It’s no secret that we currently live in a golden age of television. For the last few decades, we’ve been spoiled rotten with countless binge-worthy television shows on our small screens. Ranging from comedy, drama, sci-fi, fantasy, crime, and more, television has maintained a high level of quality for some time, and audiences have had an endless supply of great shows to watch.
Many of these programs have given us memorable protagonists to root for and follow, but sometimes it’s the supporting characters who leave a surprising impact and end up stealing the show. Even though their journey isn’t the main focus, and they might not get as much screen time, they’re the characters we tend to remember and talk about the most.
Roy Kent ('Ted Lasso')
Over the past two years, audiences have fallen in love with the feel-good comedy Ted Lasso, thanks to the show’s lovable, mustached protagonist. If there’s one character who is a fan favorite though, it’s the rough as guts, foul-mouthed Roy Kent.
Played brilliantly by Brett Goldstein, the Richmond FC captain turned coach has a cynical and hard exterior, and at first struggles to deal with the optimistic Lasso. But there’s more to Kent than meets the eye: he has a heart of gold, even if he can’t get through a sentence without dropping an F-bomb.
Erica Sinclair ('Stranger Things')
One of the reasons why Stranger Things has been such a big hit is its large pool of lovable and memorable characters. One of those is the MVP of the show’s third season, Erica (Priah Ferguson). As the younger sister of Lucas, Erica was very much a background character with little to no dialogue until Season 3.
When she wasn’t busy eating ice cream at Starcourt Mall, she became more involved in the action and main storyline and stood out amongst the main characters thanks to her sassy persona and comments. After all, you can’t spell America without Erica.
Grogu ('The Mandalorian' and 'The Book of Boba Fett')
Potentially the biggest scene-stealer in recent memory, Star Wars fans fell in love with Grogu, better known by his nickname Baby Yoda, when he appeared in The Mandalorian. The green, wide-eyed ball of cuteness, who develops a special bond with the titular character, became a pop culture phenomenon, inspiring endless memes and blowing up the internet.
Many viewers tuned into the show just for their weekly dose of Grogu content. The character also appeared in the spin-off series The Book of Boba Fett, and his role was arguably far more interesting than anything Fett was doing. Bring on The Mandalorian Season 3!
Kang Sae-byeok ('Squid Game')
No one expected the South Korean drama Squid Game to blow up the way it did, and apart from being the biggest TV hit of 2021, it also became Netflix’s most-watched show of all time. Audiences became attached to many of the characters, particularly Kang Sae-byeok, played by Hoyeon Jung in a SAG Award-winning performance.
Intelligent, determined, and good-hearted, viewers rooted for Sae-byeok (Player #67), as she was one of the few players in the game competing for a legitimately noble reason — to reunite her family after defecting from North Korea.
Titus Andromedon ('Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt')
The show may be called Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, but let’s be honest, it’s Titus Andromedon who steals the show. Tituss Burgess plays Andromedon, Kimmy’s roommate, aspiring actor, and “star on the rise," in his words.
Titus is the epitome of the word "extra:" he's dramatic and over the top in everything he does but is also silly and lazy enough to make things way more complicated than they should be. Burgess’ comedic timing and physicality are hysterical, and the character is endlessly relatable and quotable. Can we have a Titus spin-off, please?
Agatha Harkness ('WandaVision')
The Marvel Cinematic Universe's first official TV series may center around Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen) and her coping with the loss of Vision (Paul Bettany), but for fans, it was the wickedly fun Agatha Harkness, played by Kathryn Hahn, who was the show’s standout.
The character dons many personas and appearances throughout different decades in Wanda’s warped Westview reality, where she is known simply as "Agnes," a nosy neighbor. But a dark and sinister witch lies behind the facade, and Hahn is delightful in this villainous and playful role.
Cosmo Kramer ('Seinfeld')
There is no one more crazy, eccentric, and unpredictable than Seinfeld’s Kramer (Michael Richards). In a show full of iconic and equally scene-stealing supporting characters, Kramer has perhaps remained the favorite over the years.
Kramer is a unique character — living across the hall from Jerry, he doesn’t seem to have a steady job, yet somehow gets by. He exhibits some of the best physical humor seen from any comedic character, and you can’t help but admire his quirks. From his outlandish, Eraserhead-esque hair to his energetic bursts through Jerry’s door, Kramer leaves an impact.
Renata Klein ('Big Little Lies')
Big Little Lies is one of the best drama series of the last decade. In a starry cast that features Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman, and Shailene Woodley, it’s Laura Dern’s Renata Klein who shines. The character is a lot of things — wealthy, ambitious, passionate, and intense.
She’s a character who will do anything to get what she wants and brings lots of drama to the school playground. Her meltdowns are ridiculously epic and her unhinged nature makes for great entertainment. Plus, she always delivers a great one-liner — “I will not not be rich!”
Niles ('The Nanny')
The Nanny was undoubtedly one of the best sitcoms of the 90s, thanks to fabulous fashion and an ensemble cast led by Fran Drescher. But it’s posh and witty butler Niles (Daniel Davis) that delivers some of the show's best laughs.
Although he is loyal to the Sheffield family and household, he always has a quip up his sleeve and is ready to speak his mind, no matter how abrupt. One of the show’s highlights was Niles’ rivalry with C.C. Babcock, Mr. Sheffield’s business partner, which brought out many hilariously savage insults from the butler.
Raymond Holt ('Brooklyn Nine-Nine')
Audiences can agree that Brooklyn Nine-Nine was one of the most popular and refreshing comedies of the last decade. It’s hard to choose just one supporting character that stands out when you’ve got everyone from Rosa to Charles to choose from, but the honor has to go to Raymond Holt (Andre Braugher).
The captain of the NYPD’s 99th Precinct is professional, stern, and deadpan when it comes to emotion, but this makes for absolute comedic gold. Whether it’s robotically yet passionately speaking about his love of classical music, or delivering scathing burns, he’s always iconic.