Are there any TV shows that actually improved after the lead actor left? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

TMC · 04-22-2018, 04:17 AM

Kind of like a TV version of the "(Patrick) Ewing Theory". For example, A Different World, when it was retooled from essentially a Cosby Show spin-off starring Lisa Bonet's Denise Huxtable to a show (when Debbie Allen became the producer) with Jasmine Guy and Kedeem Hardison as the de facto leads.

vampirevsrobot · 04-22-2018, 04:32 AM

That's hard and there's probably quite a bit...the first one that popped in my head was "NYPD Blue" after David Caruso left the show following his much publicized contractual issues.

Edward216 · 04-22-2018, 08:15 PM

There's probably a few but not most of them.

Ed.

icecream · 04-22-2018, 08:28 PM

Law and Order. The original cast was pretty dull, it improved when Jerry Orbach was made star of the law part.

stevea · 04-22-2018, 09:10 PM

Cagney and Lacey--Sharon Gless playing Cagney probably worked better than the original, with Meg Foster playing Cagney.

Impressions · 04-22-2018, 10:38 PM

Although I never really watched the show, some people say that The Hogan Family (previously known as Valerie) was better after the Valerie character was killed off.

MrCleveland · 04-24-2018, 08:00 AM

Though the main characters were STILL there...when The Facts of Life was deducted from seven to four girls and it focused more on Charlotte Rae as the adult...FOL got better breathing room.

Retro4Life · 04-24-2018, 08:09 AM

Babylon 5.

cnnbcbs · 04-24-2018, 09:18 PM

I thought The Office actually improved for about a half season after (SC (Michael Scott) left. The supporting cast got more to do and it was interesting to see Dunder-Mifflin without Michael. However, season 9 was a dumpster fire.

04-22-2018, 04:17 AM	#1
TMC Member Forum Idol Join Date: Jan 09, 2001 Posts: 125,615	Are there any TV shows that actually improved after the lead actor left? Kind of like a TV version of the "(Patrick) Ewing Theory". For example, A Different World, when it was retooled from essentially a Cosby Show spin-off starring Lisa Bonet's Denise Huxtable to a show (when Debbie Allen became the producer) with Jasmine Guy and Kedeem Hardison as the de facto leads.

04-22-2018, 04:32 AM	#2
vampirevsrobot Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Aug 24, 2014 Posts: 170	That's hard and there's probably quite a bit...the first one that popped in my head was "NYPD Blue" after David Caruso left the show following his much publicized contractual issues.
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04-22-2018, 08:28 PM	#4
icecream Cat-tastic and Whiskerlicious Forum Celebrity Join Date: Sep 01, 2006 Location: The Catacombs Posts: 20,702	Law and Order. The original cast was pretty dull, it improved when Jerry Orbach was made star of the law part.
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04-24-2018, 08:00 AM	#7
MrCleveland Drew Carey from Hell Forum Star Join Date: Nov 10, 2007 Location: The City of Cleveland, in The State of Cleveland, in The United States of Cleveland Posts: 14,222	Though the main characters were STILL there...when The Facts of Life was deducted from seven to four girls and it focused more on Charlotte Rae as the adult...FOL got better breathing room.
	__________________ Thank God for kids that love Obscure Things. Lee Hazlewood (1929-2007) You ARE Special to God! Rev. Ernest Angely (August 1921-May 2021)

04-24-2018, 08:09 AM	#8
Retro4Life Accept No Substitutes Forum Veteran Join Date: Feb 04, 2009 Location: IL Posts: 6,708	Babylon 5.
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04-22-2018, 08:15 PM	#3
Edward216 Member Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Aug 18, 2014 Location: Central Time Zone Posts: 4,634	There's probably a few but not most of them. Ed.

04-22-2018, 09:10 PM	#5
stevea 22 Years On Sitcoms Moderator Forum Legend Join Date: Aug 13, 2003 Location: Indy Posts: 44,532	Cagney and Lacey--Sharon Gless playing Cagney probably worked better than the original, with Meg Foster playing Cagney.

04-22-2018, 10:38 PM	#6
Impressions She died the way she lived Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: May 08, 2002 Posts: 4,640	Although I never really watched the show, some people say that The Hogan Family (previously known as Valerie) was better after the Valerie character was killed off.

04-24-2018, 09:18 PM	#9
cnnbcbs Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Sep 08, 2017 Posts: 366	I thought The Office actually improved for about a half season after (SC (Michael Scott) left. The supporting cast got more to do and it was interesting to see Dunder-Mifflin without Michael. However, season 9 was a dumpster fire.