TV Subplots Better Than The Actual Plot

HBO's "Boardwalk Empire" makes vivid use of its many characters. While Steve Buscemi's gripping portrayal of Prohibition-era gangster Nucky Thompson is front and center, the show also features numerous subplots rooted in its expansive secondary cast. In fact, there are too many excellent subplots in "Boardwalk Empire" to cover in one list.

Though the series is full of dynamic figures, no individual undergoes a more drastic character arc than Nelson Van Alden, portrayed by the always-excellent Michael Shannon. This is a man who begins the series as a puritanical Prohibition agent, before going on the lam to evade arrest for the murder of his partner. He assumes the false name George Mueller and becomes a hired thug for the very gangsters he initially tried to take down, even coming into violent conflict with Al Capone. It's rare to see such a monumental character shift occur in a show's lead character, let alone in a supporting part.

"Nathan For You" begins as a reality-style comedy series, in which creator and star Nathan Fielder approaches struggling small businesses with outside-the-box ideas. Each season changes the series' format, which allows for enormous growth. This ultimately makes "Nathan For You" an insightful source of social commentary and criticism, which comes to a head in the series finale, "Finding Frances."

This climactic episode, which spans 84 minutes, follows Bill Heath, a Bill Gates impersonator who has made previous appearances on the show, as he looks for his long-lost love, the titular Frances. The main plot is a fascinating character study and hilarious road-trip comedy, but a subplot that dives deep into Nathan Fielder's psyche and the human condition at large is especially memorable. This plot thread follows Nathan's romantic entanglement with a professional escort. Though it begins as a brief aside, it eventually breaks off into its own narrative, which blurs the lines between fact and fiction in endlessly thought-provoking ways. The nature of love, relationships, persona, and the very act of recording the show itself are all put under the microscope. What results doesn't just surpass the main storyline — it blows past what anyone could have expected from this Comedy Central show.

There are very few sitcoms that take as many chances as "Community" does. Never content to settle into a rhythm, the series contiuously innovates throughout its six-season run. Though many side stories and single-episode adventures stand out, the fan-favorite paintball subplot leaves the strongest impression. The first paintball episode, Season 1's "Modern Warfare," marks a drastic stylistic shift and sets the stage for future departures. Without sacrificing humor or character development, "Modern Warfare" transforms Greendale Community College's campus into a near-apocalyptic battleground. "Fast and Furious" director Justin Lin was brought in to direct the episode, which results in surprisingly tense and exciting paintball shoot-outs.

"Community" goes on to revisit the paintball subplot a handful of times over the course of the series. Season 2 expands the format and switches up the thematic stylings even further in "A Fistful of Paintballs" and "For a Few Paintballs More." The paintball game takes on a spaghetti-western theme in the first episode, and a lighter, "Star Wars" influenced vibe in the second. While the paintball subplot isn't entirely absent from the next couple of seasons, it's relegated to smaller scenes or references, rather than full-fledged episodes. Luckily, Season 6 brings the full-length paintball format back for one last colorful blast in the spy-themed "Modern Espionage."

"Fargo," a TV adaptation of the excellent Coen Brothers film of the same name, is far from a sure-fire idea, in concept. But this outstanding production exceeds every possible expectation. An anthology series, each season is unique, featuring a different cast of characters and time period. Much of the drama of Season 2, which is set in the 1970s,  revolves around the Gerhardt crime family. One of their biggest assets — read: best killers — isn't actually a member of the family, however. Hanzee Dent, a Native American Vietnam War veteran indebted to the Gerhardt family, has served them well for many years. He also happens to be one of the show's most fascinating characters, and is at the heart of the season's most compelling subplot.

After suffering through constant disrespect and abuse at the hands of the Gerhardts, Hanzee finally decides he's had enough. When he snaps, he doesn't just turn on the Gerhardts — he sets off on an indiscriminate killing spree, which comes to be known as the "Massacre at Sioux Falls," an event foreshadowed in Season 1. Hanzee's subplot briefly brushes up against the show's UFO subplot as well, but that's a whole different conversation. This storyline stands out as especially impressive, even within a show absolutely crowded with excellence.

