Love for the supportive characters

[Emelee]

Who are some of your favourite supporting (or minor, or recurring) characters on scripted TV Series?



One of my many favourites is Leon Black from Curb Your Enthusiasm.

Leon moved in with Larry David when Larry's wife at the time wanted them to take in a family who lost their house in a big hurricane in Louisiana. Leon lived in L.A. already, but decided to move in with his sister and her family in Larry's house. When they moved out, Leon invited himself to stay. And he's remained in Larry's house ever since. Leon is a terrific contrast to Larry. He's bold, he's chill and gets on with people.

 

[Carrie Fairchild]

Lady Caroline Collingwood on Succession. Her appearances were always a joy and I think having her as a recurring rather than full time character added more bite to the caustic comments she’d drop whenever she did appear. See below for a “best of” of sorts.

 

[Emelee]

Lady Caroline Collingwood on Succession. Her appearances were always a joy and I think having her as a recurring rather than full time character added more bite to the caustic comments she’d drop whenever she did appear. See below for a “best of” of sorts.

I loved her! It was such a thrill each time she made an appearance. Who knew you could be an even lousier parent than Logan?

 

[Daniel Avery]

The first person who came to mind for me was Eldin Bernicky on Murphy Brown. All of Murphy's pushy behavior and bravado were on display for the world to see, but Eldin, who was hired to paint some baseboards in her house, arrived totally unimpressed with her celebrity status. He easily saw through her behavior, and since he was soon "the house painter who would never leave," he was always on hand to cut her down to size and provide much-needed advice on how "normal" people should behave. He didn't try to change her.....he just made sure she knew she was prone to being her own worst enemy. Robert Pastorelli chose to leave the show about two-thirds through, and things weren't quite the same at Murphy's house.

I've professed my love for The Nanny before, and Fran Drescher's work in the lead role in particular, but the series was also a gold mine of great supporting characters. My favorite of them all, though, is Fran's mother Sylvia Fine. How on Earth can someone so pushy, so loud and so overbearing be so utterly loveable? Renee Taylor manages to pull Sylvia back from becoming too much at just the right point, and the show drops her into things at just the right amount so you are left wanting more rather than wishing she would go away.