In regards to TV shows that replaced departing stars with new characters (https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute/LiveActionTV) — Which ones were upgrades (https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/MorePopularReplacement) and which ones were flops (https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/ReplacementScrappy/LiveActionTV)?


Cheryl Ladd for Farrah Fawcett, Charlie's Angels

Shelley Hack and Tanya Roberts for Kate Jackson, Charlie's Angels

Woody Harrelson for Nicholas Colasanto, Cheers

Kirstie Alley for Shelley Long, Cheers

Javicia Leslie for Ruby Rose, Batwoman

Tiffani-Amber Thiessen for Shannen Doherty, Beverly Hills, 90210

Leanna Creel for Tiffani-Amber Thiessen and Elizabeth Berkley, Saved by the Bell

Rose McGowan for Shannen Doherty, Charmed

Joe Mantegna for Mandy Patinkin, Criminal Minds

Byron Cherry and Christopher Mayer for John Schneider and Tom Wopat, The Dukes of Hazzard

Goran Visnjic for George Clooney, ER

Cloris Leachman for Charlotte Rae, The Facts of Life

Meaghan Rath and Beulah Koale for Grace Park and Daniel Dae Kim, Hawaii Five-0

Seann William Scott for Clayne Crawford, Lethal Weapon

Levy Tran for George Eads, MacGyver

Harry Morgan for McLean Stevenson, M*A*S*H

Jon Lovitz for Phil Hartman, NewsRadio

Jimmy Smits for David Caruso, NYPD Blue

James Spader for Steve Carell, The Office

Dax Shepard for Danny Masterson, The Ranch

Janina Gavankar for Nicole Beharie, Sleepy Hollow

Charlie Sheen for Michael J. Fox, Spin City

Josh Meyers for Topher Grace, That '70s Show

Jenilee Harrison and Priscilla Barnes for Suzanne Somers, Three's Company

Ashton Kutcher for Charlie Sheen, Two and a Half Men

Sandy Duncan for Valerie Harper, Valerie/Valerie's Family/The Hogan Family

Robert Patrick for David Duchovny, The X-Files

Don Knotts for Norman Fell, Three's Company

Mary Jo Catlett for Nedra Volz, Diff'rent Strokes

June Lockhart for Bea Benaderet, Petticoat Junction

Betty Buckley for Diana Hyland, Eight is Enough

Ted McGinley for David Garrison, Married...with Children

Julia Duffy and Judith Ivey for Delta Burke, Designing Women

Jan Hooks for Jean Smart, Designing Women

Stephen Shortridge for John Travolta, Welcome Back, Kotter

Ray Fulmer and Lynn Borden for Don DeFore and Whitney Blake, Hazel

David Ogden Stiers for Larry Linville, M*A*S*H

Billy Connolly for Howard Hesseman, Head of the Class


Who is missing from this list?

Cheryl Ladd for Farrah Fawcett, Charlie's Angels- While I haven't seen any post-Farrah episodes yet, Cheryl Ladd was an almost certain downgrade as Farrah is the biggest draw of the show.

Woody Harrelson for Nicholas Colasanto, Cheers- slight downgrade- Woody was a very capable replacement but I will always prefer Coach.

Kirstie Alley for Shelley Long, Cheers- Downgrade- While Kirstie Alley is a good actress, some of her storylines sucked especially where Rebecca and Sam are trying to conceive a child and they aren't even together.

Joe Mantegna for Mandy Patinkin, Criminal Minds- definite downgrade- I preferred Joe Mantegna in Joan of Arcadia.

Cloris Leachman for Charlotte Rae, The Facts of Life- terrible downgrade

Harry Morgan for McLean Stevenson, M*A*S*H big upgrade. While I like Colonel Blake, Harry Morgan as Colonel Potter was one of the best ever cast additions.

Sandy Duncan for Valerie Harper, Valerie/Valerie's Family/The Hogan Family downgrade- Valerie era was decent but Sandy Duncan can get annoying fast.

