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

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.

Clacked by Debbie McDuffee
on Oct 06, 2010 @ 14:00 EST5EDT