TV's Best and Worst Re-Cast Characters

Throughout television history, many shows have had to bid farewell to longtime cast members, transforming episodes into events for fans to flock to as a character moves on. It leaves room for a new character to arrive and grow alongside the established characters, keeping the show moving. It isn't always successful, but it happens. Sometimes it is so jarring, the entire series falters.

The real rarity in the world of TV is how some actors and actresses move on to other roles or the show replaces them with another person as the same character. Notable shows like The Honeymooners, Cagney and Lacey, Three's Company and The O.C. have successfully managed to have characters replaced by new actors. Sometimes these replacements go on to be more successful than the originals. Other times it blows up in a show's face, forcing more changes or cancellation.

The history of television is littered with examples, be it the Golden Age of TV, the Peak era, or just the general network hold that existed through the '70s and '80s. Scroll down to see and read about some of the best and worst examples of TV character replacements.