Comments on: Which TV Replacement Character Was the Biggest Upgrade?

By: Kevin Bicknell

Kevin Bicknell — Sun, 07 May 2023 17:42:09 +0000

I’m ambivalent about the M*A*S*H replacements (Morgan, Stiers, Farrell) but as a way to slowly transform the show into a more conventional (and less subversive) wartime series there have been worse gambits.

By: Harry Howard

Harry Howard — Fri, 25 Nov 2022 20:12:35 +0000

That’s fair. Both were great.

By: Brian Cronin

Brian Cronin — Fri, 25 Nov 2022 20:01:41 +0000

In reply to Harry Howard.

Woody WAS amazing, but Coach was amazing, too. I think Coach was good enough that Woody, although he was a GREAT replacement, wasn’t a gigantic upgrade as a result.

By: Harry Howard

Harry Howard — Fri, 25 Nov 2022 19:38:47 +0000

Woody over Coach on Cheers! Coach was great, but Woody was amazing.

By: John King

John King — Thu, 24 Nov 2022 18:44:37 +0000

I would have thought the big improvement on M*A*S*H was when they replace Frank Burns (Larry Linville) with Charles Winchester (David Ogden Stiers) in season 6.
Winchester was a much more rounded character with a pomposity that made him the target of Hawkeye and B.J.’s jokes but also with good qualities making him, at times, likeable.

By: Brian Cronin

Brian Cronin — Thu, 24 Nov 2022 02:45:45 +0000

In reply to Tom Panarese.

Steven Williams as Captain Fuller replacing Frederic Forrest on “21 Jump Street.” He was a much better “adult in the room” figure than Forrest’s aging hippie Capt. Janko.

Forrest didn’t even make it through Season 1, right? Yeah, Williams was a BIG improvement.

By: Brian Cronin

Brian Cronin — Thu, 24 Nov 2022 02:43:30 +0000

In reply to Andrew.

Even though Debbie Allen had interesting ideas for Denise on A Different World (I know this from you), the show improved when Whitley replaced her as the focus. Does that count as a replacement?

Fascinating question. I don’t THINK I’d see her as Denise’s replacement, but I guess she sort of was.

By: Brian Cronin

Brian Cronin — Thu, 24 Nov 2022 02:42:52 +0000

In reply to Tom.

Jimmy Smits over David Caruso in NYPD Blues?

I loved Smits on NYPD Blue, but boy, I dug Caruso, too!

By: Brian Cronin

Brian Cronin — Thu, 24 Nov 2022 02:42:28 +0000

In reply to Matthew Johnson.

Does after just the pilot count? If so I’d have to go with William Shatner replacing Jeffrey Hunter on Star Trek.

I’m looking for more established ones, like at least a season.

By: Tom Panarese

Tom Panarese — Thu, 24 Nov 2022 00:28:04 +0000

Steven Williams as Captain Fuller replacing Frederic Forrest on “21 Jump Street.” He was a much better “adult in the room” figure than Forrest’s aging hippie Capt. Janko.