Quote: Mark W @ 19th August 2017, 10:29 PMMartin from Ever Decreasing Circles.
And the other guy (not Howard) isn't much better.
Paul is the despicable one, trying to lure his neighbour's wife into bed.
Most despicable sitcom character? Page 4
Despicable in what context? Of how we perceive the character or how they are MEANT to be perceived?
For example, Basil Fawlty was mentioned as he's written as a snobby, rude and intolerant man. But for many, he is still liked because he's often down on his luck.
A lot of sitcom characters can be seen as horrors but there are many who have been dealt a bad hand in life. Frank Spencer, Victor Meldrew, and Del Trotter are losers you root for. Margo Leadbetter, Captain Mainwaring, and David Brent are pompous but essentially good people who mean well and have some depth. The likes of Basil Fawlty, Rigsby, and Alf Garnett are petty, mean-spirited, selfish and vain and in the end deserve their comeuppance.
Quote: paulted @ 28th September 2017, 8:35 PMA lot of sitcom characters can be seen as horrors but there are many who have been dealt a bad hand in life. Frank Spencer, Victor Meldrew, and Del Trotter are losers you root for.
Agree with this, I think the really despicable characters are those who selfishly exert power over others to their own ends, like Alan B'Stard or Alf Garnett. Having said that, a character like Albert Steptoe is at times sympathetic and at others despicable... which I think makes him an especially rich character.
Quote: Shrekinit @ 5th October 2017, 2:37 PMAlbert Steptoe is at times sympathetic and at others despicable... which I think makes him an especially rich character.
Love 'im as I wade through my box set at the moment, which I am about half way through; but the real revelation for me is I had forgotten just what a class act Wilfrid Brambell was - a superb comedy actor.
Quote: Hercules Grytpype Thynne @ 5th October 2017, 3:01 PM
I think you're pretty despicable yourself, HGT!
Quote: Paul Wimsett @ 27th September 2017, 4:18 PMPaul is the despicable one, trying to lure his neighbour's wife into bed.
I wholeheartedly agree. I also believe that Martin Bryce was autistic.
Quote: Mike X @ 12th September 2017, 11:23 AMTim from The Office. He's a bully and a creep. Two-faced, smug, cowardly and obnoxious. Despite the show trying to make him "the hero" I've always despised him.
Ooh, a great angle. I see what you mean - especially during S2 where his high-handed attitude towards Dawn's receptionist job and the fact that he dumps Rachel in the middle of the working day. Nice.
Whilst on the subject of The Office am I correct in my assumption that there's 'history' between Neil and Rachel?
Quote: Hercules Grytpype Thynne @ 5th October 2017, 3:01 PMLove 'im as I wade through my box set at the moment, which I am about half way through; but the real revelation for me is I had forgotten just what a class act Wilfrid Brambell was - a superb comedy actor.
The relationship between the Steptoes is a multi layered, complex, and powerfully dark psychodrama. Amid the laugh out loud comedy there is so much pathos, resentment, hate, love, bitterness, and sadness going on. The writers and actors say so much with the things that are unsaid. While Albert can come across as a selfish old man and a grotesque, he does many things to protect Harold and stop him from making a fool of himself. Harold for his part is vain (and selfish too) with ideas above his station. With the same writers there is a lot of Hancock in the Harold Steptoe character. Great stuff.
Quote: paulted @ 5th October 2017, 10:17 PMHarold for his part is vain (and selfish too) with ideas above his station. With the same writers there is a lot of Hancock in the Harold Steptoe character. Great stuff.
Great summary of the show and totally agree with the Hancock comparison. Think that much of Steptoe and Son's affective power comes from the portrayal of two men trapped in their economic circumstances. The one has resigned himself to it, to "his station", and the other is still trying to escape. What motitvates Albert to behave so despicably - especially towards his own son - is his cyncisim, selfishness, and subsequent desire to keep things as they are, and that's a much richer motivation than you get with most sitcom characters these days.
Working through my box set right now of Steptoe and Son. Every episode a gem, with Wilfrid Brambell being a revelation in comedy acting. OK, he stutters with his lines occasionally**, but the man was superb at his craft. I had forgotten just how good he was.
** So did Hancock but it made you feel that you were in on the joke when Sid would break out in a big smile, with both of them trying not to turn it into a guffaw fest.
Del and Rodney's dad. Loathsome....
Denise from The Royle Family. Particularly after series 2. I really don't like her, she is horrible and selfish. Her parenting skills are awful to watch. An example of this is in S3 EP 2, the baby is left on his own crying for several minutes, then Anthony goes up, and they all start slagging him off. Denise is also a hypocrite because she mentions that he would leave him on his own all day, would she do that? She also annoyed me when she said "Christmas isn't a day really for kids is it'. I mean what kind of parent does that? Dave does all of the work, while she does nothing.
Yes I think so. I do think it has been passed down as I believe that Denise was always favoured and got spoilt rotten when she was a child and Anthony was an accident, as they didn't expect it. So they really didn't bother with him much, even though he was a total success in the later episodes.
Laura rather spoiled His & Her for me. Brilliantly played and written, she did rather come to dominate the show. Her character was so horrible that I ended up feeling more angry than amused.
The show which I've watched more than most (apart from OFAH of course) contains the character which, at first, never struck me as despicable, however, as time has gone on and I've rewatched the series with various members of the family he as grown in our loathing.
The villain is Gary Sparrow from Goodnight Sweetheart.
The way which Gary all too easily slips into the role of bigamist (okay technically not maybe) and throughout the series justifies his actions to the point of purporting to be the victim is definitely despicable. Further to this is his treatment of Ron, a loyal friend and his superior attitude to Reg make him even worse.
Of course, this won't stop me starting back at episode one as soon as I've finished the series again.
Quote: Dickystardust @ 12th February 2018, 2:01 PMThe show which I've watched more than most (apart from OFAH of course) contains the character which, at first, never struck me as despicable, however, as time has gone on and I've rewatched the series with various members of the family he as grown in our loathing.
The villain is Gary Sparrow from Goodnight Sweetheart.
The way which Gary all too easily slips into the role of bigamist (okay technically not maybe) and throughout the series justifies his actions to the point of purporting to be the victim is definitely despicable. Further to this is his treatment of Ron, a loyal friend and his superior attitude to Reg make him even worse.
Of course, this won't stop me starting back at episode one as soon as I've finished the series again.
I agree there. I have watched the series a few times as well. I feel sorry for both of the spouses.
He uses Ron, unfortunately Ron is a bit stupid to realize this. If Ron wasn't there, what would he do then? He's a cheat. I do have sympathy with him though because of Yvonne, she is only interested in her career and nothing else. Gary at times has tried to make it work, not often, and she's been more bothered about her career. She's selfish as well.