# Examples of secondary characters completely taking over a TV or book series? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 31, 2014, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/examples-of-secondary-characters-completely-taking-over-a-tv-or-book-series/694493 "2014-07-31T15:24:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/examples-of-secondary-characters-completely-taking-over-a-tv-or-book-series/694493/81 "2014-08-07T05:11:37Z")
In Lost in Space, I believe Doctor Smith was supposed to be an extremely minor character and I understand was to be written out after one or two episodes. He ended up being one of the main characters at the end. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/examples-of-secondary-characters-completely-taking-over-a-tv-or-book-series/694493/82 "2014-08-07T12:50:42Z")
> [@Terminus\_Est](#): > > I seem to recall Popeye being introduced as a minor character in the comic strip _Thimble Theatre_. > > A quick trip the [Wikipedia article on Popeye](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Popeye) confirms this: Wait. You RECALL that? How the hell old ARE you, anyway? :eek: ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/examples-of-secondary-characters-completely-taking-over-a-tv-or-book-series/694493/83 "2014-08-07T14:15:19Z")
> [@Cicero](#): > > In Lost in Space, I believe Doctor Smith was supposed to be an extremely minor character and I understand was to be written out after one or two episodes. He ended up being one of the main characters at the end. You have to include the Robot (B-9), who was not in the original pilot, either, and helped turn the show into **The Dr. Smith/Robot Comedy Hour**. I am deeply ashamed I didn’t think of this much earlier. It’s been that kind of week. ---
**Author:** ![Ms\_Boods](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5e9695/32.png) [@Ms\_Boods](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ms_Boods)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/examples-of-secondary-characters-completely-taking-over-a-tv-or-book-series/694493/84 "2014-08-07T15:02:27Z")
Avon became the most interesting if not the focal character in _Blakes 7_ ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/examples-of-secondary-characters-completely-taking-over-a-tv-or-book-series/694493/85 "2014-08-07T23:21:08Z")
Agent Pendergast. ---
**Author:** ![Jim\_s\_Son](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19adc/32.png) [@Jim\_s\_Son](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_s_Son)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2014, 9:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/examples-of-secondary-characters-completely-taking-over-a-tv-or-book-series/694493/86 "2014-08-08T09:56:38Z")
Wasn’t George Smiley a minor character in some of the early John le Carre spy novels/movies like “The Spy Who Came in from the Cold” who later became the main character? ---
**Author:** ![Fuzzy\_wuzzy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a8b319/32.png) [@Fuzzy\_wuzzy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fuzzy_wuzzy)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2014, 10:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/examples-of-secondary-characters-completely-taking-over-a-tv-or-book-series/694493/87 "2014-08-08T10:07:23Z")
Falstaff in Henry IV. ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2014, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/examples-of-secondary-characters-completely-taking-over-a-tv-or-book-series/694493/88 "2014-08-08T13:20:26Z")
Darryl on The Walking Dead. He doesn’t get all that much extra screen time, but he has a loud and enthusiastic fan base. I’ve seen life size cardboard cutouts of our Darryl in various mall shops. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2014, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/examples-of-secondary-characters-completely-taking-over-a-tv-or-book-series/694493/89 "2014-08-08T15:39:59Z")
> [@Sigmagirl](#): > > Agent Pendergast. Who was such a minor character that he wasn’t even in the movie made from the first book he appeared in. ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2014, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/examples-of-secondary-characters-completely-taking-over-a-tv-or-book-series/694493/90 "2014-08-11T14:14:38Z")
When Denise Huxtable got bumped from **A Different World** , Whitley clicked right into place. The 1940s **Daredevil** comic, a year or two in, introduced a team of kid sidekicks, the Little Wise Guys. Even though they kept the Daredevil name, the lead character disappeared and the kids took over the book. IIRC, the comic strip **Nancy** was originally called **Fritzi Ritz**. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2014, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/examples-of-secondary-characters-completely-taking-over-a-tv-or-book-series/694493/91 "2014-08-11T15:03:30Z")
David Healey, originally introduced as “Kevin” on Roseanne, was Darlene’s sometime boyfriend. He eventually moved into the Conner’s house and became a regular in the series. Roseanne knew acting talent when she saw it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/examples-of-secondary-characters-completely-taking-over-a-tv-or-book-series/694493.md?page=4)