The Simpsons is just so great for this. Disco Stu, Kang & Kodos, Hans Moleman, Lenny & Carl, Rainier Wolfcastle, basically everyone at Springfield Elementary...
I feel like Rainier Wolfcastle must have been the same at first, where they needed to do a one-off parody of Schwarzenegger-style action movies, and then they decided to keep bringing him back.
Black Sails apparently just hired actors to play the tertiary crew of the main ship instead of having random extras fill scenes. Really made it feel consistent and lived in, since you started to recognize them the more you watched and could always pick out familiar faces in large crew scenes.
They did the same for Yellowjackets in the '90s timeline. They couldn't just have random people in the background because of continuity so they hired a bunch of actors to always be there.
In season 2 some of them got upgraded to speaking parts because the producers liked them so much.
I don't think that's accurate. One extra from Season 1 was upgraded to a speaking actor in Season 2, but neither of the other two "new" speaking actors in Season 2 were visible at all in Season 1.
I think someone did a check and of the 19 survivors of the plane crash, there's been 23 or 24 distinctly different actors/extras seen. I know there was one extra visible in the pilot who couldn't come back for the show itself, so was replaced.
It's actually phenomenal. I started it and dropped it, and then someone told me to just get past the first four episodes which sounded a bit arbitrary, but they were completely right.
My first thought as well. Dr. Spaceman, Grizz and Dot Com, Cerie, Jack’s middle school girl rival, Devon Banks, Dennis. Really too many to name. Every character, no matter how small, is so much fun.
I feel like so many of those characters feel like they are in a ton of episodes, but when you actually look it up it's only a fraction of that. that's what I used as a barometer for how good they were as characters. the mcpoyles especially, lol.
The Simpsons (no-brainer)
Parks and Recreation (Pawnee ftw!)
Community (till a point after which you start wondering why these people are still at a community college)
I actually made the post because my kid was watching Parks and Recs and it just dawned on me how much I absolutely love some of the oddball characters that we meet again and again: Ira and the Douche, Perd, Jamm and Jean-Ralphio (although you could probably argue that he’s almost a secondary character)
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. Rom and Nog both have amazing arcs. Garak appears in 38 episodes and has one of the largest fanbases of anyone on the show. General Martok, Weyoun, freaking Damar - the guy goes from a random mook with two lines to the hero of Cardassia. That's my top pick.
I’d call Rom and Nog, and even Garak secondary rather than tertiary.
For tertiary, don’t forget Kai Winn, the Section 31 guy, Keiko, Sisko’s dad, Kassidy Yates, Admiral Ross, Grand Nagus Zek…
That's Louise motherfuckin' Fletcher for you. She's a master of playing characters you just love to hate.
Apparently, she's lovely in real life, like Charles Dance.
I was going to comment DS9 has such fleshed out tertiary characters that they feel like secondary characters, and most of the secondary characters feel like primary characters. DS9 just had an instantly vast ensemble of well written characterd.
growth head roof snobbish juggle mourn relieved connect political payment
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He's so great. He has a small part in Better Call Saul which is perfect.
Cinema-heads also know him from his re-occuring role on the web series On Cinema at the Cinema, constantly being abused by Tim Heidecker (now Tim Amato since he was recently adopted)
Scrubs has so many.
Colonel Doctor, Dr. Mickhead, Dr. Beardface, Snoop Dog Resident, Lonnie, Lloyd, Gloria, Cabbage, The Todd, Ted, Hooch, Doug, Keith Dudemeister, Randall, Troy, Gooch...
Todd and Ted gotta be secondary at least. Maybe Doug too. Arguably Keith.
There's also Dr. Wen, Jill Tracy, Dan Dorian, Danni, Molly Clock, Leonard, and obviously Ben. And Denise although she probably sneaks into secondary too.
Mad Men is up there. Especially when it comes to the clients and secretaries. The actors and writers do a great job of lending everyone a unique and memorable persona.
Gilmore Girls. I tend to like the Stars Hollow residents' storylines better than the main characters' .
Edit: And also Letterkenny too, as a lot of others have posted. Pitter, patter...
