IPTAT: Got Any Cheese?
Scene-Stealers - Part One
Team 6: Scene-Stealers
Minor characters who evolved into major roles.
I’m putting together a team… multiple teams, in fact.
Fictional heroes, villains, and everyone in between have formed unlikely alliances to answer a common calling: which group of kindred characters is the mightiest of them all? United by a shared theme, troops of four fabulous fictional characters will figuratively compete in a tournament of television, movie, and literature’s finest where only one foursome can be crowned kings and queens of popular entertainment. Join in on the roll call to learn more about these similar characters and delve into their individual histories. It’s time to assemble the analogous all-stars and find out who is the best, one team at a time.
The eight-team bracket will determine who is the most gifted (and potentially ruthless) squad of them all. Let’s recap the competitors so far -
Teams:
1: Sinister Supers
Evil versions of Superman
Ultraman (DC Comics)
Superboy Prime (DC Comics)
Omni-Man (Invincible)
Homelander (The Boys)
2: Sequel Soldiers
Heroes of second installments of movie franchises that were better than the original
T-800 (Terminator 2: Judgment Day)
Corporal Hicks (Aliens)
Rambo (Rambo: First Blood Part II)
Peacemaker (The Suicide Squad)
Sequel Soldiers advance to Round Two.
3: Spin-Off Superstars
Characters who outgrew their original shows and flourished in their own series.
Angel (Angel)
Saul Goodman (Better Call Saul)
Frasier (Frasier)
White Canary/Sara Lance (DC’s Legends of Tomorrow)
4: Immortals
Eternal characters who have a hard time dying.
Duncan MacLeod (Highlander: The Series)
Vandal Savage (DC Comics)
Captain Jack Harkness (Doctor Who/Torchwood)
Spike (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)
Immortals advance to face the Sequel Soldiers in the semifinals.
5: Fast Four
Speedsters and speed freaks.
The Flash/Wally West (DC Comics)
Thor Odinson (Marvel comics)
Elena “Yo-Yo” Rodriguez (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D)
Green Lantern/Kyle Rayner (DC Comics)
Scene-Stealers
6: Scene-Stealers
Minor characters who evolved into major roles.
Steve Urkel (Family Matters)
The Fonz (Happy Days)
Seven of Nine (Star Trek: Voyager)
Leon Black (Curb Your Enthusiasm)
Before the figurative fracas begins, we will first get to know the next set of competitors, starting with a nerdy neighbor that became a national treasure.
Scene-Stealers, assemble!
1. Steve Urkel
First appearance: Family Matters (“Laura’s First Date” episode 12, season 1, 1989)
Popular entertainment of 1989:
Star Trek V: The Final Frontier - film starring William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy
Quantum Leap - television series starring Scott Bakula
A Time To Kill (Jake Brigance #1) - novel by John Grisham
Nerdy, clumsy, and utterly devoted to his neighbor, Laura Winslow, Steve Urkel was initially introduced as a minor character on the Family Matters sitcom but quickly became a breakout star. Famous for his suspenders, glasses, and “Did I do that?” catchphrase, Urkel often caused chaos in the Winslow family’s home with his inventions and antics.
Urkel’s unusual genius led to the creation of the Urkel Bot, a robotic version of himself that could dance, talk, and often caused just as much trouble as its creator did. Urkel also invented a transformation chamber that allowed him to switch into various alter egos, most famously Stefan Urquelle, a smooth, charming, and confident version of himself who captured Laura’s attention.
His inventions reached new heights—most notably, he joined a NASA space shuttle mission after winning a science contest. A mishap in space left him stranded for a brief period. Urkel survived and returned home a hero and his years of devotion finally paid off: Laura Winslow admitted her love for him, choosing Steve over Stefan Urquelle.
Jaleel White, who played Urkel, also provided the voice of Sonic the Hedgehog in the early 1990s animated series—making him a double icon for kids of the era.
Obnoxious and accident-prone, Urkel will need to find a way to work with his fellow breakout all-stars if he and his team wants to stand a chance in what could be any kind of competition.
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