With all due respect to some basic central TV present protagonists, there are occasions when it’s a good suggestion to shift gears a bit and present issues from one other character’s perspective. This has truly grow to be a comparatively widespread follow as many fashionable small-screen favorites have given a scene-stealing supporting character (or perhaps a never-before-seen character) the prospect to nearly fully steal the present for an episode. The next are among the most revered examples.
“Decrease Decks” – Star Trek: The Subsequent Technology
In line with TV Tropes, episodes that put supporting characters within the highlight are known as “decrease decks episodes.” The time period is borrowed from the title of a basic episode of Star Trek: The Subsequent Technology from Season 7 which focuses on a bunch of youthful characters who’re working their approach up within the ranks at Starfleet.
“5-O” – Higher Name Saul
Generally a personality turns into such a memorable scene-stealer that they earn their very own equally nice spin-off collection, akin to when Breaking Unhealthy‘s Jimmy “Saul Goodman” McGill (Bob Odenkirk) turned the star of the prequel, Higher Name Saul. In simply its first season, the AMC hit proved that Mike Ehrmantraut (Jonathan Banks) may have led his personal collection, too, in “5-O,” which friends into his origins as a former Philadelphia police officer.
“Expensive Sigmund” – M.A.S.H.
One character from M.A.S.H. whom you can at all times depend on to offer sage recommendation is Maj. Sidney Freedman (Allan Arbus), who bought to the be star in a Season 5 episode known as “Expensive Sigmund.” The Alan Alda-directed episode sees the recurring character penning a letter to legendary psychiatrist Sigmund Freud whereas visiting the 4077.
“Life Of Brian” – My So-Referred to as Life
A fantastic ’90s present that ended far too quickly was My So-Referred to as Life, which starred Claire Danes within the Golden Globe-winning major position of struggling teen Angela Chase. One of many few episodes not narrated by Angela is the revered “Lifetime of Brian,” which primarily focuses on the non-public struggles of her good friend, Brian Krakow (Devon Gummersall).
“Musings Of A Cigarette Smoking Man” – The X Recordsdata
The primary episode of The X Recordsdata by which David Duchovny’s Fox Mulder doesn’t seem in any respect and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) is just seen briefly in archival footage from the pilot episode is “Musings of a Cigarette Smoking Man.” The Season 4 episode sheds gentle on the previous of the mysterious recurring position (William B. Davis), portraying him nearly as a Forrest Gump-like determine for historic assassinations, akin to JFK.
“The Zeppo” – Buffy The Vampire Slayer
Within the Season 3 Buffy the Vampire Slayer episode, “The Zeppo,” the titular teen warrior (Sarah Michelle Gellar) is confronted with an issue that’s merely the B-plot. The principle storyline focuses on Xander (Nicholas Brendon), who likens himself to Zeppo Marx, feeling just like the gang’s most expendable member, till he should singlehandedly tackle a bunch of reanimated corpses conspiring to explode his highschool.
“His Story” – Scrubs
There are a number of episodes of Scrubs that go narrative duties from J.D. (Zach Braff) onto one other character. The primary of the bunch was Season 2’s “His Story,” which follows Dr. Perry Cox (John C. McGinley) as he speaks together with his therapist about points he’s experiencing in his private life.
“How Your Mom Met Me” – How I Met Your Mom
After lastly assembly Tracy “The Mom” McConnell (Cristin Milioti) within the Season 8 finale, watching her mingle with the remainder of the gang, and catching glimpses of her relationship with Ted (Josh Radnor) all through Season 9, we lastly bought to know her personally in How I Met Your Mom‘s two hundredth episode. Chronicling the collection’ whole timeline as much as that time all from her perspective (throughout which she experiences heartbreaking tragedy, powerful life choices, and The Bare Man), “How Your Mom Met Me” is definitely thought of among the finest HIMYM episodes.
“Chapter 5: Return Of The Mandalorian” – The E-book Of Boba Fett
After Tamuera Morrison took on the long-lasting position of Boba Fett on The Mandalorian Season 2, he turned the star of his personal seven-part spin-off, The E-book of Boba Fett. Nevertheless, the fifth chapter sees the restricted collection basically grow to be The Mandalorian Season 2.5 because it focuses completely on Pedro Pascal’s Din Djarin, who finally ends up changing into the star of the present from that time on.
“Lengthy, Lengthy Time” – The Final Of Us
Essentially the most broadly celebrated episode of HBO’s collection adaptation of the favored online game collection, The Final of Us, spends the least period of time with our central protagonists, Joel (Pedro Pascal) and Ellie (Bella Ramsey). The Emmy-winning “Lengthy, Lengthy Time” can be the primary and final episode to characteristic the characters of Invoice (Nick Offerman) and Frank (Murray Bartlett), tracing their loving relationship over a number of years after the cordyceps outbreak.
