# 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:** 5
**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 18, 2014, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-characters-that-really-added-something-to-a-tv-series/698601/81 "2014-09-18T16:19:09Z")
> [@Garula](#): > > Wait, did this thread really manage to get this far without anyone mentioning Law and Order? A quick look at the Wikipedia article indicates the show went through 27 different main cast members. The two most iconic characters, Lennie Briscoe and Jack McCoy, didn’t join the show until seasons 3 and 5, respectively. I resent the implication that S. Epatha Merkerson’s Van Buren was any less “iconic” than Briscoe. ---
**Author:** ![oft\_wears\_hats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7993a0/32.png) [@oft\_wears\_hats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/oft_wears_hats)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2014, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-characters-that-really-added-something-to-a-tv-series/698601/82 "2014-09-18T16:36:26Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > Gotta respect the season-two introduction of Dean Stockwell as Cavill. I was thinking about mentioning this, but I feel like Cavill appeared right around the time that the series started declining. I’d mention Admiral Kane, as her appearance kicked off one of the best (and the last) good arc in the series, but she wasn’t really around long enough to be considered a new regular character. > [@ISiddiqui](#): > > Few days late, I know, but Tywin Lannister most definitely WAS in Season 1. He appeared in Episode 7 of the 1st Season, and then also in Eps 8, 9, and 10. > > ["Game of Thrones" You Win or You Die (TV Episode 2011) - Full Cast & Crew - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1837863/fullcredits?ref_=tt_cl_sm#cast) > > I believe he was first met in his tent as he was planning to fight Robb, as Tyrion showed up with his Mountain Clans. I’d add the Queen of Thorns to that list. She’s awesome, and didn’t appear until Season 4, right? ---
**Author:** ![Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/intergalactic_gladiator/32/112_2.png) [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intergalactic_Gladiator)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2014, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-characters-that-really-added-something-to-a-tv-series/698601/83 "2014-09-18T17:03:04Z")
Black Vulcan, Apache Chief, Samurai, and Rima on the Super Friends? ---
**Author:** ![SaharaTea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@SaharaTea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SaharaTea)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2014, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-characters-that-really-added-something-to-a-tv-series/698601/84 "2014-09-18T17:28:17Z")
**Friday Night Lights** brought in a bunch of new characters in S4 when Coach Taylor moved to East Dillon, including Vince, Jess, Becky and Luke. I remember thinking there was no way it would work, but it did. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2014, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-characters-that-really-added-something-to-a-tv-series/698601/85 "2014-09-18T18:09:31Z")
Should we maybe distinguish between characters in story-arc shows (B5, BSG, Game of Thrones, etc…) who were always part of the plan, but not yet introduced (e.g. Cavil, Lord Tywin, Hizdahr zo Loraq, etc… ) versus characters introduced in episodic shows without an overarching storyline planned ahead of time (Bernadette, Amy Farrah Fowler, Mork, Ziva David, 7of9, etc…) Seems like the first category is kind of missing the point of the OP- they weren’t really added, so much as revealed, while someone like 7 of 9 was added after Kes left with the intention of changing the dynamics of the crew. ---
**Author:** ![Osiris\_the\_1st](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/9de0a6/32.png) [@Osiris\_the\_1st](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Osiris_the_1st)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2014, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-characters-that-really-added-something-to-a-tv-series/698601/86 "2014-09-18T18:13:12Z")
I agree that Anya, Tara, Spike, and Dawn were great additions to _Buffy the Vampire Slayer_. I never thought that Oz added very much to the show and really don’t notice his absence in later episodes. I also notice that no one seems to think Reilly or Andrew were great additions. And Faith always seemed like more of a plot device than a full fledged character to me. I enjoyed how people could come into and leave Buffy’s life in a somewhat organic way (except for Dawn of course.) On _Cheers_ I thought Rebecca was far preferable to Dianne. On _Deep Space Nine_ I thought the addition of Martok as a recurring character brought something to the show. Though arguably the most important recurring character added during the course of the show was Lousie Fletcher as Winn Adami late in the first season. She was so fun to hate. ---
**Author:** ![erysichthon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d07c76/32.png) [@erysichthon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/erysichthon)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2014, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-characters-that-really-added-something-to-a-tv-series/698601/87 "2014-09-18T18:44:29Z")
Poochie was a great addition to _The Itchy and Scratchy Show_. He got biz-zay, consistently and thoroughly, in addition to being proactive and a totally outrageous paradigm. ---
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2014, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-characters-that-really-added-something-to-a-tv-series/698601/88 "2014-09-18T19:15:38Z")
> [@bump](#): > > Should we maybe distinguish between characters in story-arc shows (B5, BSG, Game of Thrones, etc…) who were always part of the plan, but not yet introduced (e.g. Cavil, Lord Tywin, Hizdahr zo Loraq, etc… ) versus characters introduced in episodic shows without an overarching storyline planned ahead of time (Bernadette, Amy Farrah Fowler, Mork, Ziva David, 7of9, etc…) > > Seems like the first category is kind of missing the point of the OP- they weren’t really added, so much as revealed, while someone like 7 of 9 was added after Kes left with the intention of changing the dynamics of the crew. That’s a good point. In the former the story lines were built for those new characters to come in and change things up. In the later, a character comes in and by their presence changes the show a bit. ---
**Author:** ![drachillix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/48db29/32.png) [@drachillix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drachillix)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2014, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-characters-that-really-added-something-to-a-tv-series/698601/89 "2014-09-18T20:15:44Z")
> [@ISiddiqui](#): > > Few days late, I know, but Tywin Lannister most definitely WAS in Season 1. He appeared in Episode 7 of the 1st Season, and then also in Eps 8, 9, and 10. > > ["Game of Thrones" You Win or You Die (TV Episode 2011) - Full Cast & Crew - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1837863/fullcredits?ref_=tt_cl_sm#cast) > > I believe he was first met in his tent as he was planning to fight Robb, as Tyrion showed up with his Mountain Clans. He was in Episode1 of season 1 [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=31Iy6Gkmazo) ---
