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Poll: What’s the best ensemble cast currently on TV?

Aw ... cooperation. Working together is what makes the casts of a lot of shows worth watching. Read about our favorites and vote for yours!

We’ve recently done polls about TV’s greatest duos, trios and love triangles … it’s only natural that we’d move on to ensemble casts. I had a few ideas I presented to the team, but then they ran away with the topic and their own nominations and this monster of a post was born.

Julia: Community — it’s like The Breakfast Club, only ten times awesomer, more endearing, funnier, and actually vaguely diverse.

Brett: Again, Deb overlooks the obvious answer… iCarly! The main trio is great together, with Carly as the voice of reason, Freddy as the punching bag, and Sam as the devil. Or if you want to go all Freudian, Carly as the ego, Freddy as the super-ego, and Sam as the id. Where things really take off is when you add in the hilarious combination of Spencer and Gibby. There are lots of funny characters that show up on our televisions, but I’ll vote Gibby as the funniest recurring character currently on TV.

And I would probably disqualify House because their ensemble seems to be rather fluid, compared to the others mentioned.

[Good point about House, one of the shows I presented as a possibility. The ensemble does change more often than most shows.]

Tara: My vote is for the cast of Glee. They sing, dance and deliver rapid fire amusing dialogue. Plus, Matthew Morrison is foxy.

An: I’ll cast my vote for Cougar Town. It’s Friends for adults where everyone plays off each other’s manic energy. Bill Lawrence did an excellent job assembling a cast better suited to sharing the lead role, rather than serving as Courtney Cox’s mute backup dancers.

Side note: Every time Brett mentions iCarly!, I consider watching it. Luckily, I have short term memory.

Brett: New iCarly! Monday the 11th at 8PM. Mark your calendars now!

Chuck: I like the cast of Fringe — Olivia, Peter, Walter, Astrid, Broyles and Nina (when she’s on) — because they’ve developed a rapport and are all now working together to stop the inter-dimensional war. Of course with alt-Olivia here and our Olivia over there, that kind of screws things up since alt-Olivia is up to no good here.

Also the Heck family of The Middle. For all the dysfunction, they still love each other and are pretty darned funny. Hyper mom, low-key dad, brainy kid, the weird daughter and the under-achieving oldest son … what more could you ask for in a family sitcom?

Keith: Damn this is a tough one. I’m torn between Leverage and Community. I think I’m going to go with Leverage, though, since they work together a lot more closely than the Community cast does.

Carissa: I have to go with Cougar Town for all the reasons already mentioned. They are a true ensemble cast. No one character is featured in every scene or a majority of scenes. They all have integral parts to play and each offers something different to the group that if left out would leave a gaping hole. They are perfectly timed and seamless.

Ivey: If I’m watching the West Wing on DVD right now, can I nominate them? (OK, I realize that A. I can’t, and B. Pardon the Interruption, which I am watching, isn’t the West Wing). Keith is right, this is a way tough call … I think Grey’s Anatomy deserves a little recognition, especially considering how the show rose out of the slump it created for itself in seasons three and four, helped by the emergence of characters like Sloan and Callie, and additions like Owen and Arizona. True Blood and The Closer are two “off season” shows that I’d put up there as well.

[Based on Brett’s reasoning about the fluidity of House‘s ensemble, do we then have to disqualify Grey’s Anatomy as well?]

Bob: A series doesn’t win best drama three years in row by accident. I have to give my vote to Mad Men, where every member of the cast is impeccable. They all stand up on their own, but they are at their best when playing off each other. The episode this season focusing on Don and Peggy’s late night at work was incredible. Joan and Roger are great on screen together and the sparks that have been flying this season between Don and Betty have been great.

Carissa: Oh yeah — Mad Men is definitely a great ensemble. How could I miss that? Good call, Bob.

Jen: This is a real toughie — what about Big Love? It’s not currently airing, though, so maybe we can exclude it. The Closer has a nice ensemble dynamic, but I wouldn’t call it the best….

I’m torn between Community and The Big Bang Theory. And Fringe! Darn you, Chuck! I’ll go ahead and eliminate House based on Brett’s reasoning. You know, it pains me to have to choose, truly it does, but I am going to have to go with Community. It has a larger ensemble than Fringe does, and accomplishes a lot in a half-hour show. And I adore TBBT, but I think it has become more Sheldon-centric and less of an ensemble lately. Community doesn’t really have anyone who stands out — just when I’d say it was Jeff, I’d have to go with Abed or Troy or Chan or Annie or Britta. I think Pierce and Shirley get shorted, but on the whole, it’s definitely an ensemble, with most of the cast in all of the scenes.

