History Main / MandatoryLine

* ''{{NCIS}}'': On a few unusual episodes (hostage situations, etc.) they have to shoehorn [[TheCoroner Ducky]] in, though he usually gets an entire scene. They fail at this only once (Legend, part 2).
* In season 2 of ''Series/{{Merlin}}'' the writers suddenly seemed allergic to the possibilty of Morgana and Gwen (who were best friends in season 1) sharing any sort of dialogue with each other. With one notable exception ("Lancelot and Guinevere") the episodes will either focus on one female character or the other, requiring the superfluous one to voice her MandatoryLine before fading into the background.

[[folder: Anime and Manga ]]

* Happened once with Daichi/Bastion Misawa in Season 1 of ''Anime/YuGiOhGX'' and may have been a early sign of [[DemotedToExtra what was to come.]] Over the course of two episodes, he only had ONE LINE:

** Kotori in ''YuGiOhZexal'' shows up to deliver a line in every single episode (usually [[SayMyName Yuma's name]]). It's particularly conspicuous because Kotori has very little relevance to the plot, which leads to her going to great lengths to tag along even when it makes no sense for her to tag along, delivering her line, and then doing nothing. One episode where Yuma was in another dimension featured the camera randomly cutting to Kotori for one scene to confirm that, yes, she was saying Yuma's name.

*** That's because AlysonHannigan is song-shy and she asked JossWhedon to leave her out of the singing as much as possible.

*** The later films were a bit better, if only because that, due to their rather long length, almost every character gets at least one decent scene, or running gag per film. Especially in ''ToBoldlyFlee'', which clocks over 3 hours. Lupa and Jewwario are just kind of there for most of the early film, but later save the day. Angry Joe and Marsgurl just kind of stand around snarking at people initially, but later get an action scene where they raid the ship. C.R. never really gets his own scene, but gets tons of technobabble lines, JO gets to be Ed and pick on Paw etc. And while Linkara and Spoony are barely in it, they play other characters in the film as well. Of all the recurring characters only the above mentioned Handsome Tom really doesn't do anything in any of the films having only had a few lines in the early ones, and not being in ''ToBoldlyFlee'' at all.

* [[TheScrappy Vanessa]] on ''GossipGirl'' in about half of the episodes she appears in.

* Tina's entire role on ''{{Glee}}'', where she is basically an AdvertisedExtra.

* One Veterinary Hospital sketch on ''TheMuppetShow'' had one of the Nurses claim that the patient (Kermit) had been under sedation - a box of aspirin fell on his head. When Kermit pointed out that this wasn't what had happened, the nurse said "I know, but it's my only joke."

* At the beginning of the third season of ''DrawnTogether'', Adam Carolla (who voices Spanky) had to miss two consecutive episodes due to scheduling conflicts. However, the producers made sure Spanky had dialogue in each episode by taking a couple of random lines recorded at other recording sessions and shoehorning them into the two episodes.

* Lampshaded in an episode of ''FamilyGuy''. "If you want Cleveland to say his first line in the episode, text [=FAMGUY3=]!"

->''"I have one job on this ship--it's ''stupid'', but I'm gonna do it, '''OK'''?"''
-->-- '''Gwen [=DeMarco=]''', ''Film/GalaxyQuest''

* The entire concept was viciously parodied in the movie ''Film/GalaxyQuest'', where the [[TheSmurfettePrinciple one female character's]] only purpose on the show was to repeat word for word anyone else's questions to the computer and the computer's (audible to everyone) replies. When someone questions her doing it, she angrily snaps that it's her one job and she will ''not'' give it up. As the scene goes on, it seems that the computer will ''only'' respond to her anyway.

** Harmony would have one, usually to highlight her total stupidity.

** Even the starring roles can get this from time to time. Captain Picard only gets one line in the very final scene of the ''[[Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration Next Generation]]'' episode "Thine Own Self", and there are a few episodes of ''[[Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine Deep Space Nine]]'' where Captain Sisko only gets a line or two as well.

* On ''Series/{{Angel}}'', after Wesley became estranged from the rest of the group, several episodes had him appearing only to have a bunch of sex with Lilah and not do anything relevant to the plot.
** Which is a pretty good consolation prize.

