Sitcoms and TV shows must sometimes make big character changes if they want to survive another season. This can go either way, either become a success and give the show new direction, or become a flop and end up getting canceled by the network. It’s all up to the likeability of the characters and what storylines are written for them. In some cases, the lead actors quit or are fired from the show and they are replaced by a new character, hoping that it will keep the story afloat.
Damaged – Nellie, The Office
Steve Carell left the hit show The Office by season 8, despite the show’s great success and the fact that his character was a fan favorite. He left in 2011, but he had already confirmed his departure from the show following the seventh season in 2010. An urgent replacement was needed for the character of Michael Scott, the self-centered and shallow boss.
So, the production added Nellie Bertram, played by the actress Catherine Tate, an original character with no counterpart in the British version of the series. Although Tate is an amazing actress, the character was not well received. Nellie was a big step down in relation to Michael Scott.
Helped – Frank, It’s Always Sunny
Because of low ratings during the first season of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, the writers thought of a strategy to save the show from cancellation. Since the cast was made up of unknown actors at the time, FX suggested adding a big name to pick up ratings.
They came up with the character of Frank and offered it to Danny DeVito. It was an instant success and he’s still in it to this day. The show is a comedy that premiered on FX on August 4, 2005. It follows the exploits of a group of friends who own “Paddy’s Pub,” a small Irish pub in Philadelphia’s southern district.
Damaged – Randy, That ’70s Show
When Ashton Kutcher and Topher Grace left That 70s Show after seven seasons, the writers needed to come up with something quick if they wanted to keep making seasons. But unfortunately, it did not go as planned.
They brought in a brand-new character called Randy Pearson, played by comedic actor Josh Meyers. He became Donna’s new love interest. The character, who was a mixture of Eric and Kelso, ended up being boring and forgettable. This sitcom was about an eclectic group of friends on the verge of adulthood. They live in suburban Wisconsin where they yearn to be independent and deal with the anguish of transitioning to adulthood.
Helped – Charlie, Spin City
After Michael J. Fox was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in the year 2000, he chose to leave Spin City after its fourth season to focus on his health. The show’s producers hired actor Charlie Sheen to replace him as the character of Charlie Crawford, along with popular actress Heather Locklear as Caitlin Moore.
The talent and chemistry of this dynamic duo was able to carry the show for another two seasons until its natural end. This comedy took place in New York City Hall. It focused on the deputy mayor, who has to protect the mayor from those who want to ruin him and his political career, as he constantly makes a fool of himself.
Damaged – Tori, Saved By The Bell
When Tiffani-Amber Thiessen and Elizabeth Berkley declined renewing their contracts to appear in the last season of 90s hit show Saved By The Bell, the producers quickly added new characters to replace them.
Tori Scott, played by actress Leanna Creel, was the new female lead: she was a motorcycle-riding tomboy who always sported a leather jacket. But fans didn’t like to see a new love interest for Zach Morris, which ended up hurting the show. Saved by the Bell was an American television series that narrates the life and adventures of six teenagers at Bayside High School (California), originally broadcast between 1989 and 1993.
Helped – Jim, 8 Simple Rules
Actor John Ritter unexpectedly passed away in 2003 while he was the lead actor of 8 Simple Rules. This happened during the second season of the show. The producers managed to bring in various actors as guests to try to save it.
James Garner was brought in to play the grandfather that moves in to help raise the children. It helped a lot to have him on screen but the show ended up being dropped. The show followed a couple who were battling to raise their three teenage children. After Cate got a full-time job as a nurse, Paul was left in charge of the kids in the first season, with hilarious emphasis on his often-stringent dating rules for his daughters.
Damaged – The New Cast, Scrubs
Sometimes when a lead actor leaves, it’s better to end the show right there and go out with a bang. But this isn’t always the case for ambitious production companies that want to keep milking successful shows.
In the case of hit medical drama Scrubs, when Zach Braff’s character JD leaves the hospital, it seems like the perfect ending. The next season had different actors and it had the lowest ratings in the show’s history. The series takes its name from the uniforms worn by medical staff, and it follows the personal and professional lives of the characters who work at the Sacred Heart teaching hospital. It features talkative people, jokers, fast-paced banter, and strange imagery presented as daydreams of the main protagonists.
