Eerie Examiner on the best recurring characters in Eerie Indiana

[froodle]

11) Fred Suggs, a.k.a. The Impostor Mr. Radford - Archie Hahn (6 Episodes)
Best Episode: "The Hole in the Head Gang"
One of the main problems with the first Mr. Radford was that he wasn't John Astin, which is kind of a dubious criticism. But after seeing Astin in the role, I can't help but enjoy that version of the character. Mr. Radford needed to be a kindly, old man to make the World O'Stuff a safe haven in Eerie. Suggs's character was too erratic, appearing in a different disguise every episode (complete with different accent and personality). It was too silly for the character, and he never seemed like a right match for the suburban utopia that Eerie was supposed to present itself as. Moving him to the Eerie Bank was a better fit for the character, where he could be shady without disrupting anyone.

10) Elvis Presley - Steve Peri (4 Episodes)
Best Episode: "Heart on a Chain"
Despite appearing in the opening credits every episode, Elvis only appeared a few times, usually in the background to remind the viewer that Elvis is still around, which is a nice touch. The people of Eerie show that they are aware of Elvis (as evidenced by Simon's lamp and Syndi's middle name), yet they never seem to make the connection that their neighbor is the King. According to IMDB, the actor only played Elvis in this show and in another movie, meaning he's probably just an Elvis impersonator. Or maybe he's Elvis himself.

9) Sergeant Knight - Harry Goaz (5 Episodes)
Best Episode: "Who's Who"
Despite a great introduction, in which he behaved like a lifeless machine spouting off highly-detailed personal information about Marshall Teller, Sgt. Knight unfortunately never kept that level of mysteriousness up. He remained rigid, but his intro implied that he knew everything about everything and was just a public servant keeping everything in order or else. This character needed more time to shine.

8) Marilyn Teller - Mary-Margaret Humes (19 Episodes)
Best Episode: "Foreverware"
The problem with Marshall's normal family was that they often had very little to do, other than be unaware of the weirdness. With the rest of the show being so weird, their scenes were often the least interesting aspect of the show. They were still fully developed characters, however. I picked "Foreverware" as Marilyn's best episode because there her "normalness" was used as a stark contrast to the "normal" housewives of Eerie. Seeing her behave like a real person who was messy and had flaws made for an interesting dynamic. It would have been fun to see more of her life outside of the family. She was a party planner and we never once saw her throw any parties! That was a wasted opportunity.

7) Mayor Winston Chisel - Gregory Itzin (4 Episodes)
Best Episode: "Mr. Chaney"
The sleazy, conniving mayor was a great aspect of why Eerie was the way it was. But I particularly love his disregard for his own public as he allows them to be killed off one by one, turning a blind eye to the dangerous weirdness that surrounds his city. Like Sgt. Knight, he would have benefited from an episode devoted to him, but at least he had a big role in the "Mr. Chaney" storyline, where he is finally confronted about his misdeeds.

6) Edgar Teller - Francis Guinan (19 Episodes)
Best Episode: "Marshall's Theory of Believability"
Like Marilyn, Edgar was underused and stuck with the "boring" scenes. But, he had hints of a more interesting life with his job at Things, Inc. We never got to see his workplace, but he was always referencing his work, so at least that was something. The "Believability" episode is great for him because it explores his relationship with Marshall and shows how difficult it is for them to connect, especially considering Marshall's belief in the paranormal and supernatural. It was a good dynamic that should have been fleshed out a bit more.

5) Syndi Teller - Julie Condra (18 Episodes)
Best Episode: "Tornado Days"
While Edgar and Marilyn usually kept to themselves, Syndi actually embraced her new life in Eerie. For her, it wasn't a weird place, it was a place where she was part of a community. From her trips with the Eerie Police to her stint as Miss Tornado Day, Syndi was comfortable in Eerie. Not to sound like a broken record, but this would have been another great side to explore in the series. If Syndi had some storylines in which she not only encountered weirdness, but enjoyed it, then there would have been a fun element that involved her more. She was always good for a quip here or there, but she was completely under utilized.

4) Dash X - Jason Marsden (6 Episodes)
Best Episode: "The Loyal Order of Corn"
Some people believe that the addition of Dash killed the series, but I thought he was exactly what the series needed. He was a bag full of mysteries and he allowed Marshall someone to play off of when discussing the town's weirdness. Here was a person who not only saw the abnormal side of Eerie, he exploited it when it benefitted him. Like Marshall, he had lots of questions, and his snarky behavior made his interactions with the town provide some much needed humor. Marshall was too serious for this "comedy" show. Dash had some fun. And yes, I fully believe he is Marshall's evil twin.

3) Mr. Radford - John Astin (5 Episodes)
Best Episode: "Zombies in P.J.s"
He had even less screen time than Dash and the first Mr. Radford, yet I could not imagine Eerie, Indiana or Eerie, Indiana without him. What else is there to say, other than John Astin is great? When he gets that glimmer in his eye, you know you're in for a treat. And while I listed the Faustian "Zombies" episode as his greatest episode, his best scenes are his existential pep talk in "Reality Takes a Holiday" and his whimsical creation of the werewolf cure milkshake in "Mr. Chaney."

2) Marshall Teller - Omri Katz/Eric Christmas (19 Episodes)
Best Episode: "The Lost Hour"
Despite only being 13, Marshall undergoes the typical mythical hero's journey throughout the series. We begin with him complaining about leaving his home in New Jersey behind. He claims to have enjoyed it because it was full of crime, implying that he had an adventurous streak in him. When he starts noticing Eerie's weirdness, he reluctantly faces off against it, but he still wants to leave. It isn't until "The Lost Hour" where he journeys to the "otherworld" and he accepts his fate. He and Eerie are linked by destiny. By the end of "Reality Takes a Holiday" he is sure that he must stay there, because that is his new home.

1) Simon Holmes - Justin Shenkarow (19 Episodes)
Best Episode: "The ATM with the Heart of Gold"
Like John Watson and Sancho Panza before him, Simon is a great, level-headed sidekick. Yet, by being a kid, he still have a sense of play and adventure. He usually provides some of the series' best lines and his knack for stating the obvious is often the critical element that helps him and Marshall out of their sticky situations. He is a character with a dark past which is often alluded to and one can't help but wonder/fear what his life would have been like had Marshall not come to town. It's a shame he only got one episode devoted to him. And, unlike a lot of child actors, he still felt like an average 9-year-old, even when he was encountering more mature situations. He was the character I most identified with as a 9-year-old kid. Like him, I wanted to be just like Marshall. But I still had some growing up to do.