5. Sheldon Cooper
Dr. Sheldon Cooper is the break-out character of The Big Bang Theory and, thanks to a fantastic and layered performance by Jim Parsons, is probably one of the funniest sitcom characters of the past ten years or so. The Texan physicist is probably the last person you would ever invite to your barbeque, however. Haughty, saddled with a massive ego and utterly devoid of any understanding of social etiquette, Sheldon could clear a room quicker than an outbreak of plague rats. Parsons deserves every accolade that comes his way for making a character who would make for genuinely upsetting company so lovable and appealing-it's a much harder trick to pull off than you would first imagine.