Helped – Ben and Chris, Parks and Rec
Parks and Recreation wasn’t always the successful show it ended up being. In fact, it had very low ratings and was at risk of being canceled for good. Producers figured out a plan: add two new characters to the mix with completely new storylines at the end of the second season.
Actors Rob Lowe and Adam Scott were cast as Chris and Ben. They gave life to iconic characters that ended up being show favorites. Parks and Recreation is an American political satire comedy television series that aired from 2009 to 2015. Filmed as a mockumentary, the series stars Amy Poehler as Leslie Knope, an enthusiastic public servant at the Department of Parks and Recreation of the fictitious city of Pawnee, Indiana.
Damaged – 3J, Family Matters
During the seventh season of the hit show Family Matters, a new child actor was introduced and made part of the main cast in season eight. By that time the children of the show had already grown up so the focus went to 3J, an orphan who was looking for a family of his own.
He was supposed to be reunited with his birth mother, but the show got the ax before he got to. Family Matters was an American sitcom about a middle-class African American family living in Chicago. It emerged as a spin-off of the Perfect Strangers series, in which the character of Harriette Winslow worked as an elevator operator in the newspaper building where the protagonists worked.
Helped – Max, NewsRadio
This is another show that lost its main lead unexpectedly. NewsRadio’s Phil Hartman gave life to Bill McNeal, an eccentric news radio anchor of New York City. The sitcom was approved for a fifth season, but unfortunately Hartman passed away shortly after the announcement.
Saturday Night Live’s Jon Lovitz was cast to appear in its final season and it was a total hit. His comedic skills were a breath of fresh air to the show. The series relied on fast-paced sequences and casts combining physical humor and sight gags with clever dialogue and wacky storylines. It used to satirically use historical events, news and references from popular culture, in an attractive way for a sophisticated audience, particularly targeting the university-educated population.
Damaged – Nicky and Alex, Full House
If you were growing up in the 80s and early 90s then you must remember Full House. The popular TV show had an incredible cast that included some of the hottest comedians of the time, such as Bob Saget, Dave Coulier and John Stamos.
The Olsen twins played the most adored character of the show, baby Michelle. But when they added a new set of baby twins to the cast it grew tiresome and repetitive. Danny Tanner, a widowed father, enlists the help of his best friend Joey Gladstone and brother-in-law Jesse Katsopolis to raise his three daughters, D.J., Stephanie, and Michelle, when his wife Pam passes away. From 1987 through 1995, it was broadcast on television.
Helped – Doug, Brooklyn Nine-Nine
Brooklyn Nine-Nine is one of the highest-rated comedy sitcoms from the last few years. Although it has been successful, it fought hard not to be canceled. It has been recently announced that the eighth season will be its final.
It has a solid cast of actors, but when comedian Craig Robinson was cast as Doug, the Pontiac Bandit, it reached a new level of funny. Each time he makes an appearance, he steals the show. Brooklyn Nine-Nine is an American procedural police comedy television series. The series revolves around Jake Peralta, a talented but immature NYPD detective at the fictional 99th Precinct in Brooklyn, who often comes into conflict with his commanding officer, the serious and stern Captain Raymond Holt.
Damaged – Criss Chros, 30 Rock
Liz Lemon had a string of weird boyfriends that made the show so hilarious. These romantic partners were played by top notch actors such as John Hamm, Matt Damon and Jason Sudeikis among others.
But Liz would eventually break up with them and remain clueless about what type of man she wanted for a relationship. It was disappointing when she was married off to Criss Chros (James Marsden), a character with a very boring storyline. 30 Rock was an American sitcom created by Tina Fey that ran from 2006 to 2013. The series is based on Fey’s experiences as head writer of Saturday Night Live and takes place behind the scenes of a fictional sketch comedy. which airs live on NBC. 30 Rock uses surreal humor to parody the complex corporate structure of NBC and its then-parent company, General Electric.
Damaged – Seven, Married… With Children
Love and marriage, you can’t have one without the other, as the iconic opening song for Married…With Children went. The sitcom showed the everyday life of the dysfunctional Bundy family in suburban Chicago.
But by the seventh season, producers decided to spice things up by introducing a new character. It was a new member of the family, cousin Seven. He was the son of Zemus and Ida Mae Wanker, Peg Bundy’s cousin, who appeared in 12 episodes of Married with Children’s seventh season after being informally adopted by the Bundys. Fans hated his storyline so much that they ended up writing him off the show.