Meredith: I second Bob’s Mad Men vote. Nearly every major character has shined this season.

You’ve heard from the CliqueClack team (except for me, because I can’t seem to choose between Leverage, Community and Cougar Town … or maybe Glee….) … what’s your vote? I popped a few choices into the poll that didn’t come up in our CliqueClack nominations, so look carefully for your choice.

Photo Credit: Nickelodeon

27 Responses to “Poll: What’s the best ensemble cast currently on TV?”

October 6, 2010 at 2:40 PM

OMG, Deb, I just noticed the iCarly pic you used in this post. I am laughing SO. HARD.

October 6, 2010 at 3:21 PM

Parenthood, anyone? I’m sure any viewer has a few of the characters that grate them the wrong way, but the cast, straight down to the kids, consists of professionals doing some really great work.

October 6, 2010 at 4:02 PM

‘Love Community but my vote has to go with Chuck on this one. Even if it’s (wrongfully :P) not in the poll.

October 6, 2010 at 4:22 PM

I know it might not be a traditional ensemble cast in some ways in that not all of the characters interact, but I’ve got to go with Castle – ensemble in the sense that all the characters are what really make the show – lose one and it would be hurting. I used to would have picked NCIS because its another show where the characters are what make the show, but I don’t feel like that’s quite as true anymore as it once was…

October 6, 2010 at 4:47 PM

I nominated Modern Family, but my vote went to Community. I wish I could split my vote and give half of it to The Big Bang Theory though. Lots of solid ensembles out there, especially among the comedies.

October 6, 2010 at 4:49 PM

What about It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia?!

October 6, 2010 at 4:58 PM

I’m a little surprised Chuck isn’t at least listed in the options. That entire cast from top to bottom is incredible, and possibly one of the best casts I’ve seen on TV (up there with Firefly).

October 6, 2010 at 5:21 PM

I would say Community, Its Always Sunny/The League, or Chuck. Since only one of them was an option, Community won. If this was asked two years ago I would of said The Office, but lately not so much…

October 6, 2010 at 5:39 PM

Wow you Community folks came in and slammed the poll!

Now go Facebook fan the “Old Spice Guy for Shirley” page!

https://cliqueclack.com/tv/2010/08/03/who-better-for-communitys-shirley-than-the-old-spice-guy/

October 6, 2010 at 11:33 PM

Been there, done that, weeks ago. :o)

October 6, 2010 at 5:44 PM

One show not on there is Vampire Diaries! :)

October 6, 2010 at 6:06 PM

If this was 2005, I’d say The Office, hands down. But it’s 2010, and to me Community has proven to have the best ensemble cast. An off the wall suggestion would be Mythbusters, yeah it’s not a fictional show but Jaime, Adam, Kari, Grant, and Tori work great when they’re blowing stuff up for science!

October 6, 2010 at 6:17 PM

My vote went to community, then i looked at the results and realized how unnecessary it was. And then I read the comments and realized that the most ensembley cast of them all is definitely It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. Can’t lose any of the gang or the show’s over. Wish that had been an option.

October 6, 2010 at 6:17 PM

Yeah I would have voted for Chuck too, but since it’s not an option I’m gonna say Modern Family, Community a close second.

October 6, 2010 at 7:12 PM

Where’s Friday Night Lights? They replaced half of an amazing cast and somehow was able to find new characters that are a great as the orginals.

October 7, 2010 at 12:10 AM

I’m usually the FNL guy around these parts, but forgot it when we were prepping the poll. Maybe because the previews for the last season, with all of the new people (and the Taylor’s) remind me how much I wholly dislike all of the new kids.

October 6, 2010 at 7:24 PM

Venture Bros.
(Mad Men was too obvious)

October 6, 2010 at 8:46 PM

Bones! Yes, a lot of focus is on the Bones/Booth relationship, but the show wouldn’t work without Hodgins, Angela, Sweets and Camille. (I miss Zack! But even most of the interns are good additions.)

October 6, 2010 at 11:35 PM

I have to chime in with the others who are voicing displeasure at the omission of “Chuck” from the list. I wrote it in, but it just stays on my screen no matter where I navigate. How do you get Sharpie off an LCD monitor?

October 7, 2010 at 1:34 AM

iCarly!
Fringe
The Middle

All great. :)

October 7, 2010 at 5:00 PM

It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. Funniest show ever made!
and a little shout out to The Office

October 10, 2010 at 12:52 PM

NCIS, Bones, CSI and Chuck. As they are all incredible.

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