Unexpected fan favorites who take over the show?

[od0_ital]

Aragorn wrote:

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I didn't watch Homicide, but didn't it go from an ensemble to the Andre Braugher show?

Andre Braugher was always a central part of the ensemble - the other characters even talked about his character when he wasn't around.

And when he was gone in the final season, the show really sucked out loud.

[Starbreaker]

Barnabas Collins - Dark Shadows
Tommy Oliver - Power Rangers
Elmo
Ben & Desmond - Lost
The Janitor - Scrubs
Daryl Dixon - The Walking Dead

[Miss Chicken]

Castiel on Supernatural - he didn't quite take over the show from the Winchester boys but he certainly was a breakout character. I believe that he was orginally only meant to be in the show for 6 episodes.

Captain Jack from Dr Who - though that was really a character who was given a spin-off show.

[Timelord_Victorious]

Miss Chicken wrote:

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Castiel on Supernatural - he didn't quite take over the show from the Winchester boys but he certainly was a breakout character. I believe that he was orginally only meant to be in the show for 6 episodes.

Has Castiel ecclipsed Bobby yet? Bobby has been gone for a while now, but his spirit remained... well, then his spirit died and he still has very much a presence somehow.

[auntiehill]

No, I would say that Bobby had an even greater impact, despite no longer being on the show.

[Miss Chicken]

Bobby was another very popular breakout character but I think that Castiel was more popular with women (but maybe I am only speaking for myself).

And of course there are other characters from Supernatural who became more popular than writers probably thought they would (Crowley, John Winchester, Death).

I never really liked any of the female characters on Supernatural.

[auntiehill]

But I don't think any of them really come close to "taking over the show," like Fonzie did on Happy Days.


Another example I thought of is a character who literally took over---Avon on "Blake's 7." It was all about Blake but Avon was just as popular and when the actor who played Blake decided to leave, Avon both literally and figuratively took over. Of course, it wasn't all due to fan interest so much as necessity.

[Miss Chicken]

auntiehill wrote:

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But I don't think any of them really come close to "taking over the show."

No, not taking over the show. That is why I am only referring to them as breakout characters. Sometimes breakout characters take over shows but more often they are minor characters that end up with a more prominent role (thought not the lead).

[Timelord_Victorious]

Surprised no one has mentioned Seven of Nine yet.

[Miss Chicken]

auntiehill wrote:

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But I don't think any of them really come close to "taking over the show," like Fonzie did on Happy Days.


Another example I thought of is a character who literally took over---Avon on "Blake's 7." It was all about Blake but Avon was just as popular and when the actor who played Blake decided to leave, Avon both literally and figuratively took over. Of course, it wasn't all due to fan interest so much as necessity.

That is a very good example. I think, from the start, Paul Darrow put more effort into his character than Gareth Thomas ever did and Avon's relationships to others (Vila, Servalan) were interesting. whereas I found Blake to be quite boring character.

[OmahaStar]

_C_ wrote:

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I seem to recall Xena got her own show after she was awesome on Hercules: The Legendary Journeys.

Damn, I miss Xena...she kicked serious butt! Though, in hindsight, Kevin Sorbo is pretty nice on this lady's eyes, yeeeessss...

As with Wesley on Buffy, she was written to die at the end of her arc (Wesley was to have been killed by Faith). They rewrote the trilogy and kept her around, then spun her off. I'd argue that even now, Xena is more popular than Hercules.

As for Worf, yes. He was originally going to be in just the pilot, but the producers liked the character and kept him around. It was only when Denise Crosby decided to leave the series that the writers began to write for Worf.

[Miss Chicken]

Timelord_Victorious wrote:

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Surprised no one has mentioned Seven of Nine yet.

Wasn't she meant to be a main character from the moment they first introduced her?

[Timelord_Victorious]

Miss Chicken wrote:

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Wasn't she meant to be a main character from the moment they first introduced her?

No more than Paris, B'Elanna, Chakotay and Kim, I think.
But she firmly stepped into the footsteps of Spock, Data and The Holodoc.
It could be argued it was pushed by the producers after she was introduced, though, and not simply because of fan reactions.

[Greg Cox]

auntiehill wrote:

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But I don't think any of them really come close to "taking over the show," like Fonzie did on Happy Days.

Except maybe Barnabas Collins, whom Starbreaker mentioned earlier. He didn't even appear on the show until episode #210, and was meant to be just a short-term villain, but he quickly became both the star and central focus of the show, eclipsing all the other characters.

I'm kicking myself for not thinking of him right away!

[Andrew_Kearley]

Arthur Daley in Minder.

John Steed in The Avengers.