# television shows that decided to add kids **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 27, 2018, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/television-shows-that-decided-to-add-kids/811276 "2018-03-27T14:34:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 8
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2019, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/television-shows-that-decided-to-add-kids/811276/141 "2019-10-05T20:30:03Z")
> [@Personal](#): > > In Hill Street Blues, Lucy Bates becomes the guardian of a kid of a drug addict, and he’s a thing for a few episodes in season 5 or 6, but then he just disappears. I don’t think he’s mentioned after that. The [actor](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0399241/) appeared in 14 episodes of _HSB_. 3 as other characters then 11 as “Fabian”. Fabian appeared in the final season in [S07E13](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0601659/). And was otherwise mentioned around that time. (Man I miss Renko and Belker and Phil and Bobby and …) ---
**Author:** ![Personal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Personal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Personal)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2019, 9:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/television-shows-that-decided-to-add-kids/811276/142 "2019-10-06T09:17:10Z")
^^That’s just good writing then. They maybe knew they were wrapping the series and wanted to tie up a loose end, unlike so many others we’ve seen in this thread. What a well-produced show. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2019, 10:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/television-shows-that-decided-to-add-kids/811276/143 "2019-10-06T10:20:30Z")
> [@ftg](#): > > The [actor](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0399241/) appeared in 14 episodes of _HSB_. 3 as other characters then 11 as “Fabian”. Fabian appeared in the final season in [S07E13](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0601659/). And was otherwise mentioned around that time. > > (Man I miss Renko and Belker and Phil and Bobby and …) Pity you don’t get CHCH (Channel 11) on Rogers. They’ve just started stripping \*\*\*HSB \*\*\*five afternoons a week, along with _ **St Elsewhere** _. And yes, they’re every bit as good as they were 40 years ago. (My God, has it really been \*\*that \*\*long?!? :smack:) ---
**Author:** ![Personal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Personal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Personal)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2019, 11:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/television-shows-that-decided-to-add-kids/811276/144 "2019-10-06T11:16:03Z")
Both are on Hulu. In the States anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2019, 11:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/television-shows-that-decided-to-add-kids/811276/145 "2019-10-06T11:54:33Z")
**Grace Under Fire** was interesting. She initially had three kids, played by six different actors (The baby was Dylan and Cole Sprouse, because infants should be played by twins whenever possible. The troubled older son Quentin was played by one kid (Noah Segan) in the pilot, another, Jon Paul Steuer, for most of the run, and a final, much older kid, Sam Horrigan, when Jon Paul Steuer’s parents wisely yanked him off the show; and Kaitlin Cullum as Libby). In the second-to-last season, we meet Michael, a much older college-age son introduced as the baby she had as a teenager and had to give up for adoption, played by Tom Everett Scott, the star of **That Thing You Do**. Interesting late addition to the family, and Scott was/is an amazing actor. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2019, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/television-shows-that-decided-to-add-kids/811276/146 "2019-10-06T13:44:41Z")
> [@ftg](#): > > The [actor](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0399241/) appeared in 14 episodes of _HSB_. 3 as other characters then 11 as “Fabian”. Fabian appeared in the final season in [S07E13](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0601659/). And was otherwise mentioned around that time. > > (Man I miss Renko and Belker and Phil and Bobby and …) If you get H&I, they run a couple of episodes on weekends. Unfortunately, that’s all they show at this time. ---
**Author:** ![chancetx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/cdc98d/32.png) [@chancetx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chancetx)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2019, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/television-shows-that-decided-to-add-kids/811276/147 "2019-10-09T21:13:16Z")
Little House on the Prairie was constantly adding new kids to the show in later seasons. I always wondered if the girl (twins really) who played the youngest Ingalls daughter Carrie was hurt they kept casting new characters rather than give her more to do on the show. ---
**Author:** ![squidfood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a87d85/32.png) [@squidfood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squidfood)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2019, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/television-shows-that-decided-to-add-kids/811276/148 "2019-10-09T21:27:15Z")
And then there was the time they added Gary Coleman to _Buck Rogers in the 25th Century_ (as kind of a proto Wesly Crusher genius - and yes Gary Coleman playing a Wesly Crusher was as obnoxious as it sounds). ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2019, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/television-shows-that-decided-to-add-kids/811276/149 "2019-10-09T21:51:32Z")
And of course, The Opposite–Chuck Cunningham, from “Happy Days”. He went upstairs…_and was never seen again !_ ---
