Rating the Replacements: Which New Characters on TV Shows Outshine Their Predecessors?

Some of my favorite TV shows from the past have stayed on longer than they should have. Too often one of the key actors leaves the series, and the powers must either kill him off (as was done to the father in Good Times and to Edith in All in the Family) or replace him with a new character, usually a relative of some kind (as was done to the mother in The Waltons and Miss Ellie in Dallas).

I suppose killing the character off is probably the better solution. It might be distressing for viewers of the show, the death fictional but nonetheless so final. The death of a main character guarantees at least two heart-wrenching episodes, though it ultimately leads to the death of the entire series. The absence of the character is also financially beneficial to the crew, who no longer has that huge salary to pay.

The other alternative, replacing the departing character, offers no guaranteed benefits. The move is actually a gamble, which fails more often than not. There have been rare occasions where the new character actually outshines the one he is replacing. On most series, however, the move has had the opposite effect.

Here is a list of the best and worst replacements on TV series.

The Best:

5. Uncle Charley on My Three Sons: William Demarist, as Stephen Douglas' uncle-in-law, was brought in to replace William Frawley, who was his father-in-law. Both men served as housekeeper and helped raise the three boys.While both were grouchy, Demarist seemed to be more loveable and took himself less seriously than Frawley.

4. B.J. Hunnicut on MASH: Wayne Rogers as Trapper John was a good foil for Alan Alda's Hawkeye Pierce, so there was much concern when he left the series. The show became much better when Mike Farrell replaced him as B.J. Hunnicut. The chemistry between him and the star of the series Alda seemed much more relaxed than it had with Rogers, who had been expecting more of the spotlight.

3. Festus Hagen on Gunsmoke: I liked Dennis Weaver as Matt Dillon's early sidekick Chester, whose limp and accent made him lovable. He pales when compared to Festus, who replaced him as Dillon's deputy. The illiterate and always broke Festus is not only more lovable than Chester, but he is also much more comical.

2. Curly Howard on The Three Stooges: After Shemp left his brother Moe Howard and Larry Fine, the pair needed a third stooge. Moe recruited his little brother and called the bald man Curly. While Shemp offered quite a few laughs, Curly brought more energy and was more lovable than the brother he replaced.

1.Jefferson Darcy on Married With Children: Never did a replacement boost a show the way Ted McGinley did MWC. The first husband of Bundy neighbor Marcy was Steve Rhodes, who was pompous and conservative. After he left Marcy remarried the good-looking moocher Jefferson, who refused to work on anything but his tan and his hair.

The Worst:

5. Kris Munroe on Charlie's Angels: The entire male population was infatuated with Farrah Fawcett as Jill Munroe. She left the show with a void impossible to fill, but the executives replaced her with her pretty but inferior sister Kris (played by Cheryl Ladd).

4. Rebecca Howe on Cheers: Kirstie Alley's portrayal of the main waitress in the bar seems inflated and too stern. Most men who frequent a bar would far prefer to see the blond, less serious Shelley Long as Diane Chambers.

3. Beau Delabarre on Welcome Back Kotter: The handsome and (supposedly) charismatic Beau (played by Stephen Shortridge) was placed into Kotter's class of Sweathogs in anticipation of John Travolta leaving his role as Vinnie Barbarino. The replacement did not work, and the series was cancelled shortly thereafter.

2. Ralph Furley on Three's Company: When the trio's original landlords left for their own series, The Ropers, the executives brought in an actor renown for being a supporting character, Don Knotts. Unfortunately the aged Knotts failed miserably with his ridiculous wardrobe and pitiful schemes to score with women.

1. Warren Ferguson on The Andy Griffith Show: The Don Knotts who played Barney Fife was the total opposite of the guy whom played Ralph Furley. When he quit being Mayberry's deputy sheriff, the entire show tanked. Executives brought in the comic Jack Burns to be the new deputy, but he could not make fans of the show forget the lovable Barney.