Getting a character right in a TV show can be even harder than in a movie because, more often than not, they have to keep audiences entertained for a whole lot longer. While it is essential to make the main character interesting enough to carry the show, supporting characters are just as important. If not more so.
Several side characters over the years have gone so far as to even become more popular than the protagonists of their shows. Whether they have a more interesting dramatic arc or are just sidesplittingly funny, these characters stole their shows.
Patrick Star, Spongebob Squarepants
The most popular Nickelodeon cartoon of all time features a huge cast of iconic characters, from Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy to Plankton to Spongebob himself. The one that stole the show from his first appearance is Spongebob's best friend Patrick Star.
Patrick is the quintessential cartoon comic relief. He is lovably dumb, but is fully aware of this and embraces it. Patrick's blissful incompetence and unshakable self-confidence have led to many of his best moments on the show. Now that he has gotten his spin-off, Patrick has managed to almost outshine even Spongebob.
Ron Swanson, Parks and Recreation
Parks and Recreation may be about the ambitious Leslie Knope trying to do everything she can to help her hometown, but the show's stellar supporting cast easily stole the show. The best of the best of these had to be Ron Swanson, Leslie's boss, and polar opposite.
Ron was the antithesis of everything that Leslie was in the show. He hated the government, didn't care about work, and showed almost no emotion. Despite this, he says some of the show's funniest quotes, and he and Leslie have one of the best friendships in the series. The government may not work, but Ron Swanson certainly did.
The Punisher, Daredevil
Daredevil is easily one of the best TV shows in the Marvel universe. It was dark, gritty, and more down-to-earth than the movies had been. The show was full of great characters and incredible acting performances, but one of the best came with the Punisher's arrival in season 2.
Frank Castle was a dark reflection of Matt Murdock's Daredevil. A fellow vigilante with none of the restraint, the Punisher was dead set on putting criminals on the ground rather than behind bars. He manages to be both unrelentingly violent and sympathetic and is the subject of many of the season's best action scenes. He was given his spin-off soon after, cementing him as one of the Netflix series' best characters.
Castiel, Supernatural
Believe it or not, Supernatural's beloved Castiel was only supposed to appear in a short run of a few episodes when he first appeared in season 4. Castiel was an angel of the Lord who was sent to Earth to help the Winchester brothers in their fight against Hell.
Since his appearance, Castiel has become one of the best characters in the entire show. He added the perfect amount of both naive likability and serious drama, and his relationship with the two brothers, especially Dean, was one of the strongest parts of the show. Despite being killed off numerous times, Castiel was always too popular to stay dead and is as synonymous with the show as the Winchesters.
Black Noir, The Boys
Black Noir has not had nearly enough screen time to fully become more popular than the main characters of The Boys, but he is easily the best part of nearly every time he is on screen. He is the show's parody of Batman and is a silent but incredibly deadly superhero foe to the titular vigilantes.
Despite being a superhuman killing machine who has proved himself in several intense action scenes, Black Noir is also one of the funniest characters in the show. Without ever saying a word or showing his face, he manages to be hilariously expressive and quirky. There is no telling what, if anything, will be revealed about his character, and that might be a question better left unanswered.
Dwight Schrute, The Office
Like Parks and Recreation after it, The Office was an ensemble comedy held together by the strength of its great characters. While Michael Scott was the leader of the show and Pam and Jim were its heart, it was Dwight Schrute who was the real star of the show.
Dwight was odd even compared to other wacky characters of the show, but he was one of the funniest characters, often unintentionally. Every new revelation about Dwight added to his delightful weirdness, and the dynamic between Jim and the others in the office was hilariously uncomfortable. Dwight wasn't the star of the show, but he sure came close.
Negan, The Walking Dead
The first appearance of Negan is arguably the single most talked-about moment in the entire Walking Dead history. Playing a game to decide which of the group would become his first victim, Negan made it clear the kind of man he was by brutally murdering Abraham and Glenn.
After that, Negan became a cultural phenomenon among fans. His cocky charisma and readiness to use his infamous bat Lucille made him an instant fan-favorite villain. Negan carried multiple seasons as the primary antagonist and has since become somewhat of an anti-hero in the show. Negan not only upended the entire show, but he was also a huge moment in TV history.
Steve Urkel, Family Matters
Almost everyone who remembers Family Matters remembers it because of one thing, Steve Urkel. He has become such an iconic character that it is easy to forget that was not the focus of the show. He was originally only meant to be a one-off character in the show's first season.
The Winslows could not escape Urkel though, and he quickly became the show's breakout character. Urkel was a neighbor of the Winslows with a huge crush on the family's daughter Laura. He is the quintessential lovable nerd throughout the show and continued to grow in popularity until he quite literally stole the show, becoming the main character and a pop culture icon. Yes, he did do that.
Grogu/Baby Yoda, The Mandalorian
Speaking of cultural icons, few TV characters in recent memory have had quite an effect as The Mandalorian's Grogu, A.K.A. Baby Yoda. Grogu is revealed in the first episode of the show after being rescued by Din Djarin. The rest of the series has centered on Djarin's attempts to keep him safe from the remnants of the Empire.
Grogu's ridiculously cute character design endeared him to fans instantly and became the face of thousands of merchandising campaigns. He was the heart of the series, keeping the stakes high while also providing many funny and heartfelt moments. The show may be called The Mandalorian, but for many, it's the Baby Yoda show.
The Fonz, Happy Days
There can be no better example of a supporting TV character outshining the rest of their show than Arthur "The Fonz" Fonzarelli from Happy Days. Despite starting as a secondary character, The Fonz very quickly became the standout favorite, and eventually took over the entire show.
Fonzie was the epitome of coolness at the time. He was charismatic, smooth, and could seemingly do anything. He also managed to be an interesting character beyond this though, having complex story arcs and meaningful relationships with the rest of the cast. The Fonz has become such a cultural mainstay that one of his leather jackets even hangs in the Smithsonian. How many other side characters can say that?