# Has a series ever actually successfully passed the torch? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 1, 2025, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-a-series-ever-actually-successfully-passed-the-torch/1020340 "2025-07-01T06:18:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Zoobi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/13edae/32.png) [@Zoobi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoobi)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2025, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-a-series-ever-actually-successfully-passed-the-torch/1020340/41 "2025-07-01T17:38:27Z")
Yes, she did ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2025, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-a-series-ever-actually-successfully-passed-the-torch/1020340/42 "2025-07-01T17:51:45Z")
How about Rudy Huxtable passing the torch to Olivia on the Cosby Show to fulfill the role of a younger child in the Huxtable house? I was going to say Cheers did it similarly with Coach/Woody and Diane/Rebecca but they never appeared on the show together. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2025, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-a-series-ever-actually-successfully-passed-the-torch/1020340/43 "2025-07-01T18:20:32Z")
I could have sworn there was an episode in which they both appeared and interacted, but it has been a long time since I watched it. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2025, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-a-series-ever-actually-successfully-passed-the-torch/1020340/44 "2025-07-01T18:26:05Z")
I’m not really sure if this qualifies, since it wasn’t a clear, singular handover, but some of episodes in the later seasons of _Murder, She Wrote_ have Jessica Fletcher absent altogether (_Murder, She Missed,_ if you will), with other characters taking the investigative lead. ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2025, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-a-series-ever-actually-successfully-passed-the-torch/1020340/45 "2025-07-01T18:51:02Z")
**The Thick of It** didn’t suffer terribly when it replaced Chris Langham with Rebecca Front in the “bumbling but well-meaning government official” role halfway through its run. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2025, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-a-series-ever-actually-successfully-passed-the-torch/1020340/46 "2025-07-01T19:02:42Z")
In _Unforgotten,_ another UK mystery series, Sanjeev Bhaskar as “Sunny” Kahn was the assistant to Cassie Stuart, played by Nicola Walker. She left the series and Sinead Keenan as Jessica James replaced her, but Sunny was given a more prominent role. ---
**Author:** ![Treppenwitz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treppenwitz/32/3445_2.png) [@Treppenwitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Treppenwitz)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2025, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-a-series-ever-actually-successfully-passed-the-torch/1020340/47 "2025-07-01T19:15:35Z")
Sandi Toksvig made 16 guest appearances on QI before taking over from Stephen Fry as host. j ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2025, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-a-series-ever-actually-successfully-passed-the-torch/1020340/48 "2025-07-01T19:45:56Z")
> [@Asuka](#): > > Jeremy Renner with both Mission Impossible Ghost Protocol and The Bourne Series Why the Bourne series? ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2025, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-a-series-ever-actually-successfully-passed-the-torch/1020340/49 "2025-07-01T19:49:52Z")
> [@BlankSlate](#): > > Why the Bourne series?. I mean, he made one Jason Bourne movie. Not successfully and not with Matt Damon passing the torch. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2025, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-a-series-ever-actually-successfully-passed-the-torch/1020340/50 "2025-07-01T19:52:11Z")
Someone had to run the filling station. How long ago _did_ they call gas stations, a filling station? ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2025, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-a-series-ever-actually-successfully-passed-the-torch/1020340/51 "2025-07-01T19:54:30Z")
I’m confused because I haven’t seen or read any of the works mentioned in the OP, except for the Bourne Series. Aren’t the new characters supposed to have shared screen time with the one they’'re replacing? ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2025, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-a-series-ever-actually-successfully-passed-the-torch/1020340/52 "2025-07-01T19:55:11Z")
> [@BlankSlate](#): > > I’m confused because I haven’t seen or read any of the works mentioned in the OP, except for the Bourne Series. Aren’t the new characters supposed to have shared screen time with the one they’'re replacing?. Yes, that’s why this one doesn’t work. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2025, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-a-series-ever-actually-successfully-passed-the-torch/1020340/53 "2025-07-01T19:55:58Z")
Yeah. Shared some scenes, then eventually took over for that person, and the original person leaves…all on the same show. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2025, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-a-series-ever-actually-successfully-passed-the-torch/1020340/54 "2025-07-01T21:08:03Z")
I was surprised that, when Kyra Sedgewick left _The Closer,_ a lesser-known character would just be promoted into her role and the series would continue as _Major Crimes._ ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2025, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-a-series-ever-actually-successfully-passed-the-torch/1020340/55 "2025-07-01T23:17:56Z")
In _The World Is Not Enough_, John Cleese’s character is introduced as Q’s assistant. (Bond sarcastically refers to him as “R”.) In _Die Another Day_, the old Q was gone (Desmond Llewelyn had died), and John Cleese’s character was the new Quartermaster. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2025, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-a-series-ever-actually-successfully-passed-the-torch/1020340/56 "2025-07-01T23:41:33Z")
Might not count, but how about _Maverick_? Jack Kelly basically took over the title role when James Garner left after season 3 (although he did reappear in several episodes later on) ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2025, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-a-series-ever-actually-successfully-passed-the-torch/1020340/57 "2025-07-01T23:42:35Z")
How about _Happy Days_ - that show about Richie Cunningham? He and Fonzie were on the screen together all the time - and the Fonz, of course, led the show after Richie left ---
**Author:** ![E-DUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/e-dub/32/403_2.png) [@E-DUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-DUB)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2025, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-a-series-ever-actually-successfully-passed-the-torch/1020340/58 "2025-07-01T23:51:43Z")
Would Radar leaving MASH and Klinger taking on the role of company clerk qualify? And Sinclair reappeared twice after leaving the show. OK, once was just on just on video, but the other was a two-part episode. ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2025, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-a-series-ever-actually-successfully-passed-the-torch/1020340/59 "2025-07-01T23:56:34Z")
> [@E-DUB](#): > > Would Radar leaving MASH and Klinger taking on the role of company clerk qualify? Or Jack McCoy taking over the role of DA? ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2025, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-a-series-ever-actually-successfully-passed-the-torch/1020340/60 "2025-07-02T00:15:42Z")
> [@blondebear](#): > > Might not count, but how about _Maverick_? Jack Kelly basically took over the title role when James Garner left after season 3 (although he did reappear in several episodes later on) Oh, and Mel Gibson pretty much had the torch passed to him by James Garner in the movie version. Now, it ultimately does turn out that Jack Garner is playing the OG Maverick and Mel is his son, but it’s the same idea. They didn’t make sequels, but it is a great movie. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-a-series-ever-actually-successfully-passed-the-torch/1020340.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-a-series-ever-actually-successfully-passed-the-torch/1020340.md?page=4)