Summary
- Short-lived TV show characters can steal the show with just a single season, leaving a lasting impression on other characters, the audience, and the stories themselves.
- Characters like Pedro Pascal’s Oberyn Martell in Game of Thrones and Joseph Quinn’s Eddie Munson in Stranger Things had significant impacts on their respective shows despite their brief appearances.
- Despite only appearing in one season, actors like Jesse Plemons in Breaking Bad and Regé-Jean Page in Bridgerton were praised for their standout performances that stole the show.
It’s natural for TV shows to cycle through a number of characters, but some short-lived TV show characters stole the entire show with just a single season. Television shows see an array of different characters during their life span, but not all of them make a permanent stay. Each season of a show tends to have its own story arc to focus on and often introduces a new character specifically for this purpose. While many characters have made a significant impact on shows after being introduced at a later date, several make an impression before disappearing from the screen to never return.
A character’s run may only last one season, but that doesn’t stop them from stealing the show in the meantime. Despite not staying in a show for long, these characters often leave a lasting impression – whether that’s on other characters, the audience, or on the stories themselves. Even if they’re not on-screen for long, these characters often leave a show better off than it was before their arrival.
10 Pedro Pascal – Game Of Thrones
Game of Thrones saw one of Pedro Pascal’s best TV show performances to date, for the role of Oberyn Martell. Also known as the Red Viper, the character was introduced in Game of Thrones season 4, and was best known for his fluid sexuality. While battling Clegane, Oberyn’s skull is crushed by his opponent, killing him instantly. Despite only appearing in one season, Pascal’s notable performance was a stand-out compared to that of his co-stars.
9 Joseph Quinn – Stranger Things
British actor Joseph Quinn starred in Stranger Things season 4 as Eddie Munson, the leader of the Hellfire Club and student of Hawkins High School. After witnessing Chrissy’s (Grace Van Dien) death, Eddie is determined to seek justice for his friend. Despite the town believing that their Dungeons and Dragons group was connected to worshiping the devil, Eddie still continues to run the Hellfire Club in the hopes of connecting with other teens who felt ostracized.
Eddie Munson was only in Stranger Things season 4, as the character was killed off after a battle with some Demobats, and spent his final moments being cradled by close friend Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo). Despite his tragic death, the town’s opinion on satanism remains the same, and believing Eddie to be missing rather than dead, mark missing posters for him with satanic imagery. Although the character only starred in one season, he created a significant impact on the show and was often the topic of several Stranger Things memes.
8 Jesse Plemons – Breaking Bad
Plemons played Todd Aquist in the final season of Breaking Bad, as an employee of Walt (Bryan Cranston) and Jesse (Aaron Paul) with a murderous side. During his time on the show, Todd helped the leads with a train heist, learned to cook meth from Walt, and threatened Skyler, among his many other crimes. Despite their previously close working relationship, Todd gets caught up in too much with the pair and ends up taking Jesse hostage, chaining him to the wall.
Despite his initial loyalty to Walt and Jesse, Todd is slowly corrupted by the pair and their criminal activities, leaving the character to slowly reassess his priorities. Eventually, Jesse kills Todd by snapping his neck with his shackles, in an attempt to escape his captivity. Although the character only appeared in one season of Breaking Bad, Plemons’ performance stole the show, and was praised by critics for his gripping performance as Todd Aquist.
7 Regé-Jean Page – Bridgerton
Page’s role as the dashing Duke of Hastings lasted for one season before Regé-Jean Page decided to exit Bridgerton. The hugely popular character was beloved by Netflix audiences, with many wondering why the actor chose to step away from the role. While future seasons of Bridgerton will each focus on another Bridgerton sibling, Page’s character has already seen his happy ending with Daphne (Phoebe Dynevor), meaning the character’s presence isn’t required as much in later seasons.
6 Christopher Eccleston – Doctor Who
Christopher Eccleston was famously the first Doctor to be introduced to a new generation of Doctor Who audiences upon the show’s revival in 2005. Despite a positive reception to the character, Eccleston only played the Time Lord for one season, before handing the role over to his successor David Tennant. His on-screen chemistry with co-star Billie Piper was praised by critics, but unfortunately, Christopher Eccleston doubts he’ll play the Doctor on TV again.
5 Andy Samberg – Cuckoo
Andy Samberg played the titular character in BBC’s Cuckoo in 2012, but only lasted one season due to filming conflicts with Brooklyn Nine-Nine. The character of Cuckoo was killed off-screen between seasons 1 and 2, and was replaced by Taylor Lautner, who played Dale, Cuckoo’s lovechild. Despite its protagonist being gone, the show continued for another four seasons without Samberg, before coming to an end in 2018.
4 Olivia and Isabella Cohen – It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia
The previously unknown sisters of Charlie Kelly (Charlie Day), Bunny and Candy, were introduced in It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia season 16. Charlie’s sisters had never been mentioned before this point, and even the other characters, who had been friends with Charlie for decades, had forgotten about their existence. The two women are played by real-life siblings Olivia and Isabella Cohen, and despite only appearing in one episode, immediately fit in with the back and forth of the Paddy’s Pub gang with ease.
3 James Marsters – Torchwood
Best known for his role as Spike in Buffy the Vampire Slayer and its spinoff Angel, James Marsters also starred as Captain Jack Harkness’ (John Barrowman) ex-lover and enemy Captain John Hart in the Doctor Who spinoff Torchwood. Marsters was introduced in Torchwood season 2, and despite only appearing in three episodes, the character of Hart made a significant impact on the show’s lore and provided a lot of backstory to Barrowman’s character. At the destruction of Torchwood, Captain Hart decides to travel the Earth, and although he doesn’t return on screen, is still prominent in the Torchwood literature and audio dramas.
2 The Vicar – Fleabag
Despite its minimal two-season run, one of Fleabag‘s most prominent characters was the Priest, played by Andrew Scott. Introduced in Fleabag season 2, Scott was praised for his performance as the religious man conflicted with his own feelings towards Fleabag, while also balancing his relationship with God. Fleabag came to an end after season 2, and despite not appearing in season 1, the character of the Priest is one of Andrew Scott’s best roles.
1 Chris Morris – The IT Crowd
Chris Morris starred in The IT Crowd season 1 as Denholm Reynholm, the unhinged and eccentric CEO of Reynholm Industries. The character only appeared in the first season, and the first episode of The IT Crowd season 2 focused on Denholm’s funeral, who upon being caught messing with the company’s pensions, jumped out of the window to his death. This episode set up the arrival of Denholm’s son, Douglas, played by What We Do In The Shadows star Matt Berry.
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