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A skilled actor does not need a lot of screen time to stand out. As such, some of television’s most memorable characters didn’t even make an appearance in their respective show’s first, second, or third season. Here are some of the best TV characters that came in late but left a lasting impression on audiences.
Holly Flax (Amy Ryan) on The Office
NBC
Holly Flax does not make her first appearance on The Office until the two-part finale of season four, but her effect on Steve Carell’s Michael Scott and The Office as a whole is significant. From their very first scenes together, Holly and Michael have strong on-screen chemistry, and her sweet disposition makes the audience like Michael more. More than that, she reshapes Michael’s sense of humor and makes him less mean and more thoughtful. She also changes the course of Michael’s character, taking him away from Dunder Mifflin, and provides a reason for his exit from the show in season seven.
Charles Emerson Winchester III (David Ogden Stiers) on MASH
CBS
In the early seasons of MASH, Hawkeye Pierce takes joy in torturing Frank Burns, but Frank is never clever enough for any proper retaliation. Winchester, however, is a worthy opponent for Pierce and often pranks him in epic fashion. For MASH fans, it is hard to imagine the later seasons without the pompous but good-natured Charles Emerson Winchester III.
Craig Middlebrooks (Billy Eichner) on Parks and Recreation
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Parks and Recreation is full of memorable characters, but when Pawnee merges with Eagleton in season six, Craig Middlebrooks is one of the survivors from the former Eagleton city staff. Billy Eichner’s manic and hilarious performance earned him more punchlines and his own storylines, usually pairing him with Donna or Tom. Craig is rumored to return to Parks‘ final season tonight.
Daniel Faraday (Jeremy Davies) and Frank Lapidus (Jeff Fahey) on Lost
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In the final seasons of Lost, many new characters are introduced from Charles Widmore’s boat and the science team. Among the science team is Daniel Faraday, a physicist whose fate is tied to the island. Daniel’s unrequited crush on Charlotte and his mother’s history with the island add new intrigue to a show with a million and one mysteries.
On the surface, Frank isn’t that big of a character in the final seasons of Lost, but his deadpan reactions to the insanity going on around him make Frank the perfect comic relief. He also gets one of my favorite lines of the entire show: “We’re not going to Guam, are we?”
Carl Sack (John Larroquette) on Boston Legal
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Boston Legal had a rotating cast of lawyers including Julie Bowen (Modern Family), Christian Clemenson (The Big Lebowski), Monica Potter (Parenthood), and Saffron Burrows (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.), but the addition of Carl Sack in season four is worthy of note.
The law offices of Crane, Poole & Schmidt have become nuttier since season one. The lawyers have become involved in completely inappropriate ways, and it takes an outsider like Carl to see it. He might be more straight-laced and conservative than his colleagues, but he provides stability to Shirley Schmidt and ends Denny Crane’s last hope that he might win Shirley back.
Mike Hannigan (Paul Rudd) on Friends
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Before he was headlining Ant-Man, Paul Rudd played Mike Hannigan, Phoebe’s longest lasting love interest on Friends. He isn’t introduced until season nine, but his relationship with Phoebe is charming and surprisingly complex. After he refuses to marry Phoebe, he nearly loses her forever. Before the show ends, however, Mike and Phoebe tie the knot, and they plan to have as many children as the Von Trapp family, minus the Nazis.
Keith Dudemeister (Travis Schuldt) on Scrubs
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J.D. and Elliot are the on-again-off-again relationship of Scrubs, but the show offers Elliot an attractive alternative with Keith Dudemeister. Keith is a good doctor and a great boyfriend, and he loves Elliot. Even after Elliot dumps him before the wedding, the show writers do not write him off the show because he has developed to become more than just Elliot’s boyfriend.
Donna Noble (Catherine Tate) on Doctor Who
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Doctor Who is an on-going show, so it seems like an odd choice for this list. However, Donna Noble is an important part of Russell T. Davies’ legacy as showrunner. She is my favorite of the Doctor’s companions since the show’s revival in 2005, and her adventures with the Doctor range from hilarious to heartbreaking. She proves that an outspoken, opinionated temp worker can be the most important person in the universe and the hero that the world needs.