YOUR Favourite Comedy Sadsack

[mippy]

Bill Dautreive for me. "Pretty, Pretty Dresses" is possibly the bleakest sitcom episode I've seen.

Also a big fan of Glenn in Superstore.

[Phil_A]

Martin Bryce from Ever-Decreasing Circles. He'd clearly be absolute hell to live with, but there's plenty of times when he's completely pitiable. Particularly in the episode when a workplace wanker convinces him (Martin) that he had a one night stand while drunk and Martin is devastated at the thought that he could've cheated on Anne.

[Blue Jam]

The Vicar is another classic sadsack of the eternally put-upon variety.

While he does find an escape route at the end of This Country, you just know he's still going to be put-upon at his new parish in Bristol, this time by junkies at the needle exchange. Not to mention his son.

Grumpy Len too. He lives in a lockup and all his friends are dead. Not to mention his neighbour/nemesis Angry Arthur, who chickened out of the full Dignitas experience.

[NoOffenceLynn]

Are there any female examples? Sweet Dee maybe?

Poor, lovely, devoted but put-upon assistant Lynn Benfield.

[Lisa Jesusandmarychain]

Ralph off of Dear John.

Series 1 Episode 2 is a masterpiece.


https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x7xtra2

Would also like to nominate  Ralph Bates, the most Geoffrey Palmeresque " I Was Born With A Hangdog Expression On My Face" actors of his generation for his character of John in this actually quite decent sit- com.
Ralph Bates was also one of the better Lisa Jesusandmarychain lookalikes in his time, Me fans.

[paruses]

Websters defines a sad sack as "a blundering, inept person"[nb]nice call back to the US puchlines thread there for the comedy nerds[/nb]. I was going to say Lance from Phone Shop. Then I thought it's all of them either: too old to be trying to live as the person they portray or trying too hard to fit in and stuck in a job they are better than. Confidence is the only thing that allows them to bounce back - despite all their failures - which elevates them above sad sack status.

Does a sad sack have to be beaten down and lumpen or can they be always about to rise but fall? Is it enough to just pity them? I would say Kirk from Dear John (one exception is the visit to his house but he fronts it out after) and Martin from EDC, don't qualify in those cases. They are almost always upbeat. Are Howard and Hilda from EDC Sad Sacks? I would have thought they are but they seem happy and content (they are not favourites, I hated them as  a child, for some reason)

Roger from Brian and Roger is a favourite. He must be a sad sack - constantly manipulated by Brian and never a success.

[NoOffenceLynn]

Geoff from Marion and Geoff.
There never really seemed to be a happy ending for him and his "two smashers".

[letsgobrian]

Websters defines a sad sack as "a blundering, inept person"[nb]nice call back to the US puchlines thread there for the comedy nerds[/nb]. I was going to say Lance from Phone Shop. Then I thought it's all of them either: too old to be trying to live as the person they portray or trying too hard to fit in and stuck in a job they are better than. Confidence is the only thing that allows them to bounce back - despite all their failures - which elevates them above sad sack status.

Looking at the George Baker comic strips that popularised the phrase, Sad Sack frequently appears to have a misplaced confidence, but it is often crushed by his own ineptness or the cruelty of the US Military system by the end of each strip.

[dr_christian_troy]

After listening to a discussion of the character in the recent Doughboys episode where they reviewed the pilot of The Sopranos, I'm going to say Artie Bucco. Apparently the idea was that he was most likely to join the rankings of the mob (described as a ladies man and a bit of a psycho during the teenage years), but then married Charmaine and settled down in a massively repressed way. We later find out Tony slept with Charmaine previously, and generally throughout the series he goes through a massive midlife crisis and loses the plot for a long period of time - but the performance by John Ventimiglia is often so very (and intentionally) funny, I think it counts.

[frajer]

After listening to a discussion of the character in the recent Doughboys episode where they reviewed the pilot of The Sopranos, I'm going to say Artie Bucco. Apparently the idea was that he was most likely to join the rankings of the mob (described as a ladies man and a bit of a psycho during the teenage years), but then married Charmaine and settled down in a massively repressed way. We later find out Tony slept with Charmaine previously, and generally throughout the series he goes through a massive midlife crisis and loses the plot for a long period of time - but the performance by John Ventimiglia is often so very (and intentionally) funny, I think it counts.

Great shout. Been on a Sopranos rewatch the past few weeks and Artie really is such a desperate and needy man that he can't help be a figure of ridicule, when if he stopped trying so hard and appreciated what he had have it fockin' made.

