The final season of Better Call Saul is set to air its second part on July 11, 2022, which will bring this former supporting character’s story to a close. Just like Saul originated in Breaking Bad as a supporting player to Walter White’s story, so have numerous other characters in TV history.
These range from sitcoms like Friends to gritty survival horrors like The Walking Dead. Redditors have taken their pick of the shows where the side protagonists have usurped the true heroes in popularity. It’s interesting to check out the reasons why fans feel this way and which shows have the strongest cast members overall.
Hal - Malcolm In The Middle (2000-2006)
Long before Bryan Cranston was best known as Walter White from Breaking Bad, he got mainstream attention for Malcolm in the Middle. Redditor Chicago-Rican writes that “Hal might be one of the greatest characters in television history.” They’re referring to the patriarch of the family, all of whose members were quirky and off-the-rails.
While Malcolm was the main character, Hal as the hapless father and subservient husband to a dominant wife stole the show. Hal was a good fit for any character to be paired with and viewers could genuinely sympathize with him. Cranston’s comedic timing also did the characters loads of favors.
Homer Simpson - The Simpsons (1989-)
There are a lot of Homer Simpon-centric episodes in The Simpsons now, but the character was originally a supporting player to his son Bart’s antics. Redditor dummystupid posits the reason for Homer’s ascension is that “he became too funny” and couldn’t be ignored.
Even in the first few seasons where Homer is primarily a supporting character, he gets to have the most characterization. While Bart was funny in a prankster way, Homer’s dopey attitude, fatherly traits, and marriage to Marge offered a greater avenue for storylines.
Mr. Feeny & Eric Matthews: Boy Meets World (1993-2000)
When it comes to the best supporting characters in Boy Meets World, these two are commonly found around the top. Redditor ProphylactionJackson writes that “Mr. Feeny and Eric (and the bromance between them) steal the show.” The two were paired a lot in later seasons, becoming a fan favorite duo.
Eric’s dimwitted attitude and Mr. Feeny’s bemused reaction to him had an evergreen quality that remains hilarious to this day. The show was primarily about Eric’s brother Cory, but Mr. Feeny and Eric’s more comedy-based presence served the sitcom well compared to Cory’s coming-of-age stories.
Niles Crane - Frasier (1993-2004)
Redditor Boy_of_fan writes “I like Niles so much better than Frasier,” in regards to his role in the latter’s self-titled series. Frasier was hilarious in his own right, but Niles’ paranoid, neurotic, and witty nature were hard to resist. David Hyde Pierce nailed the character and fans continue to appreciate his performance.
Niles’ unrequired love for Daphne and her obliviousness to his feelings, along with the way Frasier routinely shouted at him for acting weird, filled the highlight reels for the series. He also had a better development than Frasier, moving from a loveless marriage to a union with Daphne and finally gaining the confidence he always lacked.
Jack & Karen - Will & Grace (1998-2006; 2018-2021)
There are too many memorable Jack and Karen quotes in Will & Grace, and the series wouldn’t have lived up to being a sitcom had these two not been present. Redditor Sonnyjimladdieboyboy writes that “Jack and Karen always stole the show, Will and Grace were boring in comparison.”
Although the main characters weren’t ever truly boring, they had some heavy-handed storylines that Jack and Karen didn’t have to go through. Instead, the friends were always up to wacky things and were a perfect comedic duo to contrast Will and Grace’s emotional storylines.
Norm Peterson & Cliff Clavin - Cheers (1982-1993)
Redditor nicknamed_nugget wants people to forget “Sam and Diane, show me more Norm and Cliff.” The two friends were never the characters in focus and their primary role was to bring the fun element to the bar, where Sam and Diane’s on-off relationship was the main story.
Norm’s elaborate entrances and Cliff’s irrelevant trivia are a staple of the show, without which no episode could ever feel complete. Norm and Cliff never received emotional arcs, making them good for rewatches, while Sam and Diane’s turbulent relationship can lose its appeal.
George Costanza, Elaine Benes, And Cosmo Kramer - Seinfeld (1989-1998)
Often considered the funniest sitcom ever, Seinfeld was designed in such a way that the titular character was mainly someone who pulled the plot together. Redditor magicbullets writes, "Jerry is great, but the supporting cast is amazing.” These happen to be his friends George, Elaine, and Kramer, with his nemesis Newman also in consideration.
Each one of Jerry’s three friends had unique traits, ranging from George’s loser antics, Elaine being loud and aggressive, and Kramer’s “hipster doofus” mannerisms. Jerry was the person uniting them all, but the jokes and even plotlines were about his friends.
Schmidt - New Girl (2011-2018)
Redditor Luinne writes that New Girl “didn't really catch its stride until it started focusing less on Jess and more on Schmidt.” The show originally played straight with the title to be about Jess and her struggles to adjust to living in a loft with three guys.
However, Schmidt’s antics took off in popularity, as the character had no filter and was a source of slapstick comedy as well. Schmidt ultimately got his own storylines with love interest Cece, which was a result of fan reception to his presence in the first season.
Chandler Bing & Monica Geller - Friends (1994-2004)
Fans love checking out Friends episodes centering around Chandler and Monica, who were the supporting couple to Ross and Rachel’s primary pairing. Redditor hadapurpura believes that “Monica and Chandler on Friends were superior as a couple to Rachel and Ross.”
Ross and Rachel’s “will they?/won’t they?” dynamic dominated Friends throughout its 10 seasons and was only resolved in the finale. However, Monica and Chandler’s uncomplicated romance and hilarious marriage appear to have entertained more viewers.
Daryl Dixon - The Walking Dead (2010-2022)
Redditor Missafya goes straight to the point by writing “Walking Dead - Daryl.” This actually represents Daryl’s personality, as the character is a man of few words. Rick Grimes was the main character for the first eight seasons, with Daryl serving as his right-hand man.
However, Daryl’s change from a jerk to a valuable part of the group and the subsequent reveal of his childhood trauma turned him into a breakout character. After Rick’s departure, Daryl was upgraded to main protagonist status and his popularity remains so high that he will be leading a spin-off all on his own.