Netflix's Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt was easily one of the weirdest sitcoms in the modern era of television. As a result of focusing on the story of a woman who escaped from a doomsday cult and built a new life for herself in New York, Kimmy Schmidt introduced characters both colorful and traumatized.
Whether it was Kimmy herself and her fellow "mole woman" Cyndee, her best friends Titus and Jacqueline, or lifelong New Yorkers like Lillian and Mikey, the characters of Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt were undoubtedly some of the quirkiest ever seen on television, each boasting their own bizarre personality.
Cyndee Pokorny: "He Invited Me Out To His Car To See Some Baby Rabbits, And I Didn't Want To Be Rude, So Here We Are."
Kimmy Schmidt may never have been particularly smart due to a lack of real world experience, but next to fellow mole woman Cyndee Pokorny, Kimmy looked like a genius. Cyndee was always depicted with a very quaint personality and a poor understanding of how the world worked, largely due to being stunted in growth after being abducted as a child.
Even as she reintegrated into society, Cyndee seemed driven by a childlike need to get what she wanted, even if it made others uncomfortable or unhappy. Although she was a good friend to Kimmy, more than the other mole women were, Cyndee wasn't a character that the series allowed to develop in any real way.
Artie Goodman: "I'm Going To Scandinavia With Or Without You. They Have Gnomes There. I'm Gonna Touch A Gnome."
Supermarket chain owner Artie Goodman was a later addition to the series and a welcome one at that. As Lillian's love interest, Artie was a perfect match for her, since he was both more rational and also quirky in his own way. Artie was the voice of reason in their relationship, frequently talking Lillian out of wild antics.
Due to having recurrent health issues, Artie was also more willing to embrace a life of change and chance than Lillian, who was more set in his ways. But in one of Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt's more unnecessary storylines, Artie died off-screen between seasons, which presented a real loss for the series and Lillian's character growth.
Xanthippe Voorhees: "Disney Lies To Little Girls. Stepmothers Aren't Scary, And Nannies Aren't Magical, And Dwarves Do Not Let You Sleep In Their House Without Expecting Something."
As a spoiled rich kid, Xanthippe Voorhees played the clear role of stereotyping millennials. She was obsessed with her image and with social media but also struggled to fit in with the other rich kids who were more reckless and even criminally predisposed. She had a real short temper, which often put her at odds with Jacqueline and Kimmy.
Underneath this front of being a troubled teenager, however, Xan also clearly had an internal childlike side. She loved the books of The Baby-Sitters Club series and understood the world in of Disney movies and the ways in which they lied to children.
Deirdre Robespierre: "Now She Has Returned In Full, Like Alcibiades To Athens, And I Have Become Her Eupolis."
Deirdre Robespierre was a woman who truly didn't like the limitations placed on her by the chauvinist wealthy society, particularly given her impressive academic history and all that her role as a housewife forced her to squander.
As Jacqueline began to rise in the ranks of their social circle, Deirdre finally felt alive again, welcoming Jacqueline's unconventional challenges as though Jacqueline were the nemesis she had always longed for. Deirdre always seemed to be inching closer and closer to her breaking point, but the series never showed her character succumb to the pressures placed upon her.
Richard Wayne Gary Wayne: "I'm A Man Of Faith. I Believe In Gosh And His Son Jeepers."
From the beginning of the series, it was always clear that Richard Wayne Gary Wayne was a villain. He abducted Kimmy and the other mole women and forced them into a doomsday cult. Beyond these obvious criminal tendencies, however, Richard was also clearly detached from reality and very full of himself.
He believed that he had a true religious calling in preparation for the end of days, but also believed he was the world's most talented DJ and most desirable man. On top of all that, he was also incredibly immature, which made him even more dangerous and one of 's most hated ing characters.
Mikey Politano: "Timon And Pumbaa? When I Saw Those Guys, I Was Like, 'I'm Seeing Something Special Here.'"
In his first appearances in the series, Mikey was closeted and struggled to learn the ins and outs of the gay dating scene in New York. He was incredibly nervous and awkward at all times and truly relied on Titus as their relationship developed.
Titus and Mikey soon became one of the most positive depictions of an LGBTQ+ couple on television. As Mikey became more comfortable with his sexuality, he began to lose some of the nervousness. But his awkward, self-deprecating humor always stayed the same, and his love for Titus arguably remained his character's most defining trait.
Lillian Kaushtupper: "I'll Be On The Stoop, Throwing Stuff At Anyone Who Looks Like They're In Love."
Landlady Lillian Kaushtupper may have been the series' quirkiest character. She was a proud New Yorker, resistant to gentrification and opposed to any and all change. She was often grouchy, lashing out at anyone if they pushed her enough.
Despite her anger issues, Lillian was still often a voice of reason in the series, often giving Kimmy and Titus the advice they needed without even realizing she had done so. For all her faults, Lillian usually meant well, but very rarely ever went about things in the right way.
Jacqueline White: "You Don't Know What You Look Like? How Do You Know Your Self-Worth?"
At first, Jacqueline was a completely clueless businessman's wife who would have never made it in the real world. After Kimmy arrived in her life, however, Jacqueline finally began to grow into her own person.
Even as Jacqueline became more empowered, she still remained superficial and judgmental. But she learned how to use those traits to her benefit, as she pivoted to a career as a talent agent in her first real working experience. Of all the things that changed after Kimmy Schmidt's pilot episode, Jacqueline's character changed the most.
Titus Andromedon: "I'm Pretty, But Tough. Like A Diamond, Or Beef Jerky In A Ball Gown."
Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt may have been Kimmy's show, but Titus was arguably the breakout star of the series. In every scene he appeared in, Titus stole the show. He was always loud and sarcastic, even if his judgments weren't always fair. Titus was both full of himself and self-doubting, both his own hype man and his biggest critic.
Although he rarely liked to show it, Titus did have a real vulnerable side, one that he only ever let Kimmy and Mikey see. And for all his many quirks and one-of-a-kind eccentricities, Titus was always a great best friend to Kimmy and a loyal lover to Mikey.
Kimmy Schmidt: "I Still Believe The World Is Good."
After everything that Kimmy went through, it would have been easy for her to turn into a bitter, angry person. Although she did have many issues she needed to work out in therapy, she never let those feelings stop her from being someone who believed that people were capable of being good.
Kimmy Schmidt was a character with a sunny disposition, almost to a fault. She was as naive as she was kind, as loyal as she was childlike, and as traumatized as she was good. Kimmy went through an incredible amount of pain in her young adult life, but she made a better life for herself all on her own with her friends and her chosen family.