Welcome. Nice of you to finally join us. Hope it was worth the wait. Yes, sometimes a late addition can improve a drama or comedy so much it becomes hard to imagine the show without them. Not every series gets the casting chemistry spot-on straight away. A select few of our favourite TV characters weren\u2019t even on the show when it launched.<\/p>\n
We\u2019ve selected 18 characters whose gamechanging arrival in later seasons lifted the whole show and added to its legacy. Behold the super-subs who came off the TV bench and scored a winner \u2026<\/p>\n
Alexis Colby \u2013 DynastySoap queen \u2026 Joan Collins as Alexis Colby. Photograph: Bob D\u2019Amico\/ABC Photo Archives\/Getty Images<\/p>\n
She has become the 80s super-soap\u2019s signature character, which makes it even more surprising that Joan Collins\u2019 archetypal diva didn\u2019t arrive until the second season. When executive producer Aaron Spelling brought in Collins as the sharp-tongued ex of tycoon Blake Carrington, ratings went stratospheric. Dynasty would have been way less camp and culty without Alexis\u2019s glam wardrobe, dastardly schemes, string of husbands and catfights with nemesis Krystle (Linda Evans).<\/p>\n
Spike \u2013 Buffy the Vampire SlayerBlond ambition \u2026 James Marsters as Spike. Photograph: Landmark Media\/Alamy<\/p>\n
The peroxide-haired, leather-coated bloodsucker sauntered into Sunnydale in season two and stole fans\u2019 hearts. Victorian poet William \u201cSpike\u201d Pratt was intended to be a temporary villainous counterpoint to soulful vampire Angel (David Boreanaz) but he proved so popular that he stuck around. Played with cocky charisma by James Marsters, the Billy Idol-alike was equally skilled at fighting and verbal sparring. Spike\u2019s trajectory from villain to ally to Buffy\u2019s love interest led to showrunner Joss Whedon calling him the \u201cmost fully developed\u201d of all his characters.<\/p>\n
Alfie Solomons \u2013 Peaky BlindersScenery-chomping \u2026 Tom Hardy as Alfie Solomons. Photograph: Album\/Alamy<\/p>\n
Once the Shelby crime family swaggered in slo-mo beyond their patch of Birmingham, they needed new adversaries and allies. Step forward scenery-chomping Tom Hardy as eccentric, rambling Alfie, leader of a Jewish gang in north London and runner of an illegal distillery under the Camden Town arches. The fan favourite, who popped up in five seasons of Steven Knight\u2019s saga, got cancer and was shot in the eye but somehow survived. \u201cShalom, Ar-fur!\u201d<\/p>\n
Leon Black \u2013 Curb Your EnthusiasmPartners-in-crime \u2026 Larry David and Leon Black (JB Smoove). Photograph: HBO<\/p>\n
In early seasons of Larry David\u2019s majestic cringe-com, the only character to have our gaffe-prone antihero\u2019s back was his hangdog manager, Jeff. That all changed in season six, when Larry took in a family of Hurricane Katrina refugees \u2013 including sex-mad, potty-mouthed Leon (JB Smoove). The freeloading lodger became LD\u2019s spiritual soulmate and unlikely partner-in-crime. Leon\u2019s fast-talking energy made him the perfect foil, while enabling the resurgent show to explore race and class in fresh, funny ways. Leon also coined such bon mots as \u201clong ball Larry\u201d, \u201ctopsy-turvy that motherfucker\u201d and \u201ctap dat ass\u201d.<\/p>\n
Amy Farrah Fowler \u2013 The Big Bang TheoryNerds\u2019 eye view \u2026 Amy (Mayim Bialik) and Sheldon (Jim Parsons). Photograph: CBS Photo Archive\/Getty Images<\/p>\n
Alongside Melissa Rauch\u2019s Bernadette, who also joined full-time in season four, Mayim Bialik\u2019s Amy helped reinvigorate the CBS geek-com. The brainiac duo not only broke up the male-skewed sausage party of the first two seasons but neuroscientist Amy gave nerd-in-chief Sheldon Cooper (Jim Parsons) new narrative impetus by becoming his longsuffering girlfriend \u2013 and eventual wife. That 31-page \u201cRelationship Agreement\u201d clearly worked. The fact that Bialik was a neuroscientist in real life only made it more pleasing.<\/p>\n
Constable Shane Bradley \u2013 Blue LightsPartnered up \u2026 Annie Conlon (Katherine Devlin) and Shane Bradley (Frank Blake). Photograph: Christopher Barr\/BBC\/Two Cities Television<\/p>\n