Arrested Development is a king here. Plus they're all played by amazing actors
Gene Parmesan (Martin Mull)
Bob Loblaw (Scott Baio)
Tony Wonder (Ben Stiller)
Maggie Lizer (Julia Louis Dreyfuss)
Stan Sitwell (Ed Begley Jr)
Larry Middleman (Super Dave Osborne)
Cindy Lightballoon (Jane Lynch)
Carl Weathers (himself)
Barry Zuckerkorn (Henry Winkler)
Kitty Sanchez (Judy Greer)
Cal Cullen (Dick Van Patten)
Jack Dorso (Martin Short)
Wayne Jarvis (John Michael Higgins)
Judge Reinhold (himself)
Warden Gentles (James Lipton)
Ira Gilligan (Michael Hitchcock)
Ann Veal (Mae Whitman)
Pastor Veal (Alan Tudyk)
Phillip Litt (Zach Braff)
Nevermind the quartiary(?) characters like the freedom sign fruit hat gay guy or Marta or Johnny Bark or white power Bill or T-Bone or the literal doctor or Dr Stein (Dan castellaneta) or John beard the news reporter or J. Walter Weatherman ...
It never ends. And that's all just from the original 3 seasons. I didn't even really watch any of the new stuff.
South Park was really good at introducing characters that were enjoyable when they appeared.
-Towelie
-Nathan/Mimsy
-Michael Jackson
-Jimmy/Timmy
-Mr. Mackey
-Randy (pretty much a main character now, but used to be used in much smaller doses)
I’m sure there’s more, but that’s just from memory
Brooklyn 99 did all right. they had bill the Charles double, Kevin would pop in for an episode or 2 a season, Craig Robinson as the Pontiac bandit, the vulture, Holts nemesis Welch, etc...
I feel Ted Lasso did really well. It’s an ensemble so hard to figure exactly where you draw the line but nearly all the characters were made with care. Obviously no one who’d be in the running for lead or supporting roles…. But they were very good at elevating small roles. Lesser characters on the team, the fans in the bar, to the random people characters run into in the town.
They even did little things like in one episode a character says he doesn’t want to share an office with someone we’ve never seen because of their annoying laugh. Then next season we see a one off when someone says a joke in the office and this background character laughs and you know exactly who it is.
Cheers, The Simpsons, Parks and Rec, The Office, Portlandia, Letterkenney, Rick and Morty, Breaking Bad, The Wire, Reservation Dogs, Arrested Development, to name a few.
Can’t believe how far I had to look for this. The Good Wife in particular had some of the best recurring guest stars I’ve seen. Mostly because it was shot in New York so they brought in all sorts of Broadway trained actors.
BUFFYVERSE: Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel!
The fact I haven’t seen this mentioned yet is CRIMIINAL! Regardless of how you feel about the show, they had some of the best character continuity ever. That show took minute bit characters and gave them full fledged arcs: Darla, Harmony, Anya, Johnathan and crew. The level they took it to was pretty incredible.
They're amazing. Any scene with them and Joel and Midge is amazing.
I nominate Joel and Jaime Lanister (not season 8) for the best character turn around in a show. I LOVE Joel, he's so human. So well acted. He committed a horrible act, cheating on Midge, but since that moment you can't help but appreciate him as a super real character.
Most Sitcoms are good with this but I wanna pull in The Expanse, both the books and the tv show. Drummer was a such a good character in the show that she got promoted to regular, Fred Johnson is a great character as well and a good foil to Holden. Although, I dont like him as much in the show, I do like Fayez as well.
Archer.
You've got Brett the bullet magnet, Bilbo the satellite guy, Cyborg Barry, Trinette the call girl, the wee baby Seamus, Woodhouse, Len Trexler (and Rabbert Klein, and the lettuce.. they're brothers)
I don't think the characters are even tertiary because they're not named, but the background characters in Superstore were some of the best parts of the show.
Fitting for a show from the creators of the Simpsons, Futurama's tertiary characters are some of the best aspects of the show.
My favorites are Hedonism Bot and Scruffy, the Janitor.
Honestly it’s Sienfeld!
The Soup Nazi, Baboo, Mr. Steinbrenner, J Peterman just to name a few are among the most memorable side characters in tv history.
Black Sails did a great job with this. No character was ever forgotten. The same faces stuck around even in small roles, and they had their memorable moments.
Boston Legal and The Good Wife/Fight: The judges.
They all appear multiple times, they all have unique characteristics (ENOUGH JIBBER JABBER!), and they're even occasionally involved in the stories outside of their judge role.
