The one guy that keeps you watching?
- Thread starter The Borgified Corpse
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John Doggett, The X-Files.
After Season 6, it became painfully obvious that they were just bullshitting the mythology and that it was never going to be resolved in a satisfying way. But Robert Patrick is such a badass, Seasons 8 & 9 became my favorite seasons of the show.
Sadly, Trip wasn't enough to keep me watching. Almost though. Trip, Dr. Phlox, & Malcom Reed were excellent. They would have kept me watching had they gotten a larger focus on the show. Unfortunately, Captain Archer & T'Pol were just nails on a chalkboard for me. I couldn't take it.
Similarly, Smallville showed flashes of brilliance whenever it focused on the Luthors. I also thought the relationship between Clark & his parents was pretty nice. Unfortunately, the show spent so much time & energy focusing on that harpy Lana Lang, it became a choice between giving up the show or gouging my eyes out with a grapefruit spoon.
Heroes would be one of my favorite shows ever if it was just the Hiro & Ando show. Unfortunately, the show spends too much time focusing on characters that I don't care about.
I love Daniel Jackson. I agree totally about his humor. He's a lot of fun and Michael Shanks is a delightful ham. (I think Shanks is his generation's William Shatner.) But thankfully, Stargate SG-1 was always a good show with strong ensemble chemistry. Jack O'Neill, Teal'c, & Vala Mal Doran were equally compelling reasons to watch. I also liked Jonas Quinn. He got unfairly shafted by the writers.
Bebe Neuwirth is awesome! I loved her as Lilith. I also thought she was brilliant as Tracy Kibre on Law & Order: Trial by Jury.
Not so much a character as a storyline: Around the 6th or 7th season of Frasier, I really started to lose interest. The show had become repetitive and was recycling jokes & plots all the time. The only thing that kept me watching was waiting to see if Daphne & Niles would get together. Once they did, I stopped watching regularly. (Although, seeing the episodes in reruns, on their own, the later seasons were just as good as the early seasons. It was just repetitive.)
After Season 6, it became painfully obvious that they were just bullshitting the mythology and that it was never going to be resolved in a satisfying way. But Robert Patrick is such a badass, Seasons 8 & 9 became my favorite seasons of the show.
Sadly, Trip wasn't enough to keep me watching. Almost though. Trip, Dr. Phlox, & Malcom Reed were excellent. They would have kept me watching had they gotten a larger focus on the show. Unfortunately, Captain Archer & T'Pol were just nails on a chalkboard for me. I couldn't take it.
Similarly, Smallville showed flashes of brilliance whenever it focused on the Luthors. I also thought the relationship between Clark & his parents was pretty nice. Unfortunately, the show spent so much time & energy focusing on that harpy Lana Lang, it became a choice between giving up the show or gouging my eyes out with a grapefruit spoon.
Heroes would be one of my favorite shows ever if it was just the Hiro & Ando show. Unfortunately, the show spends too much time focusing on characters that I don't care about.
I love Daniel Jackson. I agree totally about his humor. He's a lot of fun and Michael Shanks is a delightful ham. (I think Shanks is his generation's William Shatner.) But thankfully, Stargate SG-1 was always a good show with strong ensemble chemistry. Jack O'Neill, Teal'c, & Vala Mal Doran were equally compelling reasons to watch. I also liked Jonas Quinn. He got unfairly shafted by the writers.
Bebe Neuwirth is awesome! I loved her as Lilith. I also thought she was brilliant as Tracy Kibre on Law & Order: Trial by Jury.
Not so much a character as a storyline: Around the 6th or 7th season of Frasier, I really started to lose interest. The show had become repetitive and was recycling jokes & plots all the time. The only thing that kept me watching was waiting to see if Daphne & Niles would get together. Once they did, I stopped watching regularly. (Although, seeing the episodes in reruns, on their own, the later seasons were just as good as the early seasons. It was just repetitive.)
John Shepard, SG:A. I literally could not stand anyone else on that show.
Salvatore Romano, Mad Men. This is a recent development, due to a certain plot twist. Unfortunately, he's not going to be in every episode and as of now, everyone else on the show bores the living crud out of me.
Heroes would jump quite a ways in my estimation if they would kill those two useless, unfunny characters (and Nikki/Tracey too). I'm still interested in the stories of Peter, Matt, Sylar, Nathan and Angela (leaving aside any debates about the metaphysical status of certain persons on that list) and Samuel has made a decent start as a new character.
Salvatore Romano, Mad Men. This is a recent development, due to a certain plot twist. Unfortunately, he's not going to be in every episode and as of now, everyone else on the show bores the living crud out of me.
Heroes would jump quite a ways in my estimation if they would kill those two useless, unfunny characters (and Nikki/Tracey too). I'm still interested in the stories of Peter, Matt, Sylar, Nathan and Angela (leaving aside any debates about the metaphysical status of certain persons on that list) and Samuel has made a decent start as a new character.
If it was only Hiro and Ando show, I wouldn't watch it at all. After season 1, Hiro became the most useless and annoying character on the show, and one with the most pointless and boring plots. (Especially now that Mohinder is nowhere to be seen).
