# How many TV series surved a loss of a major character? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 23, 2005, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-tv-series-surved-a-loss-of-a-major-character/286309 "2005-01-23T22:52:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![EvilHamsterOnCrack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/3ab097/32.png) [@EvilHamsterOnCrack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EvilHamsterOnCrack)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2005, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-tv-series-surved-a-loss-of-a-major-character/286309/21 "2005-01-24T00:54:07Z")
Stargate SG-1 has lost Richard Dean Anderson, but dunno if it’ll survive long now. ---
**Author:** ![Julius\_Henry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8797f3/32.png) [@Julius\_Henry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Julius_Henry)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2005, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-tv-series-surved-a-loss-of-a-major-character/286309/22 "2005-01-24T01:16:57Z")
\*The Andy Griffith Show \* continued (sorta) for a few years after Andy Griffith left the show. \*Mayberry RFD \* ran three years and ranked #15 in the Nielsen Ratings in its final season. It was cancelled when CBS cancelled all their rural comedies at once. ---
**Author:** ![prisoner6655321](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5f8ce5/32.png) [@prisoner6655321](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/prisoner6655321)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2005, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-tv-series-surved-a-loss-of-a-major-character/286309/23 "2005-01-24T01:18:38Z")
_ER_ survived the loss of George Clooney. ---
**Author:** ![prisoner6655321](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5f8ce5/32.png) [@prisoner6655321](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/prisoner6655321)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2005, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-tv-series-surved-a-loss-of-a-major-character/286309/24 "2005-01-24T01:24:20Z")
Star Trek TNG survived the loss of Tash Yar (though she had a couple of guest spots later as Sela). Star Trek Voyager survived the loss of Kess (though she was essentially replaced by Seven of Nine) ---
**Author:** ![prisoner6655321](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5f8ce5/32.png) [@prisoner6655321](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/prisoner6655321)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2005, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-tv-series-surved-a-loss-of-a-major-character/286309/25 "2005-01-24T01:25:43Z")
Oh blast, I forgot… Star Trek Deep Space Nine survived the loss of Jadzia Dax ---
**Author:** ![bookbuster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b9bd4f/32.png) [@bookbuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bookbuster)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2005, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-tv-series-surved-a-loss-of-a-major-character/286309/26 "2005-01-24T01:32:26Z")
They killed Kenny! ---
**Author:** ![kidchameleon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/898d66/32.png) [@kidchameleon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kidchameleon)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2005, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-tv-series-surved-a-loss-of-a-major-character/286309/27 "2005-01-24T01:32:49Z")
_24_ is in it’s 4th season with only Keifer Sutherland left from the 1st season and only one other from last year, so far. ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2005, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-tv-series-surved-a-loss-of-a-major-character/286309/28 "2005-01-24T01:53:35Z")
> [@prisoner6655321](#): > > Star Trek TNG survived the loss of Tash Yar (though she had a couple of guest spots later as Sela). AND Wesley Crusher, don’t forget Wesley Crusher! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Eats\_Crayons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/278dde/32.png) [@Eats\_Crayons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eats_Crayons)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2005, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-tv-series-surved-a-loss-of-a-major-character/286309/29 "2005-01-24T01:57:13Z")
> [@twickster](#): > > _The Valerie Harper Show_, after Ms. Harper left – they brought in Sandy Duncan. > > Never saw it before or after, so can’t comment on the quality of the change. _Valerie_ became _The Hogan Family_ and was slightly better after she left (probably because the actors seem a lot more comfortable and at ease. After her big snit when she left the show in a huff, the writers had her character die in a car accident, it drew the remaining characters together well, then added the ingredient of having their aunt take on the role of “mom”. I didn’t watch the show much, but I didn notice an improvement in Harper’s absence. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2005, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-tv-series-surved-a-loss-of-a-major-character/286309/30 "2005-01-24T01:58:08Z")
The show that popped into my head was “Laverne and Shirley.” Though “survived” might be a bit strong. ---
**Author:** ![Kel\_Varnsen\_Latex\_Division](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/aeb1de/32.png) [@Kel\_Varnsen\_Latex\_Division](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kel_Varnsen_Latex_Division)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2005, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-tv-series-surved-a-loss-of-a-major-character/286309/31 "2005-01-24T02:07:53Z")
> [@](#): > > A Different World was on for years after the star (Lisa Bonet sp?) left after season 1. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2005, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-tv-series-surved-a-loss-of-a-major-character/286309/32 "2005-01-24T02:16:17Z")
