# 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:** 3
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2021, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-introduced-in-the-middle-of-a-series-that-ruined-the-series-for-you/943737/41 "2021-06-09T20:40:24Z")
OK, I actually remembered a case where the additional character not only ruined future episodes, but I retroactively went back and N =now I hate the entire series. On Bones, brennan’s “lovable rogue” father. Somehow, the creators of a showe about a crimefighter thougt it would be good to have her cover up her father’s crimes (which IIRC included murder, but I’ve purged the whole show from my memory) and have everyone think the was a good thing! Even if he wasn’t a murderer (which I’m. not convinced, despite the trial), he’s still a crook, and I had had enough of the lot by then. And this doesn’t include Billy Gibbons as Ms Montenegro’s father, or the assassination of Zack’s character. And I quit before the actual “let’s add a baby! that worked so well in every other show that did it” baby arrived. Man this show pisses me off! ---
**Author:** ![MrAtoz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@MrAtoz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrAtoz)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2021, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-introduced-in-the-middle-of-a-series-that-ruined-the-series-for-you/943737/42 "2021-06-10T17:05:27Z")
He (Dr. Zee) was there throughout, but not played by Robbie Rist. Rist played Dr. Zee in the three-part pilot movie/episodes, “Galactica Discovers Earth.” For the remainder of the series, Dr. Zee was played by James Patrick Stuart. Important trivia: James Patrick Stuart is the son of Chad Stuart, one half of the 60s folk-rock duo Chad & Jeremy (of “A Summer Song” fame). ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2021, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-introduced-in-the-middle-of-a-series-that-ruined-the-series-for-you/943737/43 "2021-06-10T17:22:17Z")
Gah! Galactica 1980. Everyone is dead except the oldest guy on the show. “After searching for it for countelss yaharns, let’s just move on and leave Earth undefended against the pursuing Cylons. What’s the worst that could happen?” Plus the very popular for the time “let’s ignore our own sense and trust the mystical baby genius Dr Zee”. Even if he hadn’t been played by Robbie Rist, he still would have sucked. BTW, those F15s held their own against the vaunted Vipers. Without that magical “invisibility cloak”, the Vipers would have been shot down. I can’t believe I watched the whole thing for ONE good episode. ---
**Author:** ![jaycat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jaycat/32/3015_2.png) [@jaycat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jaycat)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2021, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-introduced-in-the-middle-of-a-series-that-ruined-the-series-for-you/943737/44 "2021-06-10T21:56:55Z")
Helen Crump. ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2021, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-introduced-in-the-middle-of-a-series-that-ruined-the-series-for-you/943737/45 "2021-06-10T22:00:12Z")
No character ever ruined a show I already liked, but Priya on **Big Bang Theory** sucked the funny out of the room. Other than the episode with the roommate agreement and perhaps the first episode when she gets with Leonard she overall hurt the show. ---
**Author:** ![velomont](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8491ac/32.png) [@velomont](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/velomont)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2021, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-introduced-in-the-middle-of-a-series-that-ruined-the-series-for-you/943737/46 "2021-06-10T22:30:47Z")
I was going to mention her as well. Her character made the show unwatchable for me. Everybody else on the show was brutally annoying but in very funny and comedic ways. But Priya was brutally annoying in a very unpleasant way. It was really good when she left the show. ---
**Author:** ![Jay\_Z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Jay\_Z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jay_Z)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2021, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-introduced-in-the-middle-of-a-series-that-ruined-the-series-for-you/943737/47 "2021-06-10T23:00:54Z")
> [@jaycat](#): > > Helen Crump. Not for Andy Griffith, as he had an affair with the actress. Cousin Oliver was not introduced in “the middle” of a series. The final six episodes only. A better answer would be Seven from Married With Children. ---
**Author:** ![Dark\_Sponge](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dark_sponge/32/121_2.png) [@Dark\_Sponge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dark_Sponge)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2021, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-introduced-in-the-middle-of-a-series-that-ruined-the-series-for-you/943737/48 "2021-06-10T23:18:02Z")
Most of the cast of Lost. It was one of my favorite shows until they introduced so many new characters. I quickly stopped caring about all of them. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2021, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-introduced-in-the-middle-of-a-series-that-ruined-the-series-for-you/943737/49 "2021-06-10T23:27:03Z")
_Bob_ The show originally had Bob Newhart as a comic book artist. They dropped that for the second season and added Betty White and Jere Burns. The show, which was pretty good, sucked ass after that. White and Burns weren’t solely to blame, but their addition didn’t help. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2021, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-introduced-in-the-middle-of-a-series-that-ruined-the-series-for-you/943737/50 "2021-06-10T23:30:41Z")