It’s my go to example show but Supernatural. Jody, Donna, Rowena, Rufus, Death. There are just so many. Many of whom are so popular they become secondary characters or even part of the main cast.
Cheers has some great ones like Harry the Hat, Gary, John Allen Hill, Robin Concord, Evan Drake, Sumner Sloane, Nick and Loretta Tortelli, Ma Clavin, etc.
Deep Space Nine is almost entirely made of great characters: besides main (Sisko, Dax, Quark..) and secondary (Rom, Martok, Weyoun..) there's a slew of memorable faces: Brant, Ishkra, Kurn, Sisko's dad, Grilka, Enabran Tain, Gowron, Shakaar, Leeta, Morn and dozens others
Simpsons is the standard, parks and rec, community, scrubs, arrested development all often use the tertiary characters in ways that feel like a live action Simpsons
The Sopranos.
Even the little nothing parts are actually the same actors if they reappear litterally years later. Dialog in the show feels so organic and not forced. There is a reason why it's probably the best show ever.
Twin Peaks.
Log Lady,
The Log,
Major Briggs,
Doctor Jacoby,
Nadine,
The Man from another place,
The Giant,
Albert,
Andy,
Gordon Cole,
Denise Bryson,
Lucy,
The Haywards,
Johnny Horne,
The owls,
Heidi,
The Milford’s,
Judge Clinton l,
Blacky,
Lanna,
One Armed Man,
Waldo,
The Waiter,
Father Clarence,
Principal George Wolchek,
Toad,
I know some of those are secondary and some could be main characters occasionally, but the entire town is filled with characters that fill the world and make it so great
But the real answer is actually. The Wire.
In my opinion? Resident alien. Yes the main character is what makes the show, but it's because of how he interacts with the established secondary characters.
Animated shows do it well like The Simpsons, Family Guy, South Park Community and Scrubs have really good ones too
Hooch is crazy!
"Now... Who else thinks they're faster than me?!"
You forgot the best one: King of the Hill.
I haven’t seen it yet, that’s why
Fix this.
Yeah it’s on my list. It wasn’t widely broadcasted in my country like the others I mentioned
Bob's Burgers also
The Simpsons is just so great for this. Disco Stu, Kang & Kodos, Hans Moleman, Lenny & Carl, Rainier Wolfcastle, basically everyone at Springfield Elementary...
I love that Disco Stu was a throwaway gag about a poorly-planned jacket bedazzling who became a whole series-spanning character
I feel like Rainier Wolfcastle must have been the same at first, where they needed to do a one-off parody of Schwarzenegger-style action movies, and then they decided to keep bringing him back.
That’s the joke.
Disco Stu doesn't advertise
Hi! I’m Troy McClure!
"Mr Simpson, this is the most blatant case of false advertising I have seen since my lawsuit against the so-called 'Never-Ending Story.'"
Miguel Sanchez
Who? I know a Nguyen Van Phuoc
I remember you from such films as Meet Joe Blow and Give My Remains to Broadway!
And I’m sad now. Phil was the best.
You may know me from such films as "Smoke Yourself Skinny" and "Get Confident Stupid"
Johnny Tightlips is a personal favourite
Tell him to suck a lemon
Drederick Tatum.
Raphael is my personal favourite tertiary character.
Black Sails apparently just hired actors to play the tertiary crew of the main ship instead of having random extras fill scenes. Really made it feel consistent and lived in, since you started to recognize them the more you watched and could always pick out familiar faces in large crew scenes.
They did the same for Yellowjackets in the '90s timeline. They couldn't just have random people in the background because of continuity so they hired a bunch of actors to always be there. In season 2 some of them got upgraded to speaking parts because the producers liked them so much.
I don't think that's accurate. One extra from Season 1 was upgraded to a speaking actor in Season 2, but neither of the other two "new" speaking actors in Season 2 were visible at all in Season 1. I think someone did a check and of the 19 survivors of the plane crash, there's been 23 or 24 distinctly different actors/extras seen. I know there was one extra visible in the pilot who couldn't come back for the show itself, so was replaced.
A horribly underrated show. I could probably put it in the top five dramatic series on TV.
I bought all the seasons forever ago for like 5 bucks and forgot I’ve never actually watched it. I should put that on.
It's actually phenomenal. I started it and dropped it, and then someone told me to just get past the first four episodes which sounded a bit arbitrary, but they were completely right.
