Pete, played by ex-Brookside actor David Easter, provided the series with a much-needed villain, and he quickly became the show's standout character, eventually marrying Claire, who had been deserted by Duncan after giving birth to his twin children.

IGN also noted the addition of Desmond Hume as a standout new character.

John Maynard of The Washington Post feel that creator Josh Schwartz "turns it up a notch" from his former series The O.C., and noted Dan (Penn Badgley) as a standout character.

Farah Farouque from The Age called Stanley "one of the show's triumvirate of standout characters".

Farmer's original concept of the Wold Newton family was of a literary merging between novels, a crossover between multiple works, linking standout fictional characters into a deliberate family and coherent chronology.

In 2012, the character was named as one of the standout characters of the show's first 20 years.

Fergus Sheil of The Age said chose Max as the standout character from the episode airing on 21 April 2005, however was unimpressed by the lack of scientific knowledge in the episode.

Maya Rudolph in particular has a wide, outrageous range, with standout characters like the moody, champagne-guzzling diva Donatella Versace.

If there is a standout character among the ensemble, it would be Lloyd.

The standout "character" is Picasso, who is an egotist and often speaks in broken English, but somehow charms.