TV Shows Lasting one more season after star leaves

[roadman65]

I noticed that there were some shows that had a main character (not the top biller) leave where after the star's departure, the next following season ends up being its final season.

Shows like Streets of San Francisco where Michael Douglas left during Season Five to broaden his horizons as co starring in a TV Crime Drama was definitely a hold back to his career.  Richard Hatch replaced him, but only for the one season.

Then Hunter starring Fred Dryer, ended one season later after series co star Stefanie Kramer left the series. She was replaced with two successors as the first one bombed with fans and the second one after her bombed as well forcing the show to be cancelled.

Hawaii Five O (the original) got axed one year after James MacArthur left the show. MacArthur played Danno, a long time supporting cast member, for 10 seasons and though his character got three replacements at once to fill his shoes, McGarrett without his side kick Danno was not the same with several new faces supporting the show.


What other shows ended one year after a cast member departed.

[Big John]

Laverne & Shirley after Shirley left.

[GaryV]

8 Simple Rules for Dating my Daughter, after John Ritter died.

[jp the roadgeek]

All in the Family after Rob Reiner & Sally Struthers left for California (though it de facto continued as Archie Bunker's Place)

Three's Company as Three's a Crowd after Joyce DeWitt and Priscilla Barnes left

Parks & Recreation after Rob Lowe and Rashida Jones left.

[NWI_Irish96]

All in the Family after Rob Reiner & Sally Struthers left for California (though it de facto continued as Archie Bunker's Place)

Three's Company as Three's a Crowd after Joyce DeWitt and Priscilla Barnes left

Parks & Recreation after Rob Lowe and Rashida Jones left.

Speaking of Rob Lowe, while The West Wing was an ensemble case, Lowe had top billing and the show ran 3 more years after he left. He returned at the end of the final season.

[vdeane]

Once Upon a Time got rid of most of the core characters between seasons 6 and 7 and recast the character who became the main lead, to the point where it was arguably more of a spin-off than the same show (in fact, one of the characters who was "retained" was actually an alternate version of themselves, so there was only one character who directly continued with the same actor throughout); needless to say, this was not popular, and the show was cancelled shortly thereafter.

Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist had to write out Joan due to COVID (the actress was working on another show and COVID protocols and quarantines made working on two at the same time impossible).  The show was cancelled at the end of that season.

Home Improvement was cancelled the year after Randy was written out of the show.

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine ended the year after Jadzia Dax was written off, though 90s Trek shows always went 7 years, so it was known that the next season would be the last before the decision was made (the executives refused to negotiate with the actress over her contract extension).

Boston Legal had a few characters not survive between seasons 4 and 5, largely because it was known season 5 would be the last (it wasn't even full length) and the creators wanted to focus on what was at that point the core cast.  That said, that show had regularly churn between cast members (only Denny Crane and Alan Shore were main characters in both the premier and the finale; Paul Lewiston was in both but demoted to recurring by that point, and Shirley Schmidt wasn't introduced until halfway through season 1; Jerry was introduced as a recurring character in season 2 and promoted to main cast in season 4; the remaining two main cast members were introduced in season 4).

[MinecraftNinja]

I hope NCIS lasts many more years.

[KeithE4Phx]

Petticoat Junction, after Bea Benaderet died in 1968.  June Lockhart, as the Shady Rest's resident doctor, became the #2 star after Edgar Buchanan, but it just wasn't the same.  Bringing in the cast of The Beverly Hillbillies was the show's "jump the shark" moment.

I think it lasted 2 more seasons, but the handwriting was on the wall even before CBS cancelled "every show with a tree" in the early '70s.

[wanderer2575]

Hogan's Heroes, after Ivan Dixon left.

The Carol Burnett Show, after Harvey Korman left.

[wriddle082]

CHiPs after Larry Wilcox (Officer John Baker) left.

That 70's Show after Topher Grace left (at least he appeared in the finale).

The Office, thankfully, lasted two more seasons after Steve Carrell left, but only because the fan base would have never let NBC live down not giving the show a proper closing.  As weak as Season 8 was, it did bring a new dynamic and started the focus on other characters a bit.

[LM117]

I hope NCIS lasts many more years.