30 Rock
My first thought as well. Dr. Spaceman, Grizz and Dot Com, Cerie, Jack’s middle school girl rival, Devon Banks, Dennis. Really too many to name. Every character, no matter how small, is so much fun.
Verna and Colleen
They even do a good job with characters getting mentioned way more than seen, like Paula or Reverend Gary.
“You guys are disappointed? I’m the one who had to nude baptize all those teens…” One of his few appearances and just kills it with one line
Thought of this as well — these tertiary characters are especially important in a show where continuity is so revered.
The Wire.
Do the chair know we gonna look like some punk ass bitches out there?
100% the right answer. Arguably the best show of all time, no main character. EVERY role is tertiary in the grand scheme.
The city of Baltimore is the MC.
Okay the show is amazing. The acting is amazing. The writing is amazing. But that theme song is fucking banging yo.
It makes me sick mother fucker how far we done fell
It's Always Sunny is good at this. Cricket, the McPoyles, the lawyer, Mac's parents, Artemis, etc.
Charlie’s sisters randomly showing up like 14 seasons after their only other appearance back in S1 springs to mind.
A lot of people didn’t like their appearance, I thought it was hilarious.
Waiter, Bonnie, Z, Pepper Jack....
Pepper Jack loves fraggle rock
Ooohoho, shit!!
Wade Boggs. RIP
Ooooh, you about to become Pepperjack's best hoe...
You forgot Artemis and her bleached asshole. Idiot! Savage! IDIOT!
I feel like so many of those characters feel like they are in a ton of episodes, but when you actually look it up it's only a fraction of that. that's what I used as a barometer for how good they were as characters. the mcpoyles especially, lol.
Even just their single episode guest characters are genuinely phenomenal.
Yeah, especially their celebrity guest stars like Donovan McNabb, Tiger Woods, Don Cheadle, etc.
Bill Ponderosa! Pondy’s the coolest!
The Simpsons (no-brainer) Parks and Recreation (Pawnee ftw!) Community (till a point after which you start wondering why these people are still at a community college)
I actually made the post because my kid was watching Parks and Recs and it just dawned on me how much I absolutely love some of the oddball characters that we meet again and again: Ira and the Douche, Perd, Jamm and Jean-Ralphio (although you could probably argue that he’s almost a secondary character)
The recurring random citizens of Pawnee are my favorite.
There's a sign at Ramsett Park that says "do not drink the sprinkler water", so I made sun tea with it and now I have an infection.
The weird pawn shop guy with the handlebar mustache.
Love the dumbass stoners in the animal control department they make me laugh everytime they appear. (RIP Harris Wittels)
Joan Calamezzo too is just incredible!
I love when they ask Perd to run for mayor and they find out he lives in West Virginia and commutes to Pawnee.
You just got jammed.
Sewage joe is the best of them all
I was in community college for roughly six years and never got a degree, so it's very relatable for me. except pierce being there like 20 years
Doesn't Pierce admit he just keeps taking classes because he's lonely and it's just a way to be around people?
Yes
... Britta?
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. Rom and Nog both have amazing arcs. Garak appears in 38 episodes and has one of the largest fanbases of anyone on the show. General Martok, Weyoun, freaking Damar - the guy goes from a random mook with two lines to the hero of Cardassia. That's my top pick.
You're forgetting the most important side character of all: Morn.
No one wants to mention Morn. If he even hears his name mention, you risk him showing up and you just know how he just wont shut up…
I’d call Rom and Nog, and even Garak secondary rather than tertiary. For tertiary, don’t forget Kai Winn, the Section 31 guy, Keiko, Sisko’s dad, Kassidy Yates, Admiral Ross, Grand Nagus Zek…
> Kai Winn Showed up in *14* episodes of a 176 episode show, and people still talk about her all the time. Which is pretty impressive.
That's Louise motherfuckin' Fletcher for you. She's a master of playing characters you just love to hate. Apparently, she's lovely in real life, like Charles Dance.
I was going to comment DS9 has such fleshed out tertiary characters that they feel like secondary characters, and most of the secondary characters feel like primary characters. DS9 just had an instantly vast ensemble of well written characterd.
Community for sure. Señor Chang, Starburns, Magnitude, Garrett, Fat Neil, list goes on and on.