Damaged – Walden, Two and a Half Men
Two and a Half Men was very successful on screen, but also controversial off screen. Lead actor Charlie Sheen insulted the show’s creator Chuck Lorre in a couple of interviews on top of his already erratic behavior.
He was fired from the sitcom and was replaced by Ashton Kutcher. He played Walden, a troubled billionaire that bought Charlie’s half of the house and went on sharing the living space with Alan and his son. Schmidt was a billionaire and computer entrepreneur, who recently divorced a girl named Bridget and was very affected by the breakup. After meeting Alan and knowing that they have had a similar love life, they become friends and decide to buy the house, becoming the main character in the series. Sadly he couldn’t fill Charlie’s big shoes and wasn’t very loved by fans.
Damaged – Reagan, New Girl
Zooey Deschanel gave life to the fun and quirky Jess in hit TV show New Girl. But when Zooey got pregnant in 2015, she went on maternity leave for the last six episodes of the fifth season.
Megan Fox, who played a supporting character called Reagan, took the female lead role during that time, but unfortunately her story arc lacked substance. Once Deschanel came back, the show went back to its normal adorkable vibe. The story began when Jess, a young woman and high school teacher in Los Angeles, returned home to find her boyfriend with another woman. She left him immediately and moved into an apartment with three men: Nick (who is a barman), Schmidt (who has a very particular personality), and Coach (an ex-athlete).
Helped – Winchester, M*A*S*H
M*A*S*H was an incredibly popular TV medical dramedy that lasted for eleven successful seasons. It was the spinoff of the 1970 movie of the same name directed by Robert Altman about a group of surgeons in the Mobile Army Surgical Hospital during the Korean War.
There were three major character replacements, “Hawkeye” Pierce’s best friend, his commanding officer and the primary antagonist. They ended up being successful changes to the show. It is considered one of the most important anti-war milestones in the history of television. His criticism was directed at the Vietnam War, which was taking place when the series premiered, although the plot focused on an earlier war: the equally violent Korean War.
Helped – Jefferson, Married… With Children
Married…With Children ran for eleven seasons and had its fair share of hits and misses. One unexpected hit was the addition of Jefferson Milhouse D’Arcy, played by Ted McGinley, who was notorious for ruining TV shows.
But in this case, McGinley had his redemption, his character was well received by fans and it blended well with the other characters. Marcy’s second husband, Jefferson Milhouse D’Arcy, was a “pretty boy” who married her for her money. He was younger than Marcy (one episode stated that he was 40 years old). He was the male version of Peggy, self-centered and slacker. Marcy met Jefferson (a bartender) at his employment after a bankers’ convention when she got drunk, and the next morning she found herself married to him. She was shocked to see that her name had changed to Marcy D’Arcy.
Damaged – Gertrude, Frasier
During the final season of Frasier, producers introduced a new character: Gertrude Moon, played by iconic British actress Milicent Martin. She was Daphne’s mother who moved in with them and interfered in everyone’s lives.
But the character was not well received by the fans of the show due to its rudeness and manipulative attitude. It affected the show dynamic negatively. Frasier was a sitcom derived from the Cheers series based on the character of Frasier Crane (Kelsey Grammer). With eleven seasons behind it, it is one of the most successful spin-offs in the history of television, acclaimed by the public and critics. Psychiatrist Dr. Frasier Crane returned to his hometown of Seattle, Washington after his divorce and leaving behind his life in Boston. He was forced to take in his father, Martin, who can’t live alone after being shot.
Helped – Aunt Sandy, The Hogan Family
When Valerie Harper demanded a pay raise in 1986, NBD decided to write her off and fire her from the show Valerie. Instead of canceling the series, they replaced her with Sandy Duncan and changed the name of the show to The Hogan Family.
Fans received the change very well and it was a massive success for four more seasons.The series focused on a family and their daily lives, with light plots in most cases. The majority of the episodes revolved around family situations, with the eldest son David Hogan (Jason Bateman) and his two siblings serving as the main protagonists. Jason Bateman became more prominent in the plot lines as the seasons progressed.
Damaged – Cindy, Three’s Company
The worst thing that happened to Three’s Company was when Suzanne Somers, who played Chrissy Snow, requested a pay raise and was fired because of it. This extremely popular female lead was replaced with a new character called Cindy Snow, Chrissy’s first cousin.
