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00:00Everyone is familiar with that old saying of what you don't know can't hurt you and whilst that is
00:05mostly true it's also true that things you don't know could mean that you're missing out on
00:10something great and that is also true when it comes to tv shows. Plenty of shows explore the
00:15trope of an unseen figure who only appears in the show through mention and sometimes off-screen
00:20vocal. It's a unique way to play with humour and can fill a show with plenty of mystery. There's
00:25so 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 The US office was filled from desk to desk with
00:44some of the most likeable characters in sitcom history but it was also filled with some rather
00:49mysterious ones. Lurking in the shadows of Scranton there was a darker threat than Michael's
00:55obnoxiousness 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
01:05in a newspaper clipping brought by Andy stating Scranton Strangler strikes again and even acted as
01:10the basis for Toby's jury duty. The Strangler was a hilarious menace that gave the show a chance to
01:16play with darker humour such as The Office practicing neck protection and Dwight dressing as the Strangler for
01:21Halloween. Now there actually is a chance that viewers caught a glimpse of the dreaded killer as
01:25a popular fan theory suggests it was none other than Toby Flenderson. There are a few clues to support
01:31this theory such as Toby's absence during the Strangler's car chase, his refusal to enter church
01:36and, by his own admission, not being in work at the time that the case was being heard. Oh he was on
01:42jury duty was he? Well we never confirmed that. As much as we do joke though there's not really enough
01:48evidence to make this a solid finding but it would be funny wouldn't it? Maybe Michael hating him all
01:55those years was actually for a good reason. 7. God in good omens
01:59Now how can you get any bigger than the big man himself? Or in the case of this show, the big woman
02:05slash person? They always kept it very vague, very changing in terms of the voice, the visuals, the
02:12appearance but that kind of only adds to the effect. The lack of clear definition makes them a delightful
02:18mystery and an alluring presence. Good Omens of course depicts the unlikely friendship between an
02:22angel and a demon as they attempt to stop the impending apocalypse and acting as the narrator for the
02:27story is none other than God. Terry Pratchett's projects are pretty much known for their witty writing
02:33style, their witty narration in this case. And the voice actor played the character perfectly in this
02:38with a dryness that adds plenty of humour whilst keeping the plot moving forward. The casting of
02:42Frances McDormand in the voice role for this was pretty much perfect because she has this sort of
02:47ambivalence about her that really lends the character of God this gravitas and charm. We may not be about
02:53to see God's face any time soon but just because of this it doesn't mean that the character is
02:58unfulfilling in any way. 6. 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
03:07much these days. The goofiness of these Irish priests living on Craggy Island was a godsend
03:12and one of the funniest aspects was the references to other priests. The show was dripping with fellow
03:17wearers of the cloth beside the beloved Ted, Dougal and Jack. Still, whilst plenty of them got a chance to
03:22show their faces on screen, the dreaded Father Bigley did not. Described as having a blotchy face
03:28with puffy fish lips, possibly due to a tea kettle explosion, this priest is a somewhat recurring
03:33topic of discussion. He's said to have been present and working at O.J. Simpson's wedding,
03:38having had sent alms to Iraq and he ended up in a home because of his slight obsession with
03:43starting fires. Yeah, 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
03:54described as something so monstrous without 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
04:07despite the fact that we never see her on screen and we never actually even hear her from off screen,
04:12she 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
04:21she was also relevant to the plot. Columbo would frequently reference his wife, talking about
04:26her life and their relationship. She seemed to be an active, healthy woman and often found herself
04:31involved in the story, most notably in episodes like Rest in Peace Mrs. Columbo where she became
04:36the target of a deranged killer. There is one interesting theory, however, that actually Mrs.
04:41Columbo never existed and simply she was made up as a way for Columbo to help lower the
04:47defences of criminals, to make him seem more personable, a family man that loves his wife.
04:52You can trust him, can't you? The beauty of her unseen presence was that you could decide
04:56this for yourself whether you believe that or not. It is true that at one point they tried to give her
05:01a face in this messy flop of a spin-off series but they later retconned that saying she was
05:06absolutely of no relation to the titular detective, never mind being the wife, so if we just forget about
05:12that it never happened. Four, Dr. Richard Nygaard in Parks and Recreation. Luckily as we've moved
05:18forward these days with our awareness of mental health issues and trying to de-stigmatise things,
05:22take the shame out of things, help people get better on their own terms etc, we have started
05:27to realise that therapy isn't really a joke. It's not the butt of the joke, it's not the punchline,
05:33it's actually incredibly helpful for a lot of people and in Parks and Rec it seems like Dr. Richard
05:39Nygaard was one of the best therapists out there. He acted as the therapist for multiple characters
05:44including Shauna and Craig but his most important patient of all was of course our beloved Chris
05:49Traeger. Chris was definitely one of the biggest advocates for therapy, I mean it helped him become
05:55more than he used to be, it took him out of this crippling anxiety depression ball and made him into
06:01a mostly functional human being. He took almost every opportunity to accredit that process to his
06:06fantastic therapist Dr. Nygaard. It became so that Dr. Nygaard was a character you felt truly
06:12familiar with, he really did become a bonafide character throughout the show despite never
06:16appearing on screen or even speaking. It seems that Chris in fact is so positive he can develop
06:22a character you've never even met.
06:24Three, Mrs. Wolowitz, The Big Bang Theory. The Big Bang Theory has thrived by basing its comedy on
06:30things that they think people will find relatable and it seems not just in this sitcom but in a lot of them
06:36that 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
06:51various health and personality problems was 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 so we get to fill in
07:01the gaps in our heads maybe some people even picturing their own mothers.
07:04The disembodied voice of Carol Ann Sousa yelling Howard is seared into the brains of many,
07:09giving this character a long-lasting legacy. It could be argued that actually seeing her would
07:14have spoiled the joke because there was no way that any mere actress could have lived up to the huge
07:20over-the-top persona that was built by that voice. So 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, you know, one of those oddball
07:35off-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. Throughout Seinfeld, Kramer would make
07:49references to a friend who seemed to have the weirdest life imaginable. These stories ran the gambit from
07:54him being in a mental institution, to contracting rabies, to selling replica Russian hats. Really,
08:00it seemed that Bob had a life well lived. Again, the mystery behind this character made the joke
08:04even funnier. You never once got the chance to see him, which led to a wild, erratic energy that
08:09left him feeling like a phantom. His grip on the show was hilarious, thanks to how much he seeped into
08:14the lives of the other characters, and 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
08:22real life friend. I 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. As the founder of the Townsend Agency, this character is the basis for
08:48the kick-ass show. He was the one that founded the Angels, and thanks to that, this awesome girl
08:53power team was put on the map. He'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, that being the
09:03beloved recurring character, Boss Lee. He's also appeared in subsequent reboots, such as the 2011
09:08ABC remake and Charlie's Angels 2019, albeit with far less significance. Overall, it's the mystery
09:14behind this character that made him so iconic, and he really is a masterclass in how to do unseen,
09:20unknown characters. And on that note, actually, we've reached the end of this list. If you've got
09:24any more that you would have included in the video, then let us know in the comments down below,
09:28and remember to check out whatculture.com for more lists and articles like this every single day.
09:34As always, I've been Amy from WhatCulture, and I'll catch you next time!
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