**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:** [October 10, 2019, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/television-shows-that-decided-to-add-kids/811276/150 "2019-10-10T02:09:03Z")
> [@squidfood](#): > > And then there was the time they added Gary Coleman to _Buck Rogers in the 25th Century_ (as kind of a proto Wesly Crusher genius - and yes Gary Coleman playing a Wesly Crusher was as obnoxious as it sounds). He was in two episodes, as I recall, during those dark days when Gary Coleman guest appearances and TV movies were everywhere (“The Kid with the 200 IQ”, the kid who could pick winning teams in baseball (I think), the kid who could get high ratings for the worst script, etc.). ---
**Author:** ![Princess\_Perfume](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/princess_perfume/32/16518_2.png) [@Princess\_Perfume](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princess_Perfume)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2019, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/television-shows-that-decided-to-add-kids/811276/151 "2019-10-10T05:20:11Z")
I think My Three Sons should have followed Norman Lear and had something really drastic happen to Dodie. ---
**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:** [October 10, 2019, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/television-shows-that-decided-to-add-kids/811276/152 "2019-10-10T15:30:07Z")
Glenn Christopher Scarpelli was added to One Day at a Time, playing Alex Handris from 1980 to 1983 on the sitcom One Day at a Time. ---
**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:** [October 10, 2019, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/television-shows-that-decided-to-add-kids/811276/153 "2019-10-10T16:12:12Z")
> [@Kent\_Clark](#): > > Ignored on _Seinfeld_, but hilariously harpooned on _The Nanny_, where C.C. (played by the very pregnant Lauren Lane) enters talking about a Seinfeld episode she saw where the producers were obviously trying to hide JLD’s pregnancy. C.C. wears an overcoat, carries a giant shoulder bag which she switches to the other shoulder when she turns around, picks up a large potted plant and leaves, then returns holding a large poster that says “Baby.” This was at the start of the story line about getting Max and Fran together, so the producers used the old idea of having C.C. binge eat to explain her weight gain. ---
**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:** [October 11, 2019, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/television-shows-that-decided-to-add-kids/811276/154 "2019-10-11T13:36:38Z")
Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and Family Ties both added babies because the actor was pregnant. Meredith Baxter Birney was pregnant with twins when Andrew was added to the show. Janet Hubert-Whitten was pregnant when Nicky was added to the show, but did not return after she gave birth. She was replaced by Daphne Maxwell Reid, leading to Jazz’s best line: I don’t what it is Mrs. Banks, but you seem to have totally changed since Nicky was born. And yes, both shows pulled the Kid Trick, and the babies were five years old in the second season. Go figure. ---
**Author:** ![Tibby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tibby/32/17030_2.png) [@Tibby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tibby)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2019, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/television-shows-that-decided-to-add-kids/811276/155 "2019-10-11T17:03:51Z")
In this age of cutting-edge CGI, there is no reason to not cast toddlers in TV and movie families. They simply need to use older actors CGI’d to \*appear \*~18 months old. C’mon, who’s heart wouldn’t melt seeing this [little tyke](https://imgur.com/a/29RTpM8) romp around on screen?!? ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2019, 8:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/television-shows-that-decided-to-add-kids/811276/156 "2019-10-12T08:39:52Z")
I’ve been watching _ **Taxi** _ in the afternoon for a while, and right in the middle of the second season (!) they’ve introduced sickeningly cute little “Brian Sims” for Tony Danza to adopt. \*\*Why? \*\*The kid adds \*\*nothing \*\*to the show! “Brian” is played by Danza’s real-life son, Mark Anthony Danza. An extra paycheck, sweet! I wonder who was behind this steaming heap of horse dung? Somebody, please tell me “Brian” was written out of the show almost immediately afterward! ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2019, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/television-shows-that-decided-to-add-kids/811276/157 "2019-10-21T21:23:29Z")
How does this thread go this long without the All Time, Grand Champion, Worst Kid Added Ever? Rusty on _The Closer_/_Major Crimes_. A face that is just asking to be punched, a whiny attitude to back it up and a story line that just wobbles around season after season. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2019, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/television-shows-that-decided-to-add-kids/811276/158 "2019-10-22T02:39:07Z")
The final season of, “New Girl,” added a three year old girl to the mix (Schmidt and Cece’s baby) and–SURPRISE!–she was great! ---
**Author:** ![LLCoolL](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/llcooll/32/3596_2.png) [@LLCoolL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LLCoolL)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2019, 8:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/television-shows-that-decided-to-add-kids/811276/159 "2019-10-22T08:03:31Z")
> [@ftg](#): > > How does this thread go this long without the All Time, Grand Champion, Worst Kid Added Ever? > > Rusty on _The Closer_/_Major Crimes_. > > A face that is just asking to be punched, a whiny attitude to back it up and a story line that just wobbles around season after season. Yup - super annoying. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/television-shows-that-decided-to-add-kids/811276.md?page=7)