Sometimes They Come Back (retro)
SOMETIMES THEY COME BACK
We have seen it happen countless times. A TV show becomes a hit and one of its stars gets the big head and demands more money (sometimes rightfully so) and goes on strike or quits and is replaced by another character filling the departing actors void in the cast. Most of the time when a major cast member leaves it’s for good (although they may return for an episode like the series finale). David Caruso Left NYPD Blue to become a movie star and never came back and never became a movie star. George Clooney left ER to become a movie star did just that and then returned for a singular episode (the finale). This article does not concern either of those scenarios. What’s this look like Tropes and Idioms? This article concerns actors who had a beef with the show or some type of personal problem or issue which caused them to leave then were replaced and then later returned. Get it ? Got it? Good.
THE DUKES OF HAZZARD
WHO LEFT? Bo Duke (John Schneider) and Luke Duke (Tom Wopat),
What do you mean our car is a bigot?
REPLACED BY: Coy (Byron Cherry) and Vance (Christopher Mayer) look-alike cousins never mentioned or seen before season 5.
These are not our clothes
Who was better? Is this a serious question? Coy and Vance seemed like stunt doubles not characters.
John Schneider and Tom Wopat wanted a bigger share of all the Dukes Of Hazzard merchandising and went on strike. A network executive famously said “Get rid of them the car is the star of the show”. They were replaced by bland look alike Coy and Vance at the beginning of the 5th season and ratings dropped. By the 19th episode they were back with more points on the royalties and all was well in Hazzard County. You never saw Daisy Duke pull any shit like that.
I'm a method actor and my method is take off my shirt and stand there.
Oh yeah I just remembered bumbling deputy Enos left the show for his own spin off. When that didn’t work he came back as well. Deputy Cletus Hogg, Boss's cousin, played by Rick Hurst replaced Enos in his absence and was recurring upon his return.
THE JEFFERSONS
Who Left? Lionel played by Mike Evans.
Replaced by? Lionel #2 played by Lamont Evans.
Who was better? Lionel #1 Mike Evans.
Lionel Jefferson seemed a lot more important on All In The Family than he ever did on The Jeffersons. He was Archie Bunkers sparring partner and friend long before George ever made an appearence but anyway.....
Mike Evans played the first Lionel Jefferson. The only child of George and Weezy who moved on up with them to a deluxe apt in the sky. Evans was also a talented writer and producer and co-created Good Times which is why the family's name is Evans and the youngest child named Mike! He left The Jeffersons in 1975 to focus on Goodtimes. Damon Evans (no relation) repalced him for four seasons. When Goodtimes was canclled in 1979 Evans returned and reclaimed the part of Lionel from Evans. Heh.
CHIPS
Who Left? Eric Estarda (Ponch)
Replaced By? Bruce Freaking Jenner.
Who was better? Just stop.
CHIPS was a mess. The freeze frame laughing marathons at the end of each episode used to kind of creep me out. It’s like nightmare fuel. Anyway CHIPS slowly became a big hit despite the cheese factor and at different times both Stars Eric Estrada (Ponch) and Larry Wilcox (John) went on strike and were replaced.
Ponch left for 7 episodes in season 5 after demanding more money and was replaced by freaking Bruce Jenner of all people as officer Steve McLeish.
Estrada was able to resolve his issues with merchandising and returned for the final season but Larry Wilcox continued to believe favoritism was being shown Estrada in terms of story line and on set power and his officer John Baker did not return for the final season and was replaced by Officer Tom Reilly (played by Bruce Penhal)
THE COSBY SHOW
Let me just say that thanks to Bill Cosby’s gross rape antics Jello pudding pops seem so much more phallic to me than they used to. Anyway…
Who Left? Denise Huxtable (Lisa Bonet)
Replaced By? As a character Denise lived on even when she was off at school or presumably in Africa. The void was filled slightly by late comer oldest child Sandra and later the wild child void was filled by Cousin Pam Erica Alexzander.
Who was better? Lenny Kravitz baby mamma.
Lisa Bonet started season one of the Cosby show as the oldest Huxtable child. Then around episode 5 all of the sudden the Huxtable parents started to mention a 5th child (in the pilot it is stated Cliff has only four kids).
Oldest daughter Sandra showed up in episode ten and Denise became the second oldest wild child. After the third season Denise was given her own spinoff A Different World but left the show after only one weak season.
