# TV Show Star Switcheroo (From Bart to Homer) **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 28, 2001, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-show-star-switcheroo-from-bart-to-homer/66821 "2001-05-28T23:39:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2001, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-show-star-switcheroo-from-bart-to-homer/66821/41 "2001-06-04T14:23:52Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Wendell Wagner \* > \*\*I wrote: > > \> The other case was John Ratzenberger, who auditioned > \> before the show came on for the role of Norm. > > By the show, I meant _Cheers_. > > Have we now disproved one of the claims of the OP, that it’s a rare event for a minor character to take over a TV show? \*\* Gosh, no, I don’t think so. So far the only other examples I’ve read that qualify are Kellie Martin in “Life Goes On” and Bruce Willis in “Moonlighting.” Having a star LEAVE the show and having the show find another star isn’t the same thing, and having a supporting character go from bit player to a major supporting role a la Frasier in “Cheers” isn’t the same thing either. Similarly, having a supporting character get his own show like Frasier or Screech isn’t the same thing, either. To be a true Show Star Switcheroo, the old main character must remain on the show and be relegated to supporting status, and a supporting character must become the unquestioned star. **The Simpsons** - Homer replaced Bart. **Family Matters** - Urkel took over for VelJohnson and that girl who died of cancer. **Family Ties** - Michael J. Fox trumps Baxter-Birney. **Life Goes On** - Kellie Martin beats out Christopher Burke. **Moonlighting** - Bruce Willis, love the guy. I would disagree or ask for more clarification with: **Lost in Space** - Although the Dr. Smith character was emphasized more than originally planned I don’t think you can honestly say he became the show’s protagonist. It’s been a long time since I saw the show though. **Scooby Doo, Where Are You?** - I find it hard to believe that the show was named after the dog but the dog wasn’t the protagonist. I’ve never seen an episode where Scooby wasn’t the star. Damn, I loved Scooby-Doo. Does someone know something about the show’s origins I don’t? **Frasier** - While Niles’s role has grown, he is still the show’s mirror, not its protagonist. The show still mostly revolves around Frasier screwing up by sticking his nose into everyone’s business. (I agree, as an aside, that David Hyde Pierce is the best actor on TV today.) **Diff’rent Strokes** - IIRC, Gary Coleman was always the show’s main focus. **Friends** has been mentioned but it doesn’t really have one “Star.” ---
**Author:** ![Protesilaus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Protesilaus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Protesilaus)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2001, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-show-star-switcheroo-from-bart-to-homer/66821/42 "2001-06-04T16:19:29Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by RickJay \* > \*\ ***Scooby Doo, Where Are You?** - I find it hard to believe that the show was named after the dog but the dog wasn’t the protagonist. I’ve never seen an episode where Scooby wasn’t the star. Damn, I loved Scooby-Doo. Does someone know something about the show’s origins I don’t? \*\* According to [this article](http://www.ohio.com/bj/fun/tv/1299/005340.htm), Scooby Doo wasn’t the original name of the show, or, for that matter, the dog. > [@](#): > > The series was originally titled _Mysteries Five_, after the four sleuths and their dog mascot, Too Much. That’s right, Too Much. > > `It was what kids said in those days,'' says one of the head writers, Joe Ruby. `Like `That’s too much!’ ‘’ > > Everyone hated the title, though. They changed it to _W-wh-oo’s S-ss-scared_, or something to that effect (there’s disagreement as to the number of vowels). But it was Silverman who stumbled onto the infamous name, after hearing Frank Sinatra improvise ``scooby-dooby doo’’ on _Strangers in the Night_. It also says that they figured out Scooby should be the star pretty much right away once they started making them. ---
**Author:** ![SuaSponte](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/67e7ee/32.png) [@SuaSponte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuaSponte)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2001, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-show-star-switcheroo-from-bart-to-homer/66821/43 "2001-06-04T20:04:11Z")
One more for your consideration: Sipowicz on NYPD Blue. **Jimmy Smits** was given top billing over **Denis Franz** , but it was Sipowicz’s show well before Mr. Smits moved on. Admittedly, the fact that he hasn’t died has certainly helped Sipowcz rise to the top. Sua ---
**Author:** ![capacitor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e47774/32.png) [@capacitor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/capacitor)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2001, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-show-star-switcheroo-from-bart-to-homer/66821/44 "2001-06-04T22:19:33Z")
Sua: Originally, _NYPD Blue_ was to be a star vehicle for David Caruso. Dennis Franz was just typecasting; he was a former real-life cop and he almost always played a cop. Little we know that Franz perfected the cop role as the show went on. ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2001, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-show-star-switcheroo-from-bart-to-homer/66821/45 "2001-06-05T01:46:48Z")
