User blog comment:Mattalamode/The Bobert Problem/@comment-30307603-20170406202541/@comment-31194372-20170407193348

Don't get me wrong, there are a lot of static characters in Gumball (as to be expected from a show with as large of a cast), but of those characters, few are employed with as much frequency as Bobert, and among them, few follow as strict guidelines in terms of their effects on their episodes. Bobert is a fine character, sure, but there's not a single other one that I can think of short of maybe Tina or Jamie with as much predictability.

I think part of the issue with Gumball's alleged psychopathy is that, as the leading character, he's also written as the most flexible in terms of personality. He's generic enough that the writers can generally apply any slightly variant personality type for an episode without it coming across as too extreme. (For instance, the Gumball in "The Slide" is drastically different from in "The Advice," but both follow the same general mannerisms that it doesn't come across as too astray.) I think his relative inconsistency works fine but I can see it being used to support the opposing argument.

(Also, you may like this video as well. It's interesting how the humor code of Gumball is a lot more in line with British comedy than with other cartoons, which contributes a lot to why I like the show: it's distinctive.)