> [@Squink](#): > > AND Wesley Crusher, don’t forget Wesley Crusher! > > 😉 I had until now. Thanks a lot. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![prisoner6655321](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5f8ce5/32.png) [@prisoner6655321](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/prisoner6655321)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2005, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-tv-series-surved-a-loss-of-a-major-character/286309/33 "2005-01-24T02:19:29Z")
> [@Squink](#): > > AND Wesley Crusher, don’t forget Wesley Crusher! > > 😉 Pffft. I’m suprised TNG survived WITH Wesley Crusher. ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2005, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-tv-series-surved-a-loss-of-a-major-character/286309/34 "2005-01-24T02:24:09Z")
> [@prisoner6655321](#): > > Star Trek TNG survived the loss of Tash Yar (though she had a couple of guest spots later as Sela). > Star Trek Voyager survived the loss of Kess (though she was essentially replaced by Seven of Nine) If you’re going to include them, you might as well say Janice Rand from _Star Trek_ as well. None were important or a major character even though the two you named did have their names in the opening credits. Jadzia in DS9, which you mentioned in a follow-up post, is a good call though and one I thought about making myself. ---
**Author:** ![MacTech](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MacTech](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacTech)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2005, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-tv-series-surved-a-loss-of-a-major-character/286309/35 "2005-01-24T02:25:23Z")
Farscape has had more of it’s fair share of main character loss (even if some _did_ return…) Ka’ D’argo; blown out of Moya in season 1 finale, exposed to the hard vaccumn of space, revived in S2, killed and brainsucked in “Eat Me”, killed (or was he) in Peacekeeper Wars John Crichton; Cave-Crichton (maybe) and Future-Crichton die in “My 3 Crichtons”, decapitated in “Look at the Princess 2”, killed (temporarily) by Harvey in “Won’t Get Fooled Again”, Talyn-John killed in Infinite Possibilities 2, crystallized in PK Wars Aeryn Sun; killed by John/Harvey in “Die Me Dichotomy”, returned in S3, crystallized in PK Wars P’Au Zotoh Zahn; sacrificed her life to save her shipmates in Self Inflicted Wounds 2 Stark; dispersed in The Ugly Truth Chiana; killed and brain-sucked in “Eat Me”, “ChAeryn” killed by Scorpy in “A Constellation of Doubt” Bialar Crais; commits suicide in “Into the Lions Den 2” Talyn; commits suicide in “ITLD2” Jool; nuked in PK wars yes, most of the characters returned at some point, the only ones that stayed truly dead were Zhann and Talyn John ---
**Author:** ![MacTech](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MacTech](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacTech)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2005, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-tv-series-surved-a-loss-of-a-major-character/286309/36 "2005-01-24T02:27:28Z")
oh yeah, and Jool as well, looks like D is dead too, you get a kid named in your memory, you’re dead for good… ☹ ---
**Author:** ![prisoner6655321](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5f8ce5/32.png) [@prisoner6655321](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/prisoner6655321)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2005, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-tv-series-surved-a-loss-of-a-major-character/286309/37 "2005-01-24T02:33:29Z")
Hey, do soap opera’s count? ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2005, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-tv-series-surved-a-loss-of-a-major-character/286309/38 "2005-01-24T02:36:42Z")
You listed \*Voyager \*already, so I don’t see why not. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2005, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-tv-series-surved-a-loss-of-a-major-character/286309/39 "2005-01-24T04:09:56Z")
I actually had an e-mail debate with a TV critic about this. After John Ritter died she wrote in her column that _no sitcom had ever survived the loss of its lead character._ I wrote her that sitcoms had been replacing characters at least as far back as Danny Thomas switching wives in the 1950s. And I specifically noted three shows: M_A_S\*H, Cheers and The Hogan Family. She replied (rather abruptly, IMHO) that Alan Alda had already become the focus of M_A_S\*H when McLean Stevenson and Wayne Rogers left, and Shelley Long could only be considered one of two leads. Even accepting her interpretation, I still have to point out that The Hogan Family did at least as well without Valerie Harper. Maverick also continued for several years without James Garner, but I don’t think anyone would argue it was as good. ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2005, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-tv-series-surved-a-loss-of-a-major-character/286309/40 "2005-01-24T12:57:31Z")
Babylon 5 survived (some say thrived) after Micheal O’Hare (Sinclair) left (tho he did return as a guest star afew times). Doctor Who used the change in the main actor as a recurring theme. And there were several changes in companions. Brian [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-tv-series-surved-a-loss-of-a-major-character/286309.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-tv-series-surved-a-loss-of-a-major-character/286309.md?page=3)