**Author:** ![MaxTheVool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MaxTheVool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaxTheVool)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2014, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-characters-that-really-added-something-to-a-tv-series/698601/90 "2014-09-18T22:12:07Z")
[quote=“drachillix, post:89, topic:698601”] He was in Episode1 of season 1 [/QUOTE] That’s Tyrion (the imp) not Tywin (the patriarch). ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2014, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-characters-that-really-added-something-to-a-tv-series/698601/91 "2014-09-19T00:06:09Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > I have this theory, that Sara killed Grissom not long after they were married, because deep down she’s bat shit insane. Hmm. My old theory was that eventually she was going to kill herself. I mean come on, Sara Sidle, suicidal? **Osiris the 1st** , though I hated Reilly more than words can express, I liked Andrew. I’m bummed that Tom Lenk’s new character just got killed off on another show. ---
**Author:** ![Garula](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ea666f/32.png) [@Garula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Garula)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2014, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-characters-that-really-added-something-to-a-tv-series/698601/92 "2014-09-19T05:45:49Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > I resent the implication that S. Epatha Merkerson’s Van Buren was any less “iconic” than Briscoe. I always liked Van Buren quite a bit, but when people think Law and Order they think Briscoe making a wisecrack at a crime scene, McCoy making ethically dubious legal maneuvers, and the “dun-dun” sound. Everything else comes after. ---
**Author:** ![Garula](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ea666f/32.png) [@Garula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Garula)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2014, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-characters-that-really-added-something-to-a-tv-series/698601/93 "2014-09-19T05:56:21Z")
> [@Osiris\_the\_1st](#): > > I agree that Anya, Tara, Spike, and Dawn were great additions to _Buffy the Vampire Slayer_. I never thought that Oz added very much to the show and really don’t notice his absence in later episodes. I also notice that no one seems to think Reilly or Andrew were great additions. And Faith always seemed like more of a plot device than a full fledged character to me. I enjoyed how people could come into and leave Buffy’s life in a somewhat organic way (except for Dawn of course.) I feel like one of the very few people who just didn’t like Tara very much. She barely had any relationships with any of the other characters beside Willow. That was even the theme of an episode, where the rest of the gang had no idea what to get her for her birthday since she was pretty much just “Willow’s girlfriend” to them. Angel was similar, in that when he wasn’t evil 90% of his screentime on _Buffy_ was spent in angsty, melodramatic relationship drama with Buffy. ---
**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 19, 2014, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-characters-that-really-added-something-to-a-tv-series/698601/94 "2014-09-19T13:30:51Z")
What about evil Wil Wheaton in The Big Bang Theory? What was supposed to be a one shot character got so much Internet mention (including his “evil” moniker) that he has become a reappearing character. ---
**Author:** ![Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/intergalactic_gladiator/32/112_2.png) [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intergalactic_Gladiator)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2014, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-characters-that-really-added-something-to-a-tv-series/698601/95 "2014-09-19T13:55:04Z")
Not a character per se, but Bill Murray was a great addition to the cast of SNL. ---
**Author:** ![Push\_You\_Down](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/push_you_down/32/9095_2.png) [@Push\_You\_Down](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Push_You_Down)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2014, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-characters-that-really-added-something-to-a-tv-series/698601/96 "2014-09-19T18:39:48Z")
> [@Garula](#): > > I feel like one of the very few people who just didn’t like Tara very much. She barely had any relationships with any of the other characters beside Willow. That was even the theme of an episode, where the rest of the gang had no idea what to get her for her birthday since she was pretty much just “Willow’s girlfriend” to them. Angel was similar, in that when he wasn’t evil 90% of his screentime on _Buffy_ was spent in angsty, melodramatic relationship drama with Buffy. Agree. The fact that it was pointed out I thought was very real and organic. Later when she was a replacement mother-figure for Dawn that helped but she was always going to be “Willow’s girlfriend” due to the nature of the show. “It’s all about Buffy” was THE tenet. Tara was tangential to that. Any candidates from “Mad Men?” ---
**Author:** ![gregorio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/fbc32d/32.png) [@gregorio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gregorio)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2014, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-characters-that-really-added-something-to-a-tv-series/698601/97 "2014-09-19T19:44:50Z")
I’m thinking it’s a toss up between Andrew Keaton on Family Ties or Alexander Rozhenko on ST:TNG. ---
**Author:** ![EPoch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f6c823/32.png) [@EPoch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EPoch)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2014, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-characters-that-really-added-something-to-a-tv-series/698601/98 "2014-09-19T19:46:32Z")
> [@StrangeBird](#): > > Misha Collins, unless we have been watching different shows. 😃 I agree that the character of Castiel adds a lot to the show. Hell I even feel Crowley brought on something great. Mark Sheppard really knows how to play a Magnificent Bastard. I thought Davis Bloom brought a foil to Clark in _Smallville_ pretty well. ---
**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 20, 2014, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-characters-that-really-added-something-to-a-tv-series/698601/99 "2014-09-20T15:33:16Z")
Smallville’s Oliver Queen (Green Arrow) was really cool. ---
**Author:** ![seal\_cleaner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@seal\_cleaner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/seal_cleaner)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2014, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-characters-that-really-added-something-to-a-tv-series/698601/100 "2014-09-20T15:50:54Z")
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