Can a TV Series Survive the Death of an Actor?

[Alakaizer]

I recently found a way to watch the series NewsRadio that had been on in the mid-late 90s. Inbetween the fourth and fifth seasons, actor Phil Hartman was murdered by his wife, who then committed suicide. While Hartman's character Bill McNeil wasn't the central character, he was integral. The fifth season had a substantial drop in quality and was not picked up for another season after that.

Another, more recent, show, 8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter, was canceled not long after the death of John Ritter. I never watched that show, but was a fan of John Ritter.

So, thinking about all of this, I have to wonder if any TV show can last after the death of one of the main cast.

On a similar but much less depressing note, can a show last after the main character leaves the show(I'm thinking about That 70s Show this time)?

Thoughts? Discussion? Examples?

 

[Nimzar]

Two words:

Doctor Who.

So yes. A TV series CAN survive (and even thrive) after the death of the lead actor.

 

[thenumberthirteen]

Well Doctor Who is the absolute king of getting around the death/firing of a main actor.

I suppose it can. If there is a large Ensemble cast, but with shows like Father Ted there was just no way they could have made more after his death.

Audiences don't seem to like sudden re-castings of main characters.

 

[drbarno]

Two words:

Doctor Who.

So yes. A TV series CAN survive (and even thrive) after the death of the lead actor.

Not everyone is a timelord (though TvTropes begs to differ)

 

[Sun Flash]

Doctor Who - the whole point of regeneration was so that hey could feasibly continue despite William Hartnell's failing health. that was 40 odd years ago. (Also Ninjas goddammit!)

It happened with Harry Potter as well, when Dumbledore died just after the second movie. YMMV on whether that was an improvement.

A show can last, if the exit of the character is done tastefully. Another example I have is Benidorm (look it up, it's hilarious IMO) For the 2010 Christmas special, the guy who played Mel (who was a relatively central character) had died the year before. In the show, the wrote him out as "away on business" and had the characters interacting with him over the phone, which annoyed me since it seemed really distasteful. Ove the course of the show, he says he is admitted to hospital. Then the hospital call his family and we find out he died. I welled up to say the least and those last few minutes turned the whole episode around for me (in a good way).



So.. uhh, yeah, Actor Existence Failure can be overcome, but it's kinda hard to do without cocking it up.

On a side note, I've read too much TV Tropes.

 

[Jabberwock xeno]

It's very hard in live action ones, not much so in cartoons.

 

[Nimzar]

Audiences don't seem to like sudden re-castings of main characters.

Bewitched managed it.

So really it is possible... just difficult to pull off.

Either there needs to an explanation given, or the overall quality needs to stay similar.

 

[Nimzar]

Double post--sorry

 

[Geekosaurus]

I'm not sure about a TV series but films certainly can. Dumbledore certainly got more awesome in the third film. And I'm aware than the actor didn't die, but replacing Rhodes in the Iron Man films seemed to go pretty seamlessly.

 

[Drakmeire]

Only if there is a good explanation in show and it's done tactfully.
for an example of how not to do this see the Sopranos.

 

[Moonscream]

Cheers survived the death of Coach by several seasons, and Night Court did likewise after the deaths of its first two elderly female bailiffs.

On the other hand, Suddenly Susan didn't survive but one more season after the suicide of one of the regulars AND the loss of Judd Nelson and Andrea Bendewald.

--Moony

 

[Alakaizer]

This thread is really just supposed to be about tv shows, not movies, since movies tend to have much more finality about them, as in, they are supposed to end. A show like Doctor Who, what with time travel and other science being cast everywhere, it's not surprising that it can survive without much of a dip in ratings.

I don't remember Bewitched well enough to have much insight there, and it seems that an actor's death is less impactful if the actor is advanced in years.

as long as they can be resurrected, but i remember one show losing its entire fanbase because the main character got a haircut.

You may want to reread my post a little more carefully, since I don't think many actors are resurrect-able.

Cheers survived the death of Coach by several seasons, and Night Court did likewise after the deaths of its first two elderly female bailiffs.

On the other hand, Suddenly Susan didn't survive but one more season after the suicide of one of the regulars AND the loss of Judd Nelson and Andrea Bendewald.

--Moony

Yeah, not even the great Eric Idle could save Suddenly Susan. I enjoyed Nestor Carbonell though.

 

[Veleste]

Yes if it's done properly. I mean Doctor Who is a null point because it's a mechanism that he changes his face. James Bond, while yes movies, are another good example. Sherlock Holmes has had many actors in the role but now I think I've strayed off the point as some characters transcend roles.

Hmm...Off the top of my head I can't think of any shows that have had a main character die part way which kinda shows a point in your favour as if it had continued I'd have remembered it. I think it *is* possible but rare.

Edit: Stargate did pretty well, okay the main characters were recast from the movie to the show and there was no death but still...no, I'm grasping at straws now I think.

 

[vrbtny]

Doctor Who - the whole point of regeneration was so that hey could feasibly continue despite William Hartnell's failing health. that was 40 odd years ago. (Also Ninjas goddammit!)

It happened with Harry Potter as well, when Dumbledore died just after the second movie. YMMV on whether that was an improvement.

Wait!! When was HP a TV series?

 

[Super Six One]

Top Gear surived after the Black Stig died, and now that the White Stig has gone i think it will still go on as good as ever.

 

[Scobie]

DELETED

 

[The Boy in the Hat]

Taggart seems to have done pretty well after the death of the actor who played the titular character. Sorry, I don't know who, I've never watched Taggart, I just know that it's been fifteen years since the death of the actor. And the show's still going.

 

[The Boy in the Hat]

Well, the guy who played Taggart died in 1994 and the show is still going strong.

Ahh, you beat me to it.

 

[SomeLameStuff]

Avatar The Last Airbender did pretty well, though its a cartoon series and might not count...

The guy who replaced Mako did a pretty good job of imitating his voice though.