Eric F

I’m watching Earth First Conflict on Tubi and the star of the show (Kevin Kilner as Boone) left after the first season. I know there must be other instances of shows being retooled, leads being recast or actors just plain quitting after one season but I can’t think of any. I know this forum can, and will. Have at it.

Koby

Batwoman on TheCW.

brainee

Michael O’Hare of Babylon 5 came first to mind. Also John Ritter in 8 Simple Rules (if you’re counting leaving a show because of death, and not business/creative issues).

I have a feeling there are many examples of people with major roles (but not THE lead) leaving.

davidh777

Doctor Who reboot
Plus a famous one that might still count as a spoiler these days

windom

Bridgerton on Netflix.

DJariya

Leslie Hope on 24

Gunde

NYPD Blue. David Caruso was sure he was the best thing since sliced bread, and left to become the biggest star in the world. Didn't happen though.

rw2516

Steven Hill - Mission Impossible
Joseph Campenella -Mannix
Didn't Boone show back up in again in final season Earth: Final Conflict? Can't remember.

Farrah Fawcett - Charlie Angels
The sitcom Valerie Harper was fired from. Was that after first season?

Red Dog

I believe Valerie was in S1 and S2.

Murder One - Daniel Benzali.

Decker

Sherry Stringfield also left a lead role in NYPD after one season.
Mindy's father Fred (Conrad Janis) was the third lead on Mork & Mindy Season 1 but was axed before Season 2 as they wanted a younger cast.

Count Dooku

I've been watching M&M on Rewind TV and it probably shuffled its supporting cast more than any sitcom ever.

movieguru

This is the first one that came to mind when I saw the title of the thread. I think he was only in the first few episodes of the second season.

movieguru

The new Rosanne had the lead character gone after the first season. The Facts of Life lost most of their cast after the first season.

cultshock

Chevy Chase on SNL.

milo bloom

Star Trek TNG - Denise Crosby left because she didn't think her character was going that great. Unfortunately for her the show "grew the beard" in season 2.

If they ever reboot TNG, they need to do her character the right way right from the start. Have her be senior CONN officer or something, right after Data in the chain of command.

fujishig

Facts of Life seems more like a pilot season/reboot similar to Saved by the Bell though. But that's probably close enough.

Paff

There was a behind-the-scenes on Facts of Life, and it was interesting why and how all the changes were made. There was obviously the issue of too large a cast and it being difficult to give all of them lines and stories. But in a lot of ways, it was essentially making a different show; the ratings were in the toilet, and ordinarily it would have been cancelled. NBC was in such a bad place financially though, they couldn't afford to tear everything down and create a new show, so they just pared down the cast and kept the same sets. I also never noticed the obvious incongruity of an upstate NY school where the girls bounced around in short-shorts 90% of the time (I was a pre-teen when it aired...to say I was in heaven was an understatement!), and that was quickly axed. Apparently the actresses were quite uncomfortable with it too.

mwbmis

Afton Williamson on the Rookie would be a recent example.

On St Elsewhere season one, David Birney was one of two "Starrings" before they got to all of the also starrings.

Eric F

Goddamnit! Spoiler!

Paff

George Dzundza, Law & Order

windom

Is this thread just about lead characters, or anyone in the main cast on a show? I'm seeing supporting characters mentioned also. If that's the case, there are probably a ton of examples.

The Questyen

Each season like the books focuses on a different family members story so they would have not been much of a focus on future seasons anyways.

milo bloom

I'd say if you were in more than half the episodes, then you're a "lead" character, even if you're not billed as such in the credits.

Josh-da-man

I would say Chuck Cunningham, but I'm not sure if he lasted for more than one season.

I don't think I've seen an episode of Happy Days with Chuck Cunningham; did they not include them in the syndication packages?

Paff

Piggybacking on that, is it leads leaving, or being written out of the show for whatever reason? The list gets substantially shorter if it's the former.