00:00Everyone is familiar with that old saying of what you don't know can't hurt you, and whilst that is mostly true, it's also true that things you don't know could mean that you're missing out on something great, and that is also true when it comes to TV shows.
00:14Plenty of shows explore the trope of an unseen figure, who only appears in the show through mention and sometimes off-screen vocal.
00:21It's a unique way to play with humour and can fill a show with plenty of mystery. There's so much potential in a mystery character, so we may as well take a look and appreciate a few of them.
00:31So, I'm Amy from WhatCulture, and here are the 8 best TV characters who you never actually got to see.
00:378. The Scranton Strangler in The Office, US
00:40The US office was filled from desk to desk with some of the most likable characters in sitcom history, but it was also filled with some rather mysterious ones.
00:51Lurking in the shadows of Scranton, there was a darker threat than Michael's obnoxiousness or Dwight's obsessive nature. This darkness was known as the Scranton Strangler.
01:01This unseen character was referenced pretty consistently in the show. They made their debut in a newspaper clipping brought by Andy stating,
01:08Scranton Strangler strikes again, and even acted as the basis for Toby's jury duty.
01:12The Strangler was a hilarious menace that gave the show a chance to play with darker humour, such as the office practising neck protection and Dwight dressing as the Strangler for Halloween.
01:22Now, there actually is a chance that viewers caught a glimpse of the dreaded killer, as a popular fan theory suggests it was none other than Toby Flenderson.
01:29There are a few clues to support this theory, such as Toby's absence during the Strangler's car chase, his refusal to enter church, and, by his own admission, not being in work at the time that the case was being heard.
01:41Oh, he was on jury duty, was he? Well, we never confirmed that.
01:45As much as we do joke, though, there's not really enough evidence to make this a solid finding, but it would be funny, wouldn't it?
01:53Maybe Michael hating him all those years was actually for a good reason.
01:577. God in Good Omens
01:59Now, how can you get any bigger than the big man himself?
02:03Or, in the case of this show, the big woman slash person?
02:07They always kept it very vague, very changing in terms of the voice, the visuals, the appearance, but that kind of only adds to the effect.
02:15The lack of clear definition makes them a delightful mystery and an alluring presence.
02:20Good Omens, of course, depicts the unlikely friendship between an angel and a demon as they attempt to stop the impending apocalypse, and acting as the narrator for the story is none other than God.
02:29Terry Pratchett's projects are pretty much known for their witty writing style, their witty narration in this case, and the voice actor played the character perfectly in this, with a dryness that adds plenty of humour whilst keeping the plot moving forward.
02:42The casting of Frances McDormand in the voice role for this was pretty much perfect, because she has this sort of ambivalence about her that really lends the character of God to this gravitas and charm.
02:53We may not be about to see God's face any time soon, but just because of this, it doesn't mean that the character is unfulfilling in any way.
03:006. Father Bigley in Father Ted
03:03Father Ted is a blissful look into the type of comedy that doesn't get played around with too much these days.
03:08The goofiness of these Irish priests living on Craggy Island was a godsend, and one of the funniest aspects was the references to other priests.
03:16The show was dripping with fellow wearers of the cloth beside the beloved Ted, Dougal and Jack.
03:21Still, whilst plenty of them got a chance to show their faces on screen, the dreaded Father Bigley did not.
03:26Described as having a blotchy face with puffy fish lips, possibly due to a tea kettle explosion, this priest is a somewhat recurring topic of discussion.
03:34He's said to have been present and working at O.J. Simpson's wedding, having had sent alms to Iraq, and he ended up in a home because of his slight obsession with starting fires.
03:44Yeah, he doesn't sound like a very good guy, so maybe it's for the best he stayed away.
03:48The idea of a debaucherous and slightly mad priest is utterly hilarious, and the fact that he's described as something so monstrous,
03:56without ever being seen, makes it all the funnier.
03:595. Mrs. Columbo in Columbo
04:02Mrs. Columbo is quite a unique and very strange, actually, character in TV, because despite the fact that we never see her on screen,
04:09and we never actually even hear her from off screen, she still felt like a pretty fleshed-out, well-rounded character that we felt like we knew.
04:17She had a distinct personality and a full relationship with the titular character, and she was also relevant to the plot.
04:23Columbo would frequently reference his wife, talking about her life and their relationship.
04:28She seemed to be an active, healthy woman, and often found herself involved in the story, most notably in episodes like Rest in Peace, Mrs. Columbo, where she became the target of a deranged killer.
04:38There is one interesting theory, however, that actually Mrs. Columbo never existed, and simply, she was made up as a way for Columbo to help lower the defences of criminals, to make him seem more personable, a family man that loves his wife, you can trust him, can't ya?
