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Last night my gitlf and I watched episodes 3.3-5 of Battlestar Galactica. Alongside all the heroic space battles and gunfights the aspect that most caught my interest was the plot that saw Felix Gaeta found Guilty of treason and sentenced for death. I don't recall the last time a t.v. drama has so captured my interest or when I last was so sincerely worried about the fate of a fictional character.
My partner was surprised. She'd barely paid attention to Gaeta in amongst the showier cast of humand and cylons. She offered to cross-stitch me a picture of him with 'Gay for Gaeta' on it as a Christmas present. I'm considering it.
I shouldn't be surprised to like a minor character so much. It's always the way. I'm drawn to the also rans, the B-Listers, the supporting artistes. My favourite comic characters are probably Billy Glum (a long faced social worker from future Milton Keynes) and Eddie MacPhail (a Richard Wilson-ian showbiz agent). When I watch Carry On films it's a bonus for me when Kenneth Connor gets centre stage.
On telly it's always been the minor figures that interest me. Private Sponge fascintes me in Dads Army. He's there every week reacting his little cotton socks off.
There was a Gaeta proto type in Babylon Five who I can't remember much about other than he was always just there and I liked it when he had his one episode plot-line somewhere around season three.
Norman Clegg (technically a star of a sitcom, but Supporting Artist by nature and inclination) and Ivy from the Cafe in Last of the Summer Wine made me laugh as a kid and it's almost painful to see them so fragile in recent episodes.
Heck, whilst I readily acknowledge the genius of Eric Morecambe it's Ernie Wise I like bestest.
So share with me your favourite bit part characters and also rans. I genuinely want to hear I'm not alone in this. |
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