* In the ''WesternAnimation/{{Daria}}'' episode "Jane's Addition," Daria's parents and Quinn do not appear onscreen at all. About three minutes before the end of the episode, they each say one word, bearing relevance to his or her seemingly simplistic personality. (eg, socially-active Quinn exclaimed, "Date!") Daria followed their lines up with a one-word quote of her own ("Sarcasm!").

* Arwen does not appear in ''[[TheLordOfTheRings The Two Towers]]'' book, yet she graces [[Film/TheLordOfTheRings the film]] in series of dream sequences and flashbacks.

* The ''{{Futurama}}'' episode "Kif Gets Knocked Up a Notch" revolves around Kif, Amy, and Leela. Although Fry is present through most of the episode, he only gets a throwaway line here and there, which actually makes his lack of lines more noticeable (the episode commentary addresses this). Zapp Brannigan, who is played by Billy West as well, gets quite a few more lines.

** In fairness, she does also frequent the same coffee shop (Cafe Nervosa) that Niles and Fraiser spend a remarkable amount of time in.
** A better example from this show would be Bulldog, who was originally intended as a series regular, but almost immediately began appearing in cameo roles because his only connection to anyone was that he had the timeslot after Roz and Frasier's show.

** To be fair, Lost's setting doesn't allow him to wander off and come back when needed, especially with him being very unfamiliar with the island.

** The main Boys also make brief appearances in other characters' [[ADayInTheLimelight Days In the Limelight]], usually with at least one scene or gag involving Cartman. It's worth noting that two of the least popular episodes[[hottip:* :"Not Without My Anus", which centers around Terrance and Philip, and "A Million Little Fibers", which focuses solely on Towelie]] are the only episodes to feature none of the main characters.

* Ginny Weasley in TheFilmOfTheBook versions of ''Film/HarryPotter and the [[HarryPotterAndThePrisonerOfAzkaban Prisoner of Azkaban]]'', ''[[HarryPotterAndTheGobletOfFire Goblet of Fire]]'' and ''[[HarryPotterAndTheOrderOfThePhoenix Order of the Phoenix]]''. In ''Azkaban'', she ''literally'' had one line. At least she still appears...

* Two terrific examples from ThatGuyWithTheGlasses, in their two MassiveMultiplayerCrossover events. In the first one, the Epic Brawl, ''everyone'' was reduced to this except for the Nostalgia Critic and WebVideo/TheAngryVideoGameNerd. The second one, ''{{Kickassia}}'', was a little better about fleshing out the characters, but over half of the contributors (including fairly popular ones like Angry Joe and Benzaie) were still stuck in this mode.

* Arwen does not appear in ''[[TheLordOfTheRings The Two Towers book]]'', yet she graces [[Film/TheLordOfTheRings the film]] in series of dream sequences and flashbacks.

* Lampshaded in [[WebVideo/YuGiOhTheAbridgedSeries Yu-Gi-Oh! The Other Abridged Movie]]:

*** The later films were a bit better, if only because that, due to their rather long length, almost every character gets at least one decent scene, or running gag per film. Especially in ToBoldlyFlee, which clocks over 3 hours. Lupa and Jewwario are just kind of there for most of the early film, but later save the day. Angry Joe and Marsgurl just kind of stand around snarking at people initially, but later get an action scene where they raid the ship. C.R. never really gets his own scene, but gets tons of technobabble lines, JO gets to be Ed and pick on Paw etc. And while Linkara and Spoony are barely in it, they play other characters in the film as well. Of all the recurring characters only the above mentioned Handsome Tom really doesn't do anything in any of the films having only had a few lines in the early ones, and not being in ToBoldlyFlee at all.
**** Justified for Handsome Tom in that he doesn't really enjoy acting and prefers to have the minor parts he was given, even turning down a role in To Boldly Flee in favor for a minor cameo.

--->'''Bart''': I think we should look at her research before we condemn her completely.
--->''(everyone stares at Bart, shocked)''
--->'''Bart''': I haven't said anything for a while.

--> '''[[spoiler: Sue Storm]]''': "Hi, Cap. I'm gonna sleep now."
* The ''Futurama'' episode "Kif Gets Knocked Up a Notch" revolves around Kif, Amy, and Leela. Although Fry is present through most of the episode, he only gets a throwaway line here and there, which actually makes his lack of lines more noticeable (the episode commentary addresses this). Zapp Brannigan, who is played by Billy West as well, gets quite a few more lines.