Robert Patrick for David Duchovny, The X-Files downgrade- but I don't hate this change like a lot of fans as I first saw and liked Robert Patrick on Scorpion.

Mary Jo Catlett for Nedra Volz, Diff'rent Strokes terrible downgrade. Pearl did not add anything to the show like Adelaide had. It is really too bad Nedra Volz wasn't available to become a regular.

June Lockhart for Bea Benaderet, Petticoat Junction- likely downgrade, I haven't seen the June Lockhart era but Kate Bradley was the glue holding the show together.

Stephen Shortridge for John Travolta, Welcome Back, Kotte horrible downgrade

Ray Fulmer and Lynn Borden for Don DeFore and Whitney Blake, Hazel- terrible downgrade

David Ogden Stiers for Larry Linville, M*A*S*H This one is even. Burns and Winchester were both crucial to the show.

Billy Connolly for Howard Hesseman, Head of the Class horrible downgrade! Billy Connolly might have gone on to movies, but his acting is hideous here.[/QUOTE]

Alice: Jolene Hunnicutt for Belle Dupree

Alice: Jolene Hunnicutt for Belle Dupree

Who were themselves, replacements for Polly Holliday's Flo Castleberry.

Brian Forster replaced Jeremy Gelbwaks on The Partridge Family, good replacement

Nedra Volz replaced Charlotte Rae on Diff'rent Strokes--there should be a category, needed replacement since Charlotte left the show for another role

Gale Gordon replaced Joseph Kearns on Dennis the Menace, another needed replacement due to death

William Demarest replaced William Frawley on My Three Sons, another needed replacement due to the declining health of Frawley, who died around a year later.

Probably one of the most talked about replacements, Dick Sargent replaced Dick York on Bewitched. Probably also a needed replacement, since York had health issues.

Cheryl Ladd for Farrah Fawcett, Charlie's Angels UPGRADE

Shelley Hack and Tanya Roberts for Kate Jackson, Charlie's Angels DOWNGRADE

Woody Harrelson for Nicholas Colasanto, Cheers NEUTRAL

Kirstie Alley for Shelley Long, Cheers NEUTRAL

Leanna Creel for Tiffani-Amber Thiessen and Elizabeth Berkley, Saved by the Bell DOWNGRADE

Cloris Leachman for Charlotte Rae, The Facts of Life NEUTRAL

Harry Morgan for McLean Stevenson, M*A*S*H NEUTRAL (Although I prefer Henry Blake)

Jon Lovitz for Phil Hartman, NewsRadio DOWNGRADE

James Spader for Steve Carell, The Office DOWNGRADE

Charlie Sheen for Michael J. Fox, Spin City DOWNGRADE

Josh Meyers for Topher Grace, That '70s Show DOWNGRADE

Jenilee Harrison and Priscilla Barnes for Suzanne Somers, Three's Company NEUTRAL

