# Characters introduced in the middle of a series that ruined the series for you **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** tv-shows-scripted\ **Created:** [June 7, 2021, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-introduced-in-the-middle-of-a-series-that-ruined-the-series-for-you/943737 "2021-06-07T03:23:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![blabbermeister](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e9a140/32.png) [@blabbermeister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blabbermeister)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2021, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-introduced-in-the-middle-of-a-series-that-ruined-the-series-for-you/943737/1 "2021-06-07T03:23:31Z")
For example, “King of the Hill” is one of my favorite TV shows of all time, but once they introduced Lucky it damaged my enjoyment because I didn’t like watching him. In “Curb Your Enthusiasm” I started disliking it once they brought the Leon character in. Thank you. ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2021, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-introduced-in-the-middle-of-a-series-that-ruined-the-series-for-you/943737/2 "2021-06-07T03:36:07Z")
Mothers (Roseanne, Seinfeld, etc.), Or grandparents. Also, babies. (Roseanne again) ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2021, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-introduced-in-the-middle-of-a-series-that-ruined-the-series-for-you/943737/3 "2021-06-07T04:10:13Z")
> [@blabbermeister](#): > > once they introduced Lucky it damaged my enjoyment because I didn’t like watching him I sympathize, but in compensation they killed off Cotton around the same time, and he was _way_ more tedious. Same fucking storyline about his relationship with Hank over and over again. My nomination: South Park’s brilliance is marred by Terrance & Phillip. Just very weak, infantile scatology and little else. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2021, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-introduced-in-the-middle-of-a-series-that-ruined-the-series-for-you/943737/4 "2021-06-07T04:42:57Z")
> [@Riemann](#): > > South Park’s brilliance is marred by Terrance & Phillip. Just very weak, infantile scatology and little else. Well, yeah, that’s kind of their point. But they weren’t exactly introduced in the middle of the series; they were there from season one. As for my nomination, I can’t think of any recent examples right now, but the kid version of me would say Scrappy Doo. ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2021, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-introduced-in-the-middle-of-a-series-that-ruined-the-series-for-you/943737/5 "2021-06-07T05:19:27Z")
Moved to CS (from IMHO). ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2021, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-introduced-in-the-middle-of-a-series-that-ruined-the-series-for-you/943737/6 "2021-06-07T05:24:49Z")
Very much disliked Natalie on _Monk_ (brought in to replace Sharona in the 2nd season, so not “the middle”). ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2021, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-introduced-in-the-middle-of-a-series-that-ruined-the-series-for-you/943737/7 "2021-06-07T05:47:21Z")
In the U.S. version of _The Office_, Robert California was cringeworthy. Obviously Michael was a ridiculous exaggeration of reality, but we all know people with elements of Michael. With California, I never saw a remotely plausible person, I just saw Spader hamming up… something. Weird in a way that just doesn’t correspond to anything real. I didn’t get what they were aiming for at all. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2021, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-introduced-in-the-middle-of-a-series-that-ruined-the-series-for-you/943737/8 "2021-06-07T05:56:17Z")
The Great Gazoo ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2021, 6:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-introduced-in-the-middle-of-a-series-that-ruined-the-series-for-you/943737/9 "2021-06-07T06:25:15Z")
And Scrappy Doo! ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2021, 11:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-introduced-in-the-middle-of-a-series-that-ruined-the-series-for-you/943737/10 "2021-06-07T11:43:28Z")
All of the second-wave Happy Days cast - Jenny Piccalo, Roger Phillips, Eugene Belvin, etc. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2021, 12:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-introduced-in-the-middle-of-a-series-that-ruined-the-series-for-you/943737/11 "2021-06-07T12:01:54Z")
Emily in _ **Big Bang Theory** _. The actress may have been hot, but her character totally sucked. Of course, the whole series was in decline by that point. Even so… ---
**Author:** ![mcgato](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac8455/32.png) [@mcgato](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mcgato)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2021, 12:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-introduced-in-the-middle-of-a-series-that-ruined-the-series-for-you/943737/12 "2021-06-07T12:16:50Z")
Seven from Married with Children. He was so horrible, he was disappeared. In general, the introduction of children is not a good move for a show. Exceptions do exist though. ---