But I do watch for Sylar, or rather Zachary Quinto... and to a smaller degree Nathan and Angela, or rather Adrian Pasdar and Cristine Rose. Noah has his moments. And now it's great to see Robert Knepper and his Carnivale-esque Carnival.
I occasionally watched Smallville, only for Lex and Lionel Luthor. But it wasn't enough to keep me watching.
I agree that Doggett was one of the few things that made the final two seasons of The X-Files worth watching (and more bearable than the horrible 7th season, definitely show's low point).
I loved Lilith on Frasier, but I haven't watched that much of Cheers, well, not since I was a child, anyway, and I don't remember much of that.
YES! I couldn't agree more. I would love to get a book with all his closing arguments. They're brilliant and James Spader's delivery was wonderful.
Spader was brilliant, but it's not like he was the only actor on that series that kept you watching. Shatner was infinitely watchable as Denny Crane, too.
YES! I couldn't agree more. I would love to get a book with all his closing arguments. They're brilliant and James Spader's delivery was wonderful.
Spader was brilliant, but it's not like he was the only actor on that series that kept you watching. Shatner was infinitely watchable as Denny Crane, too.
True, Shatner was great as Denny but, honestly, I could of masturbated to Alan's closing arguments.
What kind of show was this?
Wesley Wyndam-Pryce in Angel. Quite simply the best example of character development over the long-term that I've ever seen. I never would have imagined that bumbling idiot from Season Three of Buffy the Vampire Slayer would become such a fantastic character. He really was the heart and soul of Angel, as far as I'm concerned.
Peter on Heroes. He's the only character I'm still remotely interested in on that show. Oh, no. Sylar's lost his memory. Again. Oh, no. Hiro is having issues with his time travel. Again. Oh, no. Parkman is having a crisis, wanting to live a normal life. Again. Oh, no. The cheerleader is coming out as "special." Again. If not for the eye candy that is Peter, I would have already tuned out. When he gets killed off (and they started filming that episode last week, unfortunately), the show is dead to me.
Castle - As was said up-thread, I only watch this show for Nathan Fillion's character. Not one other character has interested me in the show.
Dollhouse - It's mostly about November/Mellie. I know the whole thing is about Eliza's character Echo, but frankly, I can't stand her. For a character with multiple implanted personalities, they sure have an actress who doesn't have even one personality. As for the rest of the dolls, they are completely interchangeable, and what little story they had between Victor and Sierra was dropped after just a few episodes. Topher is the only other one I like, and even that's just because I like geek characters (usually).
Castle - As was said up-thread, I only watch this show for Nathan Fillion's character. Not one other character has interested me in the show.
Dollhouse - It's mostly about November/Mellie. I know the whole thing is about Eliza's character Echo, but frankly, I can't stand her. For a character with multiple implanted personalities, they sure have an actress who doesn't have even one personality. As for the rest of the dolls, they are completely interchangeable, and what little story they had between Victor and Sierra was dropped after just a few episodes. Topher is the only other one I like, and even that's just because I like geek characters (usually).
^I like Topher because he's the most Whedonesque of all the characters. I like Boyd & Dominic a lot. I like DeWitt because I've been in love with Olivia Williams ever since Rushmore. Need more Dr. Saunders. Amy Acker 
. The real shame of that show is that the focus is on Echo and not Victor. I agree somewhat about Eliza Dushku's limited range. However, Victor is amazing at truly embodying every distinct personality they give him.
I'm looking forward to this Friday's episode. According to the promos, it's mostly focused on Sierra and explaining her backstory.
. The real shame of that show is that the focus is on Echo and not Victor. I agree somewhat about Eliza Dushku's limited range. However, Victor is amazing at truly embodying every distinct personality they give him.I'm looking forward to this Friday's episode. According to the promos, it's mostly focused on Sierra and explaining her backstory.
Funny recurring characters like Joxer & Autolycus, Xena Warrior Princess.
I never much cared for Xena (although her twin, Meg, was a hoot!). Gabrielle wasn't much better. Joxer & Autolycus made this show for me.
Harrison & Davis, Tru Calling.
For all those who complain about Dushku's bad acting on Dollhouse, she was much worse on Tru Calling. Although, a lot of that had to do with the writing. Tru was never given much of a personality. What kept that show interesting was her 2 very different sidekicks-- her ne'er-do-well brother Harrison & her nerdy boss Davis (Zach Galifianikis). Even though the show was cancelled, I wish these characters would show up on some other series.
I never much cared for Xena (although her twin, Meg, was a hoot!). Gabrielle wasn't much better. Joxer & Autolycus made this show for me.
Harrison & Davis, Tru Calling.
For all those who complain about Dushku's bad acting on Dollhouse, she was much worse on Tru Calling. Although, a lot of that had to do with the writing. Tru was never given much of a personality. What kept that show interesting was her 2 very different sidekicks-- her ne'er-do-well brother Harrison & her nerdy boss Davis (Zach Galifianikis). Even though the show was cancelled, I wish these characters would show up on some other series.
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