Recasting in television shows is never an ideal situation, as continuity is something that audiences always want to see. However, sometimes it is simply unavoidable and television shows are forced to make switches, bringing in new actors to take on roles that audiences are already familiar with.
Sometimes this is something that people can miss, especially if the character only has a small role in the show, or the swap happens before they become important characters. On the other hand, there are examples of recastings that are incredibly obvious and certainly get people talking, whether it's because the change is positive or negative.
Daario Naharis (Game Of Thrones)
Even in the biggest and most popular television shows, recastings can take place, and that happened within Game Of Thrones. Daario Naharis was the character in question when it came to the change, as Ed Skrein was replaced by Michiel Huisman for the fourth season of the show.
This change took place because the original actor took on the lead role in The Transporter Refueled. However, Huisman was arguably much stronger in the role, with Daario becoming an even more important character as he took over it.
The Mountain (Game Of Thrones)
Daario wasn't the only character that was recast in Game Of Thrones though, because The Mountain also saw a big change, not just once but twice throughout the show. Originally, Conan Stevens took on the role, but he was replaced by Ian Whyte due to commitments with The Hobbit movies.
However, it was certainly Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson, who is better known as 'Thor', who made the biggest impact with this character. His sheer physical presence made him incredible to play this character, and it's fair to say he really made the role his own in the end.
Carol (Friends)
The recasting of Carol in Friends is certainly one of the most well known, simply because the sitcom is one of the most popular television shows of all time. Carol's importance in the show might diminish as the series goes on, but early on she plays a huge role.
Originally, the character was played by Anita Barone, and she is the actress who gives the news that she's pregnant to Ross. However, she is then randomly changed as Jane Sibbett takes on the role, becoming the character that everyone knows and loves.
Megan Griffin (Family Guy)
Even roles in animated shows can be recast, and while it can be far less obvious when this happens because visually, nothing changes, different actors can bring massive changes. That was certainly the case when it came to Meg Griffin once Mila Kunis was given the role.
Kunis has become incredibly well-known for being the voice of Meg, but originally it was actually Lacey Chabert who was the voice of this character. The change was one actually made because of Lacey, as she backed out of the role due to scheduling issues creating conflicts.
Ann Veal (Arrested Development)
Arrested Development did a great job in keeping the Bluth family the same throughout, which was crucial to continuity. However, one of the most memorable supporting characters from outside the family actually saw a recasting take place, with Ann Veal being played by two different actresses.
Originally, it was Alessandra Torresani who played this role, but she was only involved in one episode since it was decided that she wasn't the right fit. Instead, Mae Whitman stepped into the role and certainly knocked it out of the park.
Robin Hood (Once Upon A Time)
The role of Robin Hood ended up being a really big one for Once Upon A Time, with the archer being a very popular character for the show. However, the character actually ended up having two actors take on the role, with Lucifer star Tom Ellis taking on the role originally.
However, this character ended up being recast, as Sean Maguire took on the role, switching things up, which gave him a fresh look and more attitude. It was a positive change and one that certainly helped the character feel more important.
Darrin (Bewitched)
The decision to change Dick York as Darrin on Bewitched was something that proved to be incredibly unpopular, due to how great he was at the role. It wasn't something that was wanted, but because York was suffering from major back pain at the time, he wasn't able to meet the physical demands.
Because of that, the decision was made to replace him in order for the show to continue. And while Dick Sargent certainly did a great job, this was something that wasn't met with positive reviews.
Frank Constanza (Seinfeld)
This is one recasting that really worked out for the best, as Jerry Stiller was iconic within his role as Frank Constanza. He made the character his own and helped to make it one of the most popular in Seinfeld with his impressive comic timing.
John Randolph is certainly a great actor as well. However, he was far more serious in this role, and what helped to make it so iconic was the over the top delivery that Stiller ended up providing it. While recasting isn't always the answer, in this particular case, it certainly proved to be.
Bobby (Mad Men)
Having young actors in a long-running television show is never easy for a variety of reasons. They can decide to quit acting, they may not grow their talent, or their development may not work out, which leads to changes. That was certainly the case for Mad Men's Bobby.
While his sister was played by the talented Kiernan Shipka from start to finish, the character of Bobby was actually played by four different characters throughout the series. While Bobby was never a massively important lead role, he was part of the Draper family, which meant that the changes were very noticeable.
Aunt Viv (The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air)
When it comes to recasting characters for television shows, Aunt Viv is perhaps the greatest example. The popular character from The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air was originally played by Jane Hubert, and she helped make the character one of the best within the show.
However, she ended up being replaced by Daphne Maxwell Reid, and unfortunately, the character was no longer anywhere near as important. Viv didn't get as much screentime as she previously did, which was a real shame, with the cast change seemingly playing a factor in that.