10 Wasted Simpsons Characters That Deserved Better
9. Rex Banner
The Springfield Police Department are famously incompetent. They are led by the lazy Chief Wiggum, when more than three officers have been shown they are either laughing at potential new recruits or have squirrels down their trousers, and according to Bart, they couldn't catch a cold.
When prohibition was brought to Springfield after the town disgraced itself on St. Patrick's Day, the cops were given reinforcements in the shape of Rex Banner, a new chief of police who actually seemed like he was good at his job, and cared about catching the mysterious Beer Baron.
Very much based on Eliot Ness, Banner was one of the funniest one episode characters in the show's history, and ended his stint in Springfield by being thrown over the border by a giant catapult. However, this didn't need to be the last fans saw of him.
His dynamic with Chief Wiggum and the other officers was hilarious, and had he been brought back on occasion in something of a boss role for Clancy, he could easily have become a Springfield regular. Think Superintendent Chalmers' relationship with Skinner, but with Banner and Wiggum.
This could have been explored by the writers over at least a few episodes after his first appearance in season eight, and they could have had a lot more fun with him.