The ep where he gives 50 grand that he doesn't have to a French business investor, partly (mostly) because he wants to shag the fella's sister is cringeworthy in how it unfolds, but very funny.

[neveragain]

Geoff from Marion and Geoff.
There never really seemed to be a happy ending for him and his "two smashers".

Actually the last episode of Series Two is quite positive. (And it's Keith)

[Nice Relaxing Poo]

Piers Fletcher-Dervish- The New Statesman




"Oh dear Piers...oh dear, oh dear..."

[paruses]

Great shout. Been on a Sopranos rewatch the past few weeks and Artie really is such a desperate and needy man that he can't help be a figure of ridicule, when if he stopped trying so hard and appreciated what he had have it fockin' made.

The ep where he gives 50 grand that he doesn't have to a French business investor, partly (mostly) because he wants to shag the fella's sister is cringeworthy in how it unfolds, but very funny.

Yes good nomination. Love Furio turning up in the last shot to take collection of the debt.

Artie also has that misplaced confidence that gets out of hand with the made man and ends up with his hand in a pan of boiling stew.

[tinner777]

I'd of said this fucker Perry F. Caravello, star of windy city heat, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windy_City_Heat

Then I listened to the podcast, https://www.thebig3podcast.com which is quite good in parts, mole is a superstar!!

But, then I realised he's actually a low life cunt...

[JarrowMonkey]

Could Boaby the barman on Still Game be considered, looked after Pete the Jakey, very good to ISA, always organised whip rounds and gets nowt but slaver from almost everyone

[neveragain]

Jamesie from Rab C Nesbitt. Sleazy, broke and lost but with the faint whiff of having enjoyed life at one point.

[Mark X]

Derek from Mum. In a relationship with someone who's bleeding him dry, and only using him to get back with her ex-husband, yet he keeps painting on a thin smile to mask his despair.

"Yeah, but on the other hand I've started doing online bingo and I few a few quid the other day, so that's.... something."

[neveragain]

Ohh. That scene on the swing when he says to Peter Mullan's character, "I could cry for a thousand years."

[Coprolite]

Tim from the original The Office.
Ok, he might get the girl in the end but i don't think that disqualifies him.
Keeps talking about leaving and bettering himself, but stays.
Scoffs at the lack of culture but still ends up at chasers.
His friendless 30th birthday with his silly hat and getting his shoe launched is one of the saddest things i've seen in a comedy.

[Mr Trumpet]

Lance in Detectorists. Given great dignity and a few big wins over the course of the series, but archetypally a bit of a loser.

[Claude the Racecar Driving Rockstar Super Sleuth]

Teddy on Bob's Burgers. Brilliantly voiced and endearingly pathetic.

[lipsink]

Tom in Succession.

Not a comedy show but do you remember Nigel from EastEnders? He's probably the greatest sad sack in that show. Every woman he fancies would usually be interested in the Mitchell brothers and when he did find the love of his life she ends up getting killed. He was also fucking hilarious.

[Tony Yeboah]

Tom in Succession.

Not a comedy show but do you remember Nigel from EastEnders? He's probably the greatest sad sack in that show. Every woman he fancies would usually be interested in the Mitchell brothers and when he did find the love of his life she ends up getting killed. He was also fucking hilarious.

My favourite soap character. Paul Bradley did have a solid comedy background before he got the part.

[petril]

was he Selby or Chen?

[dr_christian_troy]

My favourite soap character. Paul Bradley did have a solid comedy background before he got the part.

Great character - bonus points for running a VHS rental shop.[nb]Bonus points for being a great character, not being a sadsack[/nb]

[olliebean]

And extra bonus points to Paul Bradley for fronting a fantastic band called The hKippers.

[Pink Gregory]

Teddy on Bob's Burgers. Brilliantly voiced and endearingly pathetic.

Endearingly pathetic, and then just mad.  Love Teddy, Bawwwwb.

[Marner and Me]

Martin-Game On

Tbf you could also add Matt Malone into that too, both a pair of sadacts

[BeardFaceMan]

Martin-Game On

Tbf you could also add Matt Malone into that too, both a pair of sadacts

You could add Mandy to that list too.

[lipsink]

My favourite soap character. Paul Bradley did have a solid comedy background before he got the part.

The burglar in Bottom too. Loved Nige. According to Wikipedia the character of Nigel was created to add some comic relief while the Mark HIV storyline was going on.