Many shows have survived cast changes. Some have been successful, others have not. What are some sitcoms you feel the network would have cancelled had a key cast member decided to leave?

This can be tricky. I mean they did continue "Chico and the Man" for a season after Freddie Prinze died. Andy Griffith left his show and they simply recast and re-titled and continued.

But anyways, back to my question.

While they continued "Spin City" without Michael J. Fox, I feel if he quit "Family Ties", they would have just ended it right there.

Even though "Family Matters" existed before Steve Urkel showed up, if Jaleel White had announced he was leaving the show say around season seven, I'm pretty sure ABC would have cancelled it.

There's no "Cheers" without Ted Danson as Sam Malone.

Any more?

Well Bill Cosby for the Cosby Show would be one of them for sure. Bob Newhart in the Newhart Show would be another.

Roseanne Barr from Roseanne
Carroll O'Connor from All In The Family
Sherman Hemsley from The Jeffersons
Ed O'Neill from Married...With Children
All the Golden Girls!

I would also add although the show had a great cast, but if Alan Alda left the show MASH would have fallen apart.

John Ritter from Three's Company
Gary Coleman from Diff'rent Strokes
Bob Denver from Gilligan's Island
Bronson Pinchott and/or Mark Linn-Baker from Perfect Strangers
Christopher Hewitt from Mr. Belvedere
Ricky Schroeder from Silver Spoons

Henry Winkler- Happy Days
Ted Danson- Cheers
Lucille Ball- I Love Lucy
Dwayne Hickman- The Many Loves Of Dobie Gillis
Fred Gwynne- The Munsters
Bob Newhart- Newhart

This can apply to any eponymous TV show if its title star leaves the show for any reason or passes away. "There is no (Actor X) Show without (Actor X) himself."

Mary Tyler Moore leaving the Mary Tyler Moore show would have shut that show down.

This can apply to any eponymous TV show if its title star leaves the show for any reason or passes away. "There is no (Actor X) Show without (Actor X) himself."

Valerie to Hogan Family not included....

It's not exactly what you asked but, Scrubs should've been cancelled when Zack Braff left the show.

Same goes for Two And A Half Men after Charlie Sheen threw a tantrum, um I mean got angry and quit the show. But I think that series is garbage anyways.

I think if any cast member of Seinfeld had decided to leave the show before the 9th season it would've been cancelled. It just wouldn't have been the same and wouldn't have worked without all of them.

Ed.

If Nell Carter left Gimme a Break! because she got a theater role, the show would end...especially with the passing of Dolph Sweet.

If any of the four girls left The Facts of Life, the show may continue...it did once Charolette Rae left, but there'd be a huge gap!