The Best Seinfeld Characters, According To Ranker

There are very few shows that have managed to stay relevant decades after they’ve concluded, with Seinfeld perhaps leading the pack. The show about nothing features a stellar cast of characters and each one of them has memorable traits that make the bizarre premise work so well.

Primarily set around Jerry’s apartment, he and his friends, George Costanza, Elaine Benes, and Cosmo Kramer come across odd and offbeat personalities. Fans on Ranker have sent in thousands of votes over which characters they’ve loved the most and it’s worth looking into who among the cast have entertained viewers the most in the show’s nine-season run.

10 Jackie Chiles

Jackie is usually considered among Seinfeld fans’ favorite characters for the way he brings an instant level of comedy. Jackie’s catchphrase of “Who told you to that?” is present in each of his appearances, with the character facing a loss in each case because of Kramer’s antics.

Although a competent lawyer, Jackie frequently gets blindsided when Kramer does something he advised against, resulting in an embarrassment for Jackie. His jumpy attitude combined with his eccentric mannerisms remains highly memorable, especially since he only shows up in a handful of episodes.

9 David Puddy

Elaine’s on-again, off-again boyfriend, Puddy is hilarious for the way he remains monotone no matter the circumstance, never really taking anything seriously. His blunt attitude is played for laughs, with Puddy going so far as to claim that Elaine will go to hell while he’ll go to heaven.

The recurring gag of Puddy and Elaine breaking up and getting back together never gets old, mainly because of how little it affects him. Other quirks like his obsession with the high-five, staring into space, and distinctive deep voice all make Puddy an entertaining presence [tldr_position]every time he shows up.

8 Jacopo Peterman

Widely considered to be the best boss Elaine had in the series, J. Peterman’s accent itself is enough to set him apart from others. His overly enthusiastic personality and literal mindset led to great comedic storylines like him considering Elaine’s made-up employee to be a real person and his obsession with The English Patient. 

Just about anything J. Peterman does makes an impact, such as his nervous breakdown that led to him running off to Burma or his scamming of Kramer’s life to pass off as his own in his autobiography. Seinfeld always featured authoritative figures that had their own edge, and Peterman tops them all.

7 The Soup Nazi

Perhaps the best Seinfeld character in the season he featured, there’s likely no fan of the series who hasn’t uttered, “No soup for you!” Incredibly, the Soup Nazi only appears in two episodes, yet the first one is enough for him to cement his place as a legend in the series.

The Soup Nazi was extremely protective of the soup he served, becoming a feared individual who belittled his customers. The Seinfeld universe masterfully turns every serious issue into a hilarious one, and the Soup Nazi’s angry persona has quite the opposite effect on viewers, who can’t get enough of his militant attitude.

6 Jerry Seinfeld

It was by design that Jerry rarely got an episode that centered around his exploits, as his role was to primarily comment and observe on the adventures of his friends. Still, Jerry’s neurotic obsession with cleanliness, Superman, and doling out sarcastic remarks make him very endearing.

The show wouldn’t have worked had Jerry not been there as the point of view character, as he’s the nucleus of the group around whom all the chaos of this sitcom universe revolves. He may not have that distinct personality trait his friends have, but Jerry is the character who serves as the audience surrogate.

5 Newman

Jerry’s sworn enemy, whose greeting of “Hello, Newman” has followed actor Wayne Knight around ever since. Newman is shown as a petty man who annoys Jerry for no real reason. Newman’s verboseness, coupled with his extreme loyalty to the post office are comedic elements that just work.

Newman and Jerry’s antagonism, whose genesis is never explained, make the former a distinct character every time he appears. His partnerships with Kramer generally end in disaster, with the bottle deposits and attempt to fool the legal system among the times where Newman shone the most. If there ever was a villain in the series, it would be Newman, but that doesn’t stop the fans from loving him.

4 Elaine Benes

The show made the right decision to not hone in on Jerry and Elaine’s relationship in Seinfeld, but rather make Elaine a character independent of romantic angles. Elaine fit right in with the friend group, being just as obsessed with nonsensical issues of daily life, figuratively and literally pushing her friends around, and falling into hot water at work.

Her dry wit, putdowns, and inability to say the wrong things all became the basis for storylines, with Elaine never feeling bad about them either. The show needed a character who was in striking contrast to the other female characters and Elaine more than lived up to the task.

3 Frank Costanza

It’s understandable why George became the way he did when his father is taken into consideration. Extremely easy to rile up, Frank Costanza’s rants are the stuff of highlight reels, as he loses it without a moment’s notice, leading to some of the sitcom’s most over-the-top quotes.

Frank’s made many things stand out for the series, such as “Serenity now!” and the shouting matches that he got in with his wife. The funniest thing about Frank is that he doesn’t even realize how hilarious his mercurial demeanor is, and fans tend to heavily favor the episodes he appears in.

2 Cosmo Kramer

Undoubtedly the king of physical comedy, Kramer’s “hipster doofus” personality and chaotic presence are scene-stealing aspects of the character. Going from a man who didn’t seem to leave the apartment building to someone who appeared to be friends with everyone in New York, Kramer’s schemes and lopsided worldview are impossible to replicate.

Kramer hardly ever needs dialogue to be funny, as his constant pratfalls and knocking about are a masterclass in comedy. Things such as the mystery behind Kramer’s job, interactions with the likes of Newman and Jackie Chiles, loudmouth antics, among others, all contribute to Kramer’s one-of-a-kind characterization.

1 George Costanza

If there were ever personification of what a person would be if they became absolutely uninhibited, it would have to be George. He’s responsible for the most famous episodes in the series, bringing catchphrases like “We’re living in a society,” “George is getting upset,” “the jerk store,” and “lord of the idiots” all into pop culture.

George’s regular failings, whether it’s with romances, his jobs, or his daily life, are things that people experience, but all turned up to the highest degree. His self-loathing somehow becomes an endearing quality, with viewers absolutely loving George’s presence even though he’s made the most morally questionable actions in the series.

About The Author

Saim Cheeda
(1343 Articles Published)

Saim Cheeda is an entertainment writer covering all of Film, TV, Gaming and Books. He’s been a writer for Valnet since 2017, contributing 500+ articles for The Gamer, The Things, Game Rant, Comic Book Resources and Screen Rant. Apart from freelance writing, Saim is a lifestyle blogger, co-owning the blog 3 States Apart.

http://3statesapart.com

More From Saim Cheeda