# 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:** 3
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2005, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-tv-series-surved-a-loss-of-a-major-character/286309/41 "2005-01-24T13:02:32Z")
Everybody’s saying they immediately thought of _Cheers._ My first thought was _The Partridge Family._ What? ---
**Author:** ![Sean\_Factotum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/50afbb/32.png) [@Sean\_Factotum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sean_Factotum)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2005, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-tv-series-surved-a-loss-of-a-major-character/286309/42 "2005-01-24T13:08:28Z")
_Eight Is Enough_. Diana Hyland, the original mom, died after one season, and Betty Buckly was brough in as the father’s new love interest, and eventually became the step-mom. It went on for about four years after that. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2005, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-tv-series-surved-a-loss-of-a-major-character/286309/43 "2005-01-24T13:14:29Z")
Dallas survived the death of Jock Ewing. It also survived the death of Bobby Ewing, except it was all Pam’s dream. ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2005, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-tv-series-surved-a-loss-of-a-major-character/286309/44 "2005-01-24T13:22:53Z")
> [@Jayn\_Newell](#): > > Well, _Charmed_ is in it’s third season without Pru, if I’m counting right. Yeah, but it’s just never been the same. > [@](#): > > _Royal Canadian Air Farce_ also lost one of their four mains a couple years ago. They’ve since replaced him, after a stint of weekly guest stars (usually one of three or four people), but it’s just not the same. I want Mike back ☹ One of my favorite shows I now mourn for. The cast is still very talented, but without John Morgan’s writing it lacks the magic it once had. _“And lo, it came to pass, that Abraham dot com did take himself a wife. A fine strapping woman, known to one and all as the Amazon dot com…”_ ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2005, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-tv-series-surved-a-loss-of-a-major-character/286309/45 "2005-01-24T13:28:55Z")
> [@EvilHamsterOnCrack](#): > > Stargate SG-1 has lost Richard Dean Anderson, but dunno if it’ll survive long now. Please, God, let it die already!!! ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2005, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-tv-series-surved-a-loss-of-a-major-character/286309/46 "2005-01-24T13:58:50Z")
Every soap still on the air. Jeopardy survived the loss of Ken Jennings. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2005, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-tv-series-surved-a-loss-of-a-major-character/286309/47 "2005-01-24T14:12:07Z")
> [@prisoner6655321](#): > > _ER_ survived the loss of George Clooney. He became a star because of the show, the show wasn’t built around him. At this point, I think the only remaining original cast member is Noah Wyle (could be wrong about this – I stopped watching a few years ago – no, not because George Clooney left 😉 ). Like a lot of 10:00 dramas, the show was designed around an ensemble cast, which gives the producers a lot of flexibility to change story directions with a changing cast. (Cf its predecessor in the Thursday-at-10 slot, _LA Law_; its original rival _Chicago Hope_; _St. Elsewhere_, etc.) ---
**Author:** ![middleman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9a140/32.png) [@middleman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/middleman)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2005, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-tv-series-surved-a-loss-of-a-major-character/286309/48 "2005-01-24T14:21:31Z")
Didn’t the Charlie Sheen helmed Spin City hold up for a few years following the loss of Michael J. Fox? ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2005, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-tv-series-surved-a-loss-of-a-major-character/286309/49 "2005-01-24T14:22:48Z")
Every soap opera has had numerous characters depart during it’s run - that’s what soap operas are. _Doctor Who_, the entire cast changed numerous times. And it’s coming back … with a new cast. _Jonathan Creek_ lost Maddie. ---
**Author:** ![CandidGamera](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/candidgamera/32/2878_2.png) [@CandidGamera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CandidGamera)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2005, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-tv-series-surved-a-loss-of-a-major-character/286309/50 "2005-01-24T14:28:01Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > And later, Dr. Forrester/Crow. And earlier, come to think of it, TV’s Frank. Okay, maybe that’s not major enough… I believe that the cast at the end of MST3K’s run was 100% altered from its initial state. Kevin Murphy was the longest on-camera veteran at that point, but he wasn’t the first voice of Tom Servo. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2005, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-tv-series-surved-a-loss-of-a-major-character/286309/51 "2005-01-24T14:28:41Z")
> [@prisoner6655321](#): > > Hey, do soap opera’s count? Actually, I was originally thinking SitComs when I asked the question, but I didn’t specify, so I thinking it is all fair game. ---
