TV is full of hard-working doctors such as Grey’s Anatomy’s pioneering neurosurgeon Dr. Derek Shepherd and Lost’s unrelated but ingenious Dr. Jack Shephard. However, there’s a growing list of quirky doctors who would never be taken seriously as medical professionals. Instead, they become memorable for their sense of humor, clever schemes and carefree attitude while dealing with their patients.
Quirky doctors have meddled in their patients’ lives and attempted procedures they’re not qualified for. Others have done things that were totally outside of their job descriptions. And even though no one would like to be treated by them in the real world, it’s always fun watching them cause mayhem and deliver doses of laughs on TV screens.
10 Dr. Leo Spaceman (30 Rock)
Only Dr. Leo Spaceman can link erectile dysfunction to pop music. According to the physician, the issue has become prevalent because pop stars “haven’t made a good doing-it song since ‘Close the Door’ by Teddy Pendergrass.” Such are the kinds of remarks viewers can always expect from the delusional 30 Rock character who actually believes he is the best at his job.
Spaceman is never afraid to demonstrate his lack of knowledge either. When Jack Donaghy suggests injecting something into Don Geiss’ heart in order to save him, the quirky doctor shamelessly asks, “Where is the heart?” In one of his controversial commercials, he suggests that the new nicotine product he is promoting would be good for babies’ lungs. Add his absurd mannerisms to his complete lack of acumen, and you have a hilarious disaster of a character.
9 Dr. John Zoidberg (Futurama)
A doctor with poor understanding of human anatomy definitely shouldn’t have a license, but Dr. Zoidberg has been able to stick around the Planet Express crew because of his friendly nature and optimism. The Futurama doctor is ever broke and always guaranteed to end up in a tragic situation, yet he continues to keep going.
Zoidberg’s lack of finances is presumably tied to the fact that he also doesn’t understand human economics. He is awed by tiny sums and almost accidentally sells Planet Express’s stock to MomCorp because he needs money for a sandwich. He also tends to get involved in situations that either don’t concern him or that are completely out of his element. But he means well, which is more than can be said for some TV doctors on this list.
8 Dr. Yap (Bob’s Burgers)
One of the highest-rated Bob’s Burgers episodes includes Dr. Yap attempting to remove a stuck Bob from the restaurant’s toilet after Louise plays a prank on him. He relishes the moment and provides plenty of comic relief while at it, once again proving himself to be one of the show’s memorable supporting characters — for all the wrong reasons. Over the years, he’s become something of an antagonist to Bob in particular.
Dr. Yap isn’t incompetent, but he can be very malicious. When he learns that his crush Gayle might be involved with Bob, he tortures Bob by removing his tooth without anesthesia. He also goes on to exaggerate costs to ensure Bob’s insurance becomes depleted. When Bob seems to be winning over Yap’s old fraternity brothers, Yap stages a prank of his own for attention. He seems to be completely self-serving.
7 Dr. Tim Whatley (Seinfeld)
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Bryan Cranston might be better known for playing TV’s most impressive antihero but his early success came in comedic roles. Before his breakout part as Malcolm’s father Hal in Malcolm in the Middle, he portrayed dentist Dr. Tim Whatley in Seinfeld. Tim is Jerry’s friend, but even Jerry is always worried about him not having the best of intentions.
Over the course of five episodes, Tim is shown to have many weird habits that he never considers problematic. He puts Penthouse magazines in his waiting room, making conservative patients uncomfortable. He also gets intimate with an assistant while Jerry is unconscious during a tooth-filling session. The latter prompts Jerry to hilariously ask Elaine, “Is this dentist from Caligula?”
6 Dr. Ken Park (Dr. Ken)
In Dr. Ken, the titular character has a reputation for having the worst bedside manner at Welltopia Medical Group. He cracks jokes at the expense of patients and often keeps them waiting while he checks up on entertainment news or engages in gossip. He is also very self-centered — discharging his favorite comedian prematurely, just so the other man can keep performing.
