The classic TGIF sitcom Family Matters had a constant major cast till mom Harriette Winslow changed when Jo Marie Payton left for the duration of the final season. The network Television landscape of the 1980s and the 1990s was all about family members-oriented sitcoms a single such wholesome sitcom was Family Matters, which debuted in 1989 on ABC and ended in 1998. By the finish of its run, Family Matters had fled ABC’s TGIF line-up and moved to CBS.

Despite CBS paying large dollars to obtain the lengthy-operating show for season 9 soon after its TGIF run on ABC, it turned out season 9 would in the end be Family Matters‘ final, as regardless of indications to the cast and crew there would be a season 10, CBS as an alternative decided to cancel the show. One of the most significant hits for the final season was losing Harriette Winslow’s original actress, Jo Marie Payton. Replacing cast members is not new, but somebody leaving in the middle of the final season is pretty uncommon.

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Why Jo Marie Payton Left Family Matters In Season 9

Jo Marie Payton Was Frustrated WIth Behind-The Scenes Problems

Some viewers have a tendency to neglect that Family Matters was a spinoff, as Harriette was initially introduced on the sitcom Perfect Strangers. Reginald VelJohnson also produced some cameos as Harriette’s husband, Carl. When ABC decided to launch Family Matters, the intent was to make a star automobile for Jo Marie Payton’s Harriette. Along the way, although, Steve Urkel (Jaleel White) joined the cast. He caught on with audiences, and Family Matters became a showcase for Urkel. This adjust understandably by no means sat properly with Payton, who felt Family Matters‘ excellent level steadily dipped.

Payton wanted out quite a few years just before the show’s finish, but she had an eight-season contract and with Family Matters getting a hit, ABC would not let her out of it. She was far more than prepared to exit following season 8. In the finish, CBS produced her a excellent adequate give that she agreed to continue playing Harriette, as the network wanted to make sure a sense of continuity in between Family Matters‘ remain on ABC and its move to CBS. However, the agreement came with an intriguing clause.

The clause stated Payton could leave Family Matters soon after the initially half of season 9 had been filmed. Her want to leave hadn’t changed, so she left. CBS and the producers had to promptly obtain a new actress to fill the void in the Winslow family members. Judyann Elder, who had recurred on Martin and completed lots of voice function, took more than the Harriette part. By the finish of season 9, the bottom had fallen out for Family Matters‘ ratings partially thanks to an ill-regarded as timeslot adjust, and CBS canceled the show.

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Other Short-Lived Television Cast Changes

Fresh Prince, That ’70s Show, Bewitched, Roseanne, &amp Batwoman

Family Matters is not the only Television show that produced a shocking casting adjust that threw off viewers. Some modifications lasted lengthy adequate for the new actors to stay remembered for the part. A wonderful comparison to Harriett on Family Matters was when The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air recast Vivian Banks. Janet Hubert-Hitten played Aunt Viv for the initially 3 seasons, although Daphne Maxwell Reid played the character for the final 3 seasons.

The most notorious cast adjust came in the sitcom Roseanne. Lecy Goranson played Becky Conner for the initially 5 seasons of the show. However, she left the series to go to college, and due to the fact her character was so essential, Roseanne replaced her with Sarah Chalke as Becky for the subsequent two seasons. That led to a meta-joke in season 8 exactly where each actresses played Becky and the family members commented on her altering look at instances.

This also occurred in the DC superhero series Batwoman. The show had Ruby Rose playing Kate Kane as Batwoman for the initially season. Season 2 replaced her with Wallis Day, but this was pushed back when a new character took more than the Batwoman part, and Kane became a side character. Going back to the classics, two guys played Darrin in Bewitched, the initially 3 seasons with Dick York and then the final 3 with Dick Sargent.

Finally, one more hit sitcom in the era following Family Matters replaced a significant character, negatively affecting the series. In this case, it was That ’70s Show when the production group replaced Lisa Robin Kelly as Laurie Forman with Christina Moore​​​​​. Rumors indicate that Kelly’s genuine-life issues triggered the show to let her go and seek a replacement. The story had a sad ending, as Moore utilized the part to elevate her profession although Kelly ended up dying young from an accidental overdose.

Family Matters

Family Matters is a classic sitcom that follows the Winslow family members, a middle-class family members living in Chicago that engages in quite a few misadventures although sharing heartfelt experiences with a single one more. The show tackles quite a few significant genuine-globe concerns although maintaining the core of the show light at heart, and also featured the breakout part of Jaleel White as the super nerd Steve Urkel.

Cast

Reginald VelJohnson , Jaleel White , Jo Marie Payton , Darius McCrary , Kellie Shanygne Williams , Rosetta LeNoire , Shawn Harrison , Valerie Jones , Joseph Wright , Julius Wright , Bryton McClure

Release Date

September 22, 1989

Seasons

9

Creator(s)

William Bickley , Michael Warren