**Author:** ![F.U.Shakespeare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aca169/32.png) [@F.U.Shakespeare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/F.U.Shakespeare)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2005, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-tv-series-surved-a-loss-of-a-major-character/286309/52 "2005-01-24T15:10:18Z")
_Bonanza_ lost Adam Cartwright, when Pernell Roberts left (IIRC, he wanted more money than they were willing to pay him). It later lost Hoss Cartwright when Dan Blocker died. ---
**Author:** ![Tikster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8edcca/32.png) [@Tikster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tikster)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2005, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-tv-series-surved-a-loss-of-a-major-character/286309/53 "2005-01-24T15:22:18Z")
The X-files survived (for a few seasons anyway) after David Duchovny left (actually I think it died more due to the change in style than characters). Tikster ---
**Author:** ![BubbaDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bubbadog/32/333_2.png) [@BubbaDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BubbaDog)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2005, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-tv-series-surved-a-loss-of-a-major-character/286309/54 "2005-01-24T15:41:45Z")
> [@AuntiePam](#): > > NYPD Blue after David Caruso Maybe he could take a hike and give the same boost to _CSI Miami_. And I know you suggested only sitcoms but **Roeper** just isn’t as good at is as was **Siskel**. without him **Ebert’s** just plain annoying ---
**Author:** ![D\_Odds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/d_odds/32/2882_2.png) [@D\_Odds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Odds)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2005, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-tv-series-surved-a-loss-of-a-major-character/286309/55 "2005-01-24T16:35:09Z")
> [@MacTech](#): > > 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… ☹ The only “major” character to die in _Farscape_ was P’Au Zotoh Zahn. All the others were story plot devices and cliffhangers. Recurring characters who died were Talyn and Bialar Crais. You could make a case these were major characters, but I’m of the opinion only Moya’s crew counts. In the 2-part series finale, they killed Jool and Ka’ D’argo. They don’t count as the series ended. ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2005, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-tv-series-surved-a-loss-of-a-major-character/286309/56 "2005-01-24T16:56:25Z")
> [@Tikster](#): > > The X-files survived (for a few seasons anyway) after David Duchovny left (actually I think it died more due to the change in style than characters). You are mistaken. _X-Files_ went off the air when Duchovney left. There were no seasons eight and nine. There was talk of a movie, but nothing ever came of it. ---
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2005, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-tv-series-surved-a-loss-of-a-major-character/286309/57 "2005-01-24T17:35:48Z")
Shows with ensemble casts can change pretty easily. Shows that center around one or two people, however, rarely survive the loss of that person. _Eight Simple Rules_ might still be in production, but how many people still watch it? How many people still care? _X-Files_ tried to go on without David Duchovny, but it just couldn’t. Mulder was too important a character to do without. _Stargate_ might struggle on for another season or two, but without Richard Dean Anderson I can’t see it surviving for long. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2005, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-tv-series-surved-a-loss-of-a-major-character/286309/58 "2005-01-24T17:55:44Z")
> [@Diceman](#): > > _X-Files_ tried to go on without David Duchovny, but it just couldn’t. Mulder was too important a character to do without. Yeah, just like when Flo left **Alice**. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2005, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-tv-series-surved-a-loss-of-a-major-character/286309/59 "2005-01-24T18:28:35Z")
I never saw the show, but didn’t _Good Times_ survive the departure of the father? I only know him as Admiral Fitzwallace from West Wing, but I think they killed off his character. ---
**Author:** ![Don\_Draper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Don\_Draper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_Draper)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2005, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-tv-series-surved-a-loss-of-a-major-character/286309/60 "2005-01-24T18:37:09Z")
**Blue’s Clues**! The actor who played “Steve” eventually got tired of being known as “that loser, wussy guy from ‘Blue’s Clues’” and so left the show to start (I’m not kidding) a punk rock career! A new actor playing Steve’s “kid brother Joe” came in. I guess the show survived. I do recall that my nephews stopped watching the show about the time Steve left. But that probably has more to do with them getting older than to do with cast changes. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-tv-series-surved-a-loss-of-a-major-character/286309.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-tv-series-surved-a-loss-of-a-major-character/286309.md?page=4)