The DU Lounge
Related: Culture Forums, Support ForumsBest introduction of a new major character in an already existing television series?
Or, perhaps more broadly, favorite major character who was introduced after the series had already been long set in motion.
Serial dramas with ensemble casts and lots of bloody turnover--such as Game of Thrones or The Walking Dead--might immediately come to mind, but perhaps my favorite has to be Douglas from the Britcom The IT Crowd:
LonePirate
(13,448 posts)He was introduced a few episodes into the show's second season and he quickly became, arguably, the most intriguing character on the show.
Tommy_Carcetti
(43,235 posts)He quickly became the villain but then sort of redeemed himself towards the end.
KamaAina
(78,249 posts)B.J. replacing Trapper John on M*A*S*H.
gratuitous
(82,849 posts)A far more multi-dimensional character than the one-note Burns, a fact that Larry Linville, who played Burns, lamented ever after. I think Linville was right, particularly when Hot Lips Houlihan was allowed to become Major Margaret Houlihan over the course of the show's run, moving from caricature to be exploited for laughs to real person.
But the Winchester character was a better foil for Hawkeye and B.J. to play off, and his introduction may have been needed to mature the Houlihan character.
KamaAina
(78,249 posts)We couldn't think of a name, and she kind of looked like a ferret, so it stuck.
As she matured, the ferret-like quality went away, but we still couldn't think of a name. So we wrote down a bunch on slips of paper, put them in a bowl, and waited for her to fish one out. That is how she became Elsa.
mucifer
(23,634 posts)more dimensions to the character than the one on tv for 6 or 7 years.
Rhiannon12866
(206,983 posts)Colonel Potter was a favorite of mine, especially liked the relationship he developed with Radar.
malthaussen
(17,241 posts)Ensemble cast, yes, but not really high turnover. Franz was so good when he was first introduced (as dirty detective Sal Benedetto) that they had to create a new role for him after Benedetto expired.
-- Mal
mahatmakanejeeves
(57,768 posts)Oh, you said "best." Never mind.
Sentath
(2,243 posts)Her motorcycle .. has a skirt .. with petticoat on it's .. front. And, a .. butt-bow that would make any bridesmaid dress proud.
Alternately, it looks like she just plowed through the ladies from 'Petticoat Junction'.
sarge43
(28,947 posts)NewJeffCT
(56,829 posts)Season 2: Melisandre, Davos Seaworth, Stannis Baratheon
Season 3: The Queen of Thorns, Shireen Baratheon, Ramsay Bolton
Season 4: Oberyn Martell
Season 5: The High Sparrow
Tommy_Carcetti
(43,235 posts)The guy you love to hate.
Never thought I'd hate a character more than Joffrey. And then Ramsay Bolton comes around.
pressbox69
(2,252 posts)pinboy3niner
(53,339 posts)Not in Cheers, but added in the Frasier spinoff. One critic called his opening in one Frasier episode "the funniest seven minutes on television."
blogslut
(38,025 posts)Genius slapstick.
Rhiannon12866
(206,983 posts)David Pierce is enormously talented, he really can do just about anything and he was brilliant on that show. BTW, my mother was his Sunday School teacher...
WinkyDink
(51,311 posts)Lucinda
(31,170 posts)progressoid
(50,024 posts)TeamPooka
(24,308 posts)pinboy3niner
(53,339 posts)blogslut
(38,025 posts)I even love Toast of London.
Kaleva
(36,407 posts)Ilsa
(61,721 posts)She was so dry, just perfect for the computer-matched date for Sheldon.
Tom Kitten
(7,352 posts)Peter Graves is so closely identified as the leader of the team that a lot of people forget he didn't appear until the second season. Dan Briggs, played by Steven Hill, led the IMF the first season.
Recursion
(56,582 posts)I don't know if episode four counts as "long standing", though. Probably not.
Failing that, Lennie Briscoe's first episode in Law & Order was a great intro.
BronxBoy
(2,286 posts)As Gus "the Chicken Man" Fring on Breaking Bad
Should have won the Emmy for that role