Fall TV: Every Major Casting Change So Far

The Fall TV season is fast approaching, and all of your favorite shows are gearing up for triumphant returns. However, with casting shake-ups becoming the story of the summer, many of these programs will look a little different when the new seasons debut.

Shows like Criminal Minds, Chicago P.D., Stranger Things, Grey’s Anatomy, Once Upon A Time, Kevin Can Wait, Arrow, and many more have already gone through some major casting changes as production begins on new episodes.

For some shows, this means new actors have been cast, and fans will likely rejoice about those decisions. However, for other shows, this means that some stars have already made their way to the exit doors.

Has your favorite TV show been affected by this summer’s round of production announcements? If you’re not sure, we’ve got you covered.

Here’s every major addition, departure, and shake-up from this year’s Fall TV schedule.

Criminal Minds, Kevin Can Wait, & The Rest of CBS

It seems like most of the major shows on CBS are undergoing some kind of casting shake-up this fall, with two of its top programs seeing series regulars swapped out for new ones.

Criminal Minds is one of the shows currently experiencing an actor exchange. After just one season on the show, Damon Gupton is on the way out. It looks like Newton had it right, as this exit was met with a new addition. Daniel Henney, who starred in the canceled spin-off series Beyond Borders, will reprise his role as Special Agent Matt Simmons as a series regular on Criminal Minds this season.

CBS Sets Fall Premiere Dates

Kevin Can Wait is pulling a similar switch-a-roo this year. After Leah Remini, Kevin James’ long-time TV spouse on King of Queens, appeared in the Season 1 finale of the new series, she was promoted to series regular status for Season 2. Just one day after that announcement, James’ current on-screen wife, Erinn Hayes was shown the door.

Hawaii Five-O will be a couple cast members short when the series returns for its eighth season this fall. Series regulars Daniel Dae Kim and Grace Park, who have appeared in every single episode, will not be back when season eight premieres.

Rounding out the CBS news, NCIS is losing one of its own. Jennifer Esposito, who played Alex Quinn last season, won’t return for the show’s 15th installment.

Once Upon A Time

If there’s one show that’s gone through an upheaval bigger than all the others, it has to be Once Upon A Time.

The Season 6 finale saw the conclusion of the show’s original story. Rather than continue the tale of Emma, Snow, Charming, and Henry even longer, or end the show entirely, the final episode served as a soft reboot, of sorts.

The next season will focus on Regina, Hook, and many of the other fairy tale characters, as well as Henry’s grown-up self.

So, with that in mind, many of the series stars have exited ahead of Season 7. Jennifer Morrison, Ginnifer Goodwin, Josh Dallas, Jared Gilmore, Emilie de Ravin, and Rebecca Mader are all headed out. 

The Walking Dead alum Andrew J. West has been added to the show as a series regular, portraying Adult Henry, and Alison Fernandez will be playing is daughter Lucy.

Grey’s Anatomy & ABC

Once Upon a Time may be losing a lot of familiar faces, but it’s not the only ABC series undergoing some changes.

Grey’s Anatomy is losing one of Seattle’s surgeons, as Stephanie won’t be back. The Season 13 finale made it pretty clear, but Jerrika Hinton is moving on. 

While Grey’s hasn’t gotten a new series regular to replace Hinton, a major return has been confirmed. Kim Raver, who starred as Teddy Altman for a couple of seasons, is coming back to the show as a recurring character.

Designated Survivor was one of ABC’s more popular freshman programs last year, but its season two return will look a little different. Virginia Madsen, who played Kimble Hookstraten, won’t be a part of the second season. However, former Royal Pains star Paulo Costanzo has been added as a series regular, playing the new White House political director Lyor Boone.

Quantico is another series in the middle of a soft reboot. After getting a surprise renewal, and a new showrunner, there is a new direction coming for the young FBI drama. That means series regulars Yasmine Al Massri and Pearl Thusi won’t be returning to Season 3. 

George Newbern has been promoted to a series regular on Scandal, as his character Charlie looks to have a major role in the show’s final season.

 

Netflix Additions

A few popular Netflix original series are undergoing some changes as the new seasons are entering production.

For Orange is the New Black, the change comes in the form of a promotion of an existing character. Dale Soules, who plays Frieda Berlin on the show, has been promoted to series regular ahead of Season 6.