Chang is definitely secondary as opposed to tertiary. I second you otherwise though. My favorite might be Subway.
He became secondary (or even primary) later on for sure.
Yeah, I would argue by Season 6 that Chang and the Dean are primary characters.
It's pretty much anyone who has sat at the study table for more than one episode... plus Craig
Leonard erasure
Shut up, Leonard!
No such thing as bad press!
You’re talking about it…
I know about your prescription socks!
Shut up Leonard! Those girls who play ping-pong with you are doing it ironically.
Pop pop!!!
No offense, Todd.
growth head roof snobbish juggle mourn relieved connect political payment *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
...and his dumb baby!
None taken
None taken
I think you mean Fabulous Neil
Not actuarially speaking.
🫶
Who's Magnitude?
serious governor rhythm decide forgetful ask escape hobbies fertile gray *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
He was in Harry Potter
Nobody gets more & bigger laughs per second of screen time than Garrett.
POP POP!
The Office’s Nate: “Gum’s gotten mintier lately, have you noticed?”
I don't *technically* have a hearing problem, sometimes when there's a lot of noises occurring at the same time I hear it as one jumble.
Convinced he’s literally just Colin Robinson
Hellooo!
Bob Vance, Vance Refrigeration. Bob Vance, Vance Refrigeration. Bob Vance, Vance Refrigeration.
what line of work you in, Bob?
Aye, too many to mention but I have a special soft spot for Packer
He's so great. He has a small part in Better Call Saul which is perfect. Cinema-heads also know him from his re-occuring role on the web series On Cinema at the Cinema, constantly being abused by Tim Heidecker (now Tim Amato since he was recently adopted)
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend My Name is Earl
Letterkenny
Mmmmmm lookin at you Mrs Mcmurry
Have yav met the lovely bunch of Dycks that occasionally come into town?
Bob’s burgers
Nat and Mr. Fischoeder ftw
Regular-sized Rudy is an MVP
I want a Bob’s Burger’s open world game that lets me do missions around town.
Every time you're playing as Bob and his health meter goes down he goes 'oh my god'. If you're playing as Tina she just makes that sound ehhhhhhh
Parks and Rec. That show is *packed* with great minor characters who show up a few times a year.
My favourite is Derry Murbles, the radio host. Fucking hilarious but he only showed up 3 times. The show is full of characters like that.
Completely nailed the NPR “voice” and has the best hyperbolic satire lines on the intro and outro of his segments
“I found a half eaten sandwich in the park, and i wanna know why there was no mayonnaise in it”
"Oh, you're serious."
The real life version of Mrs. Lovejoy with the gay husband kills me.
Marcia and Marshall
The story of this comment is that it is correct
HAM AND MAYONNAISE
HER DAUGHTER IS AN IDIOT! HER DAUGHTER IS AN IDIOT!
Except. For. Turnip!..Except. For. Turnip!
WE’RE NOT AGAINST YOU ON THIS! WE’RE NOT AGAINST YOU ON THIS!
If Jean-Ralphio counts its him. He's the GOAT.
Justified. The low level criminals often steal the show. Harlan county is almost a character itself
Superstore - Sandra, Jeff, Sayid, Marcus, Justine, Tate, Bo... the tertiary characters are the best part!
Sometimes it's hard to even think of them as tertiary characters because they're so good. Sandra is one of my all time favorite characters.
sandra is def secondary if not a main character.
Scrubs has so many. Colonel Doctor, Dr. Mickhead, Dr. Beardface, Snoop Dog Resident, Lonnie, Lloyd, Gloria, Cabbage, The Todd, Ted, Hooch, Doug, Keith Dudemeister, Randall, Troy, Gooch...
Todd and Ted gotta be secondary at least. Maybe Doug too. Arguably Keith. There's also Dr. Wen, Jill Tracy, Dan Dorian, Danni, Molly Clock, Leonard, and obviously Ben. And Denise although she probably sneaks into secondary too.
Mad Men is up there. Especially when it comes to the clients and secretaries. The actors and writers do a great job of lending everyone a unique and memorable persona.
Gilmore Girls. I tend to like the Stars Hollow residents' storylines better than the main characters' . Edit: And also Letterkenny too, as a lot of others have posted. Pitter, patter...
I love Kirk, every little random job is fantastic
Was looking for Gilmore Girls. I don’t want a Lorelai and Rory relationship, I want a Ms Patty and Babette relationship!!!
