Flipside to who ruined the show, in your opinion who "stole the show"

[StressyMcStressFace]

For me its Alice Tinker from the Vicar of Dibley. She was the standout star for me 🌟 . Also James Dreyfus in The Thin Blue Line. Funniest character by a mile. Oh and Niles in Frasier 😍

When I read the thread title, before opening it, I was thinking Niles Crane. David Hyde Pierce was by far the best actor on the programme. I laughed until I cried at the Valentine's Day one, where he was preparing for a date. Not a word spoken in his scene where he was pressing his trousers, but everything conveyed by his physical acting. He was brilliant.

Yes i remember that one - he was absolutely brilliant 🤣.

Elaine in Seinfeld.

Karen in Will and Grace.

Joanna Lumley as Patsy in Ab Fab. She's the only reason I watched.

PS, I agree about James. He also steals the show in Gimme Gimme Gimme!

Amy Farrah Fowler really lifted, The Big Bang Theory. She's a great character.

Margaret Thompson (Kelly McDonald) in Boardwalk Empire
Cookie Lyon in Empire (Taraji P Henson)
Daenerys Targaryen in GOT until the final!

Sian Clifford in Fleabag, especially in the second series

Parker Posey in the last season of The White Lotus.

Christine Baranski as Leonard’s mother in TBBT.

Kim Cattrall in SATC

Bradley Whitford in The Handmaids Tail

Both Martin Sheen and Stockard Channing in The West Wing (they were only supposed to be occasional recurring characters and Rob Lowe was the supposed lead but they were so good, with amazing chemistry. See also Bradley again, along with Alison Janney).

Yes! I'd forgotten he was in that! Quite a job to upstage Kathy Burke 🤭

Bubbles in Ab Fab she was hilarious
the teen daughter in Jack dees lead balloon

I’m now trying and failing to think of anything with Christine Baranski where she hasn’t stolen the show!

True! She is rather brilliant

Pam and Mick in Gavin and Stacey were fabulous, although all of the side characters in that show were great.

Dame Maggie in Downtown.

Sheldon’s mum in TBBT.

Sister Michael in Derry Girls

Sheila in Detectorists.

James Spader in The Blacklist
Rufus Sewell in The Man in the High Castle

Yes to Sister Michael, absolutely brilliant!

The Rowdy Three in the US Dirk Gently, Wheels from Spaced and Petula in Dinnerladies
Then there was Illya Kuryakin from the Man from UNCLE, Spike in Buffy and Malcom from the Thick of It, all of which had their roles increased, due to popularity with the fans.

Doris in Gavin and Stacey 🥰
Keith in The Office (UK)
Both RIP

Stevie in Schitt’s Creek.

Martin Freeman in The Office

Alan Rickman in Robin Hood Prince of Thieves

"You. 10:45. And bring a friend."

Another vote for Sheila in Detectorists.
Russell was brilliant too.