# 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:** 3
**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 16, 2014, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-characters-that-really-added-something-to-a-tv-series/698601/41 "2014-09-16T17:47:27Z")
Diceman: > [@](#): > > Christine was much more interesting than that black lady she replaced (Billie?). The black lady was the Public Defender in the first season (not counting the pilot episode); her name was Liz. Billie was the name of the second season’s Public Defender, she was white and blonde with a thick “Noo Yawk” accent, and it was she that Christine most directly replaced. > [@](#): > > Also, Roz added more to the show than either Selma or Flo. Roz was a great character, but of the female bailiffs, I always thought Selma’s deadpan delivery made her the best. ---
**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, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-characters-that-really-added-something-to-a-tv-series/698601/42 "2014-09-16T18:22:31Z")
> [@cmkeller](#): > > Diceman: > The black lady was the Public Defender in the first season (not counting the pilot episode); her name was Liz. Billie was the name of the second season’s Public Defender, she was white and blonde with a thick “Noo Yawk” accent, and it was she that Christine most directly replaced. She was played by Ellen Foley, who is also a professional singer. She sang the duet with Meat Loaf on “Paradise by the Dashboard Light” on the “Bat Out of Hell” album. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2014, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-characters-that-really-added-something-to-a-tv-series/698601/43 "2014-09-16T18:26:14Z")
> [@LibrarySpy](#): > > Cameron Mitchell (Ben Browder) and Vala (Claudia Black) were great additions to _Stargate SG-1_. I’d say that Beau Bridges’ Gen. Landry was a better replacement for Don Davis’ Gen. Hammond than Mitchell was as a replacement for O’Neill. I think the _Farscape_ connection was a bit much for me; I couldn’t see Browder as anything but Crichton in charge of SG-1, and never really did figure out why Claudia Black was on board. ---
**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, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-characters-that-really-added-something-to-a-tv-series/698601/44 "2014-09-16T18:36:06Z")
> [@cmkeller](#): > > Diceman: > > The black lady was the Public Defender in the first season (not counting the pilot episode); her name was Liz. Billie was the name of the second season’s Public Defender, she was white and blonde with a thick “Noo Yawk” accent, and it was she that Christine most directly replaced. OK, I guess I got Liz & Billie conflated. I don’t really remember Billie then, just Liz. ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2014, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-characters-that-really-added-something-to-a-tv-series/698601/45 "2014-09-16T18:42:20Z")
_Dark Shadows_ didn’t really take off until Barnabas Collins was added. ---
**Author:** ![Poysyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Poysyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Poysyn)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2014, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-characters-that-really-added-something-to-a-tv-series/698601/46 "2014-09-16T18:48:15Z")
Can I add a character that basically did a 180 and it improved the show a lot? Logan Echolls on _Veronica Mars_. His character started off as a complete a\*\*hole, he even hosted boxing matches between homeless men for goodness sake! Then, everyone noticed that the two actors had a ton of chemistry, so they had to go about redeeming him and getting the two together. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2014, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-characters-that-really-added-something-to-a-tv-series/698601/47 "2014-09-16T18:53:26Z")
Both Taub and Thirteen brought some added dimensions to _House_, particularly in that both were just as broken as House himself and had no firm superior ground to stand on. Taub in particular wrestled believably with his philandering demon, tending to fall just when we believed he had it in control. Kutner to a lesser extent, but he shaped things with his shocking exit (and went on to the White House, of all things.) Like almost everything else in the 8th season, the last two fellows (Park and Adams) were thinly drawn cartoons who added nothing to 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:** [September 16, 2014, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-characters-that-really-added-something-to-a-tv-series/698601/48 "2014-09-16T19:10:21Z")
Without reading anything but the OP: _Angel_ was good from the get-go, but it improved significantly with the substitution of Wesley for Doyle and the addition of Gunn & Fred. Even Connor was a good thing. ---
**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:** [September 16, 2014, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-characters-that-really-added-something-to-a-tv-series/698601/49 "2014-09-16T19:18:41Z")
> [@A\_Dodgy\_Dude](#): > > _Angel_: Illyria :eek: Like hell! ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2014, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-characters-that-really-added-something-to-a-tv-series/698601/50 "2014-09-16T19:39:30Z")
