# TV Characters Who Inexplicably Change Character **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 17, 2012, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-characters-who-inexplicably-change-character/613198 "2012-02-17T23:52:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Invisible\_Chimp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/f05b48/32.png) [@Invisible\_Chimp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Invisible_Chimp)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2012, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-characters-who-inexplicably-change-character/613198/21 "2012-02-18T16:21:58Z")
Because of Kirk Cameron’s real life conversion, Mike Seaver went from a goof-off to a righteous do-gooder on _Growing Pains_. Basically, he stopped being a character and became Kirk Cameron. ---
**Author:** ![Sr\_Siete](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6de8d8/32.png) [@Sr\_Siete](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sr_Siete)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2012, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-characters-who-inexplicably-change-character/613198/22 "2012-02-18T16:32:20Z")
In the first episodes of Friends Joey’s main trait was being a handsome horndog. Not the brightest bulb but neither the barely functional retard he became. Monica’s OCD behaviour also was added later. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2012, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-characters-who-inexplicably-change-character/613198/23 "2012-02-18T17:36:45Z")
> [@Invisible\_Chimp](#): > > Because of Kirk Cameron’s real life conversion, Mike Seaver went from a goof-off to a righteous do-gooder on _Growing Pains_. Basically, he stopped being a character and became Kirk Cameron. A somewhat similar thing happened with Alan Alda/Hawkeye Pierce, except without the religious issue. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2012, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-characters-who-inexplicably-change-character/613198/24 "2012-02-18T17:42:54Z")
I always thought “Hot Lips” Houlihan on M_A_S\*H underwent an unlikely transformation: in the early seasons (and the movie) she was a bitch on wheels. In the later seasons, she was a kind of earth-mother to the troops. ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2012, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-characters-who-inexplicably-change-character/613198/25 "2012-02-18T17:52:58Z")
Without Frank to be her support system and reinforce their persecution complex, she was forced to look for companionship with Hawkeye and BJ and necessarily had to change in order to fit with their group. They didn’t need her presence but she needed theirs. ---
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2012, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-characters-who-inexplicably-change-character/613198/26 "2012-02-18T17:55:35Z")
> [@Don\_Draper](#): > > There’s the ever-popular transformation that Elaine on **Seinfeld** underwent. In her first year on the show (she wasn’t in the pilot), she was a cute, perky, fun and gainfully employed. Then the writers - and presumably some audience members - began asking “why the hell is a girl with so much going for her hanging out with these obnoxious losers?” > > Presto change-o, Elaine goes from being the “nice girl next door” to a caustic, man-eating bitch. Comedy gold!! It’s my recollection that Elaine didn’t change overnight, but that there were multiple storylines over several seasons devoted to her changing situation and personality. She lost her job at the publishing company and “became George”, gained then lost a job as Mr. Pitt’s personal assistant, and eventually wound up in a long-term but unstable job with J. Peterman. Over the course of the series managed to offended all of her female friends until she was left with no one but Jerry, George, and Kramer. Late in the show’s run she was drawn to the more polite and sophisticated “Bizarro” version of Jerry & Co., but was too far gone to fit in with them for long. ---
**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:** [February 18, 2012, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-characters-who-inexplicably-change-character/613198/27 "2012-02-18T18:02:40Z")
> [@Nobody](#): > > Not technically the same character, but in the first _Black Adder_ Baldrick was very clever. In every other version of the series he was very stupid. Worse: He started out measurably brighter than Edmund, but got dimmer every season as Edmund got smarter. It’s like they always had a brain and a half between them, but Edmund kept getting more of it every iteration. Alex Eames on **Criminal Intent** started out pretty happy to be the water carrier for _The Genius That Is Bobby Goren_, but her resentment of him started peeking through in later seasons. Tim Bayliss on **Homicide**. Surprise! He’s gay. Surprise! Maybe not. Surprise! He’s a murderer. Interesting career trajectory for that guy. And compare Spock in the TOS pilot to later characterizations; he’s barely the same guy! ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2012, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-characters-who-inexplicably-change-character/613198/28 "2012-02-18T19:06:59Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > On _30 Rock_, Tracy Jordan started off as cagey and manipulative and the most obvious model for the character seemed to be Martin Lawrence. Over time he became more naive and childlike, and more Tracy Morgan-like in general. Also on _30 Rock_ - In the first season Liz Lemon was the relatively normal person surrounded by a hurricane of crazy. She’s now become as deranged–if not more so–than anyone else. > [@Lamia](#): > > It’s my recollection that Elaine didn’t change overnight, but that there were multiple storylines over several seasons devoted to her changing situation and personality. She lost her job at the publishing company and “became George”, gained then lost a job as Mr. Pitt’s personal assistant, and eventually wound up in a long-term but unstable job with J. Peterman. I think the tipping point was when Peterman left her in charge of the company and the power went to her head. The Urban Sombrero was her downfall. ---
