History OneSceneWonder / LiveActionTv

* A fourth season episode of ''Series/{{Barry}}"" has Creator/BillBurr make a VoiceOnlyCameo as Pastor Nick St. Angelo, a hockey player turned fire-and-brimstone preacher and podcast host who argues that murder is not a sin in the eyes of God and in fact totally justified.

** The Indonesian mycology professor Ratna and the Indonesian general Agus Hidayat (portrayed by Christine Hakim and Yayu A.W. Unru, respectively) who show up in the prologue of the second episode set just before the outbreak have left a lasting impression on fans for showing the terror of the fungal outbreak as explained by Dr. Neuman, to the point that they have to resort to crossing a GodzillaThreshold to contain the infection, [[SenselessSacrifice which by that point was way too late]], [[ForegoneConclusion and that the end of human civilization cannot be avoided.]]

** Creator/JohnHannah appears in the premiere for an original three minute scene as a mycologist on a talk show in the DistantPrologue. In those three minutes, he proceeds to give an utterly chilling breakdown as to why a fungal outbreak, like the one viewers are soon going to see, would be so terrifying and immediately sets the tone of dread for [[JustBeforeTheEnd the first half of the episode]] and the overall mood for the show.

* ''Series/TheLastOfUs2023'': Creator/JohnHannah appears for an original three minute scene as a mycologist on a talk show in the DistantPrologue. In those three minutes, he proceeds to give an utterly chilling breakdown as to why a fungal outbreak, like the one viewers are soon going to see, would be so terrifying and immediately sets the tone of dread for [[JustBeforeTheEnd the first half of the episode]] and the overall mood for the show.

* ''Series/TheLastOfUs2023'': Creator/JohnHannah appears for an original three minute scene as a mycologist on a talk show in the DistantPrologue. In those three minutes, he proceeds to give an utterly chilling breakdown as to why a fungal outbreak, like the one viewers are soon going to see, would be so terrifying and immediately sets the tone of dread for the first half of the episode and the overall mood for the show.

** The Raston Robot Warrior in "[[Recap/DoctorWho20thASTheFiveDoctors The Five Doctors]]", which makes the most of its screen-time by slaughtering a horde of Cybermen. (It's even better for those who regard the eighties Cybermen as a DorkAge.)

** Lister's friend Petersen, who has appeared in only two episodes ("[[Recap/RedDwarfSeasonITheEnd The End]]" and "[[Recap/RedDwarfSeasonIIStasisLeak Stasis Leak]]") plus a few flashbacks in the first two series is nevertheless one of the most liked characters in the series. The fact he wasn't able to be brought back for Series VIII is a serious WhatCouldHaveBeen for most fans.

* Several examples in ''Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries'': Lt. Riley, who appeared in only two episodes; [[GrandeDame T'Pau]] and [[ChildhoodMarriagePromise T'Pring]] from "[[{{Recap/StarTrekS2E1AmokTime}} Amok Time]]"; [[FollowInMyFootsteps Sarek]] and [[AmazinglyEmbarrassingParents Amanda]] in "[[{{Recap/StarTrekS2E10JourneyToBabel}} Journey to Babel]]"; the Romulan Commanders in "[[Recap/StarTrekS1E14BalanceOfTerror Balance of Terror]]" and "[[{{Recap/StarTrekS3E2TheEnterpriseIncident}} The Enterprise Incident]]"; Baalok from "[[{{Recap/StarTrekS1E10TheCorbomiteManeuver}} The Corbomite Maneuver]]"; the [[Recap/StarTrekS1E17TheSquireOfGothos Squire of Gothos]]; the [[SiliconBasedLife Horta]].

* Two of the most acclaimed moments in S2 of ''Series/{{Fleabag}}'' revolved around these: Fiona Shaw as a counsellor and Kristin Scott Thomas as the recipient of a Women In Business award with whom the title character forms a strong though transient connection.

** [[TheAce Lord Flashheart]], especially in "[[Recap/BlackadderS2E1Bells Bells]]", where he appears out of nowhere, goes through his monologue, and disappears again in less than two minutes of screen time, and totally runs away with the episode.[[spoiler:And the girl]]. [[spoiler:"Woof!"]]
*** [[WordOfGod In an interview]] Creator/RikMayall said he only agreed to play Flashheart if he got more laughs than the main character in that episode.

** Nimoy as William Bell deserves some sort of minimalist record for this. He had two lines in the Season 1 finale, then showed up for less than a minute in a fragmented flashback to the same scene four episodes later, and then had another one-line cameo in the mid-season cliffhanger. Then, the character was conspicuously absent in the WholeEpisodeFlashback "Peter", with a lame excuse about being away on business, and then Nimoy retired from acting after filming one more appearance for season 2 [[spoiler:though he does reappear again briefly at the end of season four]].

** Nimoy as William Bell deserves some sort of minimalist record for this. He had two lines in the Season 1 finale, then showed up for less than a minute in a fragmented flashback to the same scene four episodes later, and then had another one-line cameo in the mid-season cliffhanger. Then, the character was conspicuously absent in the WholeEpisodeFlashback "Peter", with a lame excuse about being away on business, and then Nimoy retired from acting after filming one more appearance for season 2.

