10 Fictional Characters Who Were Regulars In Multiple TV Series

While fans were thrilled to see Walter White and Jesse Pinkman appear in Better Call Saul in a couple of episodes, it is even more impressive how Saul Goodman himself was effectively used in this show and Breaking Bad. Occasional crossovers are one thing, but it is very rare for a character to be a regular on multiple shows.

With spinoffs and shows set in the same universe, these characters have managed to make big impressions from one show to another. In some cases, they even make the transition from a supporting role to the lead of the new show. As fans get to know these characters even more, they cement themselves as television icons.

10/10 George Jefferson

All in the Family is regarded as one of the most influential sitcoms in television history and it provided the jumping-off point for another ground-breaking television character. George Jefferson was introduced in the show’s fourth season as the Black neighbor to the racially ignorant Archie Bunker.

Jefferson became a regular on the show in season 5 before launching into his own spinoff series The Jeffersons which followed him and his family. It became one of the longest-running Black-led shows in television history.

9/10 Angel

Though Buffy the Vampire Slayer was filled with supernatural threats and action, there was also plenty of time for romance. One of the prominent love stories in the series was between Buffy and the dreamy vampire, Angel.

It made for a thrilling aspect of the show that was certainly not going to end well for the couple. However, in going their separate ways, Angel got his own spinoff show and took fellow Buffy regular Cordelia along on the adventure that was filled with more supernatural fun and some exciting recurring villains.

8/10 Detective John Munch

Though he is not as prominently remembered in television history, Detective John Munch is one of the longest-running characters in television history. He began as a regular on the crime series Homicide: Life on the Streets as a Baltimore police detective.

When that show was canceled, Munch then made the move to New York City where he served as one of the detectives on Law and Order: Special Victims Unit. Though these are the only series on which Munch was a regular, he appeared in guest roles on everything from The Wire to Arrested Development.

7/10 Cleveland Brown

Though Family Guy was initially canceled after three seasons on Fox, the show’s later revival helped make it one of the network’s top animated shows. It was so successful that it even earned a spinoff with one of Peter Griffin’s best friends starting his own show.

The Cleveland Show found Cleveland Brown with a new family in a new town. The Cleveland Show was eventually canceled after four seasons, but unlike its predecessor, it was not renewed. Instead, Cleveland rejoined Family Guy where he faced a lot of insults about the failure of his show.

6/10 Zoey Johnson

Producer Kenya Barris made a name for himself with the critically acclaimed sitcom Black-ish. The show follows a middle-class Black family as they deal with typical family mayhem while also addressing modern issues in the world and their community.

Zoey Johnson plays the oldest child of the family and she headlined Barris’ first spinoff of the show, Grown-ish. The series maintains the sitcom town as it follows Zoey into her college years and beyond with her younger siblings joining the show as they get older as well.

5/10 Luke Cage

When the Marvel Netflix series were first announced, fans found out they would be getting a show dedicated to the street-level hero Luke Cage. However, they were given a special surprise when he actually appeared before his own show as a regular on Jessica Jones.

That initial appearance helped introduce Luke to the audience and establish the fan-favorite romance with Jessica before he got to have his own show. Of course, he then joined the other heroes in the team-up series The Defenders. And with all the theories about Netflix characters in the MCU, it might not be the last fans have seen of Luke Cage.

4/10 Sheldon Cooper

It is usually a spinoff show that allows a character to return in another show and continue their story. However, Sheldon Cooper was such an iconic character from his time on The Big Bang Theory that fans wanted to see his origin story.

Young Sheldon takes a look at the younger years of this genius, with all the quirks and eccentricities that made fans love him in the first place. And despite not having the beloved cast of his other popular series, Young Sheldon features a great new ensemble.

3/10 Morgan Jones

After being introduced in the first episode of The Walking Dead, Morgan Jones disappears from the story as Rick Grimes goes off on his own adventure. After making brief appearances here and there, Morgan became a regular on the show in season 5.

However, not too long after being brought back, The Walking Dead crossed over with Fear of the Walking Dead, a spinoff some fans find better than the original. Morgan then joined that series, becoming the pseudo-lead of the ensemble of survivors.

2/10 Saul Goodman

As the seedy and obnoxious lawyer, Saul Goodman was a great comedic relief character, taking full advantage of Bob Odenkirk’s comedy background. However, after going on the run, Saul was chosen as the unlikely character to carry on the Breaking Bad story.

Odenkirk followed in Bryan Cranston’s footsteps as a comedic actor taking a dramatic television role. Better Call Saul was a brilliant look at how Jimmy McGill became the man fans saw in Breaking Bad while also featuring many other terrific characters with their own interesting arcs.

1/10 Frasier Crane

The ensemble of Cheers is one of the most lovable and fun cast of characters in sitcom history. While there were a lot of fun options to go in for a potential spinoff, Frasier Crane was a somewhat surprising choice. Though he fit extremely well into the series, he was a much more “uptight” character than his blue-collar pals.

Frasier leaned into this as the spinoff took him to Seattle where he began a new life living with his gruff ex-cop father and reconnecting with his jealous younger brother. Frasier ended up being a perfect headliner for his own show while the new characters were every bit as entertaining.

NEXT: Steve Harrington & 9 Other TV Characters Who Weren’t Supposed To Last