Grace & Frankie is welcoming a new Friend to their ranks. Lisa Kudrow, better known as Phoebe from Friends, will recur in Season 4 as Sheree, Grace’s manicurist.

Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events has added a slew of cast members, as Nathan Fillion, Tony Hale, Sara Rue, Lucy Punch, and Roger Bart will all play undisclosed roles in the upcoming second season.

Every Title Added To Netflix In July

Love is getting some solid star-power heading into Season 3, as Kyle Bornheimer and Kathy Baker have been cast as Gus’ brother and mother.

Stranger Things was a cultural phenomenon after its first season debuted on Netflix last summer, and the next installment is getting some major upgrades. Joe Keery and Noah Schnapp, who play Steve and Will, are going to be promoted to series regulars in Season 2. In addition to these two promotions, actors Sadie Sink, Dacre Montgomery, Linnea Berthelsen, Sean Astin, Paul Reiser, and Will Chase have all joined the series in new roles.

 

 

 

CW Shake-Ups

The 100 is dealing with a swap over on The CW. Isiah Washington will not return for Season 5, while Tasya Tales has been promoted to series regular status. 

The popular series Crazy Ex-Girlfriend is looking at a couple of promotions, as both Scott Michael Foster and David Hull has been promoted to series regulars.

Arrow is getting some super additions to its line-up this fall. Former star Katie Cassidy is being brought back on a series regular, along with Juliana Harkavy and Rick Gonzalez, who were added to the show in Season 5. Legends of Tomorrow, one of the other DC programs on The CW, has added Tala Ashe as a series regular in Season 3.

Jane The Virgin is seeing a new addition to the cast this season. Tyler Posey will recur during Season 4 as Adam, who already debuted on the series during the Season 3 finale.

Riverdale is adding a ton of characters going into Season 2. Mark Consuelos, Skeet Ulrich, and Casey Cott have all been made series regulars, while Charles Melton will replace Ross Butler as Reggie in the next installment.

On Supergirl, all kinds of roles are being shifted around. Katie McGrath (Lena Luthor) is being upped to series regular status, while Floriana Lima (Maggie Sawyer) has been bumped down to recurring status. The whole crew is being joined by veteran actress Odette Annabelle, who will play the new series villain Reign.

Much to the dismay of fans, Supernatural is losing one of its beloved characters. Mark Sheppard won’t be back on the show following Crowley’s death in Season 12.

 

 

 

Everyone Else

One of the first departures of the season came from NBC, where Chicago P.D. lost one of its biggest stars. Sophia Bush, who played Erin Lindsay, decided to exit the crime drama ahead of its fifth season.

Over on AMC, The Walking Dead handed out a couple of big promotions. After appearing as recurring characters in Season 7, Pollyanna McIntosh (Jadis), Katelyn Nacon (Edith), and Steven Ogg (Simon) have all been promoted to series regulars for Season 8.

The Exorcist is leaning a bit toward the anthology way of life, as half of the cast is on the way out. Geena Davis, Alan Ruck, Hannah Kasulka, and Brianne Howey have all made their exits, as the second season will follow a new family.

Over on The Blacklist, a fan-favorite character is making his way back to the series. Ryan Eggold left the show to lead the Redemption spin-off, but is now returning to the main series following its cancellation. While Eggold’s door is swinging open, Enrique Murciano’s has closed. The actor won’t be back for Season 5.

Popular actress Moon Bloodgood has landed a role in the third season of Code Black, where she will play a competitive paramedic named Rox.

Major Crimes is getting some major reinforcements this year. Season 6 will feature Amirah Vann in a recurring role, while Jessica Meraz has been added as a series regular.

Saturday Night Live will see the exits of a few major cast members, as Bobby Moynihan, Vanessa Bayer, and Sasheer Zamata have all said goodbye.

Taken got a new showrunner, and a brand new vision. Series regulars Gaius Charles, Brooklyn Sudano, Monique Gabriela Curnen, Michael Irby, Jose Pablo Cantillo, and James Landry Hebert will not be returning for Season 2.

To wrap things up, the hit series This Is Us has handed out a few promotions heading into its sophomore season. Jon Huertas, Alexandra Breckenridge, Hannah Zeile, Niles Fitch, Logan Shroyer, Mackenzie Hancsicsak, and Parker Bates have all been promoted to series regular status.

Photo Credit: NBC