10 TV Characters Who Surprisingly Evolved into Major Roles

Summary

Some of the best TV shows ever had characters who were initially planned to be minor but ended up becoming long-term mainstays due to their popularity or changes in the story.

In shows like Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Breaking Bad, Spike and Jesse Pinkman were initially planned to have short story arcs but ended up staying until the very end, eventually becoming crucial to the overall narrative.

The enduring significance of characters such as Andy Dwyer in Parks and Recreation and Frasier Crane in Cheers can be attributed to the impressive performances of the actors and the deliberate choice to enhance their characters' roles in the show.

Television history is filled with memorable characters who were not initially intended to have significant roles in their respective shows. Some of the greatest TV series had originally intended these characters to have minor importance, but due to their unexpected popularity or changes in the storyline, they became long-standing and crucial figures.

It may be surprising to discover that these characters played such essential roles, as it is now difficult to envision the shows without them. It is puzzling to consider the showrunners' initial decision to exclude these characters. Nevertheless, these characters have had a profound impact, and without them, some of the most influential TV shows of all time would not be the same.

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10 Spike - Buffy The Vampire Slayer

Spike made his first appearance in "School Hard," the second season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. James Marsters portrayed the character, who was initially meant to be a thorn in the side of Buffy Summers. However, his presence was intended to be short-lived, as the plan was for Spike to be killed by his fellow vampire Angel, with whom he shared a long history.

Nevertheless, Marsters' portrayal of Spike garnered such immense popularity that the writers and producers decided to keep him on the show. As a result, he remained part of the series until its final episode. In addition to his tenure on Buffy, Spike also made appearances in the spin-off series Angel, ultimately becoming a main character in the show's concluding episode and enduring until its finale.

9 Jesse Pinkman - Breaking Bad

8 Andy Dwyer - Parks And Recreation

Jesse Pinkman, portrayed by Aaron Paul, is one of the primary characters in the acclaimed television series Breaking Bad, alongside Walter White played by Bryan Cranston. He was introduced in the pilot episode titled "Pilot," where White coerced him into becoming his partner in the production and distribution of methamphetamine. Initially, the show's creator, Vince Gilligan, had planned to eliminate Pinkman's character in the first season. However, Paul's exceptional portrayal in the second episode titled "Cat's in the Bag..." convinced Gilligan to retain him, thus changing the course of the storyline. Jesse Pinkman endured until the show's final season, making his appearance in the thrilling finale named "Felina," and also starred in his own spin-off movies. Furthermore, he even made noteworthy appearances in Better Call Saul.

Originally, the plan for Andy Dwyer in Parks and Recreation was for him to make a guest appearance in season 1 and nothing more. He was introduced as Ann Perkins' boyfriend in the pilot episode, and the intention was for their breakup to mark the end of his storyline. However, in season 2, he returned in an attempt to win her back. Andy's character surpassed expectations, and he ended up being a mainstay on the show until its final season. He made a memorable appearance in the finale "One Last Ride" and later returned in the Christmas episode "A Parks and Recreation Special," which takes place five years later. Chris Pratt's exceptional portrayal of the lovable slacker convinced the creators to expand Andy's role.

7 Jack Shephard - Lost

Matthew Fox's character, Jack Shephard, played a pivotal role as the protagonist in Lost, making it unimaginable without him. However, the initial plan was for him to meet his demise halfway through the first episode. Co-creator J.J. Abrams had intended to cast Michael Keaton for this short-lived role, aiming to create a shocking impact by swiftly killing off the character. Nonetheless, Abrams decided against sending Keaton the script as he knew the actor had no interest in television projects. Consequently, with the casting of Fox, the plan underwent a revision. Abrams feared that Fox's portrayal of Jack Shephard would make him too likeable to eliminate. Thus, after making his first appearance in "Pilot (Part 1)," Fox's character endured until the very last scene in the sixth season's "The End."

6 Frasier Crane - Cheers

Originally planned as a minor role in Cheers, Kelsey Grammer's Frasier Crane defied expectations by becoming not only a series regular but also the star of his own show, Frasier. Introduced as a love interest for Shelley Long's Diane Chambers in the third season episode "Rebound, Part 1," Frasier was intended to have a brief fling before disappearing from the storyline. However, Grammer's remarkable performance impressed the show's executives so much that they decided to keep him on as a permanent member of the cast. He remained with the show until its final episode, "One for the Road," in the eleventh season, and then went on to headline his own successful spin-off for another eleven seasons.

5 President Josiah "Jed" Bartlet - The West Wing

Given his prominence on the show, this one's tough to digest, but Martin Sheen's President Josiah "Jed" Bartlet was never meant to appear in The West Wing at all. The original intention was for Bartlet to remain an unseen presence, occasionally glimpsed from the back as he walked around corners. The focus of the show was supposed to be on his staff. However, the creators of the show eventually found this idea implausible. After careful consideration, they decided that having the president as an off-screen character, similar to Wilson from Home Improvement, would be too "silly" and "hokey."

4 Tobias Fünke - Arrested Development

Initially, the character of Tobias Fünke in Arrested Development was planned as a recurring guest starring role, and there were talks of comedian Andy Dick taking on the part. However, David Cross, who had been approached to play another character, Buster Bluth, decided to switch roles and play Fünke instead. This decision was mainly driven by Cross's belief that the Fünke role would require less time in Los Angeles since it was not a central character. But when the show's executives witnessed Cross's brilliant portrayal of Fünke, they were so enamored that they insisted he become a permanent member of the core cast. It is safe to say that it would be hard to envision anyone else doing a better job than Cross.

3 Gunther - Friends

The late James Michael Tyler played the role of Gunther, the manager of Central Perk coffee house, in Friends. Gunther first appeared in the show's second episode, "The One with the Sonogram at the End," and his last appearance was in the season 10 finale, "The Last One." One of Friends' most entertaining running jokes was Gunther's unrequited love for Rachel Green, played by Jennifer Aniston, which he finally confessed in the last episode. Initially intended to be a silent background character, Gunther became a permanent fixture on the show because he was the only extra who knew how to operate a coffee machine.

2 Castiel - Supernatural

Supernatural enjoyed a remarkable run of 15 seasons, spanning from 2005 to 2020. Surprisingly, it was initially planned to conclude after just five seasons, with the season 5 finale titled "Swan Song" serving as the series' intended ending. In the fourth season's first episode titled "Lazarus Rising," Misha Collins made his debut as Castiel. Collins has revealed that his character was originally intended to appear sporadically for only two seasons, symbolizing the impending apocalypse. However, due to the immense popularity of the show and Castiel's character, Collins continued to play a crucial and consistent role throughout the series. Ultimately, the actor bid farewell to Supernatural in the penultimate episode of season 15 titled "Despair," two episodes prior to the grand series finale.

1 Arthur "The Fonz" Fonzarelli - Happy Days

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Arthur "The Fonz" Fonzarelli, from the beloved show Happy Days, remains an iconic figure in television history. Introduced in the very first episode entitled "All the Way," the character played by Henry Winkler continued to captivate audiences for a decade, until his final appearance in "Passages Part 2," which aired five episodes before the series concluded. Interestingly, Fonzie was initially conceived as a minor character by the show's creator Garry Marshall, inspired by a tough individual he knew from The Bronx. However, Winkler's remarkable portrayal of Fonzie impressed Marshall so much that he permanently retained the character.