**Author:** ![Ponch8](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponch8/32/9883_2.png) [@Ponch8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponch8)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2012, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-characters-who-inexplicably-change-character/613198/29 "2012-02-18T20:20:22Z")
I nominate another Simpsons character, Ralph Wiggum. He used to be a normal kid. In fact, he was an excellent George Washington in a school play. He’s gradually become dumber and dumber. ---
**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:** [February 18, 2012, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-characters-who-inexplicably-change-character/613198/30 "2012-02-18T20:34:49Z")
> [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](#): > > I always thought “Hot Lips” Houlihan on M_A_S\*H underwent an unlikely transformation: in the early seasons (and the movie) she was a bitch on wheels. In the later seasons, she was a kind of earth-mother to the troops. She underwent a similar transition in the movie, as a matter of fact – tight-ass by-the-book army nurse who changed drastically after Frank went to the loony bin and she was shown to everyone in the shower. ---
**Author:** ![KneeSid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/dec6dc/32.png) [@KneeSid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneeSid)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2012, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-characters-who-inexplicably-change-character/613198/31 "2012-02-18T22:00:12Z")
> [@Lamia](#): > > It’s my recollection that Elaine didn’t change overnight Her money status changed as well. She was easily the poorest of the group in the beginning. Then after she started working for Mr Pitt, this “poor” angle was dropped. ---
**Author:** ![Ibn\_Warraq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e19b73/32.png) [@Ibn\_Warraq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ibn_Warraq)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2012, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-characters-who-inexplicably-change-character/613198/32 "2012-02-18T23:13:11Z")
On the show Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, both Rom(Nog’s father and Quark’s brother) and Jadzia Dax went through severe transformations that weren’t normal story arcs. Rom initially was a complete idiot who was useless around anything mechanical never showed the slightest trace of affection for his son. At one point when Quark tries to claim that Rom had been responsible for mixing some of the bar’s machines, Odo rather contemptuously declares “Rom couldn’t fix a bent straw”. By the end he’s working as an engineer from Starfleet and is repeatedly declared “a mechanical genius”. He also clearly loves his son and showers him with affection. Also, while always timid around his brother, he’s no longer dumb. Also, Jadzia begins the series being rather aloof and distant, but the writers decided to make her more interesting so they started having her constantly playing Domjot and other gambling games with the Ferengi in Quark’s bar, singing bawdy songs in the Klingon restaurant, and generally being the life of the party. ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2012, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-characters-who-inexplicably-change-character/613198/33 "2012-02-18T23:19:26Z")
> [@Sr\_Siete](#): > > Monica’s OCD behaviour also was added later. There was episode in the first season where she couldn’t go to sleep because she left some shoes in the middle of the living room. I think they just went back ot that well a lot more often in the later seasons. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2012, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-characters-who-inexplicably-change-character/613198/34 "2012-02-19T00:47:47Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > Harry Sullivan on **Doctor Who** was originally supposed to be a competent man of action, but he quickly became a comic sidekick and the butt of friendly derision. > > Spock in the original Star Trek pilot (“The Cage”) was abrupt and tended to speak as though barking orders to everyone. After Jeffrey Hunter was replaced by Shatner, Spock became far more softspoken. Leonard Nimoy said he had to change his acting style to mesh with that of Shatner, who had a different style than Hunter. It’s not just that – if you watch _The Cage_ you can see Spock smiling – he’s clearly not the emotionless Vulcan (even though he’s got the ears) – the emotionless one was Number One (Majel barrett, before she became Nurse Chapel, Lwaxana Troi, a Computer Voice, and Mrs, Roddenberry). When they redid the show for the second pilot, Spock got Number One’s position and her lack of emotion. They excised the emotional Spock scenes when they re-used the footage for “The Menagerie” ---
**Author:** ![Doug\_K](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5ac83/32.png) [@Doug\_K](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doug_K)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2012, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-characters-who-inexplicably-change-character/613198/35 "2012-02-19T01:09:03Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Watching the first few episodes of CSI on DVD was a surprise. Jim Brass was originally played as a hard-ass boss who everyone disliked. When the show started Brass had just been demoted from night shift supervisor and replaced by Grissom. He was resentful and close to vindictive at first, but warmed up over time. Ecklie went through a similar transformation after Nick was buried alive. When Grissom said he wanted his team back together he reacted as if he was suddenly ashamed of the way he’d been treating them. ---
**Author:** ![Enderw24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba9def/32.png) [@Enderw24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enderw24)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2012, 11:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-characters-who-inexplicably-change-character/613198/36 "2012-02-19T11:35:10Z")
> [@Ibn\_Warraq](#): > > On the show Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, both Rom(Nog’s father and Quark’s brother) and Jadzia Dax went through severe transformations that weren’t normal story arcs.. you’re not kidding about Dax. By the end of the series it was like she was a completely different person! ---
