10 TV Shows Dominated By The Last Character You'd Expect

4. David Hyde Pierce As Niles Crane In Frasier

Fussy, pompous, elitist and a bit of a snob. These are things we are meant to hate in a person, but thanks to David Hyde Pierce's brilliant portrayal of Niles Crane in Frasier, we come to accept them as quirks that round off a loveable character. Niles is without a doubt the dark horse of the cast, always there with a snarky comment or elitist remark that can make you roll on the floor with laughter (On wearing a t-shirt: "I've never worn an undergarment in public before!"). Niles was originally only there to provide a polar opposite to his brother Frasier. For all intents and purposes, Niles was a version of Frasier that never went to Boston and frequented Cheers, showing just how much Frasier had changed and creating some hilarious moments such as Frasier's dismay at Niles' exotic coffee order. Again, like other entries in this list, the studio audiences loved Niles and by the 4th episode, the writers noticed this and had him start visiting Frasier's apartment more frequently. His will they/won't they romance with Daphne was the highlight of the series and we're not ashamed to admit we shed a single, manly tear when they finally professed their love for each other. Nobody thought during Season 1 that by the time Season 8 rolled around, Niles would be the best-loved character of the show - especially compared to how he started out.