** Creator/PatrickStewart put in a magnificently scene-stealing turn as a one-off character in a [[https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Recap/FrasierS11E03TheDoctorIsOut final season episode]].

* ''Series/{{Frasier}}:

** Creator/PatrickStewart put in a gloriously scene-stealing turn as a one-off character in a [[https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Recap/FrasierS11E03TheDoctorIsOut final season episode]].

* ''Series/{{Frasier}}'' had Creator/JohnGlover make a guest appearance as a high-powered executive at the radio station. And [[LargeHam It]]. [[SugarWiki/FunnyMoments Is]]. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EjWipjKclBY Glorious]]. The scene managed to earn Glover an Emmy nomination.

** Creator/JohnCleese's magnificent minute-long cameo toward the end of fan-favorite "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS17E2CityOfDeath City of Death]]". [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mmal0PMkmI Exquisite.]]

* ''Series/HomicideLifeOnTheStreet'' features a lot of memorable characters played by great actors who pop up for only one or two scenes.

** In the ''Series/{{Dollhouse}}'' episode "The Left Hand" (2x06), there is supposedly some ''other'' plot involving Echo and Senator Perrin, but it's hard to pay attention to that when you've got Summer Glau and Fran Kranz on the same screen together.

** In the same chapter, we have the Glass Worker, which had a little advantage by guessing which glass step was which. By making the VIP's to do the decision to take away the light, it shows the Audience that life wasn't fair, if it was for enjoyment for her, hiding in with the word "Equal"

** In the same chapter, we have the Glass Worker, which had a little advantage by guessing which glass step was which. By making the VIP's to do the decision to take away the light, it shows the AUdience that life wasn't fair, if it was for enjoyment for her, hiding in with the word "Equal"

** Although Ali (Player 199) becomes a recurrent cast member, his introduction was almost at the end of the first episode, by grabbing the main character just before falling., causing a major impact in the audience, to the point that they were cheering more on Ali to make it alive.
** The married couple, even when they appeared briefly during chapters 4 and 6 [[spoiler:(And only the husband in chapter 7)]], the audience will always remember them by how tragic they as a concept are, especially during chapter 6, when both have to play Marbles, [[spoiler: and only one of them comes out alive, leading it later to the partner's suicide.]]

** It is also a virtual certainty that if the show has any recurring feature that pokes fun at a specific actor or political figure the person being mocked will eventually show up in the middle of the feature and completely steal the scene. For example, one open had Creator/TinaFey as UsefulNotes/SarahPalin doing a press conference. In the middle of it, cut to back stage, where Lorne Michaels is talking to the ''real'' Sarah Palin about the skit...and then Creator/AlecBaldwin comes up and mistakes Palin for Fey.

** For most of 1995-96, a recurring sketch would be "The Creator/JoePesci Show" with Jim Breuer as a Pesci who would talk like his movie characters, get nuts and hit guys with a bat. Colin Quinn played Creator/RobertDeNiro as if it was still the 1970's and talk in "one word sentences." It all ended with the real Pesci and [=DeNiro=] coming on to beat the two up.

** Dame Creator/DianaRigg who is in two scenes. In the first she gets a condom flicked onto her head while she's eating soup, and instructs the perpetrator (Creator/DanielRadcliffe!) on how to politely ask for it back again. In the second she wearily tells him to go away because [[SugarWiki/FunnyMoments he's been trying to hit on her all day]]).

* ''Series/{{Supernatural}}'' has [[spoiler: the fourth Horseman, Death]], played by Julian Richings, who manages to exude pure awesome simply by being there, despite roughly six minutes of screen time.

* [[CrazyAwesome Jubal Early]] in ''Series/{{Firefly}}'', who only appeared in [[Recap/FireflyE14ObjectsInSpace the last episode]] yet was perhaps the greatest part of an already great series.

*** Her reunion with Des in the fourth season finale (her only scene in that two hour episode making it a literal example) is a [[SugarWiki/HeartwarmingMoments is a ray of hope and happiness]] in an otherwise [[CrapsackWorld grim episode.]]

** Martian Lt. Lopez (Greg Bryk) appears in two episodes when the main crew is captured. Antagonistic in the first, by the second he exemplifies the ideal of a Martian military true believer. Sharp, professional, and perceptive as an officer, he also aggressively proclaims the Martian dedication to their all-consuming mission of making a livable planet, while keeping no secret of his disdain for aimless Earth living. When Martian goals end up coinciding with the main characters', he and his squad [[spoiler:give their lives to get them away safely. His last words:]] "It would've been nice to see an ocean on Mars."
** One of the most emotional scenes in the entire series shows Champa (Gugan Deep Singh), a strong enforcer type initially desperate to escape a dying space station along with a mob of other abandoned Belters[[note]]residents of the working class asteroid belt used to being exploited by Earth or Mars, instilling a cynical and often brutal outlook[[/note]], being convinced by main character Naomi to help her control the mob and limit the evacuation to the 52 people the ship can carry. He gives an impromptu speech to muster the pride and grit of all the Belters present and then guards the door while children and young men and women are allowed to board. At the end [[spoiler:he turns down the seat Naomi bribed him with, telling her "you're not done yet" as he pushes her into the ship. He watches stoically through the airlock window as Naomi tearfully nods and leaves with the rest of the survivors.]]