Missed Moments in Great Guest Stars

As I was watching Bones the other day it dawned on me, the producers should totally bring Alexis Denisof in for a few episodes as a FBI buddy of David Boreanaz’s. They could even make him an expert on the occult and tie it in to the whold Gormagon plotline. It would be fantastic.

And then this made me remember another great guest starring moment that I wish had happened but never did. Joss Whedon was a fool not to have Bruce Campbell show up as Xander’s crazy zombie-fighting uncle. It’s uncanny how similar they look. It would have just made so much sense.

But alas, it was not to be.

So what great guest stars did you wish happened in shows past and present.

In one of Arrested Development’s last episodes, George Michael had to go to Pastor Veal’s (Alan Tudyk of Firefly) house to, IIRC, find Ann. I think it was such a wasted opportunity for a one-second shot of Caroline Dhavernas, Patrick Warburton, Andy Richter, Jay Baruchel, and some other beloved-yet-canceled Fox castoffs all sitting at the dinner table or something like that.

I’m waiting for Robert Vaughn to show up on NCIS as an old friend of Doctor Donald "Ducky " Mallard. And lets bring in Joanna Lumley too.

Chris Carter had wanted Darren McGavin to guest star as Carl Kolchak on The X-Files but McGavin wasn’t interested (although he did later guest star on the sries in another role). Carter also wanted Johnny Cash to play a Man in Black in one episode but Cash turned him down.

I’m waiting for Stephen Fry to show up on House. In fact, I’ve been waiting since the very first episode of the series.

He should speak with an American accent, obviously.

The ultimate Whedon guest starring moment would have been Harrison Ford as Mal Reynold’s long-lost father. Just lay back and think of that.

House could expose him as a Brit faking a US accent, which had caused everyone to misdiagnose his Mad Cow disease.

Or he could be a Brit with a Brit accent and a case of lupus too.

Don’t be ridiculous. It’s never lupus.

It would have been totally great if they’d gotten Donald Sutherland to play Jack Bauer’s dad on 24 instead of Farmer Hoggett.

No, he should appear as his psychiatrist character from Bones, which is on right before House. on the same channel!

Malcom Reynolds could show up on Chuck - as a superior officer to Casey.

Michael C. Hall (Dexter) could show up on Burn Notice - it is set in Miami afterall.

The BAU could be called to Miami to investigate a Serial Killer - but only if Gideon came back for that ‘very special episode’ - I’d love to see that… Hell, I’d pay to see that, even if it does mean that Dexter goes down in the end - Bonus points if they actively replace Lundy (as in, the BAU comes in, and relieves Lundy’s task force directly).

Roseanne had a character named Chrystal on the show. Roseanne had an episode where Cousin Ronnie showed up. Cousin Ronnie was played by Joan Collins.

So why wasn’t Chrystal in that episode?

I wouldn’t exactly call these guest “stars,” but here goes:

For thirty years, one of the most solid bit and supporting cast actors is George Wyner, probably most visible as ADA Irv Bernstein in “Hill Street Blues.” Even if you don’t know the name, once you see his face, you’ll start seeing him everywhere in older movies and reruns.

David Wohl, a much lesser known actor, also has had a solid career playing bit and supporting roles. He also has somewhat of a resemblance to Wyner, but about 10 years younger.

In one ep of “Hill Street,” Wohl was a guest star, and Wyner happened to be in that one. I had imagined some scene where Wyner (the prosecutor) was facing off against his “double”, Wohl (the defense), and all the time eyeballing each other thinking “That guy really looks familiar”–but no. They had no scenes together.