TV: TV Shows that got better AFTER they changed some Characters/Actors

[RobBrown4PM]

Babylon 5 - after they replaced Cmdr. Jeffrey Sinclair (Michael O'Hare) with Capt. John Sheridan (Bruce Boxleitner)

Came here to say this.

I like O'hare alot, but he wasn't nearly as charismatic as Boxleitner. His charisma pushed his character over the hump and allowed Sheridan to flourish.

 

[Ozz]

FAMILY MATTERS

/end thread

Urkel barely had any lines in season 1 !!!

He was only meant to be a one-off/infrequent character so it stands to reason. He wasn't replaced, though. Heck, at the end of the series they changed Harriet. It most certainly did not get better then.

 

[les Habs]

Vivica Fox replacing Cheryl Hines in Curb Your Enthusiasm:

 

[Mimsy]

"The Facts of Life" revamped its cast after one season, cutting four girls from the main cast, along with two headmaster type characters. After Nancy McKeon was added, the show went from the chopping block to being one of the most enduring sitcoms of the 80s.

I like the first season with the larger cast of girls, but understand why they were cut. Too many characters and story lines to manage. I'll still watch episodes from season one every now and then.

This wasn't a great show by any means, but I always tuned in during its original run. I grew bored with it in later seasons and moved on.

 

[Tkachuk4MVP]

Adam Scott was a straight man too, though. For whatever reason, he had better chemistry with the rest.

He was a straight man with certain characters (e.g. Tom), but not with others. His goofy side came out quite often.

 

[Leafsdude7]

Star Trek Voyager: swapping Kes for Seven of Nine

Regardless of the reasons for the change, Jeri Ryan was flat out a better actress and she had some great episodes.

Even as one who liked Kes, I completely agree.

 

[RockLobster]

It only lasted one season, but I'd say that "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip" got better when they brought Mark McKinney on, along with both of Lucy Punch's and Columbus Short's characters. I mean, the show still bombed, but I thought it got better after their introductions.

 

[Tawnos]

Both of the ones I thought of were mentioned pretty quickly. Voyager and Parks & Rec.

I'll mention one that is only kind of a change in cast. The West Wing. The intention for Moira Kelly's character, Mandy, was to be a foil for Bradley Whitford's character, Josh. Kelly had no chemistry with the cast and was gone after the first season... and essentially written out of the show while the first season was happening. Janel Moloney's character, Donna, ws immediately a better fit for that intended role and, by the second season, was in the main credits.

 

[MoreOrr]

Changes they made
McLean Stevenson (Lt Col Blake) for Harry Morgan (potter)
Larry Linville (Burns) for David Ogden Stiers (Winchester)
Wayne Rogers(trapper) For Mike Farrell (BJ HoneyCutt)---Not everyone agree with this--but I like Rogers--but having both him and Alan Alda chasing woman was a bit much sometimes.

Agree with all of those changes being for the better (especially Winchester). Although it's kind of a toss up being Trapper and Honnicutt.

While I enjoy the early episodes of Law and Order for their very dark, gritty feel, it's hard to argue that adding Orbach and Waterston after Dzunda/Sorvino and Moriarity gave the show a more "likeable" feel.

These also were very good changes, especially Waterston over Moriarity.

 

[izzy]

British comedy show called Cuckoo. Season 1 was okay with Andy Samberg, but he was replaced in Season 2 with Taylor Lautner. They also replaced the female lead with another actress (same character though). Somehow it became way funnier.

rating of the episides, most of S1 are at the bottom:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2222352/eprate?ref_=tt_eps_rhs_sm

Might actually be because they made Ken the main focus on the show after S1 and gave more airtime to Steve though

 

[Ozz]

Perfect Strangers: in the pilot, Cousin Larry was Louie Anderson. I haven't seen it, but I think that one speaks for itself.

 

[The Nemesis]

Perfect Strangers: in the pilot, Cousin Larry was Louie Anderson. I haven't seen it, but I think that one speaks for itself.

