Did you say "Plucky comic relief"?
Posted on 01/13/2019 5:43:26 AM PST by Leaning Right
When a television show first starts, the writers of the program already have the star in mind. They write for the characters they think the audience will relate to and like the most and design the show around those characters. However, once the show hits the airwaves, the viewers don’t always agree. Sometimes the true star of the show is the unlikeliest candidate. The breakout character is usually a character who was introduced as part of the supporting cast, but for one reason or another became a fan favorite.
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Breakout characters, not bust-out characters.
What about Maynard G. Krebs? Back when JFK was running for Prez Maynard was considered a beatnik. Today he would be considered a towering intellect. He keeps shoveling it but you just ain’t diggin it.
She did.
I think that was the night that the lights went out in Georgia.
Granny was great. Loved her combat boots and still. Always cooking some possum.
I’m surprised no one mentioned Homer Simpson. When the series started, it was all about Bart, and Homer eventually became the main attraction. We went from “Don’t have a cow” and “Eat my shorts” to “Doh!”
I will agree that Dr. Smith’s character got progressively sillier and eventually helped sink the show. However, the character was actually quite good when he was a villain with some intelligence. In contrast, the other characters were pretty wooden, which is why (after a while) all the episodes focused on Smith, Will and the Robot. You could also argue that without him, the show may not have survived past the first season.
Evelyn “Angel” Martin played by Stuart Margolin in the Rockford Files series.
Stephan Irkell?
Love that cartoon!
The alternate ending to Breaking Bad was my favorite episode.
Did you say "Plucky comic relief"?
You wouldn't happen to know why Jonathan Harris was listed as "special guest star" on the show's credits (for its entire run) would you? It seemed like almost every episode pivoted around his character.
Bobby Baccalieri on The Sopranos. When he showed up in his hunting gear at Uncle Junior's house, I thought I'd die laughing. What a great character, especially the scenes when his wife died and he was disconsolate; then he barely put up with Tony's sister trying to seduce him with food and housekeeping, all the while cherishing and protecting a frozen pasta casserole made by his late wife in the freezer.
The actor, Steve Schirripa, is now playing an investigator for the D.A.'s office on Blue Bloods, assisting Erin Reagan. Another great character.
Likewise the character of ‘Spock’ on “Star Trek”. ‘Mr. Spock’ (note the honorific, he was never just ‘Spock’ except in informal banter with the other characters) was a minor part of the ensemble in the pilot episode, where his later part in the series is taken by ‘Number One’, the ship's First Officer. But between the filming of the pilot, and the acceptance of the series, the actors available for the parts had changed, the Captain became ‘James T. Kirk’, ‘Mr. Spock’ was promoted to First Officer, with Leonard Nimoy reprising his role as the non-human Star Fleet Officer, and Dr.’Bones’ McCoy representing the emotional, empathetic, and humane side of the dramatic triangle. ‘Mr. Spock’’s character was rewritten to emphasize his un-human logical nature. But these rewrites to accommodate the cast changes are not the same as a bit character breaking out to become a major star in the series.
This thread is full of lots of good TV memories.
Cheers.....Norm!!!!!....and Cliff Claven.
I could agree that the robot could be a serious consideration.
Alex P Keaton was not supposed to be the star.
Marcia did develop into a babe. In one episode neither she or Jan were wearing bras. They were running through an amusement park and every step they took, they bounced.
It must have sparked some reaction because after that, one of the directors or whatever would check to make sure they had one on. He said they would have someone rub their backs to make sure it was there.
Ken Curtis had a number of great bit parts in John Wayne’s movies particularly “The Searchers”.
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