That’s hilarious timing, as I JUST LAST NIGHT wrote about Sara being a victim of Chuck Cunningham Syndrome. Talk about being on the same wavelength!

https://popculturereferences.com/carries-sister-on-king-of-queens-had-a-delayed-case-of-chuck-cunningham-syndrome/

Correct! Part of the original cast of The King of Queens was actress Lisa Rieffel, who portrayed Carrie Heffernan’s half-sister, Sara Spencer. She appeared in five of the first six episodes of the series, then was never seen, again.

The initial notion is to say she was just put on the bus to Mandyville, because there is a reference to her in the third-season episode “Roast Chicken”. However, she’s not referred to by name—only obliquely mentioned by Doug Heffernan as part of an excuse to get out of something his boss wants him to do.

Since later episodes of the show indicate Carrie was an only child, the easiest way to reconcile the sister’s third-season reference is to consider her an outright fabrication as part of Doug’s lie. That puts Sara Spooner in the Chuck Cunningham category—not just forgotten, but denied.

I think everyone will agree, though, that the episodes featuring both brothers were the best ones of the series.

So, so good.

I think Kelly was an excellent actor, but Garner got first pick of scripts, and I think he typically picked the best ones, so I like Bret episodes better. When Kelly then got first pick against Moore and Colbert, Bart really got the chance to shine, though. And while I will concede Kelly was probably the better actor between him and Garner, Garner had that crazy ass movie star charisma that was off the charts. Like, for instance, take a couple of big 1980s TV actors, Daniel Travanti and Tom Selleck. Travanti was the much better actor, but Selleck was a STAR.

runner-up – Ray Daley who became the new minder for his uncle Arthur Daley following the departure of Dennis Waterman who starred in the first 7 seasons of Minder as Terry McCann.

Honoury mention to Brass which featured the other sort of retconned in relative – when a police detective Inspector Hamish McDuff replaced his (identical) brother Dr McDuff who’s story had run it’s course (so the family connection is just an excuse to keep using an actor in a new role)

Actually, there was a reference to Barbara Gordon before that second-season finale (“The Duo Defy”, first aired on 30 March 1967).

During the course of the episode “Batman’s Waterloo”, first aired on 09 March 1967, Commissioner Gordon is consulting with Batman over the bat-phone about the current menace of King Tut, when the commissioner brings up a personal concern.

“I’m worried about
my daughter Barbara . . . she’s away at college—she’ll be graduating shortly, and I’d hate to think that some of the
dire happenings which have happened to that fine professor of Egyptology could also
happen to my beloved daughter at her school.”

To which, the Caped Crusader replies, “I rather doubt that your daughter Barbara
is going to get conked on the head and turned into a long-dead Egyptian ruler, commissioner.”

Now, as this exchange occurred in an episode only four weeks before the end of the season, it’s logical to assume that it’s foreshadowing the introduction of her character, just as the reference to Barbara in “The Duo Defy” definitely was.

This is another case in which I swim against the tide. To be sure, James Garner, as Bret, was the definitive Maverick. But I slightly preferred the episodes with Jack Kelly as Bart. I felt that Kelly was the more versatile actor.

I think everyone will agree, though, that the episodes featuring both brothers were the best ones of the series.

There’s also Roger Moore’s Beau Maverick who came in after James Garner left. Not that I’d nominate him in the “best” category.

Yeah, while I liked Beau Maverick, I definitely wouldn’t put him in the best category, while Bart Maverick really was quite good (just nowhere near as good as Bret Maverick). Brent Maverick was also not particularly good (although, the good Commander notes, that wasn’t because of Colbert).

Colbert really looked EXACTLY like James Garner. It was kind of creepy, really.