# New characters that really added something to a TV series **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 15, 2014, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-characters-that-really-added-something-to-a-tv-series/698601 "2014-09-15T21:19:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**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:** [September 15, 2014, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-characters-that-really-added-something-to-a-tv-series/698601/1 "2014-09-15T21:19:09Z")
This came up in a discussion about The Big Bang Theory. While Bernadette is a nice character and I like her, she’s no Amy Farrah Fowler. That character has really added a new dimension to the show. Likewise, Married with Children really improved when Ted McGinley joined the cast as Jefferson D’Arcy. He was the perfect foil for both Marcy & Al. I also loved Martin Mull as Roseanne’s new boss Leon Carp. He & Roseanne really played off well with one another. Add your choices, please. ---
**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:** [September 15, 2014, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-characters-that-really-added-something-to-a-tv-series/698601/2 "2014-09-15T21:22:25Z")
Adding Urkel to Family Matters was a great success. I’ve heard anyway, never watched the show. ---
**Author:** ![Yookeroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yookeroo/32/323_2.png) [@Yookeroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yookeroo)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2014, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-characters-that-really-added-something-to-a-tv-series/698601/3 "2014-09-15T21:28:42Z")
Adding Reverend Jim to Taxi was a home run. I liked Simka too. ---
**Author:** ![MaxTheVool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MaxTheVool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaxTheVool)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2014, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-characters-that-really-added-something-to-a-tv-series/698601/4 "2014-09-15T21:32:34Z")
**Game of Thrones** : It’s hard to believe at this point that neither Tywin Lannister nor Brienne of Tarth appeared in season 1. **The Office** (US): I never liked that British lady, but Erin (the new receptionist) and Holly (Michael’s love interest) were both fantastic additions. **Buffy** : Plenty of characters came and went, but Oz, Anya and Tara all joined later than season one and then for at least a while were integral parts of the central gang **Breaking Bad** : Neither Saul Goodman nor Mike-the-Cleaner showed up until late season 2. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Second\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@The\_Second\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Second_Stone)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2014, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-characters-that-really-added-something-to-a-tv-series/698601/5 "2014-09-15T21:33:37Z")
Kari on MythBusters added a character and a smile that wasn’t evil. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2014, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-characters-that-really-added-something-to-a-tv-series/698601/6 "2014-09-15T21:36:36Z")
I think Dawn also added a dynamic to Buffy that was welcome. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2014, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-characters-that-really-added-something-to-a-tv-series/698601/7 "2014-09-15T21:37:31Z")
David Ogden Stiers as Charles Emerson Winchester, Mike Farrell as ]B.J. Hunnicutt, and Harry Morgan as Sherman T. Potter, all in **M.A.S.H.** all added something to the series. So did semiregulars like Dr. Sidney Freeman. As has been remarked, Henry Winkler’s character “The Fonz” wasn’t in the pilot for _Happy Days_, and wasn’t supposed to be a major character in the first season, but he ended up taking over. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2014, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-characters-that-really-added-something-to-a-tv-series/698601/8 "2014-09-15T21:37:45Z")
Despite not being in the first two pilots, I don’t know if “Bones” McCoy counts as an add on or not. But, without his completing the Holy Trinity, Star Trek TOS would have been very different. So I’ll throw in 7 of 9 (VOY) for adding new plot opportunities (even if they didn’t really capitalize on the ops). ---
**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:** [September 15, 2014, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-characters-that-really-added-something-to-a-tv-series/698601/9 "2014-09-15T21:48:48Z")
Frasier, and later, Lilith, added a lot to Cheers. Woody did as well, but I’m not sure if the OP means to include replacement characters as well as added-from-whole-cloth ones. If so, then Christine Sullivan of Night Court deserves a mention as well. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2014, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-characters-that-really-added-something-to-a-tv-series/698601/10 "2014-09-15T22:07:04Z")
Frasier on _Cheers_ was originally intended to be in just a few episodes as a Sam/Diane plot complication. He lasted 20 years. The first season of _Newhart_ was kind of bland. After that they added the characters of Stephanie and Michael, and Larry, Daryl and Daryl and the show went to new levels in surreal. The Mother on _How I Met Your Mother_ was done so well a lot of viewers actually got upset over her fate, despite her only being present in the final season. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2014, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-characters-that-really-added-something-to-a-tv-series/698601/11 "2014-09-15T22:10:50Z")
I agree with \*\*MASH \*\*ones above. **Barney Miller** : Sgt Dietrich **Star Trek** : Ensign Chekov (I don’t count Bones, he got there very early) **Northern Exposure** : The many part time regulars that were added. **Mary Tyler Moore Show** : Added Betty White as Sue Ann Nivens , Georgette not so much. **Best addition ever** : Rev Jim to **Taxi** ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2014, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-characters-that-really-added-something-to-a-tv-series/698601/12 "2014-09-15T22:23:15Z")
**Bones** - Adding Dr. Sweets (John Francis Daley) added a lot to Booths character. **Supernatural** - Adding Misha Barton as Castiel changed a lot on the show. ---
**Author:** ![Flywheel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Flywheel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flywheel)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2014, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-characters-that-really-added-something-to-a-tv-series/698601/13 "2014-09-15T22:23:30Z")
**It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia** took off when Danny Devito joined in Season 2. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2014, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-characters-that-really-added-something-to-a-tv-series/698601/14 "2014-09-15T22:24:14Z")
is there a difference between an added character (an increase in the number of characters) and a substitute character (a character replaces a dead or retired character that was written out of the script)? ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2014, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-characters-that-really-added-something-to-a-tv-series/698601/15 "2014-09-15T22:31:30Z")
> [@MaxTheVool](#): > > **Breaking Bad** : Neither Saul Goodman nor Mike-the-Cleaner showed up until late season 2. And Gus, who came on even later! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2014, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-characters-that-really-added-something-to-a-tv-series/698601/16 "2014-09-15T23:13:16Z")
When Natalie took over from Sharona on _Monk_. Also when Monk’s psychiatrist Dr. Kroger died and was replaced by Dr. Bell. ---
**Author:** ![A\_Dodgy\_Dude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a87d85/32.png) [@A\_Dodgy\_Dude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/A_Dodgy_Dude)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2014, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-characters-that-really-added-something-to-a-tv-series/698601/17 "2014-09-15T23:16:57Z")
_Angel_: Illyria ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2014, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-characters-that-really-added-something-to-a-tv-series/698601/18 "2014-09-15T23:22:57Z")
> [@AncientHumanoid](#): > > So I’ll throw in 7 of 9 (VOY) for adding new plot opportunities (even if they didn’t really capitalize on the ops). She brought a couple of interesting things to the show. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2014, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-characters-that-really-added-something-to-a-tv-series/698601/19 "2014-09-15T23:49:51Z")
I liked \*Star Trek: Deep Space Nine \*from the beginning. But when they added Mr. Worf at the beginning of season 4 (I think), it REALLY got good! ---
**Author:** ![breezman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4491bb/32.png) [@breezman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/breezman)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2014, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-characters-that-really-added-something-to-a-tv-series/698601/20 "2014-09-16T00:39:10Z")
Alan Shore showed up in the last season of The Practice, and turned the series completely around. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-characters-that-really-added-something-to-a-tv-series/698601.md?page=2)