TV Shows Where Stars Demanded Top Billing and Got Replaced

Throughout television history, disagreements over pay or creative direction have often led to lead actors leaving their shows. When this happens, the series tries to go on, sometimes with a new actor successfully taking over the role, and other times with declining viewership. Here are some shows that faced significant changes after a key actor’s demands or conflicts led to their exit.

‘Three’s Company’ (1977–1984)

Suzanne Somers became famous playing Chrissy Snow on television, and when she asked for a higher salary similar to her co-star John Ritter, the show’s producers said no. As a result, her appearances were limited to quick phone calls near the end of each episode, and she was ultimately let go. Her character was removed from the show, and Jenilee Harrison was brought in to play Chrissy’s cousin, Cindy, to take her place as a roommate.

‘Two and a Half Men’ (2003–2015)

As a big fan of Two and a Half Men, it was wild to watch everything unfold with Charlie Sheen. He was making more money than anyone else on TV at the time, but then he had a huge falling out with the show’s creator, Chuck Lorre. It all came to a head when he started publicly criticizing Lorre and asked for a raise. Ultimately, the studio had to fire him and write his character, Charlie Harper, off the show right at the start of the next season. They brought in Ashton Kutcher as Walden Schmidt, which thankfully kept the series going for another four years. It was a crazy time for sitcoms!

‘Beverly Hills, 90210’ (1990–2000)

Shannen Doherty, who played Brenda Walsh, was known for being difficult to work with and often showed up late. These issues with the cast and crew led to her leaving the show after four seasons. The writers explained her character’s exit by sending her to drama school in London. Tiffani Thiessen then joined the cast as Valerie Malone, taking over the role of the main female character and troublemaker.

‘NYPD Blue’ (1993–2005)

David Caruso quickly became popular during the first season of the show and decided he also wanted to pursue movies, demanding a significant pay increase and more say in the creative process. When the show’s writers and producers wouldn’t agree to his terms, he left after just four episodes of the second season. Jimmy Smits then joined the cast as Detective Bobby Simone, and the show went on to be a success for another ten years.

‘Grey’s Anatomy’ (2005–Present)

Katherine Heigl asked to be removed from Emmy consideration because she wasn’t satisfied with the storylines for her character, Izzie Stevens. She also expressed concerns about the demanding work schedule and ultimately left the show before her contract was up. The writers explained her character’s departure by having her leave Seattle after being let go from the hospital. Despite her exit, the medical drama continued to be successful and is still on the air after many seasons.

‘The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air’ (1990–1996)

Janet Hubert was the first actress to play Aunt Vivian on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, but she had a difficult relationship with star Will Smith. She felt the network unfairly restricted her ability to take on other acting jobs, and after disagreements, the role was recast with Daphne Maxwell Reid starting in the fourth season. The character of Aunt Vivian also underwent a change, becoming warmer and more supportive than she had been previously as a more serious, career-focused woman.

‘Charmed’ (1998–2006)

Shannen Doherty departed the supernatural series after three seasons, reportedly due to conflicts with Alyssa Milano. Her character, Prue Halliwell, was written off the show in the season three finale. To maintain the show’s magical core – which relied on three powerful sisters – Rose McGowan joined the cast as Paige Matthews, a previously unknown half-sister. With this new addition, the show continued for another five seasons.

‘Criminal Minds’ (2005–2020)

Thomas Gibson was a main cast member on the show for more than ten years, playing team leader Aaron Hotchner. However, he was fired after getting into a physical argument with a writer on set. To explain his character’s disappearance, the show wrote that Hotchner had entered witness protection to protect his son. Damon Gupton and, later, Daniel Henney were brought in as replacements.

‘Lethal Weapon’ (2016–2019)

Clayne Crawford played Martin Riggs on the show, but complaints about his behavior created a difficult work environment. His co-star, Damon Wayans, reportedly felt unsafe during stunts and refused to film with him. As a result, Crawford was fired, and his character was killed off in the second season. For the show’s third and final season, Seann William Scott joined the cast as a new character, Wesley Cole.

‘Hawaii Five-0’ (2010–2020)

Daniel Dae Kim and Grace Park asked to be paid the same amount as their co-stars, Alex O’Loughlin and Scott Caan. When the network wouldn’t agree, talks fell apart, and both actors decided to leave the show before season eight. The series then added new characters, played by Meaghan Rath and Beulah Koale, to complete the team.

‘House of Cards’ (2013–2018)

Originally, Kevin Spacey starred in and helped produce the show, but production stopped when accusations of wrongdoing against him came to light. The writers had to find a way to continue the story without him. Ultimately, the final season centered on Robin Wright’s character, Claire Underwood, becoming president, and the series ended with a brief season that dealt with the death of Spacey’s character.

‘Roseanne’ (1988–2018)

Roseanne Barr brought back her popular sitcom, and it quickly became a ratings success. However, a problematic tweet led the network to cancel the show, even though it was making a lot of money. The rest of the cast decided to continue the series as ‘The Conners,’ and they wrote off Roseanne’s character. The show went on, still focusing on the lives of a working-class family, but without its original star and creator.

