From ‘Hacks’ to ‘Better Call Saul’, Let’s Celebrate Scene-Stealing TV Assistants

If we’ve learned anything from 2022 TV, it’s this: Behind so many great protagonists lie great assistants. From new series like Apple TV+’s Loot and Showtime’s I Love That for You, to returning faves like HBO Max’s Hacks and AMC’s Better Call Saul, assistants have dominated our screens this year. Though these characters often have minor roles — existing solely to aid main characters or drive storylines forward — a good TV assistant knows how to steals scenes, charm viewers, and genuinely enhance a show. Like so many real world assistants, those on television are frequently underrated, under-appreciated, and likely underpaid. So it’s time we properly praise their contributions.

When I think of assistants who are vital to a series, Francesca Liddy (Tina Parker) from Better Call Saul leaps to mind. Francesca worked as Jimmy’s (Bob Odenkirk) secretary/office assistant over the years, and no matter what he threw her way, she always got the job done. While she does assist Jimmy with actual legal clients, she also plays a key role in his transition to Saul Goodman by aiding in illicit activities. Better Call Saul‘s sixth and final season shows Jimmy pulling out all the stops to rehire Francesca — a discreet woman he can trust to handle his risky new business era. Whether Francesca’s making suspicious phone calls, shredding incriminating documents, sharing tequila shots, or driving Kim to Blockbuster Video post-car accident, she never fails to rise to the occasion.

While Francesca, who sticks with Jimmy through Breaking Bad and is certainly his most loyal assistant, it’s worth noting that he did hire extra help throughout the series. Though not assistants in name, we must shout out Camera Guy Joey Dixon (Josh Fadem), makeup artist Drama Girl (Hayley Holmes), and Sound Guy (Julian Bonfiglio), who’ve worked with Jimmy for years, filming deceptive commercials, staging heroic ruses, and shooting the photos for Season 6’s big Howard Hamlin takedown.

Most assistants, like those in the Better Call Saul universe, live to make their bosses’ lives easier. But Hacks proves that isn’t always the case. In many ways, talent agent Jimmy’s (Paul W. Downs) assistant, Kayla (Megan Stalter), gets paid to make his life hell. She’s heavily chaotic, perpetually bemused, and seriously crushing on her boss. Also, her dad is one of the company’s top dogs, so she gets away with it all. Part of what makes Kayla so irresistible to viewers is the fact that she’s a supporting character with massive main character energy. Stalter brings Kayla’s extremely sassy, extra persona to life in ways so precise I sometimes have to remind myself that she is, in fact, acting. Her chemistry with Downs perfectly lends itself to their characters’ messy, at times problematic, dynamic. As a result, their shared scenes are some of Season 2’s best. Jimmy’s role, and truly the show as a whole, would be far less amusing without such a shitty, albeit well-meaning, assistant.

Hacks pushes boundaries with Kayla, but they balance her unprofessionalism out with Marcus (Carl Clemons-Hopkins), the acting assistant to comedian Deborah Vance (Jean Smart) and CEO of her empire. Marcus may not inspire the laughs or exude the on-screen charm that Kayla does, but his over-commitment to work and messy personal life make for compelling scenes. Not to mention, he’s an angel for putting up with the Deborah Vance.

Speaking of male assistants who spend their weeks lifting up badass women, it’s time to celebrate I Love That for You’s Darcy Leeds (Matt Rogers). Whether he’s managing his boss Patricia’s (Jenifer Lewis) calendar or refilling her coveted bowl of Rolos, Darcy’s the kind of guy who will ditch a trip to Martha’s Vineyard with former Vanity Fair editor in chief Graydon Carter if he so much as senses that his employer needs emotional support. Rogers brings a level of personality to Darcy that pops off the screen, strengthening every scene he’s in. Whether he’s displaying revelatory facial expressions or gracefully handling Patricia’s outbursts, he proves himself indispensable — as an employee and a character.

Loot’s star assistant, Nicholas (Joel Kim Booster), gives off similarly loyal, ride or die Darcy vibes alongside his billionaire boss Molly Wells (Maya Rudolph). Nicholas is always available to be a plus one, compare Molly to Jennifer Lopez, and make sure she’s not locked in the bathroom watching videos of her ex-husband, which goes above and beyond the call of duty. Darcy and Nicholas (who would totally hit it off, by the way) are more than just assistants. They’re genuine friends with their bosses, which means that keeping it real, along with occasional arguments and heart to hearts, are part of the job.

From 30 Rock’s Kenneth Parcell (Jack McBrayer) to Parks and Recreation’s April Ludgate (Aubrey Plaza), we’ve seen our share of quality and nightmarish TV assistants throughout the years. But the above icons prove that 2022 has been a standout time for crucial, fleshed out assistant story lines. These characters will likely never be the stars of their shows. But just like their bosses, we’d be lost without them.