it were. Usually humorless, often humorously so. The humor from The Stick generally results from his/her dismay or outright horror at the antics of the others.
The Sage — Usually an older character, this person acts as a sort of Mentor to the main characters, dispensing advice and a fable or two. Though close to the main group, The Sage generally exists outside that group, for example a neighbor, or an authority figure such as a teacher.
The Bigmouth — A (sometimes) softer, less-hateful alternative to The Bully, The Bigmouth is an annoying, um, bigmouth. Whether s/he is a Know-Nothing Know-It-All, an overbearing egotist like Ted Baxter, or an intrusive Nosy Neighbor, The Bigmouth just has a knack for getting on everyone’s nerves.
