Side Characters Who Stole the Show

Every year, there are television shows that captivate audiences around the United States. Most shows revolve around a main character. Even if it's a show that's a group effort, more focus is placed on one character in particular. Having a great main character is important, but shows with memorable side characters do better than those who don't have any. Side characters are those who immediately get the audience excited or annoyed when they appear on screen.

During the hit show "The Office," plenty of attention (and rightfully so) was placed on Michael Scott, Jim Halpert, and Dwight Schrute. However, Creed was a side character who seemingly always had a quick one-liner ready to deliver. Fans never knew what Creed's true backstory was, or how he spent his days. Even as the series progressed, Creed made audiences eagerly wait for his arrival on screen.

Another character who drove viewers crazy was Santana Lopez on "Glee." The school bully never avoided an opportunity to berate someone. She struggled with her identity and being part of the LGBT community. Rather than embrace herself for who she was, Lopez slept around with every guy she could in an attempt to convince herself she was straight. She eventually joined the music club, trying to fit in somewhere. For more television content, click here to read about the 35 highest-paid TV roles of all time.

To compile this list of side characters who stole the show, 24/7 Tempo consulted entertainment-related sources. These include BuzzFeed, IMDb, and ScreenRant.

• Played by: Creed Bratton

When "The Office" first premiered in the United States, few people could have seen the impact it would have on society. Even in 2024, the show is quoted and referenced whenever lists of the greatest sitcoms of all-time are talked about. It's no wonder that personalities like Michael Scott, Jim Halpert, and Dwight Schrute could have left a lasting impact. But side characters like Creed Bratton shouldn't be forgotten when discussing the show.

Bratton always seemed to be up to something, but the writers never went into depth with what was going on. In one scene, Bratton showed up to work with blood over his work uniform. In a lucky twist of fate, it was Halloween, so his coworkers were complimenting his outfit. He looked at the camera and claimed that the day being Halloween was an unbelievable stroke of fortune. Bratton always said the right thing at the right moment during "The Office."

• Played by: William Stanford Davis

Unless you've ever been a teacher, you don't know what goes into it. The show "Abbott Elementary" takes viewers inside what life is like in an inner-city school in Philadelphia. There's drama among the teachers, there's a principal who would rather spend her days taking selfies, and there are students learning all that they can. However, no school can function without a janitor. That's where Mr. Johnson comes into play.

The school janitor has a reputation for taking his job incredibly seriously. He goes to janitor conventions and doesn't let anyone touch his equipment when he's doing a cleaning job. Johnson is always around the teachers, giving his unique insight into the world and the problems they complain about. Even though the teachers rarely listen to him, Johnson does give great advice, while also maintaining a sense of humor that fans love.

• Played by: Kaylee DeFer

The drama that surrounded "Gossip Girl" in the late 2000s early 2010s won't be rivaled for a long time. Going to school on the Upper East Side of New York City meant you were connecting with some of the world's most successful people. That was a lot to deal with for some, though. In order to stay afloat, someone started a blog to gossip about the school's most popular students. As time went on, a new character named Ivy Dickens came into the picture and stirred the pot unlike anyone could have predicted.

Coming from a broken family herself, all Dickens wanted was for someone to love her. She befriended Carol Rhodes, the adult sister of one of the elite people in the show. Once they connected, Dickens pretended to be her daughter to steal some of her fake grandmother's money. As the show continued, Dickens was given everything by the grandmother, even though the grandmother knew she wasn't part of the family. Fans were seething whenever Dickens' character came on screen.

• Played by: Henry Winkler

The show "Happy Days" took place in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It followed a community of people in the 1950s who thought they were living the good life, no matter what took place for them. Richie Cunningham was a teenager who wanted to figure out what he was going to do with his life. His father owned a hardware store and his mother was a stay-at-home mom who made sure the house was running, which was traditional for that time period.

When he was first introduced, The Fonz was a side character who didn't have a full-time role on the show. As time progressed, The Fonz became the focal point and main character of the program. Audiences loved him for his happy personality and classic catch phrases. Even though The Fonz had little memory of his parents before they left him with his grandmother, he always looked at things on the bright side.

• Played by: Joe Keery

Plenty of people will always be fascinated by the paranormal events that sometimes take place around us. The show "Stranger Things" follows a group of kid who live in Indiana, where there are plenty of supernatural forces that come around. Scientists are testing humans and other animals around the area. They accidentally even made a portal to another dimension which they went on to name the Upside Down.

There have been plenty of characters to break through during the show's run, but Steve Harrington stands out among the rest. He was never meant to be a main character and stick around for long. He's the popular kid in high school who makes fun of Jonathon Byers, one of the main characters. As time goes on, he develops an instinct to keep the kids safe as they explore the unknown and put themselves at risk.