"Deadwood" pulls a great deal of influence from the history of the real Deadwood, resulting in a seamless blend of fact and fiction. The series has a knack for juxtaposing fictitious characters like Cy Tolliver and Doc Cochran with real historical figures like Seth Bullock, Wild Bill Hickok, Calamity Jane, and Al Swearengen. One character straddles the line between truth and make-believe: Francis Wolcott. Though his assigned task is historically accurate and his employer, George Hearst, was a real person, Francis Wolcott himself is entirely made up.

Regardless of his fictional status, Francis Wolcott's actions make for what is easily the most gripping subplot of Season 2. He's a difficult man to get a handle on, being erudite in appearance, yet sick and twisted when he flies off the handle. This unique balance is pulled off by the excellent character actor Garret Dillahunt, who appeared in Season 1 as Jack McCall, slayer of the infamous Wild Bill Hickok. Even though both of his characters are killed off in the series, Dillahunt still made his way into 2019's "Deadwood: The Movie" — albeit in the less showy role of "Drunk Number Two."  When someone pulls off a character like Wolcott, you find a way to get him into the film.

"Boardwalk Empire" is filled with complicated characters, but Richard Harrow might just be the most complex. A skilled sniper, World War I left him disfigured and ostracized. Even wearing a tin faceplate isn't enough to keep him from looking like a monster to those around him. Unable to integrate back into ordinary life, he goes back to doing what he does best: killing. Despite his soft-spoken personality and kind heart, Richard Harrow is a cold-blooded murder machine when pointed in the right direction.

There are many great moments centering Richard Harrow, but the character's finest hour unquestionably arrives in Season 3's rescue mission subplot. This storyline, which features some of the most brutal deaths in "Boardwalk Empire," sees Richard attempt to save little Tommy Darmody from a mansion swarming with gun-toting gangsters. This seems like a hopeless endeavor, but Richard doesn't care: His friendship with fellow veteran Jimmy Darmody is one of the only genuine human connections Richard is able to form after the war leaves him physically and emotionally scarred. After Jimmy is killed, Richard will stop at nothing to protect his son. Watching him follow through is breathtaking.

"Mindhunter" feels very much in line with producer and director David Fincher's serial killer films, especially "Se7en" and "Zodiac." In fact, the show's color palette, expert use of visual effects, mechanical precision, and dark fixations position it as something of a culmination of Fincher's directorial style. Yet it also stands on its own two feet as a distinct work. 

The entire series is enthralling, with a plot that revolves around the inception and development of the FBI's criminal profiling program. Naturally, there are plenty of opportunities to explore dark subplots involving infamous real-life serial killers. From the Son of Sam to Charles Manson, "Mindhunter" delivers plenty of memorable stories featuring actors meticulously made up to resemble these real-world villains. Perhaps the serial killer most closely associated with the show is Ed Kemper, played brilliantly by Cameron Britton. Kemper's subplot is so captivating, he manages to feel like a main character, despite only appearing in four of the show's 19 episodes.

"The Shield" brings on a number of recognizable faces for major guest-starring roles, including Glenn Close as Monica Rawling in Season 4 and Anthony Anderson as Antwon Mitchell in Seasons 4, 5, and 6. One big-name guest star who leaves an indelible mark on the series is Forest Whitaker, who plays Internal Affairs investigator Jon Kavanaugh. This character and his corresponding subplot runs parallel to one of the series' overall narrative hooks, but it goes about things in a decidedly different manner.

Ultimately, Jon Kavanaugh goes through one of the series' biggest character arcs. He changes from a working professional attempting to root out police corruption to an unhinged maniac with a personal vendetta against Vic Mackey after the crooked cop sleeps with his damaged ex-wife. Forest Whitaker's magnificent performance is key to this storyline's success: As Kavanaugh's desperation to catch Vic rises, his entire demeanor changes. He transformation into a different man is a physical, emotional, and mental one, and the foundation of one of the show's greatest-ever storylines.