Top 10 TV Recastings That Ruined the Entire Show

#10: Colleen Cooper

Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman (1993-98)

Set in the Wild West era, British actress Jane Seymour stars as a pioneering doctor who is suddenly thrust into the role of mother to three orphans. Her dynamic with the Cooper children is an integral part of the show. When Dr. Quinn started, Erika Flores originated the role of Colleen Cooper, a teen-aged girl to whom Dr. Quinn acts as a mother. Flores left the show midway through the season. Rather than write the character off, the creators decided to recast. Jessica Bowman was brought on to play Colleen in her place. Unfortunately, Bowmans characterization wasnt as strong or spunky. The character went from being interesting and suited to the western surroundings to being a bit more proper and stuck-up.

#9: Mandy Baxter

Last Man Standing (2011-21)

Tim Allens spiritual sequel sitcom to Home Improvement was marred by a network change mid-run and the exits of two of his three on-screen kids. While one of these took place early enough into the series that it didnt spoil as much, the switch from original cast member Molly Ephraim to Molly McCook was hard for fans to swallow. McCook is a good performer, but her Mandy was just not the same character. Fans were already fatigued by the shows many changes. Having a completely different vibe to a beloved character was just the straw that broke the camels back.

#8: Kate Kane

Batwoman (2019-22)

Original star Ruby Roses time on the DC series was not the easiest. Her casting was controversial from the start. But once she made her debut as Kate Kane, a.k.a. Batwoman, she won some fans over. And then, between the first and second seasons, she suddenly departed the series entirely. The reasons for Roses departure has been a source of contention ever since. Batwomans creators didnt just recast her. They moved Kane out of the lead character spot. Javicia Leslie would join the show as Ryan Wilder, a new Batwoman, and Wallis Day would play Katie on a recurring basis. This robbed the show of much of the tension and character dynamics it had built over its first year.

#7: Alexis Carrington & Cristal Carrington

Dynasty (2017-22)

The CW reboot had the potential to bring 80s-tastic catfights and backstabbing billionaires into the 21st Century. However, a series of rotating cast exits dogged it from its second season. First, it lost one of its main protagonists in Nathalie Kelley as Cristal Carrington. The character would be played by two more actresses before its fifth and final season. Star Elizabeth Gillies was, at one time, doing double duty as two characters. When Alexis Carrington actress Nicollette Sheridan left halfway through the second season, Gillies was pulling double duty playing her original role and her on-screen mother. Alexis final performer, Elaine Hendrix, would have been an incredible choice from the start. Unfortunately, a constantly shifting ensemble made it hard to become too attached to some major characters.

#6: Harriette Winslow

Family Matters (1989-98)

In its final season, the show switched networks, and saw a major cast shakeup. This quintessentially 90s sitcom saw a lot of overhauls even from its early years. People dont always remember that it was originally devised as a Perfect Strangers spin-off about Jo Marie Paytons character, Harriett Winslow. But after years of the show becoming overtaken by Steve Urkel and star Jaleel White, tension between the two finally boiled over. Reports that the two nearly came to blows in the final stretch of episodes led to Payton quitting mid-season. Her role was taken over by actress Judyann Elder. With only a few episodes left, viewers had no time to grow accustomed to Elder, and Family Matters ended its run with an awkward fizzle.

#5: Chrissy Snow

Threes Company (1977-84)

John Ritter, Joyce DeWitt, and Suzanne Somers were a dream team when it came to comedy mishaps. Ritter was the goofy playboy, DeWitt was the clever brunette, and Somers was the archetypal dumb blonde. But contract disputes saw Somers shoved out after the hit shows fifth season. She was replaced by Jenilee Harrison, who played Chrissys cousin, Cindy. Unfortunately, it really became apparent just how savvy and gifted a performer you have to be to play a believably naive character like that. Harrison didnt last long, and while Priscilla Barnes was a good replacement for the shows last few seasons, no one could compete with Chrissy or the TV icon who played her.

#4: Becky Conner

Roseanne (1988-97; 2018)

The Conners were always believable as a working class midwestern family. The three children represented totally different responses to that upbringing, with Becky Conner being the gifted eldest sibling destined to achieve great things despite her background. Original star Lecy Goranson also played the characters dissatisfaction with her life in a credibly bratty way. But Sarah Chalke replaced Goranson in Roseannes sixth season. Chalke would be great on Scrubs a few years later, but her Becky doesnt have the same bite or resentment. Goranson would return to the role once the show was rebooted in 2018.

#3: Charlie Harper

Two and a Half Men (2003-15)

Star Charlie Sheen left the long-running sitcom amid a series of controversial statements and incidents of bizarre behavior. Rather than recast the role that was written for him, his spot on the show was replaced and completely overhauled. Ashton Kutcher debuted as Walden Schmidt in the ninth season premiere. The fallout with Sheen and the introduction of a new star gave Two and a Half Men a brief boost in viewers, but within two years, the show had plummeted in the ratings. Kutcher was probably the best attempt at getting close to Sheens particular brand of madcap manliness. Suffice it to say, it was simply impossible to recreate.

#2: Laurie Forman

That 70s Show (1998-2006)

It was hard to love Laurie a lot of the time. She was a whirlwind of drama and chaos that often destabilized the core group of characters wed grown to care about. But the late Lisa Robin Kelly gave Eric Formans troubled older sister some humanity. She made a challenging character a genuine delight to watch. Kelly left the show in its third season, made one more appearance, and then was recast for Lauries season 6 return. Christina Moores Laurie didnt make us see her as a real person, and fans generally thought the character was mishandled by the writers. It was just one of the many disappointments in the shows final seasons.

#1: Darrin Stephens

Bewitched (1964-72)

Suburban witch Samantha Stephens cast plenty of spells over the shows 8 seasons, but the second Darrin is the kind of witchcraft fans just couldnt accept. The way people talk about this recasting, youd think it gave an entire generation of TV viewers trust issues. In fact, Darrin Stephens might just be the Rosetta Stone of recastings gone wrong. Original actor Dick York injured his back, taking prescription painkillers and becoming physically unable to keep up the demands of a network television schedule. York left Bewitched in its sixth season, and Dick Sargent took his place. Sargent was a good actor in his own right, but his approach to Darrin was too subtle where York was more animated. Darrin just became a lot less fun.

What TV recasting completely ruined a show for you? Let us know in the comments.