Michael Bluth

Michael Bluth is the reasonable Bluth, or so he insists — the son who actually runs the family company and takes pride in being the sane one among his self-absorbed relatives. When his father's arrest threatens to scatter the family fortune, he decides to hold everyone together for his teenage son's sake, certain he's the only adult in the room.

Bateman plays the straight man so precisely that the joke sneaks up on you: Michael's self-image as the sole functional Bluth is itself the running gag, since he's just as vain, controlling, and prone to bad decisions as everyone he condescends to. His exasperated reaction shots do half the show's comedic work without him saying a word.