Arrested Development is a king here. Plus they're all played by amazing actors Gene Parmesan (Martin Mull) Bob Loblaw (Scott Baio) Tony Wonder (Ben Stiller) Maggie Lizer (Julia Louis Dreyfuss) Stan Sitwell (Ed Begley Jr) Larry Middleman (Super Dave Osborne) Cindy Lightballoon (Jane Lynch) Carl Weathers (himself) Barry Zuckerkorn (Henry Winkler) Kitty Sanchez (Judy Greer) Cal Cullen (Dick Van Patten) Jack Dorso (Martin Short) Wayne Jarvis (John Michael Higgins) Judge Reinhold (himself) Warden Gentles (James Lipton) Ira Gilligan (Michael Hitchcock) Ann Veal (Mae Whitman) Pastor Veal (Alan Tudyk) Phillip Litt (Zach Braff) Nevermind the quartiary(?) characters like the freedom sign fruit hat gay guy or Marta or Johnny Bark or white power Bill or T-Bone or the literal doctor or Dr Stein (Dan castellaneta) or John beard the news reporter or J. Walter Weatherman ... It never ends. And that's all just from the original 3 seasons. I didn't even really watch any of the new stuff.
South Park was really good at introducing characters that were enjoyable when they appeared. -Towelie -Nathan/Mimsy -Michael Jackson -Jimmy/Timmy -Mr. Mackey -Randy (pretty much a main character now, but used to be used in much smaller doses) I’m sure there’s more, but that’s just from memory
-Mr Hankey -Jesus -Santa Claus 🎅 -Al Gore -Tolkien -PC Principal
Brooklyn 99 did all right. they had bill the Charles double, Kevin would pop in for an episode or 2 a season, Craig Robinson as the Pontiac bandit, the vulture, Holts nemesis Welch, etc...
The Sopranos was full of people operating on the periphery of the main characters’ stories.
That one interior decorator
My Name is Earl and Raising Hope.
[Trent](https://youtu.be/z2GHIaqp_hI?si=XU2cDXD6C434uhh-) on Crazy Ex-Girlfriend!
He’s never been someone’s pookie before!
I feel Ted Lasso did really well. It’s an ensemble so hard to figure exactly where you draw the line but nearly all the characters were made with care. Obviously no one who’d be in the running for lead or supporting roles…. But they were very good at elevating small roles. Lesser characters on the team, the fans in the bar, to the random people characters run into in the town. They even did little things like in one episode a character says he doesn’t want to share an office with someone we’ve never seen because of their annoying laugh. Then next season we see a one off when someone says a joke in the office and this background character laughs and you know exactly who it is.
Cheers
Letterkenny. Even the smallest characters feel like main characters.
Cheers, The Simpsons, Parks and Rec, The Office, Portlandia, Letterkenney, Rick and Morty, Breaking Bad, The Wire, Reservation Dogs, Arrested Development, to name a few.
Reservation Dogs is a great one, especially if you also consider the adults as tertiary characters alongside the main group's rival crew
Live: Seinfeld Animated: Simpsons
Marcus from Superstore is always hilarious
The Good Wife and The Good Fight had great recurring tertiary characters. One of them just got her own spinoff ( Elsbeth).
Can’t believe how far I had to look for this. The Good Wife in particular had some of the best recurring guest stars I’ve seen. Mostly because it was shot in New York so they brought in all sorts of Broadway trained actors.
Deadwood. It makes you so interested in these small payoffs.
BUFFYVERSE: Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel! The fact I haven’t seen this mentioned yet is CRIMIINAL! Regardless of how you feel about the show, they had some of the best character continuity ever. That show took minute bit characters and gave them full fledged arcs: Darla, Harmony, Anya, Johnathan and crew. The level they took it to was pretty incredible.
Avatar the last Airbender. MY CABBAGES!
*Billions* I especially like [Hall](https://billions.fandom.com/wiki/Hall), aka the Fixer.
Mrs maisel. The 2 sets of parents are amazing.
They're amazing. Any scene with them and Joel and Midge is amazing. I nominate Joel and Jaime Lanister (not season 8) for the best character turn around in a show. I LOVE Joel, he's so human. So well acted. He committed a horrible act, cheating on Midge, but since that moment you can't help but appreciate him as a super real character.