‘Community’ (2009–2015)

Chevy Chase was well-known for being unhappy with the show’s scripts and frequently argued with creator Dan Harmon. During a heated discussion about his character, he unfortunately used a hurtful and offensive word on set. Ultimately, Chase and the show’s producers agreed he should leave, and his character, Pierce Hawthorne, was later written out of the series. Despite further cast changes, the show successfully ran for six seasons and also led to plans for a movie.

‘Desperate Housewives’ (2004–2012)

Nicollette Sheridan, known for her role as the alluring Edie Britt, expressed dissatisfaction with how much she appeared on screen and her pay. This led to conflict with the show’s creator, Marc Cherry, and ultimately, her character was written off the show with a fatal car accident. Sheridan then sued Cherry, claiming she was wrongfully fired and subjected to battery. The lawsuit received a lot of media coverage as the series concluded without her participation.

‘CSI: Crime Scene Investigation’ (2000–2015)

Jorja Fox and George Eads were temporarily fired after missing work while trying to negotiate higher salaries. The network didn’t agree to their demands, but they eventually returned to the show. Later, George Eads left for good following a disagreement with a writer on set. Over its fifteen seasons, the crime drama experienced a lot of changes in its cast.

‘The X-Files’ (1993–2018)

David Duchovny had a dispute with the studio regarding how much money they made from showing the show in reruns, and he also wanted to work less. To explain his character, Fox Mulder, being missing for much of the eighth season, the storyline involved him being kidnapped by aliens. Robert Patrick joined the cast as Agent John Doggett, working alongside Gillian Anderson. Duchovny eventually returned to finish the original series and later appeared in the show’s revival seasons.

‘Law & Order: Special Victims Unit’ (1999–Present)

Okay, so as a huge fan, it was a real shock when Christopher Meloni left Law & Order: SVU after twelve seasons. Apparently, contract talks fell apart over money – he asked for a raise, and the network just wasn’t willing to meet his demands, especially since the show had been on for a while. They just wrote his character, Stabler, off as having retired between seasons! I was bummed, but honestly, seeing him come back to the Law & Order universe a decade later with his own show was amazing. It really felt like things came full circle.

‘Chicago Hope’ (1994–2000)

Mandy Patinkin became a popular star on the medical drama, but he left the show during its second season because he wanted to be with his family. The writers explained his character, Dr. Jeffrey Geiger, left the hospital to care for his daughter. Although Patinkin made a guest appearance later on, the show never reached the same level of success it had initially.

‘Ally McBeal’ (1997–2002)

Robert Downey Jr.’s role as Larry Paul significantly boosted the show’s viewership. The writers had intended for his character to marry Ally McBeal in the season finale, but his arrest on drug charges led to his firing and a complete overhaul of the finale. The show’s ratings dropped sharply after his departure, and it was cancelled after just one more season.

‘Scandal’ (2012–2018)

Actor Columbus Short, who played Harrison Wright, was involved in legal troubles that led to his departure from the show after season three. The show handled his exit by writing his character off – he was killed by a secret service agent, but the scene wasn’t shown on screen. The series continued for four more seasons, focusing on the remaining members of the gladiator team.

‘Silicon Valley’ (2014–2019)

Look, as a critic, I have to address the elephant in the room: T.J. Miller, who was a real highlight as Erlich Bachman, became a problem behind the scenes. The producers ultimately decided to write him off the show, and they did it by having his character get… stuck in an opium den in Tibet, of all places. Miller himself said he left to focus on other projects, but honestly, the buzz was all about his difficult behavior. Thankfully, the show managed to keep its momentum going, following the Pied Piper crew for another two seasons even after his departure.

‘Laverne & Shirley’ (1976–1983)

Cindy Williams, who played Shirley Feeney, became pregnant and requested a more flexible work schedule. When the studio wouldn’t agree, she filed a lawsuit to break her contract. Her character was written off the show with a quick storyline about marrying an army medic, and the show’s name was shortened to ‘Laverne’ for its remaining episodes. Ratings dropped after Williams left, and the series was soon cancelled.

‘Designing Women’ (1986–1993)

Delta Burke quickly became the most popular actor on the show, but she often disagreed with the producers about her weight and how things operated behind the scenes. After five seasons, she was let go, and Jean Smart, another main actor, decided to leave on her own. Julia Duffy and Jan Hooks joined the cast to fill the empty roles, but the show never recaptured the magic of the original cast and was canceled two seasons later.

‘Castle’ (2009–2016)

Stana Katic, who starred alongside Nathan Fillion, wasn’t asked back for the ninth season due to budget cuts. The network initially planned to continue the show focusing solely on Fillion’s character, but fans were very upset. As a result, the series was cancelled instead. The final episode included a short scene to wrap up the storyline for Katic and Fillion’s characters.