But the character quickly flopped and was once again replaced by Terri Alden, played by Priscilla Barnes. At first, the story revolved around three young people who share an apartment in Santa Monica, California: Janet Wood (Joyce DeWitt), Chrissy Snow (Suzanne Somers), and Jack Tripper (John Ritter). It narrated the adventures, constant misunderstandings, financial problems, love concerns and other vicissitudes of the trio’s social life.
Helped – Rebecca, Frasier, and Woody, Cheers
Even though constant changes were made to the cast, Cheers remained popular and with consistently high ratings throughout its eleven seasons. When Nicholas Colasanto passed away, his character was replaced by Woody Harrelson as Woody.
Then Frasier was added, who had his own spinoff show. Kristie Alley, who played Rebecca, replaced Shelley Long. They all contributed to the show’s success. Cheers was an American sitcom, set in a bar in Boston (Massachusetts) whose name was the same as that of the series: Cheers, today Cheers Beacon Hill. In it, a group of local regulars gathered to drink and have fun. Shortly after being released in 1982, it was canceled before the end of its first season due to its low audience levels, however it was decided to continue its broadcast and the series became a success in subsequent seasons.
Damaged – Emily, Friends
Emily Waltham was the most hated character on Friends. It was played by British actress Helen Baxendale and appeared during seasons four and five.
Fans were outraged when she asked Ross to never see Rachel again if he wanted to be with her, splitting up the whole gang! Ross ended up divorcing Emily and the character never appeared again. Emily Waltham was the second woman Ross Geller married. They were together for about a season when she got engaged to Ross. She was in love with him, although he didn’t seem to have it very clear because during the wedding, instead of saying “I’ll take you Emily”, she said “I’ll take you Rachel”. Although she was very embarrassed or rather humiliated, she continued with the wedding so as not to be embarrassed in front of all her relatives.
Damaged – Cousin Oliver, The Brady Bunch
When child actors grow up, producers quickly add fresh new child actors to the shows to maintain the level of cuteness. Such was the case of The Brady Bunch, a show that was basically centered on the lives of growing children.
Robbie Rist played cousin Oliver who appeared during the fifth season. Fans blame him for ruining the show. Mike and Carol formed a freshly married couple, and the series centred around their coexistence. Each of them had three children: Greg, Peter, and Bobby for the father, and girls for the mother (Marcia, Jan, and Cindy). In addition, the maid Alice resided with them all. It was a sitcom that aired in the United States. The program was first broadcast on the American network ABC from 1969 to 1974, and then exported to other countries.
Damaged – Wesley Crusher, Star Trek: The Next Generation
Many Star Trek fans will agree that Star Trek: The Next Generation was its best franchise. The cast was stellar and the storylines were well constructed, but there was a character that fans disliked with a passion: Wesley Crusher, played by a young Wil Wheaton. Although Wesley Crusher was not a new character and is in the pilot, he was hated for viable reasons.
He was opinionated and irreverent, fans cheered when Picard snapped and shouted “shut up, Wesley!”. Not a typical member for this list, but needed! Set in the 24th century, a century after Star Trek: The Original Series, the show featured a new crew and a new Starship Enterprise. Its premiere was in 1987 (21 years after the original series), with more than 27 million viewers in the pilot episode “Encounter at Farpoint”. Running for a total of 178 episodes (the most episodes of any Star Trek series ever) and seven seasons, it came to an end on 1994, with the episode “All Good Things”.
Damaged – Billie Jenkins, Charmed
During the last season of Charmed, a new witch was added to the mix called Billie Jenkins, played by actress Kaley Cuoco. Fans did not receive this character well, they thought of her as a whiny brat with boring one-liners.
Her storylines were also quite random and fell flat. The show was canceled shortly after the introduction of this character. The series followed a trio of sisters, who use “The Power of Three” to protect innocent lives from evil beings such as demons and warlocks. Each sister possessed unique magical powers that grew and evolved as they attempted to maintain a normal life. Keeping their supernatural identities separate and secret from their ordinary lives often became a challenge for them, as exposure to magic has far-reaching consequences on their various relationships and results in a series of FBI and police investigations throughout the series.
Damaged – Lindsey Strauss, One Tree Hill
During the fifth season of hit teen drama One Tree Hill, a new love interest for Lucas Scott was introduced in order to give the show a fresh spin. Lindsey Strauss, played by Michaela McManus, becomes engaged to Lucas.