Don Knotts for Norman Fell, Three's Company UPGRADE

Mary Jo Catlett for Nedra Volz, Diff'rent Strokes NEUTRAL

June Lockhart for Bea Benaderet, Petticoat Junction DOWNGRADE

Ted McGinley for David Garrison, Married...with Children NEUTRAL

Julia Duffy and Judith Ivey for Delta Burke, Designing Women DOWNGRADE

Jan Hooks for Jean Smart, Designing Women NEUTRAL

Stephen Shortridge for John Travolta, Welcome Back, Kotter DOWNGRADE

Ray Fulmer and Lynn Borden for Don DeFore and Whitney Blake, Hazel DOWNGRADE

David Ogden Stiers for Larry Linville, M*A*S*H NEUTRAL

Billy Connolly for Howard Hesseman, Head of the Class DOWNGRADE

Brian Forster replaced Jeremy Gelbwaks on The Partridge Family DOWNGRADE

Nedra Volz replaced Charlotte Rae on Diff'rent Strokes DOWNGRADE

Gale Gordon replaced Joseph Kearns on Dennis the Menace DOWNGRADE

William Demarest replaced William Frawley on My Three Sons DOWNGRADE

Dick Sargent replaced Dick York on Bewitched DOWNGRADE

Traylor Howard for Bitty Schramm, Monk NEUTRAL

Kari Wuhrer for John Rhys-Davies, Sliders DOWNGRADE

George Lindsay for Jim Nabors, The Andy Griffith Show DOWNGRADE

Leon Ames for Larry Keating, Mister Ed DOWNGRADE

Pat Priest for Beverly Owen, The Munsters DOWNGRADE

Christopher Lloyd for Randall Carver, Taxi UPGRADE

Adam Scott for Paul Schneider, Parks & Recreation UPGRADE

Julia Duffy for Jennifer Holmes, Newhart UPGRADE

Peter Scolari for Steven Kampmann, Newhart NEUTRAL

Nancy Travis for Terry Farrell, Becker NEUTRAL

Don Knott's for Norman Fell. Three's Company. Downgrade

Tanya Roberts for Kate Jackson. Charlie's Angels. Upgrade. Shelly Hack, Downgrade.

Lilly Tomlin for Grant Shoud, Murphy Brown. Big Downgrade.

Beverly Archer for Rue mcClanahan on Mama's Family. Downgrade.

Who were themselves, replacements for Polly Holliday's Flo Castleberry.

Belle was a downgrade from Flo. Jolene an upgrade from Belle and a slight downgrade from Flo.

Cloris Leachman subbing for Charlotte Rae didn't work well, despite Cloris being a legend.

Billy subbing for Howard Hesseman was TERRIBLE. I've never seen such a poor replacement.

Flash subbing for Cody on Step By Step was lame.

Julia Duffy/Stephanie replacing her sister on Newhart was a very positive change, no disrespect to the original, fine actress. But Julia Duffy replacing Delta Burke with a character similar to Stephanie didn't work. I'm not 100% sure why.

Dick Sergeant for Dick York wasn't great.

Second Becky (Sarah) replacing Becky (Lecy) on Roseanne was okay for me. They did in funny ways, and "Identical Beckys" will always be funny to me.

The Lawrence brothers replacing the original sisters on Gimme a Break was dreadful, and killed the show for me.

Kate replacing Julie on Growing Pains was bad.

Spike and Harmony replacing Cordelia on Angel was a slight downgrade. They were great, but couldn't match Queen C.

Mary Ann Mobley for Dixie Carter on Diff'rent Strokes - Downgrade
Don Knotts for Norman Fell on 3's Company - Upgrade
Al Molinaro for Pat Morita on Happy Days (and vice-versa) - Neutral
Pat Klous for Lauren Tewes on Love Boat - Downgrade
Herve Villechaize's replacements on Fantasy Island - Downgrade

These probably don't count, since the original characters weren't even that established on the shows before they were replaced (so much so that I don't remember some of the original actors/actresses) - but anyway:
Jerry Stiller on Seinfeld - Upgrade
Carol Bruce on WKRP in Cincinnati - Upgrade
Chris Elliott for Paul Reubens on Everybody Loves Raymond - Neutral

Bewitched... Sandra Gould for Alice Pearce - huge downgrade

TAGS... Jack Burns for Don Knotts - even bigger downgrade

TAGS... Parley Baer for Dick Elliott - neutral

The Waltons... Robert Wightman for Richard Thomas - definite downgrade

Lassie... Jon Provost for Tommy Rettig - neutral

I'd give Leanna Creel a break. She wasn't really a replacement but just a temp fill in for a handful of episodes in the final season of Saved By the Bell without Tiffani Thiessen/Elizabeth Berkley primarily to fill out the episode count.

Plus, she filled in for two leads, over one. If anything, she did fine. I thought those episodes were fine, a lot better than the New Class and College Years episodes.

