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

Kestrel

Registered User
Jan 30, 2005
5,814
129
Taxi-replacing Randall Carver with Christopher Lloyd

I never really connected the dots that one went out for the other - but if that's the case, I completely agree. Randall Carver's character really irritated me. Christopher Lloyd did an excellent job. I'm sure some of it would have been how the character was written vs Carver's character, but Lloyd did fantastic work with what he was given.
 

Acadmus

pastured mod
Jul 22, 2003
16,963
180
Vermont
Not sure if serious because it's so obvious, but this really doesn't count. The stars of the show held out, they replaced them with two imposters, and the network caved when they realized that was a bad idea. The ratings never rebounded (season 6 and 7 were both lower rated than the imposter year) and it was cancelled two years later. I wouldn't say the show got better, it just went back to what it was.

Lance and Vance weren't imposters, just because they kinda looked like scrawnier versions of Bo and Luke and drove the same car :sarcasm:

But, yeah...they sucked.

On Wings, though they overlapped a season, it seems Amy Yasbeck essentially replaced Thomas Haden Church...comedically not a great move but she was nicer to look at:D Adding Tony Shalhoub as Antonio in season 2 was unarguably a good move, though.

The Facts of Life - season 2 saw Nancy McKeon brought in to replace Felice Schachter, who simply didn't exhibit much personality.

That said, who knew Facts of Life lasted until 1988?!? Long enough for Mayim Bialik to sneak her way into a couple episodes in the final season. Coris Leachman replaced Charlotte Rae in 1986 (oo, oo! Another death pool pick, Rae's still around!:sarcasm:), but I don't think I ever saw any of those episodes so I can't say if it was an improvement or not.
 

GarbageGoal

Courage
Dec 1, 2005
22,353
2,377
RI
On Wings, though they overlapped a season, it seems Amy Yasbeck essentially replaced Thomas Haden Church...comedically not a great move but she was nicer to look at:D Adding Tony Shalhoub as Antonio in season 2 was unarguably a good move, though.

I don't Amy Yasbeck was replacing THC, just an addition to create some more tension in the dynamic with the brothers and Crystal Bernard. Wasn't there another airplane mechanic after Lowell who was just basically a dumber version of him?
 

BGDDYKWL

Registered User
Jul 16, 2007
4,472
418
On Wings, though they overlapped a season, it seems Amy Yasbeck essentially replaced Thomas Haden Church...comedically not a great move but she was nicer to look at:D Adding Tony Shalhoub as Antonio in season 2 was unarguably a good move, though.
Underrated show. It's a shame it never seems to be on anymore. I liked Alex on the show. Wouldn't necessarily say it was "better", but it added a different dynamic. Not sure why they got rid of her, maybe they just felt the character had run its course.
 

Acadmus

pastured mod
Jul 22, 2003
16,963
180
Vermont
I don't Amy Yasbeck was replacing THC, just an addition to create some more tension in the dynamic with the brothers and Crystal Bernard. Wasn't there another airplane mechanic after Lowell who was just basically a dumber version of him?
Wasn't very memorable, if so.
 

NyQuil

Big F$&*in Q
Jan 5, 2005
95,345
59,243
Ottawa, ON
Big Bang Theory arguably managed to extend its lifespan with excellent casting for the additional two women - Mayim Bialik and Melissa Rauch.

Often women are cast as the "straight person to the wacky husband" in sitcoms but all three women were able to hold their own with amusing character traits and interesting storylines.

It's funny how they changed Amy Farrah-Fowler from a Sheldon clone into a more original sexually repressed nerd looking for thrills.

I guess it doesn't really count as a "change" but more of an addition.
 

Primary Assist

The taste of honey is worse than none at all
Jul 7, 2010
5,910
5,699
FAMILY MATTERS

/end thread

Urkel barely had any lines in season 1 !!!

In hindsight, it's pretty funny to look back at Urkel and Carl Winslow's relationship. Carl was presented to the audience as this no-nonsense foil to Urkel, who always ruined the fun and was in some episodes the villain after Urkel took center stage. Meanwhile Urkel would just wander into the Winslow residence, eat Carl's food, harass his daughter, break all of this things, and basically destroy his house. No wonder that one Winslow daughter just up and vanished in between seasons.

Thank you for letting me quote this 3 year old post.
 

MetalheadPenguinsFan

Registered User
Sep 17, 2009
63,699
16,746
Canada
When they switched out whoever played Mike and Gloria in the original ‘68 pilot of “All In The Family” to Rob Reiner and Sally Struthers.
 

saluki

Registered User
Nov 18, 2017
730
397
People tend to forget how "lost" LOST was until Michael Emerson appeared in S2.

S1 was great but the show was sliding off of a cliff early in s2 with no real idea where to go until Ben showed up and was eventually written in as the leader of the others. In one fell swoop the show runners got rid of the whole "mysterious Walt" thing (and everything else that wasn't working) and focused on his character for the rest of the series.

I read a long tome ago he was originally on a 3 episode contract. Michael Emerson is one of the main reasons the show remained watchable until the end.
 
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saluki

Registered User
Nov 18, 2017
730
397
Big Bang Theory arguably managed to extend its lifespan with excellent casting for the additional two women - Mayim Bialik and Melissa Rauch.

Often women are cast as the "straight person to the wacky husband" in sitcoms but all three women were able to hold their own with amusing character traits and interesting storylines.

It's funny how they changed Amy Farrah-Fowler from a Sheldon clone into a more original sexually repressed nerd looking for thrills.

I guess it doesn't really count as a "change" but more of an addition.

I get your opinion but with all due respect I couldn't disagree more.
 

NyQuil

Big F$&*in Q
Jan 5, 2005
95,345
59,243
Ottawa, ON
I get your opinion but with all due respect I couldn't disagree more.

Well, I suppose it's the fact that I think they'd mined everything comedic that was possible from "the hot girl + 4 nerds" setting so they had to switch something up.
 

saluki

Registered User
Nov 18, 2017
730
397
Well, I suppose it's the fact that I think they'd mined everything comedic that was possible from "the hot girl + 4 nerds" setting so they had to switch something up.

I admit it - at heart I'm a nerd. I'm a geek. TBBT was "my" show, even with all of its imperfections.

They may as well have called the show "Poor Amy" for the last 6 seasons.
 

discostu

Registered User
Nov 12, 2002
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I'm rewatching Friday Night Lights right now, and that show did an amazing job of transitioning its cast in season 4. It helped that they happen to cast Michael B Jordan in a lead role, but, it wasn't just him. All the new characters worked as they changed schools.
 
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NyQuil

Big F$&*in Q
Jan 5, 2005
95,345
59,243
Ottawa, ON
There’s an interesting parallel going on with The Good Doctor where they introduced a bunch of new characters this year while removing one or two old ones.

It’s reminiscent of House which incidentally has the same creator.

Ultimately, while I understand the need to explore new dramatic ground using new characters, House was never as good as with the initial cast of doctors who were relegated to supporting roles later on.
 

FireBird71

Registered User
Aug 6, 2015
3,110
1,207
Cheers...once Shelley Long and Coach were replaced with Woody Rebecca Howe it got so much better
 

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