Fans were furious because it would mean that he and Peyton would be separated forever. Linday leaves Lucas at the altar. The series tells the story of a group of young people and their families in a small town called Tree Hill through their passage through high school and after college. It aired from 2003 to 2009. Lucas and Nathan were two boys with completely different characters except for their love of basketball and that they had the same father. Nathan was the leader of the high school basketball team who came from a wealthy family. Lucas was raised by his mother, a local cafe owner.
Damaged – Stephanie Mills, All in the Family
During the ninth season of hit 70s sitcom All in the Family, a new child character was added to the show called Stephanie Mills, played by Danielle Brisebois. She was supposed to be Archie Bunker’s 9 year old grand-niece.
Fans despised this character, they thought of her as very annoying and a lame addition towards the end of the show. The series featured themes that were not properly adapted for television at the time. Between the 1971-72 and 1975-76 seasons, All in the Family was the most-watched television show in the United States. The comedy centered on World War II veteran Archie Bunker, who had no tolerance for anyone who wasn’t a straight, politically conservative “white Anglo-Saxon Protestant,” or anyone who disagreed with his worldview, often responding to uncomfortable truths releasing a fart or trumpet (with the tongue).
Damaged – Maggie Pierce, Grey’s Anatomy
We’ve seen many characters come and go during the fifteen seasons of Grey’s Anatomy. Maggie Pierce, played by Kelly McCreary, first appeared in season eleven. She is a neurosurgeon and is the half-sister of Meredith Grey.
Fans became very frustrated with this addition since they consider her very irritating and even a bit cruel to Meredith after her husband dies. Maggie never knew her birth mother, but 2 years before she joined the staff at Gray Sloan Memorial Hospital, she searched for her and found that she was dead, but got her name. After learning that Maggie was her half-sister, Meredith gave her Ellis’s journals, so Maggie could get an idea of what Ellis was like.
Helped – Frankie Dart, Community
After season 3, Community struggled to keep afloat. NBC dropped them and they lost 2 major actors: Chevy Chase and Donald Glover.
Since then a lot of smaller characters have come and gone, but it was the addition of Frankie Dart, played by actress Paget Brewster, that did the trick. Her character blended well with the rest of the cast. The series focused on Jeff Winger (Joel McHale), a lawyer who returned to college because the Bar Association invalidated his degree, and the experiences he has at the fictional university in Greendale, Colorado. He sets up a Spanish study group with other students, but he initially creates the group looking to convince Britta Perry (Gillian Jacobs), a former anarchist trying to get her life in order, to go out with him.
Helped – Tina Belcher, Bob’s Burgers
Tina is one the most beloved characters of Bob’s Burgers, but she wasn’t there in the show’s pilot. There was a second boy named Dan Belcher but they decided to give the place to Tina instead.
Tina fits right in with the rest of the characters and brings unique and hilarious storylines. Her awkwardness and obsessions make her very interesting. Bob’s Burgers is an American animated television sitcom that premiered in 2011. The series was created by Loren Bouchard and focuses on the Belcher family, who run a hamburger restaurant. It’s been 12 seasons now. The first season was ranked 59th in audience level, tied with 60 Minutes, The Middle and Outsourced. In mid-2019, Bob’s Burgers: The Movie was announced, which will be released on May 27, 2022.
Helped – Leon Black, Curb Your Enthusiasm
By the sixth seasons of Curb Your Enthusiasm. Larry David was left alone with the entire Black family after their home was destroyed in a hurricane.
Then, his wife left him and little by little the members of the Black family started leaving, except one. Leon Black continues to live with Larry and they made the most iconic funny duo. The show is set in Los Angeles and is based on Larry David’s life after his success with Seinfeld as a semi-retired television writer and producer. The show is sometimes cited as validating Seinfeld’s premise of “a show about nothing.” Curb Your Enthusiasm is shot on location using portable cameras, putting it outside the typical or conventional concept of a television series, discarding the script in favor of scene details and improvisations in the dialogues.
Damaged – Vinny, Family Guy
The producers of Family Guy were looking to remove Brian from the show and replace him with another dog named Vinny, played by Tony Sirico. It was very much a one-note character doing Italian-America stereotypes.
But it was nothing more than a joke to make us appreciate our loved ones while we can. Brian was back a few episoded later. Family Guy is an American animated television series for adults, created by director, screenwriter and singer Seth MacFarlane in 1999. The series focuses on the Griffins, a dysfunctional family whose members are: parents Peter and Lois; her children Meg, Chris, and Stewie; and his anthropomorphic dog Brian. The series is set in the fictional town of Quahog, Rhode Island. Family Guy has received many positive reviews and has been nominated for ten Emmy Awards, winning three.
