# Most memorable minor characters from TV shows **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 28, 2010, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-memorable-minor-characters-from-tv-shows/562167 "2010-11-28T15:45:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2010, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-memorable-minor-characters-from-tv-shows/562167/1 "2010-11-28T15:45:13Z")
The thread title is so beautifully simple I can’t bring myself to complicate it as I suuallywould. Instead I’ll just start off by mentioning [Dr. Elizabeth Rodgers](http://www.imdb.com/character/ch0013535/) from Law & Order (and Law & Order: Criminal Intent), portrayed by [Leslie Hendrix](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0376890/). She’s by far the most believable medical examiner on any of the cop shows (sorry, Ducky!) and has a believable, human hotness about her that the parade of model/ADAs on that show do not. Anybody else? ---
**Author:** ![Stratocaster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stratocaster/32/16393_2.png) [@Stratocaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stratocaster)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2010, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-memorable-minor-characters-from-tv-shows/562167/2 "2010-11-28T15:57:32Z")
_The Simpsons_ is the gold standard for this, IMO–too many to pick one. So how about Sidney Freedman from _M_A_S_H\*? Only appeared in 12 shows, but even a casual M_A_S\*H fan knows Sidney. ---
**Author:** ![Smitty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@Smitty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smitty)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2010, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-memorable-minor-characters-from-tv-shows/562167/3 "2010-11-28T16:00:20Z")
Creed from **The Office**. Just a few moments of total insanity. ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2010, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-memorable-minor-characters-from-tv-shows/562167/4 "2010-11-28T16:06:55Z")
Bob and June Wheeler from Night Court. Kelly, Woody’s fiancee from Cheers. Eko from Lost. ---
**Author:** ![audit1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@audit1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/audit1)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2010, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-memorable-minor-characters-from-tv-shows/562167/5 "2010-11-28T18:14:35Z")
Doctor Miquelito Loveless from The Wild Wild West. The unforgettable Michael Dunn. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2010, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-memorable-minor-characters-from-tv-shows/562167/6 "2010-11-28T18:17:15Z")
> [@audit1](#): > > Doctor Miquelito Loveless from The Wild Wild West. The unforgettable Michael Dunn. I love Loveless too, but he’s not a minor character. He’s the major recurring antagonist, and the focus of every episode in which he appears. ---
**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:** [November 28, 2010, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-memorable-minor-characters-from-tv-shows/562167/7 "2010-11-28T18:35:53Z")
2 1/2 Men had psychiatrist Dr. Linda Freeman (and boy, they missed a great opportunity to have her father Sydney appear), Criminal Minds had Spencer Reid’s crazy, institutionalized mother Diana. Now she’s Sue Sylvester on Glee. Here’s to the amazingly talented Jane Lynch! ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2010, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-memorable-minor-characters-from-tv-shows/562167/8 "2010-11-28T18:52:10Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > The thread title is so beautifully simple I can’t bring myself to complicate it as I suuallywould. Instead I’ll just start off by mentioning [Dr. Elizabeth Rodgers](http://www.imdb.com/character/ch0013535/) from Law & Order (and Law & Order: Criminal Intent), portrayed by [Leslie Hendrix](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0376890/). She’s by far the most believable medical examiner on any of the cop shows (sorry, Ducky!) and has a believable, human hotness about her that the parade of model/ADAs on that show do not. Get your cotton-pickin’ hands off! She’s MINE, dammit! I’m also fond of \*\*\*\ ***Janet Fraiser** on Stargate SG-1. Teryl Rotheray has the most beautiful eyes. She probably doesn’t qualify as “minor” but, back in the day, I had a major thing for Zoey Woodbine (Alicia Witt) on _Cybill_. Marvelously snarky, and a genius-level intellect. Extraordinarily attractive on those grounds alone, even without considering her nuclear-level hotness. ---
**Author:** ![Labdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/439d5e/32.png) [@Labdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labdad)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2010, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-memorable-minor-characters-from-tv-shows/562167/9 "2010-11-28T18:53:55Z")
Ernest T. Bass from Andy Griffith. Hard to believe he only made five appearances over the entire run of the show! ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2010, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-memorable-minor-characters-from-tv-shows/562167/10 "2010-11-28T18:54:39Z")
> [@BrotherCadfael](#): > > Get your cotton-pickin’ hands off! She’s MINE, dammit! I’m going to take that as a hookerbot request and have instructed Accounting to bill you accordingly. ---
