It's not always the main characters who are the real heroes. Scene Stealers is an end-of-year salute to the eccentric, to the bizarre, to the unforgettable supporting characters on TV who undeniably steal the show.
Scene stealers: The 30 best TV characters of 2021, ranked
Inverse spotlights the side characters we fell in love with this year.
The most important character in 'Midnight Mass' changed a TV trope forever
Ex-'iZombie' star Rahul Kohli gave an unforgettable, impactful performance in Netflix's horror-drama 'Midnight Mass,' and it's one of the best things of 2021.
The best character in 'Squid Game' tells a story of immigrant inequality
First time actor Jung Ho-yeon rose to occasion in Netflix's biggest international hit of the year, 'Squid Game,' with a moving story immigration and inequality.
The greatest MCU Phase 4 villain reveal came with a catchy theme song
It was Agatha all along! Kathryn Hahn ensured the "Hahnissance" is now in the hit Marvel series 'WandaVision,' which set the tone for all of TV in 2021.
The MCU's unseen racist history was unmasked with a Black Captain America
With gruff breaths and an Alabama drawl, actor Carl Lumbly embodies the dark, bleak history of superheroes in Marvel's 'Falcon and the Winter Soldier.'
The most brilliant sci-fi character of 2021 needs a Marvel spinoff ASAP
'WandaVision's best twist arrived in the form of one surprising character
When this X-Men character arrived on Wanda's doorstep in her Disney+ series, Marvel fans couldn't believe their eyes. Here's why Evans Peters' appearance as Ralph Bohner stole the show in 'WandaVision.'
'Ted Lasso' Season 2 took on sports mental health with its best character
Football is life. But is football also death? In 'Ted Lasso' Season 2, Cristo Fernández's Dani Rojas overcame "the yips" -- and more.
MCU's most relatable villain stole the dance floor, and the show, in 2021
Daniel Brühl's return to the MCU in 'The Falcon and the Winter Soldier' is remembered for thoughtful critiques of the MCU itself -- and awesome dance moves.
'Succession' seized Season 3 with an unsettling Adrien Brody guest role
A celebrity guest role like no other, Adrien Brody plays his own game of chess in HBO's delectable drama 'Succession.'
Patti Harrison is the secret weapon in Netflix's ultra-surreal sketch show
Patti Harrison rides the knife's edge between irony and sincerity in Netflix's outrageous surreal comedy 'I Think You Should Leave.'
MCU's shocking villain debut in 'Loki' is one of 2021's best TV moments
Blurring barriers between TV and film, 'Loki' stunned MCU fans with the early debut of Jonathan Majors' 'Ant-Man' villain, Kang the Conqueror.
'Schmigadoon!' spoofed musical scoundrels in one of 2021's best TV moments
In the magical musical town of Schmigadoon, roguish Danny Bailey tries to swoon SNL's Cecily Strong. And it's one of the best things on TV all year.
The best, funniest hero in Amazon's 'Invincible' needs a spinoff ASAP
Allen the Alien is no hero. He's a hero "evaluator." And Seth Rogen's funny and warm 'Invincible' character is the kind of hero we'd follow to the stars.
2020 edition
The best Stephen King character of 2020 deserves a spinoff series ASAP
Cynthia Erivo’s character from The Outsider is one of King's best.
BBC Dracula: Give us the Sister Agatha Van Helsing spin-off we need
The foil in BBC's 'Dracula' miniseries is a hero worth watching and one of 2020's most memorable scene stealers deserving of her own spin-off series.
Chris Gethard on 'Space Force,' mental health, and talking to strangers
For a guy who calls himself “shockingly introverted,” Chris Gethard really likes talking on the phone.
'Star Trek: Discovery' Season 4: Ian Alexander teases Gray's future
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Rahul Kohli on 'Bly Manor,' using Twitter for good, and his next big role
The 'Bly Manor' actor chats with Inverse about his work-life balance, fancasting, and his upcoming projects.
'The Boys': How Stormfront shocked superhero TV in 2020
In Amazon's 'The Boys,' superheroes are dangerous. That's no more true than in Stormfront, a secret Nazi turned electric superheroine played by Aya Cash.
'Rick and Morty' Season 5: Sarah Chalke on the future of Space Beth
'Rick and Morty' voice actor Sarah Chalke has voiced Beth since the very beginning, and while we've seen different versions before, nothing compares to Space Beth.