Summary

• TV shows can continue even without essential actors, as recasting can be done for convenience or narrative reasons.
• The success of a show's new cast can depend on fan reception and the chemistry between the remaining cast .
• For example, Doctor Who's constant recasting of the lead role adds to the show's appeal and keeps it fresh with every new actor. Another example is Reacher, whose titular character is the only irreplaceable part of the story.

Even if an actor seems essential to the fabric of a TV show, that doesn't necessarily mean it can't continue without them. There are a variety of shows that continued past their original casting choices, either because the story asked such or because of behind-the-scenes issues. Depending on its nature and genre, a show being so heavily recast can be done for convenience or narrative reasons. Sometimes, there can be more than one way to justify swapping out of the central cast. Either way, some of the best TV shows of their era went through major actor changes.

The fallout of a show being heavily recast can spell its end shortly after, but some can flourish with its new actors or characters in place. Several factors can contribute to the success of a show's new acting personnel, one of which being the fan reception, and another being the disruption of chemistry between the remaining cast . Regardless, there is often a notable change in the show's approach when actors are seen as interchangeable.

8 Scrubs

Season 9 meant a brand-new direction for Scrubs

The core cast is largely the same throughout the first eight seasons of Scrubs, except for a few additions toward the end. However, Scrubs season 9 reworked the show and attempted something new. The departure of Zach Braff from the show meant Scrubs had to shift its focus a little, despite Braff staying on for a handful of episodes in an attempt to launch the new format

Other main cast such as John C. McGinley, Donald Faison, and Sam Lloyd stayed for Scrubs season 9. However, they were sidelined much more often in favor of the new cast, led by Kerry Bishé. Despite being billed as a continuation of season 8, Scrubs season 9 was a soft reboot of the show. Although the ninth season did align with the main continuity of the medical sitcom, the title card displayed the words, "Med School" after "Scrubs," confirming that the cast was not the show's only change. The refreshing of Scrubs didn't go as well as hoped, and it was canceled after 13 episodes.

7 Wayward Pines

Fox used the sci-fi nature of Wayward Pines to their advantage

Wayward Pines season 1 covered the events of all three books from its source material, so the story was essentially complete by the time it was over. Fox, however, had other ideas and commissioned Wayward Pines season 2 after the finale of the first installment. The issue was that certain key cast had committed to other projects before the second season was confirmed.

Luckily, the nature of Wayward Pines meant almost every character was interchangeable. Some actors, such as Toby Jones, returned to film flashback scenes for their deceased characters. However, the production mostly made use of the narrative possibilities that Wayward Pines afforded them, introducing brand-new characters to replace the ones they'd lost. The second season wasn't as well received as the first, and so Wayward Pines season 3 never materialized.

6 Two And A Half Men

The loss of Charlie Sheen wasn't the end of the show

Two and a Half Men was built, in part, around the persona of Charlie Sheen. As a result, his exit from the show should have meant that a vital piece of the formula was missing. However, the Chuck Lorre sitcom didn't miss a beat and replaced Charlie Sheen with Ashton Kutcher ahead of Two and a Half Men season 9. Kutcher's experience with the sitcom genre from starring in That '90s Show helped keep Two and a Half Men afloat in the wake of Sheen's ejection.

The end of the show's tenth season also saw the start of a gradual departure for Angus T Jones, who had played Jake Harper since the first episode. Eventually, Jones was replaced completely by Amber Tamblyn. Tamblyn played Jenny Harper on the show, serving as the spiritual replacement for both Charlie and Jake. As a result, Jon Cryer became the only original member of the main trio by the time the show ended with Two and a Half Men season 12.

Angus T Jones returned for a cameo appearance in the final episode of Two and a Half Men.

5 Doctor Who

The constant recasting process is part of what gives Doctor Who its identity

Doctor Who is a show that's known for its revolving door of cast , especially in its lead role. The character of the Doctor has been played by many actors, and an in-universe reason for this was included very early on in the show's history. The Doctor was first played by William Hartnell in the 1960s. At the time, the eventual replacement of the actor was not something the producers had planned for.

When Hartnell had to part ways with Doctor Who, the writers installed an ingenious method by which to recast the Time Lord. The first regeneration in the show was therefore nothing more than a workaround that allowed the BBC to keep the show going. Now, the arrival of a new actor to play the Doctor is a huge part of the show's appeal, and the same is true of their companion. As a result, Doctor Who doesn't need a consistent cast, and every arguably gets better as a show every time new faces enter the fray.

4 The Sinner

Bill Pullman is the only actor The Sinner needs

It's always an advantage when a show revolves around a single actor, as it allows an overhaul to take place between each season. Bill Pullman is the only necessity in The Sinner, as each set of episodes focuses on him working on a new case in a different location. As a result, Pullman has a new ing cast each season. Although each season is set after the one before, there is no requirement to watch them in order. Simply put, all four seasons of The Sinner function well as standalone adventures.

3 Altered Carbon

Recasting Takeshi Kovacs was a part of the plot

When a fictional universe revolves around the concept of transferring a person's consciousness into another body, it's almost a foregone conclusion that an actor's time in the role will be limited. This was the case with Altered Carbon. Both Will Yun Lee and Joel Kinnaman share the role of Takeshi Kovacs in Altered Carbon season 1, often depending on which point in the character's timeline is being shown.

In Altered Carbon season 2, Kinnaman was replaced with Anthony Mackie, which was a move taken from the books, as the character of Kovacs is "resleeved." With a 30-year gap in the story between both seasons of Altered Carbon, it made little to no narrative sense to bring back many actors beyond those playing AI characters. The result was a new leading man and only a partially-familiar ing cast.

Altered Carbon was canceled after season 2.

2 Rick And Morty

Justin Roiland was replaced with new cast

Recasting a voice-only role can come with unique challenges. While a live-action TV show can sometimes have its hand forced when it comes to replacing a character, animated shows have the advantage of maintaining a character's physical appearance. As a result, if the voice were the only thing that was to change, it could result in a jarring experience for the audience.

Rick and Morty found itself in just this situation following Justin Roiland's departure from the show, with Rick and Morty season 7 being the first not to feature him as an actor. Roiland provided a lot of voices for the show, including its two title characters. Rick and Morty had a big order to fill at the time, with Adult Swim ordering many future episodes due to the show's success. Luckily, replacement voice actors were found for all of Roiland's characters, and Rick and Morty shows no sign of slowing down. Rick is now played by Ian Cardoni, whereas Morty is played by Harry Belden.

1 Reacher

The Amazon show only really needs Alan Ritchson

Sometimes, a character can dictate the rest of the show's casting decisions. In Reacher, the title character is very much a loner, drifting across the country before he feels compelled to stop somewhere. A character like Reacher, who goes on multiple standalone adventures in the source material, has little to no need for constant companionship, so the show casts accordingly and brings in new characters as needed. Reacher has a great deal of source material to work with, as Lee Child has been steadily adding books to the series since the 90s.

Child's hard work has paid off, as Amazon now has a whole host of characters it can use and dispose of almost as quickly. Reacher is the show's focal point, with all the events unfolding around him being a result of his past. As a result, Alan Ritchson is the only essential actor in Reacher, and the show proved this by completely disregarding many of the characters from season 1 in favor of bringing in new figures to contribute to Reacher season 2's cast.