Ode to the Mild Mannered Man-child
He’s sweet, he’s gentle, he’s a little weird, and he’s not too bright. Ladies dig him, kids love him, and animals flock to him. He may be a gentle giant or a scrawny geek, and he wears his endearing childlike wonder on his sleeve. He’s the Mild Mannered Man-child, a go-to sitcom character trope since way back in the early 60s. Here are some examples of this model of non-toxic masculinity in some of my favorite sitcoms.
Bull Shannon (Richard Moll), Night Court
Bull, the behemoth bailiff on Night Court, is the epitome of the MMM. He’s a gentle giant, towering at 6-foot-eight, with a big, bald head and a menacing demeanor that often sends strangers running scared. But inside, Bull is kind and sensitive, and he lives to help and protect the most helpless and innocent of all living things, whether they’re people or animals. He writes poetry, entertains sick children in a hospital, and volunteers at an orphanage. He’ll scale a building, jump out of a plane, or swim across an ocean to help a friend, but if someone hurts one of his friends, he’ll happily twist them into a pretzel.
George Utley (Tom Poston), Newhart
George, the friendly and loveable handyman on Newhart, is referred to as “Everyone’s Pal George,” and it couldn’t be more true. George will happily make friends with anyone, no matter how self-centered, mean, disgusting, or annoying they are. He’s always ready to help out a friend, whether he’s fixing up their house for free, lending them his life savings, or letting them spend the night in his tiny room. He’s happy with the simple things in life, like falling snow on a winter afternoon or a tasty stack of pancakes for breakfast.
Monroe Ficus (Jim J. Bullock), Too Close for Comfort
Monroe, the goofy, clumsy friend on Too Close for Comfort, followed Sara home one day and just never left. At first, he’s so shy and polite that he offers to stand in the hallway rather than come into the apartment and hover awkwardly by the table rather than sit down and eat. Eventually, he becomes so comfortable with the Rushes that he’s basically part of the family, and he’s always eager to help out, even though he never gets things right.
Woody Boyd (Woody Harrelson), Cheers
Woody, the bumpkin bartender on Cheers, is known for being a few cans short of a sixpack, but he makes up for it with his bright smile and polite, friendly personality. Like a good country boy, he formally addresses the people around him, like “Mr. Peterson” or “Miss Howe.” While he pours drinks behind the bar, he entertains the regulars with his charming small town stories, innocent misunderstandings, and setups for Norm’s quips.
Maynard G. Krebs (Bob Denver), The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis
Maynard, Dobie’s beatnik buddy on The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis, draws the ire of adults with his scruffy appearance, lack of interest in school, and obsession with jazz, but when it comes to loyal friends, he’s one of the best. He stands by Dobie no matter what, helping him with all his cunning plans and crazy capers. With his laid-back attitude, he even makes friends with an escaped lion and a French foreign exchange student who doesn’t speak a word of English despite the fact that he doesn’t speak a word of French.