Whenever he struggles to make an accurate diagnosis, his one-fits-all solution is to “throw some pills at the problem.” But Ken’s biggest quirk is using his skills and expertise plenty of times outside the hospital. On one occasion, he’s called as an expert witness during a trial and gets so carried away that he begins taking both prosecutorial and attorney roles. He has no apparent understanding of boundaries.
5 Dr. Algernop Krieger (Archer)
Krieger conducts scientific experiments and treats patients, which is doubly frightening because he didn’t go to school for either one. Yet he’s still the head of the ISIS Applied Research Department. Ever resourceful, the Archer character has a solution for everything — whether it’s a questionable cure for a headache or a toxin that needs to be administered to an enemy.
Unlike other doctors, Krieger doesn’t wait for consent. When he realizes Ray Gillette might lose functionality in his lower body, he simply drugs him, does a procedure and tells him about it later. He also engages in other strange practices such as flirting with holograms and making clones. But even though Archer went off the rails in its later seasons, fans appreciate Krieger for providing some of the show’s funniest moments.
4 Dr. Granny (Beverly Hillbillies)
The gun-toting Daisy “Granny” Moses is the type of doctor all patients want kept far away from them. Apart from firing bullets at every threat and citing self-defense, the self-proclaimed “Mountain Doctor” claims to be better than every other physician. Her methods range from the old-school to the inhumane, as she’s seen plucking out teeth using pliers and using alcohol to treat stomach pain.
Interestingly, Granny happens to be a sought-after woman in Beverly Hillbillies despite her haughty nature. It’s hinted that she finds a new husband immediately after every divorce because she is a “god’ in the kitchen. Still, her over-the-top treatment methods that tend to leave fans slack-jawed and frightened.
3 Dr. Fiona Wallace (Web Therapy)
Web Therapy’s Dr. Fiona Wallace believes that hour-long one-on-one consultations are tedious and time-consuming. Her solution is three-minute sessions to improve patients’ mental health as well as suggesting preventive measures. But every piece of information she gives tends to be insufficient, proving how flawed her approach is.
Characters played by talented actors such as Jon Hamm and Meryl Streep seek Fiona’s help, but only end up regretting it. She exhibits a total lack of passion for her job; it’s more about the money than everything else. “Knock your head on the table gently, and you’ll be fine,” she tells a patient in one example of her complete lack of effort.
2 Dr. Tobias Funke (Arrested Development)
Arrested Development’s Dr. Tobias Funke operates without a license for the majority of the show, but that’s hardly the worst part. He tends to get in way over his head on too many occasions. For example, he comes up with the idea to combine “analyst” and “therapist” into one word to make things easier for his clients, but ends up with the ill-advised portmanteau “analrapist.”
Additionally, Tobias comes up with his own new ailments. He claims to suffer from Never Nude Syndrome, which renders him unable to become completely naked even when he tries. He has also tried and failed at many other careers, and claims to have once auditioned for the role of one of TV’s most skilled doctors, Dr. Gregory House from House.
1 Dr. Nick Riviera (The Simpsons)
Dr. Nick Riviera from The Simpsons is undoubtedly the quirkiest doctor ever on the small screen. Whether it’s digging up dead bodies to use their parts in the operating room or swindling patients, there is nothing too immoral for him. But the only time he gets caught is when Mr. McGregg confronts him. Even then, Dr. Nick goes on to make fun of him, describing him as “the man with a leg for an arm and an arm for a leg,”
There is a good reason why Dr. Nick is incompetent as he’s said to have spent his days at Hollywood Upstairs Medical College trying to impress girls. Nonetheless, he gets some credit for his industrious nature. When he is not in his office, Nick comes up with all sorts of medical inventions and presents them in infomercials, sometimes to great success. He did seemingly die in The Simpsons Movie, but that only added to his many quirks.