**Author:** ![Jim\_s\_Son](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19adc/32.png) [@Jim\_s\_Son](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_s_Son)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2012, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-characters-who-inexplicably-change-character/613198/37 "2012-02-19T13:14:20Z")
In season 1 of “24” Kim Bauer is a high school dropout more interested in partying with college guys. By season three she is such a computer whiz that she is hired by CTU. Of course Elisha Cuthbert is such an inept actress (in a mighty appealing package though) that she showed less acting skill than the cougar that menaced her in season 2. It has a lot to do with a change in actors but Darrin Stephens (Bewitched) was a lot less humourous and likeable when played by Dick Sargent than by Dick York ---
**Author:** ![psychonaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/psychonaut/32/4655_2.png) [@psychonaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychonaut)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2012, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-characters-who-inexplicably-change-character/613198/38 "2012-02-19T13:32:09Z")
> [@Ibn\_Warraq](#): > > On the show Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, both Rom(Nog’s father and Quark’s brother) and Jadzia Dax went through severe transformations that weren’t normal story arcs. > > Rom initially was a complete idiot who was useless around anything mechanical never showed the slightest trace of affection for his son. At one point when Quark tries to claim that Rom had been responsible for mixing some of the bar’s machines, Odo rather contemptuously declares “Rom couldn’t fix a bent straw”. > > By the end he’s working as an engineer from Starfleet and is repeatedly declared “a mechanical genius”. He also clearly loves his son and showers him with affection. Also, while always timid around his brother, he’s no longer dumb. Wow—this isn’t at all what I expected you were going to say about Rom. Because in his first few appearances, Rom wasn’t portrayed as a dimwit at all—he was just a normal greedy Ferengi. He then inexplicably descended into stupidity à la Homer Simpson. _That_ was the abrupt personality change I was thinking of. Your development, on the other hand—the fact that he was later revealed to have mechanical aptitude—wasn’t entirely unexplained, nor was it a complete surprise. For one thing, he was occasionally shown fixing machinery in Quark’s premises; his repairs were remarked to be unorthodox but effective. And when he was finally accepted by the Bajoran militia (not Starfleet, as you claim) as an engineer, he explained this to Quark as follows: “I’ve always been smart, brother. I just lack self-confidence.” It’s not an entirely implausible explanation, given how often Quark is shown berating and belittling him. Rather than fighting back, less self-confident victims of such abuse may find it easier to just validate their oppressor’s beliefs by playing dumb. ---
**Author:** ![psychonaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/psychonaut/32/4655_2.png) [@psychonaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychonaut)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2012, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-characters-who-inexplicably-change-character/613198/39 "2012-02-19T13:35:00Z")
> [@Soylent\_Juicy](#): > > On Family Guy - Cleveland Jr. is a hyperactive kid with A.D.D., always bouncing around (see the episode where Peter gets him to be a golf partner and at the end Jr. suddenly switches to soccer - “I’m Pele!”) > > But on The Cleveland Show, which is Cleveland’s spin-off from Family Guy (or as Stewie says: “HE gets his own show?!”) Cleveland Jr. is big, fat, slow, and dim-witted. It’s the polar opposite of his Family Guy character. Also from _Family Guy_ one could consider Stewie Griffin: for the first few years of the series the character’s shtick was that he was a matricidal evil genius. Then suddenly they dropped the “evil” and “matricidal” bits—the writers had basically run out of story ideas involving Stewie trying to kill Lois. I don’t think the change in character was ever explained, or even lampshaded. ---
**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:** [February 19, 2012, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-characters-who-inexplicably-change-character/613198/40 "2012-02-19T14:20:51Z")
> [@psychonaut](#): > > Also from _Family Guy_ one could consider Stewie Griffin: for the first few years of the series the character’s shtick was that he was a matricidal evil genius. Then suddenly they dropped the “evil” and “matricidal” bits—the writers had basically run out of story ideas involving Stewie trying to kill Lois. I don’t think the change in character was ever explained, or even lampshaded. Not really, but when they time traveled recently, they did mention his inventions from the first season. “Boy, you sure used to have a lot more inventions.” “I know, it’s weird.” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-characters-who-inexplicably-change-character/613198.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-characters-who-inexplicably-change-character/613198.md?page=3)