Helped – Nicola Murray, The Thick Of It
Scottish satirist Armando Iannucci made the right decision when he added the character of Nicola Murray, played by actress Rebecca Front, to the british political satire The Thick of It.
Nicola was an exaggerated parody of former Prime Minister Theresa May. Front’s performance revitalized the show with her comedic talent. The show managed to raise the bar in comedic quality. The Thick of It is a British comedy television series that mocks the British government’s inner workings. It was first broadcast for two short series on BBC Four in 2005, with a tiny cast centering on a government minister, his advisers, and their party’s spin-doctor. It was written and directed by Armando Iannucci. To coincide with Christmas and Gordon Brown’s appointment as Prime Minister in 2007, the cast was greatly enlarged for two hour-long specials, which saw new characters from the opposition party introduced to the group.
Helped – Fonzie, Happy Days
American sitcom Happy Days showed the life of a group of teenagers during the 1950s in the Midwest. It had moderate success, but it wasn’t until Arthur “Fonzie” Fonzarelli made its first appearance that the show hit the jackpot.
The audience loved Fonzie so they made him a regular cast member. He became one of the most iconic sitcom characters. The plot revolved around a Wisconsin family, the Cunninghams. It is made up of Howard, a hardware store owner, his wife Marion, and his two children; Richie, a somewhat naive young optimist, and Joanie. The Cunninghams also had an older son named Chuck, a character who disappeared. The chapters were focused on the situations of Richie Cunningham and his friends: Potsie Weber, Ralph Malph and Arthur “Fonzie” Fonzarelli. But as Happy Days continued, Fonzie’s character became the most popular with viewers, increasing his weight in the plots.
Damaged – Johnny, The OC
Johnny Harper, played by Ryan Donowho, first appears in The OC in its 3dr season. He’s a troubled teenager and a surfer that has a problematic love relationship with Marissa Cooper.
Fans did not like his addition to the show since he was whiny and annoying. He also was the one that broke off Marissa and Ryan for good. Ryan Atwood, a disturbed but tough young guy from a broken home who is adopted into the wealthy Cohen family, was the focus of the series. Ryan and his foster brother Seth, a socially awkward but clever adolescent, experienced life as outsiders in Newport Beach’s upper-class world. Ryan and Seth spent a lot of time figuring out their relationships with Marissa Cooper, Seth’s lifelong crush Summer Roberts, and Taylor Townsend, the fast-talking loner.
Damaged – Lee Sizemore, Westworld
Lee Sizemore, played by british actor Simon Quarterman, is the mastermind behind the Narrative and Design department in Westworld. But this character comes across as cartoonish and ridiculous which makes you want to skip his scenes every time he comes up.
Perhaps the character is intended to be this way, so in that case, he is supposed to be irritating. Westworld was a dystopian science fiction television series that was based on the 1973 film of the same name and, to a lesser extent, the film’s 1976 sequel, Futureworld. The story begins in Westworld, a fictional and technologically advanced Old West-themed amusement park populated by “host” androids. The park caters to high-paying “guests” ($40,000 a day) who can indulge their wildest fantasies inside the park without fear of reprisal from the hosts, who are prevented by their programming from harming humans.
Helped – Elaine Benes, Seinfeld
Did you know that there was no Elaine in the pilot episode of Seinfeld? The cast was entirely male. But the network requested the addition of a female lead to complement them, so Elaine came into the picture, played by iconic comedian Julia Louis-Dreyfus.
Her character defied all female stereotypes which lead the way for new types of female leads. She was Jerry’s ex-girlfriend and a friend of Kramer and George. Elaine always came across as positive, but very shallow, and always responded very aggressively to surprising news, good or bad, such as in the episode “The Postponement”, when Jerry told her that George was engaged to Susan Ross. Originally, the character of Elaine was not intended to be the main female character of the series. In her place was “Claire”, a waitress at Pete’s Luncheonette restaurant, but after a few changes, the restaurant and the character were replaced.
Damaged – Will, Glee
William Schuester, played by Matthew Morrison, was one of the main male lead characters in Glee. The character was perceived to be bland and annoying.
