9 Supporting TV Characters Who Carried Their Shows

Some shows survive on plot twists, others have fancy cinematography. But certain series owe their popularity to a single character doing all the heavy lifting. These actors came to film their little roles, said a few interesting lines, and went back to their hotel rooms to enjoy piña coladas. But the next morning, they got a note saying, “We want the whole show to revolve around your character!” Some were designed as leads; others were supposed to pop in, crack a joke, and vanish. Instead, they became the heart, spine, and burly muscles that kept things afloat.

Here are ten glorious scene-stealers who propped up their series and made us tune in even when everything else was wobbling.

Tyrion Lannister — Game of Thrones

When the dragons got lost in the plot, Tyrion carried the show with a goblet and savage one-liners. Peter Dinklage balanced wit, weariness, and wounded pride so accurately that even the messiest arcs felt sharper when he was on screen. He schemed, survived, and delivered courtroom speeches that stopped time. If Westeros had performance reviews, Tyrion’s would just say, “Thanks for keeping this show afloat, T-bone!”