10 Horror Movie Characters WAY Better Than Expected

When the original Tremors was first released, not a single solitary soul could've ever predicted the longevity that the supporting character of Burt Gummer (Michael Gross) would have.

Gummer, introduced as a seemingly stereotypical conspiracy theorist and prepper, seemed ripe for a killing, and yet he ended up becoming not only the series' breakout character but its actual protagonist.

In the original movie, Burt makes for a fun sidekick, but truly comes into his own in the sequels after Kevin Bacon and Fred Ward departed the franchise, leaving him to become the de facto lead character without whom the series likely wouldn't have made it to seven movies.

Though the quality of the sequels wavers significantly, Gummer is fun to watch in every single one - a winning mix of hilarious and surprisingly competent for the most part, elevated by Michael Gross' never-phoned-in performance.

Hell, he's great even in the Western prequel Tremors 4: The Legend Begins, where he actually plays Burt's great grandfather Hiram Gummer, because why the hell not?

It's a testament to how unexpectedly popular Burt is that fans were genuinely devastated when he seemingly died in the seventh and to-date final installment, Tremors: Shrieker Island.