# Supporting characters who deserve their own shows. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 30, 2019, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supporting-characters-who-deserve-their-own-shows/842713 "2019-10-30T20:03:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**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 1, 2019, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supporting-characters-who-deserve-their-own-shows/842713/61 "2019-11-01T14:03:00Z")
Despite the Ted McGuinley curse, a prequel on Jefferson D’'Arcy from Married With Children could run for years. ---
**Author:** ![Steven\_Maven](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steven_maven/32/3272_2.png) [@Steven\_Maven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steven_Maven)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2019, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supporting-characters-who-deserve-their-own-shows/842713/62 "2019-11-05T15:09:27Z")
> [@Smid](#): > > Badger and Skinny Pete would be something I’d watch. > [@TriPolar](#): > > How about Joey from Friends? Or Joanie and Chachi from Happy Days? … Mr. and Mrs. Roper from Three’s Company! How about Saul Goodman from Breaking Bad? Oh, wait… 😉 ---
**Author:** ![C.Montgomery\_Burns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ecd19e/32.png) [@C.Montgomery\_Burns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C.Montgomery_Burns)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2019, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supporting-characters-who-deserve-their-own-shows/842713/63 "2019-11-06T02:32:55Z")
When Friends ended and they came up with that lousy Joey spinoff, I remember saying that if they were going to do a spinoff of Friends, they should do Chandler and Monica and their kids living in their new house. It wouldn’t have been a groundbreaking sitcom or anything, but they would be strong leads and they could get lots of story out of it. Besides, Everybody Loves Raymond was winding down. The “goofy suburban white couple with annoying neighors” subgenre was wide open. ---
**Author:** ![zbuzz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e19b73/32.png) [@zbuzz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zbuzz)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2019, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supporting-characters-who-deserve-their-own-shows/842713/64 "2019-11-06T04:14:48Z")
I say shut up and take my money to whoever makes a Boardwalk Empire spinoff of the adventures of Lucky Luciano and Meyer Lansky. Vincent Piazza and Anatol Yusef had really good chemistry together in those roles. Include Michael Stuhlbarg as Arnold Rothstein and I’ll let Agent Van Alden baptize me. ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2019, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supporting-characters-who-deserve-their-own-shows/842713/65 "2019-11-06T04:44:36Z")
> [@Alpha\_Twit](#): > > Dr. Donald “Ducky” Mallard from NCIS could easily have his own spin-off. Steal the format from the old “Young Indiana Jones” show. Most of each episode is actually a flashback where we actually see a young Ducky living the stories his elder self is recounting to a classroom full of young medical students. The problem with a Young Ducky series is most of Ducky’s charm comes from being played by David McCallum. Could you find a young actor who could pull it off? (And who looks enough like him when he was younger to make the ‘people said I looked like Ilya Kuryakin’ joke work?) ---
**Author:** ![Airk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9de053/32.png) [@Airk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airk)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2019, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supporting-characters-who-deserve-their-own-shows/842713/66 "2019-11-06T15:57:52Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > I’ve heard that James Norrington (from Pirates of the Caribbean 1#) was only meant to be a minor character for movie 1# and never seen again, but the audiences loved him so much that there was a clamor to bring him back and so the movie makers featured him in movie 2# as well. Too bad #2 and onwards were terrible, and really kinda made a mess of poor Norrington. ---
**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 6, 2019, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supporting-characters-who-deserve-their-own-shows/842713/67 "2019-11-06T16:17:34Z")
> [@Kamino\_Neko](#): > > The problem with a Young Ducky series is most of Ducky’s charm comes from being played by David McCallum. Could you find a young actor who could pull it off? (And who looks enough like him when he was younger to make the ‘people said I looked like Ilya Kuryakin’ joke work?) Nitpicking: That was Gibb’s line. When asked what Ducky looked like when he was younger, Gibbs deadpanned “Ilya Kuryakin.” ---
**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:** [November 6, 2019, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supporting-characters-who-deserve-their-own-shows/842713/68 "2019-11-06T18:33:40Z")
If anyone is still watching _Modern Family_, you’ll notice there’s been a lot of screen time given to Haley and Dylan and their twins. I’m guessing the producers are at least exploring the idea of a spin off. ---
**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:** [November 6, 2019, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supporting-characters-who-deserve-their-own-shows/842713/69 "2019-11-06T18:45:28Z")
Axe. Sam Axe. Former FBI man living the playboy lifestyle in Miami and running a detective agency. Willing to take on not-quite legal jobs under the table. I believe Bruce Campbell could pull it off. ---
