Lets start with The Office, a show who's major characters (Jim, Michael, Pam) have jumped the shark, but might as well have been eaten by sharks. This season Ed Helms' character Andy Bernard is carrying most of Dunder-Mifflin on his back, while getting some help from the heavy hitters Kevin and Stanley for sidebar laughs. Helms' battle with Dwight over Angela and Cornell interviews and his stint as Oscar's wingman are on the season's painfully short highlight reel.
The next witness called to the stand is The Office's better half, 30 Rock. 30 Rock has a much wider cast, but again its the little guys who bring it to the next level. No one brings more consistent comedy from the outskirts than Jack McBreyer's Kenneth, but the real hidden gem is, and has always been, Chris Parnell's Dr. Spacemen. The man knocks it out of the park everytime like Roy Hobbs.
Another character that always pleases is South Park's Randy Marsh. Everyone who still watches knows Randy eps are the best, from the Little League episode in season nine, to season 11's Easter Special, to season 12's Internet episode, and already this season's "Margaritaville" romp on the economy. South Park is good but with Randy its always great. (I know I left out tons of great Randy moments, there are wayyyyy too many to name)
I don't like publicly admitting I still watch Scrubs since its a season-long obituary at this point, but the show's sole weekly smile comes from Ted, the hospital's nebbish lawyer. While JD and company are nostalgically going through the motions, Ted still brings the laughs. Maybe his can't-do attitude will never get old but Sam Lloyd seems like the only actor who knows there's actually film in the camera.
More examples, quickfire style, Jeff and Lester on Chuck, Howard Wolowitz on Big Bang Theory, Lo on The Hills, T-Bags on the AWOL-ed Prison Break, and even the recently missing-in-time Desmond on LOST. One big trend, one odd coincidence, or just ridiculous opinion?
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