**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:** [November 28, 2010, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-memorable-minor-characters-from-tv-shows/562167/11 "2010-11-28T19:00:54Z")
Kathleen Turner as Chandler’s often mentioned, but never seen till Chandler & Monica’s wedding, transvesite father James Bing. Her two appearances were unforgetable. Chandler: And there’s Daddy! Monica, totally dropped jaw: That cannot be your father. Chandler: Believe me, I’ve been saying that for _years_. Daddy: It’s bad luck to see the bride in her wedding dress before the ceremony. Mommy: I sae the groom in my wedding dress. Daddy: Yes, but it was after the ceremony, so it wasn’t bad luck. Mommy: Well, it wasn’t good luck. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2010, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-memorable-minor-characters-from-tv-shows/562167/12 "2010-11-28T19:19:13Z")
Every time Richardson was on screen in _Deadwood_ I cracked up. “Is it possible you were mother-born and not egg-laid as I have always imagined?” ---
**Author:** ![MPB\_in\_Salt\_Lake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MPB\_in\_Salt\_Lake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MPB_in_Salt_Lake)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2010, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-memorable-minor-characters-from-tv-shows/562167/13 "2010-11-28T19:28:09Z")
I always thought MASH’s Colonel Flag was a classic—The first couple of times he was featured, it was strictly all laughs, but later he was involved in at least one dramatic episode, where he executed a Korean woman guerrilla fighter, with Hawkeye helpless to stop him… ---
**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:** [November 28, 2010, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-memorable-minor-characters-from-tv-shows/562167/14 "2010-11-28T19:28:34Z")
Peter Jurasik as Sid the Snitch on _Hill Street Blues_. Who knew he would go on to be Emperor of the Centauri? ---
**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:** [November 28, 2010, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-memorable-minor-characters-from-tv-shows/562167/15 "2010-11-28T19:34:50Z")
Brent Spiner as Bob Wheeler on Night Court. What was supposed to be a once shot character was brought back several times. David Morse as Detective Michael Tritter on House. The incomparable Hank Azaria as Murray the dog walker on Mad About You and Phoebe’s beau David on Friends. Both roles end him Emmy Nominations. ---
**Author:** ![Don\_Draper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Don\_Draper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_Draper)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2010, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-memorable-minor-characters-from-tv-shows/562167/16 "2010-11-28T22:13:48Z")
Uncle Arthur from “Bewitched.” Dualla from “BGS” - mainly for her exit from the series. Comic Book Guy from “the Simpsons.” Sally Sparrow from “Doctor Who.” ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2010, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-memorable-minor-characters-from-tv-shows/562167/17 "2010-11-29T01:37:02Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > Kathleen Turner as Chandler’s often mentioned, but never seen till Chandler & Monica’s wedding, transvesite father James Bing. Her two appearances were unforgetable. > > Chandler: And there’s Daddy! > Monica, totally dropped jaw: That cannot be your father. > Chandler: Believe me, I’ve been saying that for _years_. > > Daddy: It’s bad luck to see the bride in her wedding dress before the ceremony. > Mommy: I sae the groom in my wedding dress. > Daddy: Yes, but it was after the ceremony, so it wasn’t bad luck. > Mommy: Well, it wasn’t good luck. How about the recurring Janice? “OH…MY…_GAAAWWWD!_” 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Rhiannon8404](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhiannon8404/32/17929_2.png) [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2010, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-memorable-minor-characters-from-tv-shows/562167/18 "2010-11-29T02:07:00Z")
John Astin as Buddy, Harry’s step-father on _Night Court_. He was in 10 episodes, but he was my favorite character. Even more than any of the regulars. Loved his catch phrase…"[Some awful thing happened], but I’m feeling _much better now_." ---
**Author:** ![Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slow_moving_vehicle/32/291_2.png) [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slow_Moving_Vehicle)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2010, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-memorable-minor-characters-from-tv-shows/562167/19 "2010-11-29T02:49:34Z")
> [@Don\_Draper](#): > > Sally Sparrow from “Doctor Who.” Damn! Beat me to it. Also from _Doctor Who_, Reinette from “The Girl In The Fireplace”. Brittany from _Glee_. Show’s worth watching just for her absurdities. Heather Morris is pretty, but it’s her deadpan lines and her amazing dance moves that sell Brittany. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2010, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-memorable-minor-characters-from-tv-shows/562167/20 "2010-11-29T02:58:56Z")
> [@Rhiannon8404](#): > > John Astin as Buddy, Harry’s step-father on _Night Court_. He was in 10 episodes, but he was my favorite character. Even more than any of the regulars. > > Loved his catch phrase…“[Some awful thing happened], but I’m feeling _much better now_.” Oh, yeah - we still say that. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-memorable-minor-characters-from-tv-shows/562167.md?page=2)