Regarding **Big Bang Theory** : Emily - neutral. Didn’t add anything, didn’t take much away Priya - Hated, except for the abovementioned episodes and the one that gave me my go-to glib line to people who put beans in chili Denise (Stuart’s girlfriend) - I love her! She made Stuart a human being again instead of a caricature. My spin-off dream show would be about those two. ---
**Author:** ![E-DUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/e-dub/32/403_2.png) [@E-DUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-DUB)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2021, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-introduced-in-the-middle-of-a-series-that-ruined-the-series-for-you/943737/51 "2021-06-10T23:43:47Z")
Actually, the “original new kid”…[My Three Sons - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/My_Three_Sons) ---
**Author:** ![WolfpackJeep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpackjeep/32/2921_2.png) [@WolfpackJeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WolfpackJeep)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2021, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-introduced-in-the-middle-of-a-series-that-ruined-the-series-for-you/943737/52 "2021-06-11T00:14:52Z")
My mom is a huge _I Love Lucy_ fan, and she never misses a chance to speculate as to why they brought on such a fussy child actor. ---
**Author:** ![Knowed\_Out](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/knowed_out/32/7380_2.png) [@Knowed\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knowed_Out)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2021, 11:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-introduced-in-the-middle-of-a-series-that-ruined-the-series-for-you/943737/53 "2021-06-11T11:05:48Z")
> [@Grrr](#): > > Parks and recreation. Tom’s best friend and his best friend’s sister. I despised Jean-Ralphio too, but he grew on me. He’s like the friend who will always be the bigger idiot than you. ---
**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 11, 2021, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-introduced-in-the-middle-of-a-series-that-ruined-the-series-for-you/943737/54 "2021-06-11T20:23:24Z")
Yeah the original version of _Bob_ was entertaining. The woman who played his daughter was great. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2021, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-introduced-in-the-middle-of-a-series-that-ruined-the-series-for-you/943737/55 "2021-06-11T22:23:43Z")
Cynthia Stevenson. Was in _Dead Like Me_ and was a key character in _The Player._ ---
**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 11, 2021, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-introduced-in-the-middle-of-a-series-that-ruined-the-series-for-you/943737/56 "2021-06-11T22:38:28Z")
Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2021, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-introduced-in-the-middle-of-a-series-that-ruined-the-series-for-you/943737/57 "2021-06-12T00:16:54Z")
Reverend Doctor Anna Volovodov on _The Expanse._ Her storyline made the show suddenly feel like network pap. ---
**Author:** ![nightshadea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7ba0ec/32.png) [@nightshadea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nightshadea)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2021, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-introduced-in-the-middle-of-a-series-that-ruined-the-series-for-you/943737/58 "2021-06-12T03:00:04Z")
didn’t Galactica leave earth because it had some sort of communist dictatorship as a “world government?” the john Larroquette show …when the whole 2nd season was a reboot of the show because they added so many people… there was a set of relatives on the Waltons that sort of moved in and disappeared in like a half of season because the kids were such brats … ---
**Author:** ![kitap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b9e5f3/32.png) [@kitap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kitap)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2021, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-introduced-in-the-middle-of-a-series-that-ruined-the-series-for-you/943737/59 "2021-06-12T03:30:01Z")
> [@MrAtoz](#): > > He (Dr. Zee) was there throughout, but not played by Robbie Rist. > > Rist played Dr. Zee in the three-part pilot movie/episodes, “Galactica Discovers Earth.” For the remainder of the series, Dr. Zee was played by James Patrick Stuart. Important trivia: James Patrick Stuart is the son of Chad Stuart, one half of the 60s folk-rock duo Chad & Jeremy (of “A Summer Song” fame). James was Dick Roman on season 7 of **Supernatural**. ---
**Author:** ![ParallelLines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parallellines/32/3575_2.png) [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2021, 7:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-introduced-in-the-middle-of-a-series-that-ruined-the-series-for-you/943737/60 "2021-06-12T07:05:47Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > Jool was a huge misstep on Farscape. They wrote her off after one season, realizing their error. Agreed, but the later addition of Noranti to was another error that weakened the series. And don’t get me wrong, I love Farscape, but watching the some of the later seasons with either of those characters makes me wince. I find Sikozu irritating, but she’s _slightly_ more interesting that either of the two previously mentioned one note hacks. I submit almost every character they added (not to mention all the characters they DELETED) in season two of ‘Dark Angel’ ruined the series for me. Along with the change in storyline, emphasis, plot. And I loathed Joshua the loyal dog boy with the fury of a thousand suns. Just typing this makes me grit my teeth. It was every single stupid ‘monster with a heart of gold’ trope poured into one character that also showed up all the damn time. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-introduced-in-the-middle-of-a-series-that-ruined-the-series-for-you/943737.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-introduced-in-the-middle-of-a-series-that-ruined-the-series-for-you/943737.md?page=4)