Most people are familiar with the concept of a one-hit wonder in music. It’s a band that releases a song that gets immensely popular, but nothing else they release comes close to it.
Lou Bega’s “Mambo No. 5,” Gotye’s “Somebody That I Used To Know,” and Soft Cell’s “Tainted Love” are some of the biggest and most well-known one-hit wonders in the music industry.
But what about one-hit wonders from television? These are the actors, directors, or writers who made it big and were everywhere before quietly disappearing into the background.
Nic Pizzollatto
Given at how strong the first season of True Detective (pictured above) is, you’d expect that Pizzollatto would be a much bigger name in the industry.
Then again, the second season was incredibly weak, so yeah.
Pizzollatto served as the series’ creator and showrunner. Aside from that, though, he hasn’t done anything notable.
Adrien Grenier
Grenier’s biggest claim to fame is undoubtedly his role as Vincent Chase in the HBO series Entourage.
He’s had some other notable parts too, including Drive Me Crazy (co-star along Melissa Joan Hart) and Anne Hathaway’s boyfriend in The Devil Wears Prada.
However, nothing came even close to matching his prominance in Entourage. You can argue, too, that Grenier’s career is a perfect example of someone who should have become a bigger star.
James Marsters
On paper, Marsters has two notable series appearances on his belt. There’s just one catch, though: he’s playing the same character.
He is best known for Spike in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, as well as eventually appearing on that series’ spin-off, Angel. However, unlike his Angel co-star, Marsters never really took off in a major role elsewhere.
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Emily Deschanel
Speaking of that co-star, David Boreanaz went from Angel to co-starring alongside Emily Deschanel in the crime drama Bones for an impressive 12 seasons.
However, this is a case of history repeating itself: Deschanel was unable to find prominent work elsewhere.
She’s arguably better known as Zoey Deschanel’s sister, who has starred in a cavalcade of projects over the years.
Carter Bays and Craig Thomas
It’s common for a show creator to follow up on their success. After Seinfeld, Larry David gave us Curb Your Enthusiasm. Vince Gilligan went from Breaking Bad to Better Call Saul.
The same cannot be said for Carter Bays and Craig Thomas, the co-creators of How I Met Your Mother (pictured above). They’ve had somewhat steady work throughout the years, but for the most part, failed to find anything close to the success of the hit sitcom.
Josh Radnor
Speaking of How I Met Your Mother, let’s talk about the show’s lead.
Josh Radnor is the only cast member on the show who has not seen mainstream success elsewhere. It’s strange, but true!
The only comparable cast member is Cobie Smulders, but she played S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Maria Hill in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Even Cristin Milioti, who joined the cast late in its run as The Mother, has had an impressive, long-running career.
Tim Kring
Okay, to be fair to Kring, who created Heroes (pictured above), you can’t help but wonder what his career would have looked like if it wasn’t for the 2007–08 Writers Guild of America strike.
He did have a steady career before and after the show, but given how iconic that first season is, you just wonder what else he would have done if its momentum wasn’t cut short.
Josh Holloway
Speaking of iconic shows, few things have ever matched the hype that was Lost in the 2000s. One of the big reasons for that is the character of James “Sawyer” Ford, played by Josh Holloway.
Given how impactful the show was, as well as the strength of his performance, it felt like Holloway was poised to be one of the next big things in Hollywood…only that never happened.
He’s had some bit parts over the years, including a recurring role on Yellowstone, but he might be the best example of a television one-hit wonder.
Erik Per Sullivan
Per Sullivan has been in the news recently due to his continued retirement from acting, turning down a chance to appear in the Malcolm in the Middle reboot.
Some may point to that as proof that he’s not a true one-hit wonder, but Per Sullivan was actually in the process of building up a steady line of work. He appeared in the Oscar-nominated film The Cider House Rules, as well as various other parts during his Malcolm in the Middle run.
Nothing ever came of it, though, arguably leaving the business on a high note.
In similar fashion, Gleeson enjoyed a slow but steady career until his breakout role: Joffrey Baratheon in Game of Thrones. He was absolutely perfect for the role, earning the hatred of many television viewers.
Like Per Sullivan, Gleeson retired from acting, but did make a return as of late. However, he hasn’t starred in any high-profile projects since his return, and I’d be surprised if he ever does.
Michael Richards
Three members of the Seinfeld cast have enjoyed long, successful careers both before and after the show aired. The fourth is Michael Richards.
That’s no fault of his; he’s clearly a talented actor, but he was arguably typecast due to the strength of his performance as Cosmo Kramer. His infamous incident at the Laugh Factory in 2006 may have hurt things as well.
Chris Carter
The X-Files (pictured above) is one of the best science fiction shows of all time, as well as one of the best 90s shows. You’d figure that its creator, Chris Carter, would have had a strong career since its conclusion, but alas, that hasn’t been the case.
This could be an example of Carter being carried by his team. Glen Morgan, James Wong, Darin Morgan, Vince Gilligan, and Frank Spotnitz are all incredibly talented writers. It makes you wonder if they were the real reason for the show’s success.
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