TVSquad

If everyone was nice, life would get pretty boring, wouldn't it? The television landscape is full of characters who made shows more interesting by doing what they do best: annoying the living hell out of everyone else. There's a lot to choose from, so share some of your favorites in the comments. Below are some of my personal faves:

Major Frank Burns: Alan Alda gets a lot of credit for his acting chops and his portrayal of Hawkeye on M*A*S*H, but Larry Linville deserves just as much, if not more, credit for his role as Frank Burns during the show's early years. Yes, he was a jerk, and yes, he was self-centered and only cared about doing what was in his best interest, but beneath it all was a very real vulnerability, a man who still held on to the childhood notion that the world owed him something. Maintaining that balance is not easy, but Linville did it perfectly.

Hey, check your watch. Yeah, it's time for another episode of The Five where we list stuff in groups of five, and you throw down some more in the comments. It's both fun and educational. Today we're talking about the best fictional corporations on television, so let's get into it:

Acme: Are you a coyote who has devoted his life to catching a single bird? If so, the Acme Corporation has everything you need from anvils to rocket sleds to exploding birdseed. Of course, none of these things come with any guarantee, but I'm sure they'll work out just fine for you. According to Wikipedia, Acme was part of the Warner Bros. cartoon universe early on, having first appeared in "Buddy's Bug Hunt" in 1935.

While it's no small feat to create an animated series kids will love, or one adults will love, it's especially amazing when someone is able to create something that both kids and adults can get a kick out of. SpongeBob SquarePants is a perfect example, and so is pretty much everything Craig McCracken has had a hand in, from Dexter's Laboratory (which he didn't create, but did work on) to The Powerpuff Girls to Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends, which, by the way, will kick of its fifth season later this month (April 28 at 7 p.m. EST on Cartoon Network to be exact). I've praised Foster's plenty of times already, but I'll say again that if you like cartoons and haven't checked this one out yet, you should. The unique creatures and design of the show give it a kind of "storybook" feel, and there's plenty of subtle jokes for adults and slightly older kids. I loved the episode when a sculpture of Grandma Foster is broken, causing Bloo to point out in one scene that "a bust this big needs ample support." What makes McCracken's work so admirable is that he's able to combine elements that are both jokey and heartwarming. The result is a show both myself and my three-year-old niece can enjoy. As "simplistic" as the show may seem, that's actually quite an accomplishment.