He was a terrible teacher since he spent more time meddling into his students’ personal lives than actually teaching them anything. But he stayed throughout the entire series and graced us with his vocal talents. Glee was an American youth musical comedy television series that became a success. It was broadcast on FOX from 2009 to 2015 and it took place at William McKinley High School in the city of Lima, Ohio. It was mainly centered on the choir club of that school called “New Directions”, which participated in the choir competition circuit. The characters, young students, addressed issues such as love relationships, sexuality and discrimination.
Damaged – Nikki And Paulo, Lost
Lost kept audiences at the edge of their seats with their plot twists, flashbacks and forwards, which gave the show a fresh new edge. The characters of Nikki and Paulo were introduced in the third season but they were universally disliked by the show’s fans.
They were unlikeable and miscast according to them, so they were written off soon after. Nikki Fernández and Paulo were part of the survivors of the central section of Flight 815. They spent most of their time on the Island trying to recover the $8 million in diamonds that she and Paulo had stolen from Zukerman, Nikki’s lover, after killing him and shortly before the accident. They were both stung by a jellyfish spider, causing them to be totally paralyzed, and they were mistakenly buried alive next to one another.
Helped – Esteban Julio Ricardo Montoya de la Rosa Ramirez, The Suite Life of Zack and Cody
Esteban Ramirez played by Adrian R’Mante was originally only going to appear on a few episodes on the Disney Channel show The Suite Life of Zack and Cody. His character was so funny and endearing that they made him a permanent cast member.
R’Mante said “My role was intended for only two episodes, but then turned into a series regular”. The series took place at the Tipton Hotel in Boston and centered on Zack and Cody Martin (Dylan and Cole Sprouse), a pair of troubled twins who live at the Tipton Hotel. Other main characters in the series included legendary heiress London Tipton (Brenda Song), hotel candy counter girl Maddie Fitzpatrick (Ashley Tisdale), manager Marion Moseby (Phill Lewis), and single mother of the children and also the hotel’s lounge singer, Carey Martin (Kim Rhodes).
Helped – Luke Danes, Gilmore Girls
Luke Danes played by Scott Patterson was only supposed to be a minor character in Gilmore Girls, but he ended up becoming the cute grouchy diner owner that stole Lorelei’s heart.
The character took shape into Lorelei’s love interest thanks to the great chemistry that the two actors had in real life. Fans have always been devoted to his character. Luke was Stars Hollow’s local diner owner. He lived in Stars Hollow his entire life, and his dad’s hardware store (William’s Hardware, in the middle of town) became his diner after his dad passed away. While his father was heavily involved in town events, Luke resisted all of them, including most Town Meetings and the War Re-enactments. Though Luke expressed animosity towards town events, it was evident that he cared for the town and never had huge ambitions to leave.
Damaged – Dawn Summers, Buffy the Vampire Slayer
During the fifth season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, a new character was introduced. Dawn Summers, played by Michelle Trachtenberg, was Buffy’s younger sister, a selfish teenager who was really a supernatural creation.
Buffy sacrificed herself in the end to save Dawn which angered fans a lot. They were not happy either to see Dawn linger during the next season. Some Czech monks of the Order of Dagon protected The Key. This was a concentration of living energy that could be used to destroy the veil that separated all dimensions. The monks were attacked, so the surviving ones used powerful magic to transform the Key into human form as a fourteen-year-old girl, who they sent to Buffy as a little sister for protection. The monks also altered the memories of the Slayer, her family, and her friends, so that the now-human Key would fit into the world.
Helped – Amy and Bernadette, The Big Bang Theory
This is an example of the more the merrier. The Big Bang Theory started off as a group of all-male geeky friends and their awkward but endearing relationship with the female neighbor, Penny, played by Kaley Cuoco.
But producers were smart enough to add two more female leads before it became repetitive and boring. Amy and Bernadette were incredible additions to the storyline, diversifying the cast and making the show last for 12 successful seasons. The series started with the arrival of Penny, an aspiring actress, to the apartment next door to the one shared by Sheldon and Leonard, two physicists who work at Caltech. Leonard fell in love with Penny from the first moment he saw her. Howard and Raj were friends of the two scientists. The four of them were presented as geeks with difficulties relating to people outside their environment, mainly female, which generated comic situations.
Damaged – Hades, Once Upon a Time
Towards the end of the fifth season of Once Upon a Time was when the character of Hades was first introduced. Played by veteran actor Greg Germann, this god and ruler of the Underworld was not evil enough according to passionate fans of the show.
