Success is not possible without deviation from the norm, a great Frank Zappa once said. There is a thin line between genius and stupidity. It can be hard to tell at times, but it’s a truth we can’t deny: some people are dumb as f**ck.
Because normal is boring, TV shows that sell comedic sketches must come up with characters that defy normalcy. Fiercely intelligent ones won’t do, as their big-brain logic is hard to grasp and their arrogance might even come off as intimidating to some viewers. The dumb ones, however, are adorable. All of us have at times realised our own stupidity, and had good laughs about it. Stupidity is enjoyable, and stupid people are adorable.
Here are my picks for the all time most lovable low IQ TV characters. Note that the level of stupidity is not in order.
Homer Simpson (The Simpsons)
Voiced by Dan Castellaneta
Image source: pinterest.com
“Stupidity got us into this mess, and stupidity will get us out.”
The Simpsons has achieved the highest level of meme status due to their crazy predictions, even predicting the rise of Donald Trump.
You can tell he is dumb just by the sound of this voice. And in every sense of the word, Mr. Simpson is an absolute psychotic. His clumsiness and poor decisions bring chaos to the town of Springfield time and time again, without him realising the consequences of his actions.
Surprisingly, he is a father of two and holds a respectable job. Despite his tendency to bring destruction to his beloved hometown, in his heart, he only wants the best. He loves his family, and cares for his children.
Michael Scott (The Office)
Portrayed by actor Steve Carell
Image source: The Office
On diversity day, your boss wants to address the racial profiling in your office. You are required to take a card with a particular race written on it, and stick it on your forehead. Your co-workers will have you guess what’s on your forehead by hinting you with stereotypes. For a normal person, that would be a sick way of dealing with racial discrimination. But for Michael Scott, the regional manager of Dunder Mifflin’s Scranton branch, it solves the problem!
It’s hard to predict his exact IQ because every once in a while he does come up with ingenious ways of solving problems. He is a branch manager after all, and he hasn’t been fired yet. But it’s apparent that he has no clue on how to act properly. He is insensitive, frequently misbehaves and puts his co-workers in uncomfortable situations.
In all earnestness, Mr. Scott genuinely cares about his employees, and strives to be a good leader. If only his brain size could support him in his endeavours!
Joey Tribbiani (Friends)
Portrayed by Matt LeBlanc
Image source: Friends
The hottest cast in Friends, Joey is a handsome muscular guy with innocence written all over his face. Every female in the TV series loves his charming face, but he is regularly the target of Chandler’s sarcasm. Good thing Joey doesn’t take offence –because anything thrown at him just flies over his head.
Although a lady-magnet who brings in a new girlfriend every now and then, he loves food more than he loves his girlfriends. He wants to become an actor, but his pea-sized brain always gets in his way.
Once, he was in a film studio, acting as a doctor. He has to ask his patient about his date of birth, to which the patient diligently answers. Next, he asks for their age. The patient tells him to figure that out from the DOB he just gave. Joey’s response? He is a doctor, not a mathematician! But you gotta give it to him; as a doctor, he’s paid to cure patients. Doing mental calculations isn’t a part of the job.
Peter Griffin (Family Guy)
Voiced by Seth MacFarlane
Image source: Family Guy
Peter from Family Guy is arguably the top spot on this entire list. What he desires most is a good laugh, but it comes at the cost of insults, awkwardness and cringe to the people around even. More often, Peter becomes a menacing bully because of his impulsiveness. He can be described in one word: a man-child.
It is hard to justify this man-child as a good person. But despite his rampage in his house, he loves his family dearly. And there’s no question about his loyalty to his friends. Even then, his lack of intelligence and self-control always gets in his way, frequently putting his friends and families in dangerous situations.
He is a gullible happy-go-lucky person. In spite of his cruel mishaps and selfishness, the audience can all cheer in unison whenever he is on the screen.
Sheldon Cooper (The Big Bang Theory)
Portrayed by Jim Parsons
Source: The Big Bang Theory
Now, some may not agree with this boy genius being on the list. His intelligence is unparalleled, leaving even the best minds of NASA baffled. He can solve even the most complex mathematical problems as if they were just simple Pokemon games, and Not to outshine his own brilliancy, hduring his childhood, he managed to prove to his professor that zero doesn’t exist!! No doubt, hObviously, his IQ must be off the charts!
But you can have an insane level of IQ and still be dumb, as is exemplified by Sheldon. While logic and curiosity are his strengths, he has a non-existing zero situational awareness, and is apathetic to social courtesy. He dominates debates, but fails to understand that humans are not always rational. He is very trusting of what others say, and can be deceived very easily.
Most people of his intelligence would be too self-aggrandizing and unbearing, but because of his childlike innocence, his annoying banters are easily forgivable.
Barney Fife (The Andy Griffith Show)
Portrayed by actor Don Knotts
Image source: pinterest.com
Barney exudes a sense of innocence and naivety that frequently leads to comical situations. Barney often falls for schemes and jokes, showcasing his gullibility. He’s also renowned for his clumsiness, frequently stumbling, tripping, or dropping items.
As the deputy sheriff of Mayberry, Barney is responsible for upholding the law. But he is more often than not, misguided and overzealous at his job. His interpretation of the law is agonizingly strict, sparing not even minor offenses. He is overly confident, but because he lacks self-awareness, he doesn’t know his own incompetence. This creates amusing misunderstandings with other characters.
But at least his heart is in the right place. Everyone loves him because of his dedication to work and friends.
