One-note characters you love

[Vympel]

What characters do you see in one or two episodes of your favorite series and you wish you could've seen more of them?

Since I've been on an nBSG kick (if there's any doubt I don't love the show, consider I bought the complete blu-ray set- I like it that much ) in the Miniseries we meet the character of Jackson "Dipper" Spencer, the CAG of Galactica's Viper wing.

Most should remember he leads Galactica's last wing of Viper Mk VIIs for reassignment to Caprica prior to Galactica being formally decommissioned - en route the Cylon attack happens and his wing is destroyed by a missile swarm from two Cylon Raiders after their Vipers are shut down by CNP infiltration.

We don't see much of him, but he was just an awesome character. You really got the impression from his performance of the level of waste and slaughter of fine Colonial military officers. There was just something about him and his lines. Consumate military professional - when he declares that they've detected two bogies and "I intend to attack" - it just rules.

Oh well. Fuck.

[Brother-Captain Gaius]

I've been watching a lot of Star Trek while I play Star Trek Online, so the Cardassian Maritza from DS9 comes to mind.

The acting is fantastic and the writing for him is good too -- that kind of depth to a single one-off character killed by the end of the episode is not something you see often.

[Anguirus]

Yeah, both of those characters are excellent. Not sure Marritza fits the OP though...one-off, but not one-note.

I liked all of the Earth starship captains from "Severed Dreams" in B5. The "main" one really pulled off the "career military man who became a resistance leader five minutes ago" vibe, the second one was utterly no-nonsense, and the enemy ones heard over the radio were appropriately faceless and menacing.

[tim31]

Space: Above and Beyond was full of these.

Notable example was Ray Butts(in the episode of the same name) who was cliched through the teeth, yet really gave flavour to the series. To quote Colonel McQueen:

"Kind of a bummer gettin' your butt kicked by a dead guy..."

[Revy]

Sally Sparrow from Doctor Who. Loved her to bits, thought she would have made a great companion. It helps that she was pretty much the lead character in my favourite Who episode ever. Pity she never turned up again. Jenny, the Doctors daughter as well.

I quite liked Orlin from Stargate SG1, he managed to make it to two episodes (three technically, since it was a two parter the second time around), but wound up in a home with permanent brain damage. Pity. He wins points for building a baby stargate in Sam's basement out of spare parts. McGyver eat your heart out.

Not actually a sci-fi show, but I really wish at least one of the Hansel and Gretel twins survived in Black Lagoon and became either a regular or semi regular. I can never make up my mind if I like them or Roberta the best. God damn Balalaika, I hope Chang gun-fu's your ass one day.

Edit - Okay, so none of them are really one-note, I was thinking more along the lines of one-off instead, sorry.

[Darth Wong]

And then there's Star Trek, which seemed to make a conscious effort to produce memorable one-shot characters, but which never really succeeded. Q might have once qualified, but the writers overused him. The Traveler was just annoying. Cmdr Shelby was just a cliché. Captain Jellico has been so furiously wanked by Trekkies that he's more annoying than anything. Sela was just a lame excuse to get Denise Crosby back in the show one more time. Roga Danar is even more of a cliché than Cmdr Shelby.

However, certain characters do stick out. Kivas Fajo was a memorable sleaze in "The Most Toys", with an interesting combination of sociopathic ruthlessness and timidity. Admiral Pressman from "The Pegasus" was a bit of a cliché but he was a cliché that could have been brought back as a recurring character. Seriously, they threw away a good potential long-running story there; why did Picard have to be completely right about the entire Admiralty turning on Pressman? It would have been far, far more interesting if Pressman was not punished at all, and Picard was the one whose standing in Starfleet began to quietly drop afterwards.

[Sheridan]

From Star Trek: TNG, there was Cyrus Redblock in the episode The Big Goodbye. I have a fondness for detective film noir stuff, and Cyrus met all of the Evil Mastermindtm criteria. It was also the first "holodeck goes crazy and traps people" episode, so the idea was new at least.

Also from the same series was The Drumhead. Rear Admiral Satie was very good at portraying a Joe McCarthy-esque paranoid willing to do anything that would "protect" the Federation (and, given their severe security lapses over the years, one can't help but wonder if maybe she had a point).

I'm sure there are more, but those two always stood out in my head.

[Thanas]

DS9 seemed to do better in one-note characters. For example, Subcommander T'Rul seemed to be very competent, and of course we have Enabran Tain and the others....all in all, guest characters seemed to be better developed there.

[Crazedwraith]

Obligatory Firefly mention: I always liked the Captain of the Dortmunder in Bushwhacked although sceptical, he also seemed reasonably level-head, competent and pragmatic. I could have seen him being a regular foil for Mal, showing the positive qualities of the Alliance.

[NecronLord]

For another Star Trek mention, Commodore Decker. Assuming that he even qualifies as 'one-note' - we only really see him in hysterics, but that is emotional depth of a sort I suppose.

[Havok]

The Cardassian that interrogated Picard in the two parter.

Also Dukat started off as a pretty cool one-shot IIRC.

[Patrick Degan]

For another Star Trek mention, Commodore Decker. Assuming that he even qualifies as 'one-note' - we only really see him in hysterics, but that is emotional depth of a sort I suppose.