Dennis Franz was never a cop. You’re thinking of Dennis Farina, who was a cop for quite a while before becoming a full-time actor. RickJay, you’re defining your category awfully narrowly. I contend that it’s common for a minor character to become a major character, it’s common for the emphasis in an ensemble show to slowly shift from one character to another, and it’s not quite common, but not rare, for the lead character to quit the show allowing another character to take over the lead. I suspect that the only reason that minor characters don’t take over more often is that the star generally has some control over the writing of the show and can order the writers to cut down on the amount of lines that other characters get. ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2001, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-show-star-switcheroo-from-bart-to-homer/66821/46 "2001-06-05T03:39:48Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Protesilaus \* > > > [@](#): > > > > But it was Silverman who stumbled onto the infamous name, after hearing Frank Sinatra improvise ``scooby-dooby doo’’ on _Strangers in the Night_. > > \*\* That was “ **dooby** -dooby-doo”. One of the moments stoners revel in, along with the Beatles’ “It’s such a feeling that my love/I get high/I get high/I get highhhhhh!”. ---
**Author:** ![SPOOFE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@SPOOFE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SPOOFE)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2001, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-show-star-switcheroo-from-bart-to-homer/66821/47 "2001-06-05T06:17:41Z")
> [@](#): > > Lost in Space - Although the Dr. Smith character was emphasized more than originally planned I don’t think you can honestly say he became the show’s protagonist. It’s been a long time since I saw the show though. No, Smith never became the protagonist (though he was incredibly popular), but Dr. Robinson, who was promised that he’d be the main character, was never really in the spotlight. I guess this would be a “switcheroo” in the sense that the switch took place before the series was very far along. (I also consider it a “switcheroo” in that Dr. Smith was supposed to be “killed off” or something after 7 shows, and by sheer virtue of popularity, managed to keep on truckin’ through the whole series). ---
**Author:** ![Fern\_Forest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/71c47a/32.png) [@Fern\_Forest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fern_Forest)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2001, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-show-star-switcheroo-from-bart-to-homer/66821/48 "2001-06-05T12:41:12Z")
FRED!!! That’s right, Fred. Sigh, damn that was annoying. Thank you For the show, the others had time, yeah Scooby was the star. Then they all dropped out except for Shaggy and then they brought in Scrappy, a more annoying pup there is not. But if I recall correctly his name got into the title and he had the famous taglines “Puppy Power” and his little charge cry and in my opinion took over the show. OK, so it’s actually a differnt show but close enough The New Scooby and Scrappy-Doo Show ---
**Author:** ![Venkman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/ec9cab/32.png) [@Venkman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Venkman)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2001, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-show-star-switcheroo-from-bart-to-homer/66821/49 "2001-06-05T17:04:30Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Rilchiam \* > [B}That was “ **dooby** -dooby-doo”. One of the moments stoners revel in, along with the Beatles’ “It’s such a feeling that my love/I get high/I get high/I get highhhhhh!”. \*\* Actually, the Beatles were singing “I can’t hide” in that particular instance. Although according to legend Bob Dylan also heard it as “I get high” and this led in a roundabout way to the Beatles being introduced to “herbal jazz cigarettes”, as Paul later described them. ---
**Author:** ![YoungGotti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/c2a13f/32.png) [@YoungGotti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YoungGotti)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2001, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-show-star-switcheroo-from-bart-to-homer/66821/50 "2001-06-05T19:39:17Z")
Jimmie Walker became the unequivocal, yet unintentional, star of **Good Times** due to his huge fan appeal. The show was originally supposed to be a vehicle for the mother and father (names escape me). DY-NO-MITE!!! Gotti ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2001, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-show-star-switcheroo-from-bart-to-homer/66821/51 "2001-06-05T20:12:44Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by YoungGotti \* > The show was originally supposed to be a vehicle for the mother and father (names escape me). This is one of the saddest stories of television history, for John (“James Evans”) Amos and Esther (“Florida Evans”) Rolle are truly two of the most gifted actors ever to appear on the small screen. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2001, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-show-star-switcheroo-from-bart-to-homer/66821/52 "2001-06-05T20:14:01Z")
Forgive me. Esther Rolle is no longer with us. My earlier post did not reflect this. ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2001, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-show-star-switcheroo-from-bart-to-homer/66821/53 "2001-06-06T01:03:28Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Venkman \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by Rilchiam \* > > [B}That was “ **dooby** -dooby-doo”. One of the moments stoners revel in, along with the Beatles’ “It’s such a feeling that my love/I get high/I get high/I get highhhhhh!”. \*\* > > Actually, the Beatles were singing “I can’t hide” in that particular instance. Although according to legend Bob Dylan also heard it as “I get high” and this led in a roundabout way to the Beatles being introduced to “herbal jazz cigarettes”, as Paul later described them. \*\* I knew that; I also know the Dylan story. But once you’ve heard that anecdote, it’s impossible to hear the phrase any other way. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-show-star-switcheroo-from-bart-to-homer/66821.md?page=2)