Poll: TV Characters Who Weren't Supposed to Stay on Their Shows

Results of 894 votes:

1. 1.
   

   Aaron Paul in Breaking Bad (2008)

    

   Jesse Pinkman from Breaking Bad - was planned to be killed off in a massacre in season one
2. 2.
   

   Leonard Nimoy in Star Trek (1966)

    

   Spock from Star Trek - NBC wanted him removed because of his "satanic appearance"
3. 3.
   

   James Marsters in Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997)

    

   Spike from Buffy the Vampire Slayer - was initially booked for a one-off guest starring stint
4. 4.
   

   Kelsey Grammer in Cheers (1982)

    

   Dr. Frasier Crane from Cheers (and later Frasier) - was only scheduled for a six-episode arc
5. 5.
   

   Martin Sheen in The West Wing (1999)

    

   President Josiah 'Jed' Bartlet from The West Wing - was only planned to pop up occasionally in a handful of episodes
6. 6.
   

   Joseph Morgan in The Vampire Diaries (2009)

    

   Klaus Mikaelson from The Vampire Diaries (and later The Originals) - was planned to be killed off at the end of season three but instead got his own spin-off
7. 7.
   

   Estelle Getty in The Golden Girls (1985)

    

   Sophia Petrillo from Golden Girls - was only planned to appear in the pilot
8. 8.
   

   Walton Goggins in Justified (2010)

    

   Boyd Crowder from Justified - Walton Goggins filmed a few scenes as a favor to Timothy Olyphant; audiences loved him
9. 9.
   

   Matthew Fox in Lost (2004)

    

   Jack Shephard from Lost - wasn't supposed to survive the pilot
10. 10.
    

    Ed Helms in The Office (2005)

     

    Andy Bernard from The Office - his 10-episode booking was supposed to end when Jim returned to Scranton
11. 11.
    

    "M.A.S.H." Jamie Farr

     

    Corporal Maxwell Q. Klinger from M*A*S*H - was only supposed to appear in one episode
12. 12.
    

    Jaleel White in Family Matters (1989)

     

    Steve Urkel from Family Matters - Jaleel White turned a one-episode role into a phenomenon
13. 13.
    

    Michael Emerson in Lost (2004)

     

    Ben Linus from Lost - was originally planned to appear in only three episodes
14. 14.
    

    Colin O'Donoghue in Once Upon a Time (2011)

     

    Killian Jones from Once Upon a Time - was only supposed to guest star for a few episodes
15. 15.
    

    Tahmoh Penikett in Battlestar Galactica (2004)

     

    Lt. Karl C. 'Helo' Agathon from Battlestar Galactica - was supposed to die when the Raptor left him behind on Caprica
16. 16.
    

    Danielle Fishel in Boy Meets World (1993)

     

    Topanga Lawrence from Boy Meets World - was supposed to be just an occasional character
17. 17.
    

    Gigi Edgley in Farscape (1999)

     

    Chiana from Farscape - was supposed to die in her first episode
18. 18.
    

    Damian Lewis in Homeland (2011)

     

    Nicholas Brody from Homeland - was supposed to be killed in the first season finale
19. 19.
    

    Scott Wilson in The Walking Dead (2010)

     

    Hershel Greene from The Walking Dead - creators planned to kill him in the second season but decided to give viewers a break
20. 20.
    

    Julianna Margulies in ER (1994)

     

    Carol Hathaway from ER - she was never supposed to survive her suicide attempt from the pilot
21. 21.
    

    Kathryn Joosten in Desperate Housewives (2004)

     

    Karen McCluskey from Desperate Housewives - was supposed to only be a brief role
22. 22.
    

    Jane Lynch in Glee (2009)

     

    Sue Sylvester from Glee - Jane Lynch was already attached to another pilot and would have had pass on Glee if that pilot has been picked up
23. 23.
    

    Ari Millen in Orphan Black (2013)

     

    Mark Rollins from Orphan Black - creators planned to kill him after a 6-episode arc
24. 24.
    

    Rich Sommer in Mad Men (2007)

     

    Harry Crane from Mad Men - was scheduled to commit suicide in season one