Dream Roles for Stars of Cancelled Shows: Abbott’s New P.E. Coach, Enigmatic Severance Bureaucrat, Elsbeth’s M.I.A. Son and More
We lived, we loved, we lost. Yes, there were some heartbreaking cancellations in 2024, but the good news? It’s time to start thinking about Fall TV, so let’s revisit TVLine’s annual tradition of conjuring up possible new gigs for the cast members of recently axed shows.
The Grim Reaper visited many comedies and dramas this year, bringing freshman newbies like The Girl on the Bus, Wolf Pack, Death and Other Details and Extended Family to premature ends. Meanwhile, Young Sheldon and Station 19 wrapped up their lengthy runs, freeing up even more of our small-screen faves for fresh roles. So TVLine put on its casting director hat and crafted some hypothetical characters for them — like a new spirit on Ghosts, a replacement duo for Mr. and Mrs. Smith, a new Rookie recruit and a key figure for The Handmaid’s Tale‘s final season.
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We’ve placed stars on shows spanning both broadcast and streaming, including NBC’s forthcoming Reba McEntire sitcom (which would tee up one very special reunion, if you ask us!)
But again: These are dream castings from Team TVLine, not actual news items.
Scroll through the list below to review our picks, then hit the comments to share the beloved faces you want back on TV ASAP.
Annie Potts
Past Gig: Young Sheldon’s scene-stealing Meemaw
New Gig: The Grey’s Anatomy dynamo brought in to replace Catherine when her pettiness gets her booted by the board of her own foundation
Boris Kodjoe
Past Gig: Station 19 “fire zaddy” Robert Sullivan
New Gig: The too-hot-to-handle new Abbott Elementary P.E. coach who leaves Ava tongue-tied
Barrett Doss
Past Gig: Embattled Station 19 first-responder Vic Hughes
New Gig: The Beef Season 2 firestarter whose terrible advice makes hot tempers flare
Melissa Benoist
Past Gig: The Girls on the Bus journalist Sadie
New Gig: While we like The Way Home star/EP Chyler Leigh’s suggestion that her former Supergirl castmate could guest-star as a Lady of the Pond, we’re going to pitch her as Elliot’s yet-to-be-introduced ex-wife
Jared Padalecki and Sarah Michelle Gellar
Past Gigs: Walker’s titular Texas Ranger Cordell Walker; Wolf Pack’s arson investigator Kristin Ramsey
New Gigs: Kick-ass spies forced into a fake marriage in Season 2 of Prime Video’s Mr. & Mrs. Smith, if they go through with replacing Donald Glover and Maya Erskine. (We can’t resist a good WB reunion.)
Mandy Patinkin
Past Gig: Death and Other Details’ detective Rufus Cotesworth
New Gig: An enigmatic bureaucrat high up the Lumon corporate ladder on Severance who’s dispatched to stop Mark from bringing down the company
Lauren Ash
Past Gig: Not Dead Yet‘s no-filter newspaper boss Lexi
New Gig: Ghosts‘ Patience, the Puritan ghost who wants revenge on Isaac
Tommy Martinez
Past Gig: Good Trouble’s follically gifted Gael
New Gig: The Cleaning Lady’s Derek, the yet-to-be-seen confidant of Ramona Sanchez and potential Season 4 villain
Jack Martin
Past Gig: La Brea’s displaced Josh
New Gig: The Rookie’s newest recruit, a fresh-faced, clean-cut Iowa transplant
Billy Gardell
Past Gig: Sock salesman Bob Wheeler on Bob Hearts Abishola
New Gig: A barfly who gets romantically involved with Melissa Peterman’s Gabby on NBC’s forthcoming Reba McEntire comedy Happy’s Place (which would double as a Young Sheldon reunion for Gardell and Peterman)
Nasim Pedrad
Past Gig: 14-year-old Persian-American boy Chad Amani on the TBS-turned-Roku comedy Chad
New Gig: The new district attorney brought in to replace India de Beaufort’s Olivia on NBC’s Night Court
Paige Spara
Past Gig: The Good Doctor’s extremely patient wife Lea
New Gig: Best friend to Emily Osment’s Mandy McAllister on CBS’ Young Sheldon spinoff Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage
Katja Herbers
Past Gig: Evil skeptic Kristen Bouchard
New Gig: A key figure in helping June and Serena while they’re on the run in The Handmaid’s Tale’s final season
Donald Faison
Past Gig: Boston Celtics owner Trey on Extended Family
New Gig: Courtney’s father, who comes to town and disapproves of the way Marty and Courtney are parenting his granddaughter on CBS’ The Neighborhood
Abigail Spencer
Past Gig: Extended Family matriarch Julia
New Gig: Ormewood’s (temporary?) new partner on ABC’s Will Trent
Alex Tarrant
Past Gig: NCIS: Hawai’i’s Special Agent Kai Holman
New Gig: A new Three Rock inmate who will keep Fire Country’s Eve on her toes
Perdita Weeks
Past Gig: Magnum P.I.’s badass Juliette Higgins
New Gig: Young Tali’s nanny-slash-bodyguard on Paramount+’s NCIS: Tony & Ziva
Raymond Lee
Past Gig: Quantum Leap physicist and leaper Ben Song
New Gig: A physicist working on the Wallfacer Project in 3 Body Problem Season 2
Caitlin Bassett
Past Gig: Addison, a military vet and Ben’s hologram on Quantum Leap
New Gig: A newbie detective who works with Chicago P.D.’s Intelligence on a trial basis to see if she has what it takes to join full-time
Skylar Astin
Past Gig: So Help Me Todd’s titular investigator
New Gig: Elsbeth’s never-before-seen but oft-mentioned son, Teddy
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