Missing from List also
Hangin With Mr. Cooper. Saundra Quarterman/Raven replace Dawnn Lewis. (Downgrade). Didnt like new direction of show as another TGIF series.

A Different World. Lisa Bonet/Marisa Tomei out. Cree Summer/Charnele Brown in. Upgrade. I like Lisa and Marisa as actors, but preferred the Season 2 changes. Denise was better on Cosby Show over ADW.


The OC- Autumn Reeser/ Willa Holland for Mischa Barton. Neutral or Downgrade. The replacement actors were fine, but the show was too far down a depressed path already it didn’t need to go because they killed off Mischa’s character. After that, the show couldnt just move on from it long term. Plus the teen /young adult appeal was lost as viewers were more fascinated with social media/Facebook apparently.

Nancy Stafford & Brynn Thayer for Linda Purl on Matlock: UPGRADE

Clearance Gillyard for Kene Holiday on Matlock: UPGRADE

The Waltons: Zoneboy said it best. Robert Wightman for Richard Thomas was a definite downgrade. I can't watch those eps.
Diff'rent Strokes: Mary Ann Mobley replacing Dixie Carter was also a downgrade
Alice: The Flo replacements were never as good.
The Facts of Life: Jo replacing Cindy/Sue Ann/Nancy/Molly was a downgrade. Eastland felt more like a real school with a larger student body.

A Different World. Lisa Bonet/Marisa Tomei out. Cree Summer/Charnele Brown in. Upgrade. I like Lisa and Marisa as actors, but preferred the Season 2 changes. Denise was better on Cosby Show over ADW.
Freddie can be really annoying and Kim is just ok. I much preferred Maggie and Denise. But Jada Pinkett replacing Sinbad was an upgrade. Mary Alice replacing Loretta Devine was a big upgrade, too bad Lettie didn't last long.

Markie Post For Ellen Foley(who later played Principal Beatrice Kelly on the Original Ghostwriter) on Night Court: UPGRADE

Nancy Stafford & Brynn Thayer for Linda Purl on Matlock: UPGRADE

Clearance Gillyard for Kene Holiday on Matlock: UPGRADE
I agree that Nancy Stafford for Linda Purl was an upgrade but not Brynn Thayer. I was never fond of her.

And for #2, I preferred Kene Holliday too.

Freddie can be really annoying and Kim is just ok. I much preferred Maggie and Denise. But Jada Pinkett replacing Sinbad was an upgrade. Mary Alice replacing Loretta Devine was a big upgrade, too bad Lettie didn't last long.

I liked Maggie actually, now that I think of it. Just didn't like Denise on ADW. Perhaps it would have been better for the show if Maggie stayed over Freddie. But obviously for Marisa Tomei's career, it's better that she left :)

I agree that Nancy Stafford for Linda Purl was an upgrade but not Brynn Thayer. I was never fond of her.

And for #2, I preferred Kene Holliday too.

I agree with you about Kene Holliday. But I liked Nancy Stafford and Linda Purl equally.

Freddie can be really annoying and Kim is just ok. I much preferred Maggie and Denise. But Jada Pinkett replacing Sinbad was an upgrade. Mary Alice replacing Loretta Devine was a big upgrade, too bad Lettie didn't last long.

I prefer Denise and Maggie too. However, I liked Sinbad better than Jada Pinkett. And I liked Mary Alice and Loretta Devine equally.

Alice: Jolene Hunnicutt for Belle Dupree

The character of Jo was somewhat of a hick but the actress is actually very talented. But she made a lot more money playing dumb hick characters that on Broadway and on stage where she belonged.

Dumbing down for the masses.

Alice: Jolene Hunnicutt for Belle Dupree

The character of Jo was somewhat of a hick but the actress is actually very talented. But she made a lot more money playing dumb hick characters that on Broadway and on stage where she belonged.

Dumbing down for the masses.

The worst - Belle and Jolene replacing Flo on Alice and Cindy and Terri replacing Chrissy on Three's Company

The Best by far - Jim replacing John Burns on Taxi