Seinfeld ran for 9 seasons, and most of them were zeitgeist-capturing successes. However, no TV show is perfect, and the sitcom sometimes brought in characters who didn't get enough time in the sun.

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Whether it's a character who was supposed to return, like Elaine's dad, or one of the many boyfriends/girlfriends, some Seinfeld guest stars should have been much more than that. However, fans can still enjoy the time they get with characters like Eric the Clown and the Bubble Boy, even if they wished they got more.

Alton Benes In "The Jacket" (Season 2, Episode 3)

Lawrence Tierney as Alton Benes in Seinfeld

Playing the father to one of the best Seinfeld characters was no easy task, but Lawrence Tierney (Reservoir Dogs) had a presence perfectly-suited to the character's intimidating persona.

Unfortunately, Tierney also tried to steal a knife from the set, so he wasn't invited back. Perhaps it's for the best, while Alton Benes was a good one-episode character with potential for more, there's an appeal to him being introduced then never brought up again.

Mr. Bookman In "The Library" (Season 3, Episode 5)

seinfeld jerry in the library

As Lt. Joe Bookman, Philip Baker Hall put in possibly the best Seinfeld guest performance of all time. Hall is a tremendous actor, whose shown his formidable acting prowess in Paul Thomas Anderson films just the same as he's shown it in silly roles like Lt. Bookman or in Larry David's followup series, Curb Your Enthusiasm.

As Lt. Bookman, Hall was in pursuit of a way overdue library book: Tropic of Cancer. He's a no-nonsense man who operates as if the library's stock is the same as a murder case. Bookman gets his man, even if he has to be an abrasive detective type about it.

Bubble Boy In "The Bubble Boy" (Season 4, Episode 7)

the bubble boy strangling George

Arguably a Seinfeld episode for beginners, "The Bubble Boy" features George Costanza at his best, which is when his betty arrogance leads to him being bested.

The titular bubble boy is a young man who lives in a plastic divider within his parents' home. The reason: immune deficiency. And while the bubble boy may not be able to physically handle the outside world, he's more than able to handle Costanza when he tries to worm his way towards victory in a game of Trivial Pursuit.

Aaron, The Close Talker In "The Raincoats" (Season 5, Episodes 18 & 19)

Judge Reinhold as the close talker in Seinfeld

Judge Reinhold was a big name in the '80s and '90s, so his inclusion in a Seinfeld episode was bound to be written with a gearing towards his awkward nature.

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As the close talker, Reinhold created one of the most iconic Seinfeld characters, especially in terms of how the show found a way to label certain unique individuals. What makes the character so appealing is how relatable the concept is: everyone has a friend whose confidence isn't up to snuff, and the volume of their voice reflects that.

Eric The Clown In "The Fire" (Season 5, Episodes 20)

Eric the clown in Seinfeld

In one of the best George Costanza outbursts, he runs screaming from a kitchen fire at a child's birthday party. Costanza is then rightly accused of abandoning the attendees to perish in favor of his own survival.

One of his accusers is Eric the Clown, played by none other than Iron Man director Jon Favreau. Sadly, this was the first and last time Favreau was seen in the series.

The Man In The Cape In "The Chinese Woman" (Season 6, Episode 4)

Larry David as the man in the cape

Larry David made several cameos throughout the course of Seinfeld's run. However, he barely ever showed his face or his iconic bald head.

RELATED: 8 Frank Costanza Outbursts On Seinfeld That Make Us Laugh-Cry

He did show his face during "The Chinese Woman," though, and it couldn't have been better. David played a lawyer who inexplicably wears a cape. A cape is never a suitable garment outside of the 1850s, and the lawyer wears it in broad daylight, fearlessly. Seinfeld fans want to know more about this guy.

Gary Fogel In "The Scofflaw" (Season 6, Episode 13)

George and Jerry confront Gary Vogel in Seinfeld

Seinfeld has aged well because it never played it safe. Until It's Always Sunny in PhiladelphiaSeinfeld was the only show with the guts to have a character fake cancer.

Jon Lovitz played the character of Gary Fogel, and he played it to smarmy perfection. Fogel is duplicitous, not at all bound by ethics. He'll fake a disease that breaks apart families every day just to benefit by an inch. It's interesting to imagine what he could've done with a second episode.

Little Jerry In "The Little Jerry" (Season 8, Episode 11)

Jerry and Kramer with pet rooster on Seinfeld

The fact that Kramer can name a chicken after his best friend and no one bats an eye says a lot about him. Cockfighting is a disgusting pseudo-sport perpetuated by cretins, but somehow if Cosmo Kramer dives into it, it's somewhat more acceptable.

Little Jerry is a champion and a hero, perhaps even more emotionally mature than Jerry himself. But, then again, audiences didn't get to know Little Jerry all that long, but he was a cute little boxer while he was in the ring.

Lou, The Sidler In "The Merv Griffin Show" (Season 9, Episode 6)

Lou the sidler and Elaine in Seinfeld

Lou, the "sidler", is a seemingly innocuous man with a nasty habit of moving silently. Elaine could be walking down the hall and he's hardly three feet behind her, yet she thinks she's alone.

He uses this to his advantage whenever Elaine shows her work to J. Peterman, effectively taking half of her rightful credit. Lou was a fun character, and Elaine's Tic Tacs strategy to make him noisier is a classic moment. He's also an effective adversary for Elaine, with their sparring being an episode highlight. It's a dynamic that could have been continued, but Lou only sidled his way through one episode.

NEXT: The 10 Best Trips Seinfeld's Main Characters Took, Ranked