‘The West Wing’ (1999–2006)

Originally, Rob Lowe was meant to be the main star, but the show quickly became more focused on the entire cast and Martin Sheen’s portrayal of President Bartlet. Lowe felt his character, Sam Seaborn, wasn’t getting enough attention, so he asked to be let out of his contract. Joshua Malina then took over the role, playing Will Bailey for the rest of the series. Later, Lowe made a guest appearance in the show’s final episodes.

‘Shameless’ (2011–2021)

After years of being central to the show’s stories, Emmy Rossum asked to be paid the same amount as her co-star, William H. Macy. She got a raise, but later decided to leave the series after two more seasons to work on other projects. Her character, Fiona Gallagher, moved away from Chicago as part of the storyline. The show continued for two final seasons, focusing on the remaining Gallagher children.

‘Batwoman’ (2019–2022)

Okay, so “Batwoman” had a really interesting first season. Ruby Rose was fantastic in the lead role, but surprisingly, she didn’t return for season two. She mentioned a back injury and the demanding production schedule as her reasons for leaving. Now, the producers made a bold choice: instead of recasting Kate Kane, they introduced a completely new character, Ryan Wilder, played by Javicia Leslie, who essentially became the new Batwoman. It was a significant shift, and I’m curious to see how it all plays out.

‘Transparent’ (2014–2019)

Jeffrey Tambor was highly acclaimed for playing Maura Pfefferman, but his time on the show ended after allegations of sexual harassment. Following an investigation by Amazon Studios, he was let go. The series finished with a musical episode centered around Maura’s death, and the rest of the cast carried on to conclude the Pfefferman family’s story.

‘The Ranch’ (2016–2020)

Danny Masterson, who acted with Ashton Kutcher, was let go from the show after accusations of sexual assault were made against him. The show’s writers first didn’t address his character, Rooster Bennett, simply vanishing, but later explained he was forced to leave town due to threats. Eventually, his character was written off as having died in a motorcycle crash. Dax Shepard joined the cast as a cousin to help maintain the show’s chemistry.

‘Sliders’ (1995–2000)

John Rhys-Davies publicly expressed his disappointment with the show’s writing and how unrealistic it was. As a result, his character, Professor Arturo, was killed off during the third season. He later explained that he had frequently criticized the scripts, ultimately leading to his exit. The show eventually switched networks and gradually replaced most of its original actors.

‘Northern Exposure’ (1990–1995)

Rob Morrow and the show’s producers disagreed about his salary, and he considered leaving. Ultimately, they reduced his screen time in the final season to allow for his departure. His character, Dr. Joel Fleischman, was written off the show by having him move further into the wilderness and eventually leave town. Soon after Morrow left, the show’s ratings declined, and it was cancelled.

‘American Gods’ (2017–2021)

Orlando Jones was let go from the show, and he believed it was because his character wasn’t portraying a positive image for Black audiences. The production company said they simply didn’t need the character for the season they were making, as he wasn’t featured in the original book. Jones publicly disagreed with the showrunner’s decision and how issues of race were being addressed. The show itself faced difficulties, including several changes in leadership and cast members leaving during its time on air.

‘Mom’ (2013–2021)

Anna Faris starred as Christy Plunkett for seven seasons before unexpectedly leaving the show to explore other career paths. The sitcom continued for one more season, with the storyline explaining that Christy had moved to Washington D.C. to study law. The show focused on her mother, played by Allison Janney, during this final season.

‘Bewitched’ (1964–1972)

Dick York, who originally played Darrin Stephens, struggled with constant, debilitating back pain, which often slowed down filming. Eventually, he became ill on set and had to leave the show to focus on his health. Dick Sargent stepped in to replace him, and the show never explained the change to viewers. This sudden switch of actors became a well-known and often-discussed moment in television history, becoming known as the “Two Darrins” phenomenon.

‘NCIS’ (2003–Present)

Sasha Alexander, who played Agent Kate Todd, left the show after two seasons because the demanding filming schedule was too difficult. Her character was unexpectedly killed off in a dramatic season finale. Cote de Pablo then joined the cast as Ziva David and quickly became a popular character with viewers.

‘Army Wives’ (2007–2013)

Kim Delaney starred as the main character, but she left the show after its sixth season. The series was significantly changed creatively, leading to several original cast members being let go. Her character, Claudia Joy Holden, was written out with an off-screen death due to a heart attack. The show continued for one more season with a new cast before ultimately being cancelled.

‘Sleepy Hollow’ (2013–2017)

Nicole Beharie, who played a main character named Abbie Mills, decided to leave the show, and her character was killed off at the end of season three. This upset many fans. Although the show tried to continue for another season with a new location and partner for Ichabod Crane, it wasn’t successful and was ultimately cancelled.

‘Fear the Walking Dead’ (2015–2023)

Frank Dillane decided to leave the show to focus on other creative work, including music. His character, Nick Clark, was killed off in the fourth season by a young spy. The show was already moving in a new direction with the addition of Lennie James, and after Dillane’s character died, the story completely shifted to focus on the new group of characters.

Tell us which of these casting changes ruined the show for you in the comments.

2026-01-15 08:19