From Lucille Ball as Lucy Ricardo to Jason Alexander as George Costanza, the oft-dismissed sitcom genre has featured plenty of truly iconic performances over the years. When it comes to TV acting, the critical acclaim is usually reserved for dramas. There’s been a lot of praise directed at James Gandolfini’s work in The Sopranos and Jon Hamm’s work in Mad Men and Rhea Seehorn’s work in Better Call Saul.
But it takes just as much skill and craft and talent to give a good comedic performance as it does to give a good dramatic performance. Bryan Cranston brought just as much depth and commitment to his turn as a dorky dad in Malcolm in the Middle as he brought to his turn as a meth kingpin in Breaking Bad. So, here are the greatest sitcom performances in TV history.
20 Danny DeVito As Frank Reynolds
It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia (2005–)
When Danny DeVito ed the cast of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia in its second season, he instantly proved to be the missing ingredient. Although he started out as a dysfunctional father figure to the Gang, Frank has since devolved into the epitome of grotesqueness. He’s the most depraved, disgusting human being imaginable, and — whether he’s dribbling peach down his bare chest or sliding naked out of a couch — DeVito has thrown himself into that role without a hint of reservation.
19 Jaleel White As Steve Urkel
Family Matters (1989–1998)
Jaleel White’s turn as Steve Urkel proved to be so iconic that he took over the whole show. He’s the go-to example of a breakout character. Family Matters was conceived as a blue-collar alternative to the more upper-class family unit of The Cosby Show. But as soon as White showed up with his suspenders, his high-pitched voice, and his wacky inventions, it promptly became The Urkel Show. He became the quintessential nerd archetype of his generation.
18 Rip Torn As Artie
The Larry Sanders Show (1992–1998)
The titular show-within-a-show in The Larry Sanders Show is a frivolous, lighthearted talk show, but its producer Artie ran it like he was leading an army into battle. Artie was the hot-tempered middleman between neurotic Larry and his pesky network handlers. Rip Torn played the part to perfection. He could put anyone in their place with a furious rant or an incisive insult, then go straight back to being delighted by Larry’s on-air patter.
17 Betty White As Rose Nylund
The Golden Girls (1985–1992), The Golden Palace (1992–1993)
Betty White’s portrayal of Rose Nylund in The Golden Girls made her a national treasure. Rose is sweet, innocent, and not the brightest bulb, but she’s also the funniest character on the show. The running gag of Rose telling bizarre stories from her hometown of St. Olaf might’ve gotten old in the hands of another actor, but White managed to keep it fresh each time, because she brought a real earnestness to every anecdote.
16 Matt King As Super Hans
Peep Show (2003–2015)
David Mitchell and Robert Webb each give hilarious performances as the yin and yang at the heart of Peep Show, but Matt King’s “crack-addled maniac” Super Hans stole the show every time he ed them on-screen. Every word that emerges from Super Hans’ mouth is jaw-droppingly out-of-pocket. Everyone on Peep Show was great, but none of them got more frequent laughs (or more hysterical laughs) than Hans.
15 Andre Braugher As Captain Raymond Holt
Brooklyn Nine-Nine (2013–2021)
When Captain Raymond Holt took over the 99th Precinct at the beginning of Brooklyn Nine-Nine, the show wrung plenty of laughs out of his no-nonsense by-the-book attitude in contrast to hotshot young detective Jake Peralta, and Andre Braugher developed the perfect style of deadpan line delivery. But as the show went on, Braugher brought a lot of depth to Holt underneath his deadpan facade. It became clear that he’d overcome decades of prejudice to build his career, and he became a much-needed father figure to Peralta.
14 Phoebe Waller-Bridge As Fleabag
Fleabag (2016–2019)
Phoebe Waller-Bridge originated her fourth-wall-breaking free spirit Fleabag on stage before adapting her one-woman show for the screen. By then, Waller-Bridge knew exactly who this character was and exactly how to play her. Fleabag is a raw, honest, warts-and-all portrayal of an uninhibited, yet rageful young woman. Waller-Bridge is darkly hilarious in the role, but that’s just one facet of this three-dimensional human being.
13 Carroll O'Connor As Archie Bunker
All In The Family (1971–1979), Archie Bunker's Place (1979–1983)
All in the Family wrung laughter out of America’s political divisions at a time when those divisions were tearing the country apart. The grumpy patriarch, Archie Bunker, was the show’s mouthpiece for extreme conservative views. He’s the ultimate archetype of the angry white man; he hates everyone who isn’t exactly like him. Carroll O’Connor’s razor-sharp performance came from the right place. He ensured that Archie’s character was always satirizing bigotry, not indulging it, which was surprisingly progressive for the ‘70s.
12 J.B. Smoove As Leon Black
Curb Your Enthusiasm (2000–2024)
The 12-season run of Curb Your Enthusiasm can be split into two distinctive eras: pre-Leon and post-Leon. Leon Black’s arrival was such a momentous shift in the dynamic that it changed the whole vibe of the series. Outspoken, fun-loving, street-smart Leon was the perfect comedic counterpoint to the curmudgeonly, antisocial Larry David. J.B. Smoove is such a gifted improviser that he could go off on a wild tangent, hit 10 talking points no one saw coming, and still manage to bring it back to the original purpose of the scene.
11 Rowan Atkinson As Mr. Bean
Mr. Bean (1990–1995)
Rowan Atkinson’s performance in Mr. Bean is a masterclass in physical comedy. Mr. Bean has achieved global success, because his non-verbal antics transcend the language barrier. Even though he doesn’t say anything, it’s always apparent what he’s thinking and why he’s doing the crazy things he’s doing, because Atkinson plays the slapstick of every absurd scenario with such crystal-clear intention and motivation.