I wouldn't get your hopes up. Emily Wickersham just called it quits, and Mark Harmon ain't getting any younger. The show just got renewed for another season, but I'll be shocked if it goes any further than that. Harmon almost called it quits a couple of times already, IIRC.

[US71]

Roseann/ The Connors ?

Mission Impossible: Steven Hill left after one season

[Stephane Dumas]

Bonanza, last season was 1972-73 after the passing of Dan Bloocker (Hoss Cartwright) and years before Pernell Roberts departed.

NYPD Blue got lots of seasons after the departure of David Caruso.

[US71]

Then you have BBC's Doctor Who where the main actor changes every 4-5 years, but the show has survived 50+ years.

[Rothman]

Then you have BBC's Doctor Who where the main actor changes every 4-5 years, but the show has survived 50+ years.

There was a hiatus for about 16 years after McCoy.  The TV movie was in the middle of it and then it finally came back.

[US71]

Then you have BBC's Doctor Who where the main actor changes every 4-5 years, but the show has survived 50+ years.

There was a hiatus for about 16 years after McCoy.  The TV movie was in the middle of it and then it finally came back.

Well, yes, but they still change actors every few years and it's still going.

[roadman65]

Welcome Back Kotter got axed one year after John Travolta left his full time for recurring status.  Then what happened to Gabe? Gabriel Kaplan was only in the first two and penultimate episode of the final season yet credited as top biller still as if he never left. Travolta appeared in more episodes than Kaplan did it's last season.

To write Gabe out, they just promoted him to Vice Principal and had him always said to be in his office with Julie becoming the school secretary and new teacher of the Sweathogs.

Then Too Close For Comfort got cancelled one year after Deborah van Valkenburg and Lydia Cornell left.  Although the cancellation was due to Ted Knights untimely death, as the ratings were still good in first run syndication.  They retooled the show to make show lead Henry Rush and his wife Muriel move across the Golden Gate Bridge and become a partner in the news business printing news papers. Jim J Bullock moved with them and still was the annoying Monroe Fikus.

[Henry]

The most recent one would be the recently-cancelled Mom, which went one more season following the departure of Anna Faris.

[Life in Paradise]

Roseann/ The Connors ?

Mission Impossible: Steven Hill left after one season

Steven Hill did not leave, he was not invited back after the first season since they could not work with his religious schedule (he did not work after sundown on Friday).

[SP Cook]

I hope NCIS lasts many more years.

I wouldn't get your hopes up. Emily Wickersham just called it quits, and Mark Harmon ain't getting any younger. The show just got renewed for another season, but I'll be shocked if it goes any further than that. Harmon almost called it quits a couple of times already, IIRC.

Harmon will only appear in about 6 episodes next year, with Gary Cole, who is 5 years younger, joining the cast.  Katrina Law is taking the female agent spot.

Harmon was told that the show would be cancelled if he quit, so he agreed to the handful of episodes.  CBS will closely watch the non-Gibbs episodes' ratings and make a decision about next year.

Rumor has it that the Gibbs - Dawber storyline will be the 6 or episodes, with little interaction with the main cast, who will think he is dead. 

[Skye]

There's been a stay in execution for Batwoman. Possibly because there might be a shortage of ready pilots due to the pandemic. Ruby Rose left after Season 1 and it has been announced that next season, Season 3, will be the last.

[Stephane Dumas]

Due South returned after an hiatus, in 1997 but another actor replaced David Marciano when Due South returned.

Space 1999 got a 2nd season without Barry Morse.

[JayhawkCO]

He wasn't necessarily top billing, but to get Community popular, they advertised the heck out of Chevy Chase being on the show.  He got kicked off after season 4 and it ran for 2 more years.

Chris

[DTComposer]

He wasn't necessarily top billing, but to get Community popular, they advertised the heck out of Chevy Chase being on the show.  He got kicked off after season 4 and it ran for 2 more years.

Chris

Donald Glover left after five episodes of season 5; and, as with Chevy Chase, although he wasn't necessarily top billing, he arguably has had the highest profile post-Community.

[ethanhopkin14]

Scrubs lost most of the core cast after season 8, and only lasted another season with a new cast.