“Teddy Perkins” – Atlanta
Arguably, the most effective episode of Atlanta has little or no to do with creator Donald Glover’s Earn or Alfred (Brian Tyree Henry) however does closely characteristic Glover in a complete completely different sort of position. The principle focus of Season 2’s “Teddy Perkins” is Lakeith Stanfield’s Darius, who’s searching for to purchase a piano from the episode’s reclusive, eccentric title character (performed by a virtually unrecognizable Glover beneath heavy make-up, who’s found to be hiding a disturbing secret.
“Virtually Acquired ‘Im” – Batman: The Animated Collection
Many DC followers agree that the most effective episode of Batman: The Animated Collection is one which shifts the attitude from Kevin Conroy’s Darkish Knight to the 5 most infamous members of his rogues gallery. In “Virtually Acquired ‘Im,” Poison Ivy, The Penguin, The Joker, Two-Face, and Killer Croc collect for a Poker sport, throughout which they commerce tales in regards to the instances they got here closest to defeating the Caped Crusader.
“Wilson” – Home
Contemplating how the titular diagnostician from Home (performed by Hugh Laurie) is impressed by Sherlock Holmes (whose tales are narrated by John Watson), it’s humorous that the medical drama is just not informed from the attitude of the “Watson” in his life. That may change in Season 6 with the airing of “Wilson,” which follows Robert Sean Leonard’s Dr. James Wilson racing to save lots of the lifetime of his good friend, Tucker (Joshua Malina).
“The Ricklantis Mixup” – Rick And Morty
Technically, this basic Rick and Morty episode reveals extra of the titular duo than every other however as a result of it’s actually informed from the standpoint of their many alternate selves, it deserves a spot. The misleadingly titled “The Ricklantis Mixup” is basically a mini-anthology film that takes place throughout a day on the Citadel of Ricks from varied views.
“Exposé” – Misplaced
Out of the various survivors of the airplane crash, solely a selected few have been acknowledged as major members of the Misplaced forged however one episode revealed the backstories of two lesser-seen survivors. “Exposé” begins with Nikki (Kiele Sanchez) and Paulo (Rodrigo Santoro) discovered useless earlier than flashing again to the couple’s lives earlier than the island and their experiences on it.
“A Jury In Jail” – American Crime Story: The Individuals v. O.J. Simpson
The eighth episode of American Crime Story: The Individuals v. O.J. Simpson nonetheless depicts quite a lot of the legendary trial from the attitude of the accused former athlete (performed by Cuba Gooding Jr.) and the opposing authorized groups. Nevertheless, the main focus does shift extra closely to the jury and their alternates as sequestration begins to have a difficult impact on them.
“Beard After Hours” – Ted Lasso
In Season 2 of among the finest Apple TV+ authentic TV reveals, Ted Lasso, “Man Metropolis” sees Coach Beard (Brendan Hunt) go off on his personal after AFC Richmond suffers a troublesome loss. The next episode, “Beard After Hours,” sees what the character went via after he walked away, which entails an epic, night-long journey of debauchery, self-discovery, and near-death experiences.
“Pine Barrens” – The Sopranos
Tony (James Gandolfini) and his souring affair with Gloria is the B-plot of the Season 3 Sopranos episode, “Pine Barrens.” The central focus is Christopher (Michael Imperioli) and Paulie (Tony Sirico), who come near freezing to dying after getting misplaced within the woods after being tasked with operating collections for the flu-ridden Silvio.
“Blink” – Physician Who
One of the vital acclaimed (and scary) fashionable episodes of Physician Who, “Blink,” barely options David Tennant’s eponymous time lord or his companion, Martha Jones (Freema Agyeman), resulting from them changing into caught within the yr 1969. Thus, it’s as much as a girl from the current day named Sally Sparrow (Academy Award nominee Carey Mulligan) to stop statue-esque creatures known as Weeping Angels from taking management of the TARDIS.
“What Wooden You Put on?” – Dave
Whereas FX’s Dave is a fictionalized take a look at the rise of Dave “‘Lil Dicky” Burd (who additionally co-creates and stars as himself), the humorous hip-hop artist was positive to not hog the highlight for the primary season’s entirety. Within the seventh episode, “What Wooden You Put on?,” Dave’s buddy Elz (Travis “Taco” Bennett) takes middle stage because it follows him DJing at a silent disco and sparking a romantic reference to Emma (Christine Ko).
“Stay Bait” – The Strolling Useless
Season 3 of The Strolling Useless ended with The Governor (David Morrissey) wiping out most of his crew and taking off with the final of his loyal henchpeople. The sixth episode of the fourth season, “Stay Bait,” fills us in on what he had been as much as since then, exhibiting proof of redemption since Woodbury’s destruction as he bonds with a small household but additionally proof of an extra descent into insanity, which ends up in his assault on the jail.