Jennifer and Mary Anne weren’t part of the first season of _Perfect Strangers_ but they totally rounded out the show once they got there in the second season. ---
**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:** [September 16, 2014, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-characters-that-really-added-something-to-a-tv-series/698601/51 "2014-09-16T19:43:30Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > :eek: > > Like hell! After that Connor comment, you have no room to criticize. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![drachillix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/48db29/32.png) [@drachillix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drachillix)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2014, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-characters-that-really-added-something-to-a-tv-series/698601/52 "2014-09-16T20:01:39Z")
Babylon 5 Replacing Jefferey Sinclair (Michael O’Hare) with John Sheridan(Bruce Boxleitner) Marcus Cole (Jason Carter) Having him around opened up many side plots that no other character really would have felt right doing. ---
**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:** [September 16, 2014, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-characters-that-really-added-something-to-a-tv-series/698601/53 "2014-09-16T20:04:55Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > After that Connor comment, you have no room to criticize. 😛 :: removes left glove, slaps silenus across face :: I shall have my satisfaction, sir! Name the time, I shall name the weapons! ---
**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:** [September 16, 2014, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-characters-that-really-added-something-to-a-tv-series/698601/54 "2014-09-16T20:21:42Z")
July 42, 13,672 BCE Slightly after tiffin. ---
**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:** [September 16, 2014, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-characters-that-really-added-something-to-a-tv-series/698601/55 "2014-09-16T20:35:35Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > July 42, 13,672 BCE > > Slightly after tiffin. I’ll send a squad of thugbots over with a continua buggy to make sure you show up on time. ---
**Author:** ![Garula](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ea666f/32.png) [@Garula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Garula)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2014, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-characters-that-really-added-something-to-a-tv-series/698601/56 "2014-09-17T14:17:20Z")
Both \*Buffy \*and _Angel_ really had pretty good success records for cast additions, as several others have pointed out. I thought Jonathan Banks added a lot to the fifth season of _Community_, though I suppose he never qualified as a main cast member. _Parks and Recreation_ improved quite a bit dropping Mark Brendanawicz and adding Ben Wyatt and Chris Traeger. ---
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2014, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-characters-that-really-added-something-to-a-tv-series/698601/57 "2014-09-17T14:27:38Z")
The Professor and Mary Ann. 😛 Agree with Reverend Jim and Sgt Dietrich. ---
**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:** [September 17, 2014, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-characters-that-really-added-something-to-a-tv-series/698601/58 "2014-09-17T14:33:47Z")
> [@Emtar\_KronJonDerSohn](#): > > Cousin Oliver Not even in jest. You might as well mention Scrappy Do. ---
**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 17, 2014, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-characters-that-really-added-something-to-a-tv-series/698601/59 "2014-09-17T14:34:25Z")
> [@notfrommensa](#): > > The Professor and Mary Ann. 😛 > > Agree with Reverend Jim and Sgt Dietrich. They were there, just not in the song. Right? 😕 And the rest… ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_T-Cups](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Sir\_T-Cups](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_T-Cups)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2014, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-characters-that-really-added-something-to-a-tv-series/698601/60 "2014-09-17T16:28:15Z")
In the “replacement characters” category: Adding Ted Danson to the cast of CSI: has brought a good spirit and reinvigorated the cast. There was nothing really inherently WRONG with Lawrence Fishburn, he had an OK character with a “twist” that was revealed a bit too soon, but Danson has brought a unique personality, cadence, and chemistry with the cast that’s been missing for a while [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-characters-that-really-added-something-to-a-tv-series/698601.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-characters-that-really-added-something-to-a-tv-series/698601.md?page=4)