Not all actors who leave TV shows are gone for good. The nature of television usually makes for long-form storytelling, with some shows running for decades. As most TV shows have relatively large casts of characters that change over the course of the series’ run, it’s not uncommon to see even major stars exit a show before its ending. Even the very best TV shows can’t always entice actors to stay or renew their contracts year on year, and actors often cite wanting to explore new projects as a reason for leaving a long-standing role. However, these apparent endings aren’t always as final as they may seem.
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Even the best TV show character arcs are usually forced to come to an end when an actor leaves a major role behind. Their reasons for doing so can vary massively, and sometimes are completely unavoidable, but when they’ve played a major role in a show, it can sometimes seem strange for it to continue in their absence. Luckily, these actors sometimes reappear, returning to the role they quit and bringing their character back in the process. Though the reasons for these actors’ respective returns are varied, it always feels triumphant to see a beloved character make a surprise reappearance after their exit.
7) Steve Carell – The Office
From the very first episode of the US sitcom, Michael Scott was undeniably the most important character in The Office. Steve Carell’s comic timing and delivery made the character a huge success and a pop culture phenomenon, allowing the show to completely overshadow the original UK series it was based on. However, Carell exited The Office after seven seasons, with the final two seasons continuing without Scott as a central character. His return in the finale was one of the most emotional moments in The Office, even if it was only for one last goodbye.
6) Nina Dobrev – The Vampire Diaries
As well as having one of the most satisfying character arcs in The Vampire Diaries, Nina Dobrev’s character Elena Gilbert was undeniably at the heart of the show’s story. The love triangle between Elena and the Salvatore brothers was one of The Vampire Diaries‘ most substantial plot points, so when Nina Dobrev announced she would be leaving the show after its sixth season, it was a major blow. However, Dobrev returned twice, first to deliver a voiceover for the show’s season 7 finale, and then again to appear in person for its final episode at the end of season 8.
5) Noel Fisher – Shameless
Another popular UK show to find arguably more success in the US, Shameless featured many great characters. Noel Fisher was celebrated for his turn as Mickey Milkovich, a a great side character who stole the show in the early seasons of Shameless. Despite the popularity of his character and the relationship he shared with Ian Gallagher, actor Noel Fisher left the show in season 5 to pursue other opportunities before returning for a brief stint in season 7. He then left again before returning for seasons 10 and 11, seeing out the character’s story in the show’s final years.
4) Lauren Cohan – The Walking Dead
Having first joined the show in season 2, Lauren Cohan enjoyed a role as one of The Walking Dead‘s most iconic characters. After enjoying several years as one of the show’s central characters, Cohan opted not to renew her contract after a dispute about pay equity. However, she later returned as Maggie in a recurring capacity for the show’s final season before going on to star in the spin-off, The Walking Dead: Dead City.
3) Damon Wayans Jr. – New Girl
When it comes to great TV sitcoms that deserve more love, New Girl is often mentioned. The show’s pilot episode introduced a group of friends that included Coach, played by Damon Wayans Jr., but despite being one of Jess’s new roommates, he was forced to leave the show before filming the rest of season 1 due to his commitment to another sitcom, Happy Endings. Season 3 saw Wayans return, and he went on to serve as part of the show’s main cast throughout season 4, also making sporadic appearances in subsequent seasons until the show ended in 2018.
2) Patrick Duffy – Dallas
There are few character returns in TV history as notorious as that of Patrick Duffy in Dallas. Duffy starred as one of the main characters, Bobby Ewing, in Dallas from the show’s beginning in 1978 until its ending in 1991, but for a single year in which he was absent. This was because Duffy had quit the show, resulting in the writers killing off his character. His return the following year was facilitated by asserting that the whole previous season had been nothing more than a dream, bringing Duffy back in perhaps the most disappointing way imaginable.
1) David Duchovny – The X-Files
The X-Files is often cited as one of the scariest sci-fi TV shows of all time, but its success was largely attributed to the performance of its two lead actors and their on-screen chemistry. David Duchovny formed one half of the central partnership, playing Agent Fox Mulder, but he famously left the show on multiple occasions. The first saw his character abducted by aliens, only to return halfway through the following season. He then left the show again, although he did eventually reprise the role in the 2016 reboot.
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