“A Fast One, Whereas He is Away” – BoJack Horseman
Along with any of the primary characters from Netflix’s animated acclaimed TV sitcom, BoJack Horseman, Will Arnett’s eponymous washed-up celeb doesn’t present up, neither is he talked about by title in Season 6’s “A Fast One, Whereas He is Away.” Nevertheless, the episode does deal with characters who’ve been closely, and largely negatively, affected by his actions, primarily based on their implied references to him.
“Teacup” – Man In search of Lady
Creator Simon Wealthy’s absurd romantic fantasy satire, Man In search of Lady, is informed largely from a male perspective (particularly that of Jay Baruchel’s Josh Greenberg) however flips the script with Season 1’s “Teacup,” which makes Josh’s sister, Liz (future Severance forged member, Britt Decrease), the star. Liz experiences widespread pains of recent courting in a ridiculously exaggerated method, from changing into jealous of a bunch of married ladies who’re a lot youthful (elementary college age, to be precise) to actually Frankensteining the right man for her, solely to be taught he’s homosexual.
“Zuko Alone” – Avatar: The Final Airbender
One of the vital fascinating ways in which a TV present can shake issues up is by making its major antagonist the star of an episode, akin to “Zuko Alone” from Nickelodeon’s authentic Avatar: The Final Airbender collection. The seventh chapter of “E-book Two: Earth” sees the Firebender (voiced by Dante Basco) reminiscing about his childhood after he’s exiled from his village.
“New York, I Love You” – Grasp Of None
In a Season 2 episode of Netflix’s Grasp of None known as “New York, I Love You,” Dev (co-creator Aziz Ansari) and his pals solely seem within the bookend scenes. As a substitute, the main focus shifts primarily towards the intersecting lives of a bunch of never-before-seen working-class New Yorkers, together with a doorman, a deaf cashier, and a taxi driver.
“Ballad Of The Lonesome Loser” – Excessive Constancy
Very similar to the basic music film Nick Hornby’s novel impressed in 2000, Hulu’s collection adaptation of Excessive Constancy follows the romantic challenges of document retailer proprietor Rob Gordon (Zoë Kravitz)… aside from Episode 8. In “Ballad of the Lonesome Loser,” Rob’s homosexual good friend and coworker Simon (David H. Holmes) will get the prospect to interrupt the fourth wall and talk about his romantic struggles.
“The Algae’s All the time Greener” – SpongeBob Squarepants
Plankton (voiced by Mr. Lawrence) has been the first focus in a number of episodes of SpongeBob Squarepants, the funniest and most amusing of which must be “The Algae’s All the time Greener.” Fed up with at all times failing in his makes an attempt to steal the Krabby Patty Secret Components, the pint-sized Chum Bucket proprietor makes use of a particular machine that permits him to expertise life from the attitude of his longtime rival, Mr. Krabs (Clancy Brown).
“A View From The Gallery” – Babylon 5
Years after Star Trek: The Subsequent Technology helped coin the “decrease decks episode” time period, Babylon 5 – a sci-fi collection that earns many comparisons to the Star Trek franchise – launched its personal. “A View from the Gallery” is informed largely from the attitude of the eponymous area station’s custodial crew.
“Tarrare” – Atlanta
The Season 3 finale of Atlanta, “Tarrare,” supplied an eye-opening clarification for Vanessa’s (Zazie Beetz) uncommon conduct, exhibiting that she has adopted a weird alternate character, and a French accent whereas dwelling in Paris. Donald Glover’s Earn is the one different major character to seem within the episode however doesn’t present up till the even weirder post-credit sequence.
“5 To 9” – Home
After dedicating a complete episode to Robert Sean Leonard’s Wilson, Home gave Lisa Edelstein’s Dr. Lisa Cuddy the identical remedy. Season 6’s “5 to 9” follows a day within the lifetime of Princeton-Plainsboro Instructing Hospital’s Dean of Drugs and Chief Hospital Administrator.
“Symphony Of Illumination” – How I Met Your Mom
Within the Season 7 episode, “Symphony of Illumination,” How I Met Your Mom forged member Cobie Smulders’ Robin Scherbatsky takes over because the narrator to inform her future son and daughter about her and Barney’s (Neil Patrick Harris) being pregnant scare. Nevertheless, she later discovers that she is definitely unable to have kids and the youngsters she was speaking to solely existed in her creativeness.
“Relevance” – Individual Of Curiosity
Season 2 of CBS’ Individual of Curiosity launched a brand new character named Sameen Shaw (Sarah Shahi) in an episode that made her the star of a lot of the motion.