Supporting characters who made the film/tv show more than the star

[caj]

On Everybody Loves Raymond, Marie and Frank were definitely more funny than Raymond.

[XPac]

You can argue Barney on How I Met Your Mother stole the show.

[Cyke]

The West Wing is notable in that President Bartlet was only supposed to be a recurring character, intended to make around 4 appearances in the first season. The show was always intended to be about the President's staff rather than the President himself. While that's still true, whenever the President appears it's a very big deal since, obviously, the staff's jobs all revolve around him at the center. Moreso, the show as meant to be a vehicle for Rob Lowe, and Sam Seaborn is the main protagonist of the pilot. More emphasis on Bartlet meant a reduced role for main star Lowe.

Rather, it was the strength of his performance just in the pilot episode that expanded him to regular and star. While the others are a team, he's the mentor figure.

----

And now on the other end, Transformers (hah): the pilot mini-series had Hound play a much bigger role as the kid appeal character and best friend of Spike, with Bumblebee being just as important (or generic) as most of the other Autobots. But then after the pilot, Bumblebee took on that role and became Optimus' sidekick. While Bumblebee was more consistent, I wouldn't say he made the show more than Optimus certainly, but it seems that fan appreciation of Bumblebee retroactively made Bumblebee bigger than than he was on the show (not that there's anything wrong with that).

[babyblob]

Another really good one is Garek the spy from DS9. He owned ever scene he was in. The best Star Trek character of all time.

I love when he mentions that a lot of problems would have been solved is he had just shot Gul Dukat in the back when he had the chance. Odo surprised asks "You would shoot a man in the back." Garek answers "Well it is the safest way." man that is when I fell in love with him.

[Jim Kelly]

A lot of sitcoms built around stand up comedians use the comic as the straight man--he's there for the other characters to bounce off, he sets up the jokes and they deliver the punchlines. So it's no wonder that Newhart, Seinfeld, Gabe Kaplan, Ray Romano were relatively less grandiose than the character actors surrounding them.

[RockyHorror]

I don't know that it's definitive, but I'd argue Niles on Frasier. Also Betty White in anything. Including Password

[RockyHorror]

Lou Grant showed that he could be successful without Mary Richards, in a completely different genre. Mary Richards was not so successful in her single attempt to reprise the role without Lou.

[Cyke]

I don't know that it's definitive, but I'd argue Niles on Frasier. Also Betty White in anything. Including Password

Oh, I'm convinced that Niles is the main reason why Frasier was so good.

[Jackalope89]

Eric Matthews from Boy Meets World, especially the later seasons.

[numberthirty]

I don't know that it's definitive, but I'd argue Niles on Frasier. Also Betty White in anything. Including Password

Politely, it ain't Niles.

It's their old man.

[MyriVerse]

I just kept waiting for Hawk to show up....!!

Such a shame about his series.

Alex on Family Ties. Baxter-Birney was really pissed about this, too, for a while. I think the creator even told her if she wanted to leave, he'd understand, at one point.

Pretty sure the rest of the cast on Another World was always more interesting than Denise.
Bah-bah-bah-bah-Barrino! on Kotter.
Saaandra on 227.
Maybe Daryl on Walking Dead.
I think Coulson in the MCU.
The Janitor on Scrubs. He didn't quite steal the show, but it was supposed to be just a bit part, and it turned into a major role.
Unfortunately, Randy March on South Park. He's kind of made it unwatchable for me for a while.

Aaaand MINIONS!

[Jim Kelly]

Politely, it ain't Niles.

It's their old man.

Daphne was the only character I could really like on that show--and why she was stuck with the rest of them, I have no idea. There are some shows with cringe characters that I enjoy--like SEINFELD, ALWAYS SUNNY or CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM. But I never enjoyed most of the characters on FRASIER--I don't even know why I kept watching it. I wouldn't say I hate watched it, but I was always very cynical about it.

Marty grew on me--he was maybe nearly as tolerable as Daphne by the end--but he started out as a real stinker.

[Starter Set]

Seven of Nine, Star Trek Voyager.

Everyone else than Ted in HIMYM.

And well, as much as i love Luke in the original star wars trilogy, well, Solo and Vader stole the freaking show man.

[the illustrious mr. kenway]

Robbie Reyes for Agents Of SHIELD season 4.

Colleen Wing and Ward for Iron Fist.

Oliver Queen/Lex Luthor for Smallville.

[Sutekh]

Colleen Wing and Ward for Iron Fist.
Oliver Queen/Lex Luthor for Smallville.

Colleen and Lex both benefitted from playing across someone who was either scripted to act kind of bland or just not capable of acting more advanced than 'I clench my jaw and look determined,' which made them kind of pop by comparison, since they had characters that could, like, have a feeling, or even more than one at a time, in the same scene even!

But yeah, those actors really brought those characters to life (and Oliver and Ward had cool arcs as well). Definitely great supporting characters (that occasionally overshadowed their leads)!

In Buffy, Spike seemed to overshadow Buffy in later seasons, in writing-room popularity. I always felt more connected to Willow and Xander, who weren't 'chosen' but chose to fight the good fight anyway (particularly pre-magic Willow, when she fought evil with the power of being really smart). I didn't dislike Buffy (until season seven, anyway), but I kind of watched the show with her name on it despite her...

Watching Firefly, I was nodding along with Zoe when she would point out the obvious flaws in Mal's plans, and thinking that every episode would be over in 5 minutes if she was the captain, because she brooked no nonsense and got it done. He seemed like he was supposed to be the central character, with various relationships revolving around him, but Zoe was 'the main character' as far as I was concerned, the dependable one who stood quietly, but could always be counted on to be sensible and restrained, when called for, and suddenly and effectively violent, when *that* was called for.

In Fringe, it felt like the popularity of John Noble's Walter Bishop ended up kind of stealing the limelight from Peter Bishop's character, which was fine with me, 'cause he was quirky and delightful!

And NCIS, where it seemed like it was turning into the Abby Sciuto show, and her amazing sidekicks, for a time!