Behind the scenes Bill Cosby was not happy with Bonet’s antics getting pregnant by rocker Lenny Kravitz and playing hyper sexual roles in movies like Angel Heart with Mickey Roarke. Lisa never returned to A Different World but returned as a recurring character on the Cosby Show for season 5 a main character for seasons six and seven and then left for good never to return even in the reunions in season 8.
ROSEANNE
Who Left? Eldest daughter Becky (Lecy Goranson)
Replaced By? Eldest daughter Becky (Sarah Chalke)
God I hate Scrubs. Anyhoo..
Probably the most famous example on the list original Becky Lecy Goranson’s problem was not drugs or money. She wanted to go to college so she when she left her character was written off the show only to be re-introduced the next season played by the lovely Sarah Chalke.
Unfortunately the new Becky did not have the same chemistry with her TV family that Garrison did and she was replaced in what was supposed to be Roseanne’s last season by original Becky. When the show stayed on the air one extra season Garrison left again to be replaced again by Chalke. I think. I honestly stopped caring after season 6.
CHARLIES ANGELS
Who Left: Farrah Fawcett (as Jill Munroe) after season 1.
Replaced by? Cheryl Ladd (younger sister Kris Munroe)
Original returned in? season 3 (1978) and made six guest appeaeances over 2 seasons
For an example of how to replace a star of a hit show without losing viewers look no fursther than Charlies Angels. Finishing number 5 in the ratings at the end of it's first season Charlie's Angels was in all kinds of uproar when superstar Farrah Fawcett announced she was leaving the show. As the lawsuits flied Aaron Spelling considered all manor of replacements for the star including starlet Kim Bassinger who had already appeared in the infamous season one episode Angels in Chains and had seemingly been hired as a receptionist at The Townsend Agency.
However when the dust settled Cherl Ladd was chosen by Aaron Spelling himself to fill the void of the blonde athletic angel. Instead of playing the same character Farrah played (Jill Munroe) Ladd played Jills cute younger sister Kris. Kris quickly became like a little sister to the other 2 Angels Kelly and Sabrina and by the end of the second season the show finished at #4 ratings having actually gone up with the departure of Fawcett.
The show and Farrah eventually settled their lawsutis and Fawcett returned for 6 guest appearences over 2 seasons for a whol;e lotta dough!
Susequent Angels also left the show including Kate Jackson and Shelley Hack but unlike Fawcett they were never seen or heard from again.
THREE'S COMPANY
Before we get started Jack Tripper (John Ritter) never left the show and was a God among men of physical comedy.
Who Left? Chrissy Snow (Suzzane Summers) to take care of a sick relative I think.
Replaced by: Her cousin Cindy Snow (played by Jennilee Harrison)
She was replaced by: Cousin Cindy moved out and sorta awkwardly hung around and was replaced by non-cousin Terri.
Suzzane Sommers wanted to be Farrah Fawcett so bad she even had the same manager and decided to (like Farrah) quit her hit show at the height of it's popularity. She asked for way to big a raise and was absent a few eps before returning to a reduced role of a 5 min phone conversation (usually with Janet) where she called from where ever the hell she was caring for her sick mother or aunt and chopped it up at the end if the show.
The next season she was gone altogether and her clutzy cousin Cindy moved in with Janet and Jack although Chrissy stayed in the opening credits.
Cindy didn't have much chemistry with Jack and Janet. Or Fans. So after one season of Cindy hitting Jack in the face with the 2 way kitchen door she moved out into a recurring role and was replaced by Terri. A nurse.
Terri (Played by Pricilla Barnes) worked out much better as roomate and replacement blonde and she stayed for the remaining 3 seasons of the show with the reduced role of Cindy lingering around for a season. It was weird.
GOODTIMES
Who Left? Evans family matriarch Florida Evans
Replaced By? Nobody really replaced the character of Florida Evans when she married her boyfriend Carl and moved to Arizona for her health although downstairs neighbor Wilona () became the maternal figure in JJ, Thelma and Michael’s lives.
Esther Rolle left Goodtimes a year after her TV Hubby (John Amos) was fired. Rolle was unhappy with the direction of the show and emphasis on the coonish behavior of eldest son JJ. A year without a mother or father however left the show without direction considering this was supposed to be a show about a family with a working mother and father trying to make it in the hood and rating plummeted. Esther Rolle was offered her job back for increased pay and she returned for the shows 6th and final season.
Janet Jackson played Penny Wilona's foster daughter who was being abused by her mother. Can I say I just watched Poetic Justice and it made me want to beat/burn Janet Jackson with an iron as well? So I'm team Chip Fields.