**Author:** ![FlikTheBlue](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fliktheblue/32/10972_2.png) [@FlikTheBlue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlikTheBlue)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2021, 12:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-introduced-in-the-middle-of-a-series-that-ruined-the-series-for-you/943737/13 "2021-06-07T12:20:34Z")
The original new kid has to be mentioned. Cousin Oliver from The Brady Bunch. He was a terrible addition to the show. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2021, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-introduced-in-the-middle-of-a-series-that-ruined-the-series-for-you/943737/14 "2021-06-07T12:24:56Z")
> [@FlikTheBlue](#): > > The original new kid has to be mentioned. Cousin Oliver from The Brady Bunch. He was a terrible addition to the show. - He’s the [Trope Namer](https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/CousinOliver) at TVTropes. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2021, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-introduced-in-the-middle-of-a-series-that-ruined-the-series-for-you/943737/15 "2021-06-07T12:26:25Z")
Ricky Segal on _ **The Partridge Family** _. The final nail in the coffin for that show! [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/E9AK9UVfUF0/maxresdefault.jpg "The Partridge Family and Ricky Segal - Sooner or later") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E9AK9UVfUF0) ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/958977/32.png) [@salinqmind1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind1)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2021, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-introduced-in-the-middle-of-a-series-that-ruined-the-series-for-you/943737/16 "2021-06-07T15:08:24Z")
Rather late in the series but Sam the nurse (Linda Cardellini) on ER and her rotten kid always acting out and gobbling up screen time. Same a bit later with Tony Gates (John Stamos) and HIS obnoxious pushy …step-kid?..who may have had the hots for him. Kids in general are introduced out of desperation, ‘the ratings are down, hey, let’s throw in a troublesome little sister/long-lost cousin/pathetic orphan.’ It’s always the kiss of death. ---
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2021, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-introduced-in-the-middle-of-a-series-that-ruined-the-series-for-you/943737/17 "2021-06-07T15:19:18Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > As for my nomination, I can’t think of any recent examples right now, but the kid version of me would say Scrappy Doo. Ugh! Who didn’t hate that little bastard. He totally ruined that show. For me the opposite was true with Super Friends. I much preferred the introduction of the Wonder Twins to Wendy and Marvin. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2021, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-introduced-in-the-middle-of-a-series-that-ruined-the-series-for-you/943737/18 "2021-06-07T15:47:27Z")
> [@Riemann](#): > > In the U.S. version of _The Office_ , Robert California was cringeworthy. Obviously Michael was a ridiculous exaggeration of reality, but we all know people with elements of Michael… I didn’t get what they were aiming for at all. I got it. Unfortunately. A marketing firm I did a lot with (so spent a lot of time there) was run by a Robert California. A ‘coastie’ stuck in the midwest, so he tried to remake his business into a San Francisco ashram/yoga studio/free-weed love-in… as a charity for his poor, under-enlightened employees. (He tried to make it mandatory for everyone to attend his lunch hour “Enlightenment Sessions”, where he’d claim he was levitating. And he’d try to teach his minions how they could too…) And if you ever asked him a question like “So where are you from?”, he’d raise an eyebrow, “Where are any of us from, really? Now, the real question is… what is it about your fundamental nature that makes you ask me something like that?” Superior, “evolved”, and SO full of himself. James Spader could’ve chewed even more scenery to play him. ---
**Author:** ![Apodder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/apodder/32/17727_2.png) [@Apodder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apodder)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2021, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-introduced-in-the-middle-of-a-series-that-ruined-the-series-for-you/943737/19 "2021-06-08T00:43:52Z")
In The Office, I thought the Andy Bernard character ruined it. And Robert California was completely jumping the shark. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2021, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-introduced-in-the-middle-of-a-series-that-ruined-the-series-for-you/943737/20 "2021-06-08T01:07:49Z")
> [@Apodder](#): > > In The Office, I thought the Andy Bernard character ruined it. Yeah, I didn’t think he was a good fit at all. I eventually got used to him, but preferred pretty much every other character. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-introduced-in-the-middle-of-a-series-that-ruined-the-series-for-you/943737.md?page=2)