Loving thy TV neighbor: 10 famous neighbors in sitcom history

Which one was your favorite?

Who wouldn't want to have a loyal neighbor like Kramer on the hit TV series "Seinfeld." (Getty Images)

“Love thy neighbor” is one of life’s greatest commandments, and it seems especially true for fans of sitcoms over the years.

Some of the best TV shows in history wouldn’t have been the same without the presence of great neighbors that helped make the main characters more complete.

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But who have been the best neighbors of all time on TV?

In honor of National Good Neighbor Day, here is a list of our 10 favorites.

All photos are copyright Getty Images.


10. Marcy Rhoades/D’Arcy -- ‘Married With Children’

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An adversary of Al Bundy but best friend to Peg Bundy, Marcy (played by Amanda Bearse) was a feminist who would always be getting into a battle of hilarious one-liners with Al.

But despite often being at odds with Al, Marcy always seemed to be there to help when Peg or the kids needed something. First it was Marcy Rhoades when Steve was a regular part of the show. Then when the actor who played Steve (David Garrison) left, she became Marcy D’Arcy after marrying Jefferson, played by Ted McGinley.


9. Willona Woods -- ‘Good Times’

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A fun-loving and gossiping neighbor who was Florida’s best friend, Woods (played by Ja’Net Dubois) was always there for support when times got tough -- and laughs for when things got better.


8. Lenny Kosnowski and Andrew ‘Squiggy’ Squiggman -- ‘Laverne and Shirley’

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The ’70s and ’80s sitcom certainly wouldn’t have been the same without these two neighbors who lived upstairs from Laverne and Shirley’s apartment. Whether it was screaming through the dumbwaiter shafts or just coming down unannounced to say hi, these were as entertaining of neighbors as they could possibly be.


7. Barney and Betty Rubble -- ‘The Flintstones’

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What’s better than having your neighbors as your best friends?

That is definitely what the situation entailed on “The Flintstones,” with Fred Flintstone and Barney Rubble seemingly doing everything together. Ditto for Wilma Flintstone and Betty Rubble.


6. Kimmy Gibbler -- ‘Full House’

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Played by Andrea Barber, Gibbler wasn’t a popular neighbor to many of the Tanners, but she was a best friend to D.J., and provided laughs and memories for fans of the show forever. She was a key part of the series, as evidenced that she was a part of the remake on Netflix.


5. Ned Flanders -- ‘The Simpsons’

This is actually a face mask worn by a goaltender in the NHL. Photo by Dilip Vishwanat (Getty Images)

There are few better lines in TV history than “Okily Dokily,” often recited by Flanders, the neighbor who always does stuff for the Simpsons without asking for anything in return. Still, his generosity and seemingly perfect Godly nature annoys Homer at times.

But seriously, how can you have a better neighbor than this?


4. Eddie Haskell -- ‘Leave It to Beaver’

Ken Osmond played Eddie Haskell on "Leave It to Beaver." (Getty Images)

Played by Ken Osmond, Haskell was the ultimate schmoozer when it came to socializing with Wally and Beaver’s parents, who raved about his good nature. But there was definitely a mischievous side to Haskell, who was always coming up with sneaky schemes with Wally and Beaver.


3. Steve Urkel -- ‘Family Matters’

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It didn’t really seem like he was a neighbor to the Winslows on the sitcom “Family Matters,” because Urkel (played by Jaleel White) always kind of came in and out of the house as he pleased.

With a whiny voice, suspenders and a crush on Laura, he would always drive Carl Winslow crazy with the trouble he stirred up. But you can’t deny the laughs and his affinity for the Winslows as a family. He always would have their back, even with his unintentional mess-ups.


2. Wilson -- ‘Home Improvement’

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Whenever Tim and the rest of the cast on “Home Improvement” needed some fatherly advice, all they would have to do is go out to the backyard and have a chat with Wilson, played by Earl Hindman. Even though half his face was covered as he was on the other side of a fence, his greeting of “Well, hi dee-ho!” and timely advice always seemed to get Tim and the others back on track.


1. Kramer -- ‘Seinfeld’

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Kramer might not have been the best neighbor with how he always came into Jerry’s apartment to eat his food and mess up his kitchen, but good luck finding a funnier and more loyal neighbor to Jerry than Kramer. He named his pet rooster after Jerry, and always was there for the gang, no matter how crazy the scheme or issue.


About the Author

Keith is a member of Graham Media Group's Digital Content Team, which produces content for all the company's news websites.

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