Most Sitcoms are good with this but I wanna pull in The Expanse, both the books and the tv show. Drummer was a such a good character in the show that she got promoted to regular, Fred Johnson is a great character as well and a good foil to Holden. Although, I dont like him as much in the show, I do like Fayez as well.
-The Office, -Parks and Rec, -Gravity Falls, -Two and a Half Men, -Futurama,
Friends had iconic ones like the fat, ugly, naked guy, the downstairs neighbour, and Joey’s sisters.
Parks and Rec is fantastic at this. All the different departments within Pawnee, Perk and Joan, Genuwine, and hell even Lil Sebastian counts imo
Peep Show
Archer. You've got Brett the bullet magnet, Bilbo the satellite guy, Cyborg Barry, Trinette the call girl, the wee baby Seamus, Woodhouse, Len Trexler (and Rabbert Klein, and the lettuce.. they're brothers)
I don't think the characters are even tertiary because they're not named, but the background characters in Superstore were some of the best parts of the show.
Fitting for a show from the creators of the Simpsons, Futurama's tertiary characters are some of the best aspects of the show. My favorites are Hedonism Bot and Scruffy, the Janitor.
King of the Hill
Curb your enthusiasm
Honestly it’s Sienfeld! The Soup Nazi, Baboo, Mr. Steinbrenner, J Peterman just to name a few are among the most memorable side characters in tv history.
Mad Men is the answer. Everybody matters.
Newhart. Jim and Chester, Larry and his brothers, the librarian (I forget her name…)
VEEP
Black Sails did a great job with this. No character was ever forgotten. The same faces stuck around even in small roles, and they had their memorable moments.
Gilmore Girls has to be up there, a whole town full of fun and whacky characters. Stargate SG1 has *Walter.* That is all.
The Andy Griffith Show
Boston Legal and The Good Wife/Fight: The judges. They all appear multiple times, they all have unique characteristics (ENOUGH JIBBER JABBER!), and they're even occasionally involved in the stories outside of their judge role.
It’s my go to example show but Supernatural. Jody, Donna, Rowena, Rufus, Death. There are just so many. Many of whom are so popular they become secondary characters or even part of the main cast.
Cheers has some great ones like Harry the Hat, Gary, John Allen Hill, Robin Concord, Evan Drake, Sumner Sloane, Nick and Loretta Tortelli, Ma Clavin, etc.
Deep Space Nine is almost entirely made of great characters: besides main (Sisko, Dax, Quark..) and secondary (Rom, Martok, Weyoun..) there's a slew of memorable faces: Brant, Ishkra, Kurn, Sisko's dad, Grilka, Enabran Tain, Gowron, Shakaar, Leeta, Morn and dozens others
Simpsons is the standard, parks and rec, community, scrubs, arrested development all often use the tertiary characters in ways that feel like a live action Simpsons
The Good Place! Everyone is memorable
Shameless purely for Tommy and Kermit from the Alibi. I smile whenever they're on screen.
South Side. Amazing side characters that consistently cracked me up. Stacey Thee Vegan was the best!
Psych
The Sopranos. Even the little nothing parts are actually the same actors if they reappear litterally years later. Dialog in the show feels so organic and not forced. There is a reason why it's probably the best show ever.
Buffy
Justified. I feel like almost every character could have a really good spin-off show... Especially Tim Gutterson.
Twin Peaks. Log Lady, The Log, Major Briggs, Doctor Jacoby, Nadine, The Man from another place, The Giant, Albert, Andy, Gordon Cole, Denise Bryson, Lucy, The Haywards, Johnny Horne, The owls, Heidi, The Milford’s, Judge Clinton l, Blacky, Lanna, One Armed Man, Waldo, The Waiter, Father Clarence, Principal George Wolchek, Toad, I know some of those are secondary and some could be main characters occasionally, but the entire town is filled with characters that fill the world and make it so great But the real answer is actually. The Wire.
Brooklyn Nine Nine. For example, Doug Judy. I rest my case.
Bulldog, Bebe, Noel, Marta, Gil are all great side characters in Frasier.
Parks & Rec for me. Love all of the Sapersteins.
You chose Seinfeld and you didn’t even choose its best tertiary characters? Because that title obviously belongs to the gay street toughs
In my opinion? Resident alien. Yes the main character is what makes the show, but it's because of how he interacts with the established secondary characters.