Pilots probably shouldn't count just given how much things tend to change between them and the series proper.

 

[Jumptheshark]

here is one that some may or may not agree with

Barney Miller--one of the best shows from the 70's--like MASH it mixed comedy and drama

The main guy they added was Steve Landesberg, while dropping Gregory Sierra and not replacing Jack Soo(wasnt the coffee) passed away and Abe Vigoda came and went a few times. By Adding Landesberg the brought in the university detective that was actually starting to be around, they had Ron Glass as the smart alack and Wojo as the stereotypical NY detective of the 70's--while Gregory Sierra, Soo and Vigoda were terrific in their roles--there were too many detectives playing off of each other

 

[tarheelhockey]

I was pretty skeptical when The Office brought in a slew of new characters in the third season. For such a chemistry-driven show, I'm still not sure if that was a good idea on balance. But the Andy Bernard character turned out to be one of the driving forces behind the show's "second wind".

 

[Acadmus]

Changes they made
McLean Stevenson(Lt Col Blake) for Harry Morgan (potter)
Larry Linville(Burns) for David Ogden Steirs(Winchester)
Wayne Rogers(trapper) For Mike Farrell(BJ HoneyCutt)---Not everyone agree with this--but I like Rogers--but having both him and Alan Alda both chasing woman was a bit much sometimes


Other Shows like NYPD Blue(they changed a lot) but the David Caruso for Jimmy Smits changed the show for the better IMO

Night Court and Cheers were both forced to change due to deaths of cast members--but they got good replacements

what other shows can you think of that got better after changes--most get worse--but some have gotten better

I won't say I think Stevenson for Morgan or Linville for Ogden Stiers made the show better. The characters were different and it changed the chemistry of the show, but at least it seemed to be as good after so it all evened out. The only one that seemed an improvement was Rogers for Farrell, as Honeycutt's personality meshed better with Hawkeye's, especially as they pulled endless pranks on Frank and later Winchester. Rogers just didn't seem to have the levity in his act, even as Trapper John was a better character name.

On Night Court, I liked Selma, but Roz was a suitable replacement. Similar but not the same characters, really.

On Cheers, Woody was an okay replacement for Coach, but I still preferred Coach, to be honest. But when an actor dies, not much you can do with that except to replace him.

Married:With Children had a good replacement, moving aside Steve (David Garrison) and bringing in Jefferson (Ted McGinley, the career replacement actor) definitely made for better comic opportunities. Didn't the pilot also have a different actress playing Kelly? That change was definitely a good move.

 

[HockeyThoughts]

I was pretty skeptical when The Office brought in a slew of new characters in the third season. For such a chemistry-driven show, I'm still not sure if that was a good idea on balance. But the Andy Bernard character turned out to be one of the driving forces behind the show's "second wind".

Along the same lines, I always I felt that The Sopranos always did a really good job of introducing new characters each season who would ultimately play a pivotal role towards progressing the plot. (Feech Lamanna, Ritchie Aprile, Tony Blundetto, Phil Leotardo, Little Carmine...etc.)

 

[BGDDYKWL]

Married With Children has been mentioned but it was MUCH better with Jefferson.

The Wonder Years pilot wasn't narrated by Daniel Stern. He was perfect.

Rules of Engagement got much better when they added Timmy.

Saved by the Bell obviously with Kelly, Jesse and Slater (Although I guess it was technically Good Morning, Miss Bliss.

 

[Roo Returns]

Married With Children.

All the Star Trek series. Watch the TOS pilot Where No Man Has Gone Before (I'm not counting The Cage). TNG by Season 3 (that was writers of course), DS9 once Worf joined and the Dominion War started, Voyager once 7 of 9 came in, Enterprise by the end got pretty decent.