• Played by: Naya Rivera

High school is a time when most people attempt to figure out who they are. In four short years, you're supposed to have an idea of where you want to go to college or how you want to proceed with your life. Some people go to a trade school while others join the military. High school is also a place where people join clubs and find out who their friend groups are. However, even the head cheerleader can have trouble finding her place in the world.

At first, Santana Lopez from "Glee" is described as the school bully who's mad at herself for being lesbian. She wants nothing more than to be a straight woman who's truly attracted to guys. She takes her frustrations about herself out on other kids, while hooking up with every guy she can in an effort to prove her "straightness." Lopez joined the Glee Club to showcase her singing abilities. She found her people, even if she didn't get along with anyone around her at first.

• Played by: Neil Patrick Harris

"How I Met Your Mother" followed a friend group in the story of how one man met his children's mother. Each episode brings back another memory of the core events that unraveled for the two to get together. The love story didn't happen overnight, though. While audiences were enamored by finding out the love story and what exactly happened, they started to fall in love with Barney Stinson as time went on.

The ironic part about Stinson is there are few redeeming qualities about him. He was a womanizer who only cared about hooking up with as many girls as he could. The stories about what happened to Stinson during his pursuits of the ladies was part of the reason why fans fell head over heels for him.

• Played by: Candice Patton

Superhero shows focus primarily on the hero and villain that they're facing each season. Iris West-Allen played a pivotal role in "The Flash" as she was part of Team Flash as they fought crime. She also was the love interest of Barry Allen, the main character. There were plenty of times were West-Allen was out and about, building her newspaper or looking for the next story to help her journalism career.

As the show progressed, West-Allen became a target because of her close relationship to Allen. Her importance grew as more seasons were made of the show. There were some episodes were West-Allen had powers herself and was tasked with stepping up to save Central City. Even though she wasn't the main character, "The Flash" wouldn't have been the same without West-Allen.

• Played by: Aubrey Anderson-Emmons

Keeping an entire cast together for the duration of a show is difficult to do, especially when there are toms of cast members. "Modern Family" followed a Southern California family in what was the new norm in the United States. The father and grandfather married a younger, incredible looking woman. His daughter first was a stay-at-home mom who aspired for more, while her husband sold real estate. His son was gay and worked as a lawyer.

As anyone who's watched "Modern Family" would say, Lily always had a quick response to everything that came her way. She was never meant to be a main character, though. She was supposed to show what life was like having two dads after being adopted as a baby. Fans grew to love Lily for her hilarious comebacks.

• Played by: Michael Richards

Most shows attempt to inspire people with deep, thought-provoking material. That isn't the case with "Seinfeld," though. Instead, the writers decided that they'd leave their mark on the entertainment world by putting their focus on the day-to-day small things that happen in everyday life. One part of the show that plenty of people can relate to is having a weird and obnoxious neighbor. That character in "Seinfeld" was Cosmo Kramer.

He always had his hair up and made loud appearances whenever he went into Jerry Seinfeld's New York City apartment. Kramer made himself seem like he wasn't smart and had no clue what's going on in the real world. In reality, Kramer always got along with women and was constantly celebrated at work. He figured out the way to people's hearts was by having a great sense of humor and by always being the light in the room. Even though the show isn't named after him, Kramer made his mark in "Seinfeld."

• Played by: Emily Bett Rickards

The Arrowverse franchise dominated the CW for nearly a decade. The show that started it all was "Arrow." It followed Oliver Queen, a billionaire who was lost at sea for five years and came back to help fight crime and take down the bad guys. He trained non-stop and was certain the only way to fight crime was to avoid being attached to anyone and work alone during his missions. As time went on, he realized he needed help.

That's when Felicity Smoak entered the scene. She first started at Queen's father's business, working on the tech side of things. She showcased her hacking ability early on, a trait Queen realized would be beneficial to him down the line. He aligned himself with Smoak and got romantic with her. There were plenty of bumps along the way, as she was a witness to Queen putting himself on the line every episode. Smoak showed how necessary she was to the crew and fans loved the humanity she displayed.

• Played by: Conleth Hill

It's difficult to find a more influential show than "Game of Thrones" over the last decade. Even after the shows end in 2019, fans still debate the ending and why the writers took it where they did. Regardless, there were countless characters throughout the show that had important role in finding out who would take the Iron Throne when it was all said and done. Most of the characters died before the finale and didn't last for the entirety of the show.

Varys was one of the few characters to survive every battle and stay alive. While most people used physical violence and force in the show, Varys became known for his knowledge and wisdom. Leaders everywhere flocked to Varys and looked to him for what to do next. "Game of Thrones" became legendary because of unforgettable characters like Varys. For more television content, click here to read about the most hated TV characters of the '60s.