04:53The beauty of her unseen presence was that you could decide this for yourself, whether you believe that or not.
04:59It is true that at one point they tried to give her a face in this messy flop of a spin-off series, but they later retconned that, saying she was absolutely of no relation to the titular detective, never mind being the wife, so if we just forget about that, it never happened.
05:134. Dr. Richard Nygaard in Parks and Recreation
05:17Luckily, as we've moved forward these days with our awareness of mental health issues, and trying to de-stigmatise things, take the shame out of things, help people get better on their own terms, etc., we have started to realise that therapy isn't really a joke.
05:31It's not the butt of the joke, it's not the punchline, it's actually incredibly helpful for a lot of people.
05:36And in Parks and Rec, it seems like Dr. Richard Nygaard was one of the best therapists out there.
05:41He acted as the therapist for multiple characters, including Shauna and Craig, but his most important patient of all was, of course, our beloved Chris Traeger.
05:50Chris was definitely one of the biggest advocates for therapy, I mean, it helped him become more than he used to be.
05:56It took him out of this crippling anxiety-depression ball and made him into a mostly functional human being.
06:03He took almost every opportunity to accredit that process to his fantastic therapist, Dr. Nygaard.
06:09It became so that Dr. Nygaard was a character you felt truly familiar with.
06:13He really did become a bona fide character throughout the show, despite never appearing on screen or even speaking.
06:19It seems that Chris, in fact, is so positive he can develop a character you've never even met.
06:24Three, Mrs. Wolowitz, The Big Bang Theory.
06:27The Big Bang Theory has thrived by basing its comedy on things that they think people will find relatable.
06:32And it seems, not just in this sitcom, but in a lot of them, that one of the most relatable things is the overbearing mother or mother-in-law.
06:40An overbearing mother is a harsh reality for some, but it's utterly hilarious in the case of this show.
06:46Seeing Howard at home with his mum, often getting into silly screaming matches and joking about her various health and personality problems,
06:53was a major reason why his character was entertaining.
06:56And adding to all of this was the fact that we never got to actually look at her,
07:00so we get to fill in the gaps in our heads, maybe some people even picturing their own mothers.
07:05The disembodied voice of Carol Ann Sousa yelling,
07:07Howard, is seared into the brains of many, giving this character a long-lasting legacy.
07:12It could be argued that actually seeing her would have spoiled the joke,
07:15because there was no way that any mere actress could have lived up to the huge, over-the-top persona that was built by that voice.
07:23So really, it's probably a good thing they kept her secret.
07:262. Bob Sacamano. Seinfeld.
07:29I think almost everybody can say that they've got one of those friends.
07:33You know, one of those oddball, off-the-wall friends that always seems to be doing stuff that gives you a great story to tell.
07:39Well, in the sitcom world, that kind of friend needs to go beyond even the antics of the leads,
07:44which probably explains the wackiness of Bob Sacamano.
07:48Throughout Seinfeld, Kramer would make references to a friend who seemed to have the weirdest life imaginable.
07:53These stories ran the gambit from him being in a mental institution,
07:56to contracting rabies, to selling replica Russian hats.
07:59Really, it seemed that Bob had a life well lived.
08:02Again, the mystery behind this character made the joke even funnier.
08:05You never once got the chance to see him,
08:07which led to a wild, erratic energy that left him feeling like a phantom.
08:10His grip on the show was hilarious, thanks to how much he seeped into the lives of the other characters,
08:15and he managed to do all of this without ever showing his face.
08:18Larry Charles eventually opened up about this character and admitted he was actually based on a real-life friend.
08:23I would just be interested to see how many of those stories happened in real life, too.
08:271. Charlie Townsend in Charlie's Angels.
08:31It sort of feels like Charlie Townsend is one of those characters that transcends even this list.
08:36He's been around for decades, he's been the titular character of a number of films and series,
08:41and yet, we've never once seen him.
08:45As the founder of the Townsend Agency, this character is the basis for the kick-ass show.
08:50He was the one that founded the Angels, and thanks to that, this awesome girl power team was put on the map.
08:55He's been a consistent figure in the series since its inception,
08:58and throughout that time, he's only allowed one person to see his real face,
09:02that being the beloved recurring character, Bossley.
09:05He's also appeared in subsequent reboots, such as the 2011 ABC remake and Charlie's Angels 2019,
09:11albeit with far less significance.
09:13Overall, it's the mystery behind this character that made him so iconic,
09:17and he really is a masterclass in how to do unseen, unknown characters.
09:21And on that note, actually, we've reached the end of this list.
09:24If you've got any more that you would have included in the video,
09:26then let us know in the comments down below.
09:29And remember to check out WhatCulture.com for more lists and articles like this every single day.
09:33As always, I've been Amy from WhatCulture, and I'll catch you next time.
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