Top 10 TV Shows That Were So Good They Launched Careers

It isn’t unheard of for a relatively unknown actor to become a star after landing a role on a television show. Stranger things have happened. However, in the case of Millie Bobby Brown, it was literally “Stranger Things” that happened. The show was a hit from the start and by the second and third seasons was setting viewership records on Netflix. Not to mention the 88-97% ratings it’s first four seasons scored on Rotten Tomatoes. And there’s one more number we have to mention… Eleven. Millie Bobby Brown was only 12 years old when she was cast as Eleven, and it changed her life. Roles in two “Godzilla” movies and the lead in the “Enola Holmes” franchise soon came after “Stranger Things.”

Given that the show never really drew big audiences, the fact that “Friday Night Lights” stayed on the air for 5 years is a testament to the high quality of the show. And while most of the younger actors on the show were relatively unknown when the series premiered, that certainly wasn’t the case by the end of its run. Taylor Kitsch was probably the biggest breakout star of the show. Kitsch even looked like he might be a big movie action star with his starring role in “John Carter.” That film flopped hard, but Kitsch survived and has had a nice career. Jesse Plemons didn’t burn as bright initially, but has had a great run in movies and television since the show ended.

These days it’s hard to imagine Jon Hamm being in a television show or a movie without his name being front and center in advertisements and on posters. But before 2007 that was how it was. In 2005 people weren’t writing about his 2-episode run on “CSI: Miami.” But in 2008 he was hosting “Saturday Night Live” for the first of three times (so far). What took Hamm from random actor to “SNL” superstar? Two words…. “Mad Men.” The multi-Emmy winning show, found in the top 10 of many “Best of” lists, was a cultural phenomenon and the launchpad for Hamm’s now rather impressive film and television career.

The character of Andy Dwyer was only supposed to be a temporary character on “Parks and Recreation,”but the producers loved him and made him a main cast member. And the rest is history - and a whole lot of working out. Because while “Parks and Recreation” launched his mega-star movie career, it did so with Pratt as a buff action star - as opposed to the not-so-buff (and not-so-bright) guy he was on the show. Although the comedy’s reviews were mixed for season one, once they hit their stride in season two it was pretty much all acclaim from then on. This kept the show on the air and allowed Pratt to go from Pawnee to “Jurassic World” and beyond.

Yes, Steve Carell gained recognition from his time on “The Daily Show,” but it wasn’t “The Daily Show” that got him paid $5 million to star in “Evan Almighty” or a reported $10-15 million per movie and $1 million per episode of television. That all traces back to “The Office” and his brilliant turn as Michael Scott on the critically-acclaimed sitcom. And speaking of “The Office” launch parties, the show also no doubt sent John Krasinski’s career on a path few would’ve seen coming prior to its premier. As one half of the Pam and Jim love affair, Krasinski made his way into our hearts and has since become TV’s Jack Ryan and a successful horror film writer/director.

With all due respect to 2000’s “Dude, Where's My Car?” we can't really give that surprise box-office hit credit for Jennifer Garner’s career. However, we can give that credit to her next project which premiered the following year on television screens. “Alias” was part of wave of shows featuring strong, ass-kicking women and for Garner, that ass-kicking kicked her career into overdrive. In 2002 she cameo’d in “Catch Me If You Can” and followed that up over the next couple years with starring roles in “13 Going on 30” and “Elektra.” And she hasn’t looked back since.

Woody Harrelson didn’t show up at “Cheers” until the fourth season, but arriving late certainly didn’t hurt his career. In fact, being on one of the greatest sitcoms of all time most certainly helped. While the long-running, top-rated show made almost every actor on it a household name during the 80s and into the 90s, not everyone emerged on the other side with a career as impressive as Harrelsons. With his newfound fame, Harrelson landed a co-starring role in the great 1992 comedy “White Men Can't Jump.” He followed that up with “Indecent Proposal” and “Natural Born Killers.” The 21st century has only seen him do more great work, like his amazing performance in the first season of HBO’s “True Detective” in 2014.

In the 80s George Clooney had a recurring role in “E/R” - a sitcom that aired on CBS for one season. The show sucked and it didn’t do much for his career. However, a decade later he would once again head to the “ER” - this time in one of the best medical dramas of all time. And this time his career following his time on the show would be that of great Hollywood success and stardom. From acting to directing, Clooney has seen big box office and critical acclaim. While most of us hope never to have to go to the ER, for Clooney, his second trip there was exactly what the career doctor ordered.

Idris Elba had been acting in television and the movies for almost 10 years when he landed the role of Russell "Stringer" Bell on “The Wire.” And yet he was - at that point - so relatively unknown to American audiences that most of us watching surely didn’t realize he was British and putting on his American accent. Since then however, Elba has become a very prominent and successful actor on both continents, a one-time People’s “Sexiest Man Alive” and often mentioned in rumors about who will be the next James Bond. As for the series itself - while the ratings were never very good, “The Wire” was praised by many critics at the time and is now often ranked among the 5 greatest shows ever.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

“The Sopranos” (1999-2007), James Gandolfini
Often Called the Best Show of All Time, It Brought Gandolfini to True Prominence

“My So-Called Life” (1994-95), Jared Leto
In Just One Season, We All Fell in Love with the Show & Jordan Catalano

“Game of Thrones” (2011-19), Kit Harington
We’d Join the Night’s Watch for Jon Snow

“Battlestar Galactica” (2004-09), Katee Sackhoff
Howard Wolowitz Wasn’t the Only One That Fell for Sackhoff Because of “Battlestar Galactica”

“NYPD Blue” (1993-2005), David Caruso
Caruso Left in Season Two, but Never Did Anything That Good Again

To say that “Friends” launched the careers of the main cast members is kind of an understatement. The show is one of the most popular and beloved sitcoms of all time and while the six actors all had careers before “Friends,” the show basically gave them worldwide superstardom. From “The Rachel” haircut to “How you doin’?” the show made a cultural impact like few television shows ever have. And the work each of the actors have been able to do since is pretty much all thanks to their being cast as one of the “Friends.” Let's just say that, as far as their careers go, since “Friends” premiered it has definitely been their day, their week, their month, and even their years.