I'd say Doctor Who as well but there's no trends it all depended on the writers and the effects plus the actor. Pertwee's arc was darker than Troughton who could do more than Hartnell (because he was the oldest guy) but all were good. Tom Baker was the best old school Doctor. The 80s Doctor Who was poor because the fifth and sixth Doctors weren't very good (I really dislike Peter Davison's portrayal even though the guy seems pretty cool) , the writing stunk, and the effects were cheaper. McCoy was decent but the show was pretty much over by that point, the production was awful, and the show got weird, and the Fox American movie, not very good. I loved Eccleston's dark take but Tennant took it to another level, and the last two guys have been very good as well.

Threes Company for me. I liked Mr. Furley much better than the Ropers and I know it's not popular, but Suzanne Sommer's Crissy got really boring because she was so ditzy. Priscilla Barnes as Terri was much better.

 

[Ozz]

Pilots probably shouldn't count just given how much things tend to change between them and the series proper.

Fair enough.

Re: Married With Children - during the original run I liked Jefferson tons better than Steve (yawn), but re-watching later I came to really like Steve just as much. Aside from Al who was top notch from the beginning, I think everyone's character got better as the show went on. Al & Steve were absolutely the best parts of the first cast IMO but that's another discussion.

What about Bewitched? I watched it as a kid on Nick at Nite and, while I didn't really notice/pay attention/differentiate between the two Darrens, I did like them all. Did it get better w/the replacement or no?

My wife and I watch Last Man Standing, and they replaced one of the daughters after the 1st or 2nd season. I don't remember the early episodes but I still like the show. It likely got better, though it's no all-time classic.

Fresh Prince (that had to have been mentioned by now, right?) is a huge one - seems most I see are partial to the original Vivian, but I had no preference. I suppose the show took on a less serious demeanor around the time of the replacement, which of course is likely the reason for it anyway. If it got better would naturally depend on which overall feeling you preferred. I think the zany stories, for me at the time, were more enjoyable. I was in the perfect age range for that though, if I were older I might have felt the other way. I love 'em both though.

 

[Elvis P]

Every tv show I've seen has gotten worse, but the second half of MASH was horrible.

 

[Johnny LaRue]

While I enjoy the early episodes of Law and Order for their very dark, gritty feel, it's hard to argue that adding Orbach and Waterston after Dzunda/Sorvino and Moriarity gave the show a more "likeable" feel.

Yeah, I was never a huge fan of Dzunda. Sorvino and Orbach were better. Nobody beats Mike Logan though!

As for Moriarty vs. Waterston, it's hard to pick a favourite. They're both so good. I think I prefer Moriarty though.

I agree that the changes is MASH we're good too.

I was never a big fan of Henry Blake. I never really got why I was supposed to like him. I think Sherman Potter was a more complete character and I really felt Potter's warmth.

Burns was great, but he was way too one dimensional and always such a dink. Charles was more entertaining.

 

[Acadmus]

Fresh Prince (that had to have been mentioned by now, right?) is a huge one - seems most I see are partial to the original Vivian, but I had no preference. I suppose the show took on a less serious demeanor around the time of the replacement, which of course is likely the reason for it anyway. If it got better would naturally depend on which overall feeling you preferred. I think the zany stories, for me at the time, were more enjoyable. I was in the perfect age range for that though, if I were older I might have felt the other way. I love 'em both though.

Maybe I'd stopped watching by then, but I never realized they replaced Aunt Vivian I watched it for at least 2 seasons, maybe 3...don't recall. College was probably the reason I dropped the show, just wasn't possible to watch it there.

 

[Ozz]

Maybe I'd stopped watching by then, but I never realized they replaced Aunt Vivian I watched it for at least 2 seasons, maybe 3...don't recall. College was probably the reason I dropped the show, just wasn't possible to watch it there.

I'm too lazy to look it up, but I do believe it was season 4. Will & Carlton went to college during that or the following season too.

 

[Jumptheshark]

Every tv show I've seen has gotten worse, but the second half of MASH was horrible.

MASH went about 4 years too long and it would have lasted longer if Alan Alda and Switt did not quit

 

[TNT87]

Perfect Strangers: in the pilot, Cousin Larry was Louie Anderson. I haven't seen it, but I think that one speaks for itself.

I never knew this.