Thankfully Once Upon a Time has a plethora of interesting characters to keep things interesting. The story alternated between two main settings: a fantastic world where fairy tales happen and a fictional seaside town in Maine called Storybrooke. The “real world” part of the story played out with the characters of Emma Swan (Jennifer Morrison) and her 10-year-old son, Henry Mills (Jared S. Gilmore). Henry discovered that the other inhabitants of the city were characters from fairy tales. The audience was shown the backstory of the townspeople as fairy tale characters, along with their stories taking place in the “real world”.
Helped – Summer Roberts, The O.C.
Summer Roberts from the O.C. played by Rachel Bilson was originally a guest star with three lines on the pilot, but she was so charming and bounced well with Adam Brody’s character Seth that she ended up becoming a permanent cast member.
She was Seth’s love interest and Marissa’s best friend. Fans loved her strong temperament and bubbly personality. Summer was the stereotypical pampered girl from Newport who was only interested in three things: shopping, boyfriends, and parties. Although she may have appeared superficial at first, hers was really a mask that concealed her insecurities and worries. In truth, she grew up without a significant female influence in her life because her mother abandoned her without any explanation. Raised by a single father, she has created a superficial and immature image of herself to protect herself and her family from what others may think of them.
Helped – Andy Dwyer, Parks and Rec
Chris Pratt’s goofy and lovable Andy Dwyer from Parks and Recreation was initially going to appear in six episodes in season one. Andry was supposed to be gone after Ann Perkins broke up with him.
But when Pratt auditioned for the role, the producers liked him so much that they kept him and gave the character its own story arc. Andy was unemployed, but he was the lead singer at a rock band and the guitarist. He broke his legs after falling into the pit behind Ann’s house. This drew Leslie’s attention to the pit. Andy spent some time in the pit after his divorce from Ann. He did, however, acquire a job and get back on his feet with the support of Leslie. He later fell in love with April Ludgate and decided to change his life by becoming a police officer.
Damaged – Maya Herrera, Heroes
NBC’s show Heroes was a huge success during its first season. To keep up with the high expectations they introduced a new character in the second season. Her name was Maya Herrera, a woman who struggled with her powers.
But fans felt they spent too much time establishing that bland character and after the writers’ strike, they wrote her off. The series told the story of ordinary people who discovered that they had superhuman powers and how this affected their lives. The series emulated the aesthetic style and storytelling of American comics with short, multiple episodes that created a longer, broader story. Each season of Heroes was designed to involve ordinary people discovering that they had extraordinary powers and how these abilities affected the characters’ daily lives.
Damaged – April Nardini, Gilmore Girls
During the sixth season of Gilmore Girls, the character of April Nardini was introduced. She was a teen middle schooler that ended up breaking the engagement of Luke and Lorelei when it was revealed that she was Luke’s daughter.
Fans disliked her very much because of that and her annoying personality was often compared to that of Jar Jar Binks. The series dealt with the lives of Lorelai Victoria Gilmore and her daughter Lorelai “Rory” Leigh Gilmore and took place primarily in the fictional town of Stars Hollow, Connecticut. At the beginning of the series, Lorelai borrowed money from her wealthy parents, with whom she had barely dealt since Rory’s birth, to enroll her in the prestigious Chilton College, in the city of Hartford, which would facilitate her access to Harvard, Rory’s dream. In return, Lorelai’s parents imposed on her the condition that they both have to have dinner with them every Friday and thus they were present in their lives continuously.
Helped – Sophia Petrillo, Golden Girls
On the pilot episode of Golden Girls, there was a character of a man named Coco who was Dorothy, Blanche and Rose’s cook. He was meant to stay as a lead character, but the network decided that he wasn’t really needed.
Instead, his lines were given to Sophia Petrillo played by Estelle Getty, who ended up being a lead herself.
The series focused on four ladies who shared a house in Miami, Florida. The owner of the home was a widow named Blanche Devereaux (Rue McClanahan), also accompanied by another fellow widow, Rose Nylund (Betty White), and a divorcee, Dorothy Zbornak (Beatrice Arthur). They all met by responding to an ad Blanche posted on the bulletin board of a local supermarket. The three were soon joined by Dorothy’s mother, Sophia Petrillo (Estelle Getty), who lost her home in Shady Pines to a fire.