Actually, we do get a comparison with the man he was before he made his one bad decision in the form of the log entry: a quick sketch of a steady, decisive leader and quite a contrast with the emotional wreck Kirk and co. found aboard the Constellation.

[JME2]

The Cardassian that interrogated Picard in the two parter.

Gul Madred, played excellently as always by David Warner.

[Tiriol]

I have a couple from Babylon 5: Brother Theo, who delivered some of the most poignant last rites I've ever seen in fiction and who seemed all around a well-defined character, despite appearing only three times; the Centauri Regent (whose name I've forgotten), who seemed to be a remarkably sympathetic and kind man for someone in the Imperial Court (and who got a pretty dirty end); and, maybe my all-time favourite one-shot character of B5, Mr. Sebastian. He did chew scenery in the best traditions of B5, but something in that chilling portrayal and in that meek desire to finally end his long service to the Vorlons just struck chord in me (not to mention the reveal of who he truly was).

[NecronLord]

Actually, we do get a comparison with the man he was before he made his one bad decision in the form of the log entry: a quick sketch of a steady, decisive leader and quite a contrast with the emotional wreck Kirk and co. found aboard the Constellation.

Now that you mention it, yes. It's actually hard to think of a 'one note' character in TOS. Even Yeoman Rand got some development (particularly in her last appearance in the movies and, so help me, Voyager, which showed nice character progression).

Harry Mudd perhaps? But I don't think comic relief characters should count.

[Stofsk]

I can't think of a single one-note character I love. That's because to me, one-note characters are incredibly forgettable.

[hongi]

Burt Gummer from Tremors. Paranoid, gun-crazy, ultra-serious graboid magnet. Says it all really.

[Solauren]

Burt Gummer from Tremors. Paranoid, gun-crazy, ultra-serious graboid magnet. Says it all really.

Actually, he was in all 3 movies (or was that 4), and the TV series as the main character. I believe he was even played by Micheal Gross the entire time.

I'd say Vala from Stargate, but she became a main character for Season 9 + 10.

[Darth Nostril]

I'd say Vala from Stargate, but she became a main character for Season 9 + 10.

I'd say Vala's father.
After being outmanoeuvred by his daughter he still sells the packing peanuts as interstellar Viagra.

[Patrick Degan]

There are several from Babylon 5, but one that springs immediately to mind is Brother Edward, played by Brad Douriff, in the episode "Passage To Gethsemane". The one-time Black Rose Killer, who was sentenced to death-of-personality and reprogrammed into a helpful, humanity-serving personality fifteen years earlier, is forced to remember what he once was, triggering a crisis of faith which he finds the courage to face when confronted by the revenge-seeking relatives of his victims.

[Eternal_Freedom]

Hmmmm
For Doctor Who, I'd definitely say Jenny, she's just wonderful. I'm glad she wasn't definitively killed. From the old series I'd say the Fascist alter-Brigadier from the parallel world in Inferno.

From Star Trek, Professor Moriaty, even though he made it to two episodes. He was just brilliantly well done

From Star Wars, the blue elephant type thing playing the piano type instrument in Jabba's Palace, simply cos he looks cool

From nBSG, Colonel Belzen, Admiral Cain's original XO.

From Stargate SG-1, hmmmmm. Hard one. Vala's dad is cool. Ah, yes, Dr Carmicheal from season 8 "Avatar". Teal'cs hearts stops, he throws himself at Teal'c and rams a syringe between his ribs, getting Teal'c going again, then says "That won't work again" to which Jack says "I dont wanna see that again!"

From Atlantis, Colonel Sumner played by Robert Patrick. Hilarious guy.

[Eternal_Freedom]

Oh, yes:

General John Paul Jumper, Chariman of the Joint Chiefs in SG-1 Season 7, "Lost City"

Simply because I think it's really really cool e was played by himself. I just loved the opening scenes where the credit flashed up:

Special Guest Star:
General John Paul Jumper, USAF, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs
As Himself

I just think thats sooo cool

Oh, yeah, and the Season 7 version of Elizabeth Weir, I think she was much better than the Atlantis version

[NecronLord]

Oh, yes:

General John Paul Jumper, Chariman of the Joint Chiefs in SG-1 Season 7, "Lost City"

Simply because I think it's really really cool e was played by himself. I just loved the opening scenes where the credit flashed up:

Special Guest Star:
General John Paul Jumper, USAF, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs
As Himself

Special rule: Real people cannot be one-note characters.

[Jade Falcon]

Yeah, both of those characters are excellent. Not sure Marritza fits the OP though...one-off, but not one-note.

I liked all of the Earth starship captains from "Severed Dreams" in B5. The "main" one really pulled off the "career military man who became a resistance leader five minutes ago" vibe, the second one was utterly no-nonsense, and the enemy ones heard over the radio were appropriately faceless and menacing.

That was Major Ryan of the EAS Alexander and Captain Sandra Hiroshi of the EAS Churchill who were on B5's side.

The Clarkist side were Captain Edward Smith of the EAS Agrippa and the only other named one was Captain Drake who arrived as part of the reinforcements.

Tiriol, the Centauri Regent was named Virino.

I did quite like G'Kars uncle, Warleader G'Sten who led the last doomed Narn offensive that got most of the Narn fleet wiped out by the shadows.

[The Yosemite Bear]

Gaff in Bladerunner: Mr. Racist Cop, with a talent for Origami.