# 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:** 2
**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, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-characters-that-really-added-something-to-a-tv-series/698601/21 "2014-09-16T00:41:30Z")
> [@kunilou](#): > > 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. Larry, Darryl, and Darryl appeared in the second episode of season 1, “Mrs. Newton’s Body Lies a Mould’rin in the Grave.” I much preferred the season 1 cast. Kirk (who was in seasons 1 and 2) was great, and I liked Leslie. Stefanie and Michael were just too shallow for me. ---
**Author:** ![Emtar\_KronJonDerSohn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/58956e/32.png) [@Emtar\_KronJonDerSohn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Emtar_KronJonDerSohn)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2014, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-characters-that-really-added-something-to-a-tv-series/698601/22 "2014-09-16T00:50:50Z")
Cousin Oliver ---
**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:** [September 16, 2014, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-characters-that-really-added-something-to-a-tv-series/698601/23 "2014-09-16T01:22:49Z")
> [@Emtar\_KronJonDerSohn](#): > > Cousin Oliver No. Just no. ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2014, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-characters-that-really-added-something-to-a-tv-series/698601/24 "2014-09-16T01:38:23Z")
Jason Priestly in Tru Calling. Before he showed up episodes were kind of same-y. Tru would meet someone who dies (or some other tragedy) and goes back in time to save them. She usually (always? I don’t recall) messed up in her 1st try. Jason’s character (Jack Harper) actively tried to prevent Tru - he wasn’t necessarily evil - he was just preserving “fate” Brian ---
**Author:** ![chacoguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/50afbb/32.png) [@chacoguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chacoguy)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2014, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-characters-that-really-added-something-to-a-tv-series/698601/25 "2014-09-16T01:42:58Z")
Pootchie. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2014, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-characters-that-really-added-something-to-a-tv-series/698601/26 "2014-09-16T02:30:22Z")
_Hill Street Blues_ - Dennis Franz was cast to play a short term character named Sal Benedetto on the show. But he was so obviously talented that after Benedetto was killed, they brought Franz back as Norman Buntz, a new character who was basically Bennedetto reborn. (And then brought him back again as Andy Sipowicz in _NYPD Blue_.) ---
**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 16, 2014, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-characters-that-really-added-something-to-a-tv-series/698601/27 "2014-09-16T03:06:05Z")
> [@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). > [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > She brought a couple of interesting things to the show. I saw what you did there. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2014, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-characters-that-really-added-something-to-a-tv-series/698601/28 "2014-09-16T04:17:16Z")
[Maya on Space: 1999](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maya_(Space:_1999)). Better acting than most of the rest of the cast, and something exotic and mystical and different, to (try to) boost the show from the doldrums. ---
**Author:** ![Ibn\_Warraq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e19b73/32.png) [@Ibn\_Warraq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ibn_Warraq)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2014, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-characters-that-really-added-something-to-a-tv-series/698601/29 "2014-09-16T04:39:02Z")
Heather Locklear was a late addition to season 1 of Melrose Place and wound up becoming the star of the show. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2014, 8:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-characters-that-really-added-something-to-a-tv-series/698601/30 "2014-09-16T08:48:30Z")
It’s early days yet, but I think Trubel is adding something to _Grimm_ (am I the only one who watches that show?) and Rosalee in the same show was a nice addition. For _Buffy_, Faith was a good addition. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2014, 9:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-characters-that-really-added-something-to-a-tv-series/698601/31 "2014-09-16T09:27:05Z")
> [@A\_Dodgy\_Dude](#): > > _Angel_: Illyria And on a related note, remember that Fred herself only came onboard at the end of Season 2. ---
**Author:** ![StrangeBird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e480ec/32.png) [@StrangeBird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StrangeBird)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2014, 9:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-characters-that-really-added-something-to-a-tv-series/698601/32 "2014-09-16T09:47:01Z")
> [@Drunky\_Smurf](#): > > **Supernatural** - Adding Misha Barton as Castiel changed a lot on the show. Misha Collins, unless we have been watching different shows. 😃 I agree that the character of Castiel adds a lot to the show. ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2014, 10:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-characters-that-really-added-something-to-a-tv-series/698601/33 "2014-09-16T10:41:53Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > I saw what you did there. 😃 I think _everyone_ sees what he did there, and he really should close the blinds. ---
**Author:** ![edwards\_beard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7bcc69/32.png) [@edwards\_beard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/edwards_beard)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2014, 10:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-characters-that-really-added-something-to-a-tv-series/698601/34 "2014-09-16T10:42:01Z")
Benjamin Linus on Lost Marlo and Chris on The Wire Gus Fring and Lydia Breaking Bad ---
**Author:** ![LibrarySpy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f9ae1b/32.png) [@LibrarySpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LibrarySpy)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2014, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-characters-that-really-added-something-to-a-tv-series/698601/35 "2014-09-16T14:46:25Z")
Cameron Mitchell (Ben Browder) and Vala (Claudia Black) were great additions to _Stargate SG-1_. ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2014, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-characters-that-really-added-something-to-a-tv-series/698601/36 "2014-09-16T15:11:20Z")
> [@cmkeller](#): > > Frasier, and later, Lilith, added a lot to Cheers. Fraiser was supposed to only show up a few episodes in season 3 as Diane’s love interest. [Shelly Long hated him and the writers thought she was a bitch so kept him on to annoy her.](http://www.cracked.com/article_20641_5-iconic-characters-that-were-only-supposed-to-be-bit-parts_p2.html) ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2014, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-characters-that-really-added-something-to-a-tv-series/698601/37 "2014-09-16T15:19:41Z")
Worf ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2014, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-characters-that-really-added-something-to-a-tv-series/698601/38 "2014-09-16T15:42:53Z")
Root on _Person of Interest_. Not sure about Shaw, she is just sharing Reese’s role, but Root has pulled the show into interesting directions. I’m not sure if that was the plan, or just happened organically. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2014, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-characters-that-really-added-something-to-a-tv-series/698601/39 "2014-09-16T15:56:22Z")
> [@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 also taught us some interesting things. Like… that even alien cyborgs shave body hair and wear fashionable hairstyles. ---
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2014, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-characters-that-really-added-something-to-a-tv-series/698601/40 "2014-09-16T16:17:28Z")
> [@cmkeller](#): > > 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. Christine was much more interesting than that black lady she replaced (Billie?). Also, Roz added more to the show than either Selma or Flo. > [@Tim R. Mortiss](#): > > 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! I almost think of this as more of a shark-jumping moment, since it was kind of an implicit admission that the show was having trouble standing on its own two feet. The show did improve, but this was due to the “Dominion War” story arc, not because Worf added all that much. > [@GuanoLad](#): > > Root on Person of Interest. Not sure about Shaw, she is just sharing Reese’s role, but Root has pulled the show into interesting directions. I’m not sure if that was the plan, or just happened organically. Sorry, but dear God I hate Root. I really hope she gets killed this season, even tho I kind of doubt it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-characters-that-really-added-something-to-a-tv-series/698601.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-characters-that-really-added-something-to-a-tv-series/698601.md?page=3)