Guest Author - Amy Ralston Young

Although character recasts are a necessary evil in Soap Operas - which can last decades, it is not often sitcom audiences have to welcome a new actor to their favorite character.

Some actors leave the role due to personal illness, some are forced out by production ideas. In any case, character recasts in sitcoms can make or break a show.

“Bewitched”
For the first five seasons, Dick York played the bumbling husband to his "witchy" wife Samantha, but after his health problems started to get in the way, the role of Darrin Stephens was recast.

Dick Sargent stepped into the shoes of the ad exec trying to hide his wife’s heritage in 1969 and continued the role until the show ended in 1972. York had vacated the role a few months before Sargent began, and producers hoped that the break would allow viewers a chance to accept the new Darrin.

The problem with this switch is that not only did Darrin’s face change, but also so did everything that made the character. York and Sargent had different acting styles and this led to a completely new Darrin. Loyal fans missed the “old” Darrin and his goofy, outlandish reactions to the situations his wife and her family put him into. It was hard to accept the “new” Darrin who always seemed nervous and void of emotions.


“Growing Pains”
Sometimes, characters are recast because producers want to “age” the character, allowing for new storylines. This was the case with “Growing Pains.”

When the Seavers’ newest family member Chrissy arrived in 1988, twins Kirsten and Kelsey Dohring portrayed her. Then, in 1990, the part was recast with Ashley Johnson. The Seaver baby changed from a 2 year old to a 7 year old over night. Isn’t television great?

The producers hoped the move would add new life to the show, which had started its decline. An older Ashley did bring more storylines, but it didn’t do much for the ratings and the show was cancelled in 1992.


“Roseanne”
We’ve seen examples of recasts due to health problems, recasts due to “aging”, and now here is an example of a recast because of life.

When “Roseanne” premiered in 1988, the part of the oldest Connor daughter went to Lecy Goranson. Goranson continued in the role until the series’ fifth season when she left to attend college. The character of Becky disappeared for the remainder of the season (she moved away with her new husband Mark).

Then in season six, the role was recast with Sarah Chalke as the new Becky. Goranson continued to reprise her role when her schedule permitted, and Chalke filled in during her absences. Finally, in season 9, Chalke took over the role full time.

The recast in “Roseanne” worked wonderfully, with the “two Beckys” being a running gag throughout the show. Many episodes poked fun, subtly, at the change, and the audience was able to accept the continual switching of the character.



“Fresh Prince of Bel-Air”

Not all recasts end on amicable terms. After three seasons as Vivian Banks on “Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,” Janet Hubert-Whitten was written out and replaced by Daphne Reid.

Hubert-Whitten, who was pregnant during the taping of the third season was given a new contract, but when her episodes were dropped from 25 to 13, she sued Will Smith and NBC for breach of contract. To accommodate her contract, but stick it to her too, Vivian was put back in five episodes – only appearing at the very beginning or very end. In other episodes, she was just “sick” and that is why no one ever saw Aunt Viv.

Daphne Reid took over the role for the next three (and final) seasons. The recast worked because Hubert-Whitten had been out of the picture for most of the third season and viewers were able to make the adjustment with ease.


“My Wife and Kids”

During season one, Jazz Raycole played the part of Claire Kyle. She abruptly departed after that first year and was replaced by Jennifer Freeman, who played the part for the next 4 seasons.

The story is that Raycole’s mother pulled her daughter from the show after viewing the script for the season two opener. Claire’s friend finds out she’s pregnant, and Raycole’s mother did not want her daughter in that storyline.

Freeman took over, and in the season two premiere, Michael says of his “new” daughter, “I don’t know what it is, but you look like a whole new person.” The switch was never mentioned again.


“Hope and Faith”
Like the last show mentioned, “Hope and Faith” had a daughter switch after the first season too. Switching out a character after just one season seems to work okay because no one has much of an attachment to the character. Honestly, I can’t even remember what the original Sydney Shanowski looked like.

The role was originally given to Nicole Paggi, but the producers decided they wanted someone who looked more like a teenager and in season two Megan Fox took up the role. The show only lasted two more seasons, but Fox is the one I will remember as the oldest Shanowski child – the one who idolized Kelly Ripa’s character Faith.