**Author:** ![zamboniracer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e9a140/32.png) [@zamboniracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zamboniracer)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2019, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supporting-characters-who-deserve-their-own-shows/842713/70 "2019-11-06T20:11:25Z")
Northern Exposure’s Chris “In the Morning” Stevens would be an interesting protagonist. ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2019, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supporting-characters-who-deserve-their-own-shows/842713/71 "2019-11-06T21:52:29Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > Nitpicking: That was Gibb’s line. When asked what Ducky looked like when he was younger, Gibbs deadpanned “Ilya Kuryakin.” Thanks for the correction. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2019, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supporting-characters-who-deserve-their-own-shows/842713/72 "2019-11-06T22:20:05Z")
_Abed and Troy in the Morning._ ---
**Author:** ![epbrown01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7ba0ec/32.png) [@epbrown01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/epbrown01)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2019, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supporting-characters-who-deserve-their-own-shows/842713/73 "2019-11-06T23:35:59Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > When The Closer was on, I wanted a spin off with Flynn and Provenza retiring, moving to Florida, and opening a private detective agency together. > > But Major Crimes ruined the characters. Alas. I didn’t make it past more than a couple of episodes of _Major Crimes_, but some of my favorite episodes of _The Closer_ were the annual ones focusing on Flynn and Provenza. I’m sad to hear they’ve changed. As for the thread subject, I don’t write off any possibilities since _Frasier_. That’s the last character I would have expected to generate a successful _Cheers_ spin-off. If you told me Vernee Watson’s recurring nurse on _The Big Bang Theory/Young Sheldon_ was getting a spin-off, I’d think “Huh, it might have a shot…” ---
**Author:** ![zbuzz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e19b73/32.png) [@zbuzz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zbuzz)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2019, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supporting-characters-who-deserve-their-own-shows/842713/74 "2019-11-07T04:38:28Z")
> [@ftg](#): > > _Abed and Troy in the Morning._ Troy and Abed in the Morning. ---
**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 7, 2019, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supporting-characters-who-deserve-their-own-shows/842713/75 "2019-11-07T14:45:42Z")
If Chuck Lorne doesn’t consider spinning off George Jr from Young Sheldon, starring Montana Jordan, he has no business being in TV. That actor has true star potential and (if he stays in the business and avoids the foibles) is going to the top. ---
**Author:** ![gdave](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gdave/32/3683_2.png) [@gdave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gdave)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2019, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supporting-characters-who-deserve-their-own-shows/842713/76 "2019-11-07T19:14:49Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > Axe. Sam Axe. Former FBI man living the playboy lifestyle in Miami and running a detective agency. Willing to take on not-quite legal jobs under the table. I believe Bruce Campbell could pull it off. Former Navy SEAL. He wasn’t an FBI agent, just an informant. And he actually did have his own [spin-off/prequel movie](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burn_Notice:_The_Fall_of_Sam_Axe). ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2019, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supporting-characters-who-deserve-their-own-shows/842713/77 "2019-11-07T19:59:58Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > [Baldrick.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baldrick) > > I’m sure he has a cunning plan to do just that. Didn’t he go on to take over all of the UK’s archaeology? ---
**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:** [November 7, 2019, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supporting-characters-who-deserve-their-own-shows/842713/78 "2019-11-07T20:36:43Z")
> [@gdave](#): > > Former Navy SEAL. He wasn’t an FBI agent, just an informant. > > And he actually did have his own [spin-off/prequel movie](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burn_Notice:_The_Fall_of_Sam_Axe). My mistake. It’s been years since I’ve watched _Burn Notice_. And yeah, I saw the prequel. That’s why I believe Campbell could have pulled off a Sam Axe series of his own. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2019, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supporting-characters-who-deserve-their-own-shows/842713/79 "2019-11-07T22:10:27Z")
> [@zbuzz](#): > > Troy and Abed in the Morning. That’s only because Troy was insisting on being first. Eventually Troy realizes that Abed is really better being listed first and a Warm Comedy Moment ensues. (Followed by Abed making a weird announcement about faulty condoms.) ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2019, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supporting-characters-who-deserve-their-own-shows/842713/80 "2019-11-07T22:27:42Z")
> [@Kamino\_Neko](#): > > The problem with a Young Ducky series is most of Ducky’s charm comes from being played by David McCallum. Could you find a young actor who could pull it off? (And who looks enough like him when he was younger to make the ‘people said I looked like Ilya Kuryakin’ joke work?) Ewan MacGregor, maybe? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supporting-characters-who-deserve-their-own-shows/842713.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supporting-characters-who-deserve-their-own-shows/842713.md?page=5)