10 Classic TV Characters Who Weren't Added Until Later Seasons

10. Ben Wyatt & Chris Traeger - Parks And Rec

Based on the last several seasons of Parks and Recreation, it's hard to imagine the show without Ben Wyatt. But that show did exist for a while, because everyone's favorite Star Trek nerd wasn't added to the cast until the end of Season 2.

The introduction of Ben Wyatt brought so much to Parks and Recreation, with Ben replacing the bland, uninteresting Mark Bendanawitz. Ben was something of a straight man to the rest of the office, but unlike Mark, he actually had personality: smart and levelheaded but also high strung and at times hilariously nerdy, with an unexpected obsession with calzones. 

His relationship with Leslie, which at first seemed like it could be a forced sitcom coupling, turned out to be one of the greatest things about the show, with the two blossoming into one of TV's best power couples. 

Along with Ben we also got Chris Traeger, literally one of the greatest characters in the explored universe. Originally, Rob Lowe was only supposed to be a guest star, departing the series six episodes into Season 3. But he became such a favorite that he ended up signing a multi-year contract and staying with the show for three more seasons.

Chris represents so much of what's great about Parks and Recreation. He's so overwhelmingly enthusiastic that we can't help but smile, which is a pretty good way of describing the show itself.