Marcus as a comical character is more fun than Marcus as a vague background character.

Yeah, that is kind of how I feel about Jar Jar in The Phantom Menace. Jar Jar as a comical character is more fun than Marcus as a vague background character, which he becomes in the later too prequels. Over the top characters are a good thing. Far better than serious background characters that remain vague. Can't stand background characters that only exist as part of the story and refuse to provide me an overdose of comic relief.