\u201cSmashy-smashy, breaky-breaky.\u201d When the Belfast cop drama called in backup for its second series, actor Frank Blake \u2013 previously best known as Marianne\u2019s abusive brother in Normal People \u2013 was first on the scene. As cocky constable Shane, he initially seemed like an ambitious rank-climber, while shamelessly flirting with patrol partner, Annie. Yet the camaraderie at Blackthorn police station softened Shane\u2019s hard edges and he has become a pivotal member of the response team. The latest season saw him not only get the funniest lines but one of its most heart-rending storylines. One word: Westlife.<\/p>\n
Dr Frasier Crane \u2013 CheersShrink-wrapped \u2026 Sam (Ted Danson) and Dr Frasier Crane (Kelsey Grammer). Photograph: Cinematic\/Alamy<\/p>\n
The beloved Boston bar successfully introduced several regulars during its 11-year run, notably Kirstie Alley\u2019s Rebecca and Woody Harrelson\u2019s Woody. But by far its most inspired addition was Kelsey Grammer\u2019s stuffy psychiatrist. Joining in the third season as Diane\u2019s boyfriend, Frasier was both a love rival for Sam and a pompous intellectual contrast to beer-guzzling schlubs Cliff and Norm. He proved so popular that his role was expanded and he landed his own superior spin-off, Frasier. Incredibly, the snobbish shrink has now been on our screens for more than 40 years.<\/p>\n
Brienne of Tarth \u2013 Game of ThronesHard as nails \u2026 Brienne of Tarth (Gwendoline Christie). Photograph: 2016 Home Box Office, Inc. All rights reserved.<\/p>\n
Gwendoline Christie\u2019s armour-clad cult heroine didn\u2019t show up in Westeros until Ned Stark had lost his head. Arriving in the fantasy saga\u2019s second season, she became a firm fan favourite by being a hard-as-nails warrior, honourable knight and one of the few characters in the Seven Kingdoms who was unambiguously good. In a genre that is often reductive in its portrayal of women, Brienne became a rare feminist icon. Also, she fought a bear.<\/p>\n
Benjamin Linus \u2013 LostVillain of the piece \u2026 Benjamin Linus (Michael Emerson). Photograph: Photo 12\/Alamy<\/p>\n
Several standout characters joined the twisty fun as the plane crash saga unfolded, including down-the-hatch dude Desmond and double-dealing Juliet, but creepy Ben was the best. Tipping up in season two, Emmy-winning Michael Emerson\u2019s mercurial nerd initially posed as a crashed hot air balloonist. Once he had infiltrated the Oceanic flight 815 survivors\u2019 camp, Ben was unmasked as the leader of the hostile Others. His cold-blooded betrayals and soft-spoken evil added human villainy to go with the supernatural mysteries and smoke monsters.<\/p>\n
Hot Priest \u2013 FleabagIt\u2019s a sin \u2026 Fleabag (Phoebe Waller-Bridge) and Hot Priest (Andrew Scott) in season two of Fleabag. Photograph: BBC<\/p>\n
\u201cI love you.\u201d \u201cIt\u2019ll pass.\u201d He was nowhere to be seen in the 2016 debut series but during the follow-up three years later, Andrew Scott\u2019s flirtatious Catholic priest became a bona fide phenomenon. With his gin-in-a-tin, \u201cthing for foxes\u201d and Irish twinkle, the charismatic cleric made a worthy love interest for Phoebe Waller-Bridge\u2019s tragicomic protagonist. Significantly, he was also the only character to notice her fourth-wall-breaking. Kneel!<\/p>\n
Chloe O\u2019Brian \u2013 24Dammit, Chloe \u2026 Mary Lynn Rajskub as Chloe O\u2019Brian. Photograph: Chris Raphael\/Publicity image<\/p>\n
Hard to believe that Kiefer Sutherland didn\u2019t shout \u201cDammit, Chloe!\u201d until Day 3 of the real-time thriller. Soon after her arrival at CTU, data analyst Chloe became Jack Bauer\u2019s most loyal confidante, sticking her neck out for our maverick hero on many occasions. Played by comedian Mary Lynn Rajskub, nobody was better at sarcastic scowling while wearing a headset and typing fast. She appeared in 125 episodes, second only to Sutherland himself, eventually becoming a Lisbeth Salander-style goth hacker. A real-life homeland security surveillance tech initiative was even named Project Chloe in her honour.<\/p>\n
Newman \u2013 SeinfeldFeud for thought \u2026 Newman (Wayne Knight). Photograph: PictureLux\/The Hollywood Archive\/Alamy<\/p>\n