6 TV Protagonists Constantly Upstaged By Supporting Characters

4. Leonard Hofstadter (The Big Bang Theory)

It could be argued that The Big Bang Theory has an ensemble cast with Leonard as the necessary straight man, and this has become the case in recent seasons, but re-watch the pilot episode and you'll see that the show was setting Leonard up as its protagonist and audience surrogate. He is the subject of the classic geek-gets-the-girl storyline and has the least exaggerated and most sympathetic traits of all four guys. Unfortunately, this just served to make him fade into the background next to the supporting player who upstages Leonard on a regular basis, who is now one of the most famous sitcom characters of modern times: the inimitable Sheldon Cooper. Since then, The Big Bang Theory has shifted its focus to encompass all of the gang and their wives or girlfriends, but Leonard has been left with the irresolvable plot tumour that is his relationship with Penny. It's the closest thing TBBT has to a series-long mystery and it will not relinquish it, to the detriment of Leonard's ability to break away from his clichéd initial characterisation in the same way that Howard, Sheldon and even Raj have managed. Here's hoping that the show will just make up its mind one way or the other and let Leonard become a true part of the ensemble.