TV shows chart varied paths after actors die
The death of an actor on a TV show understandably elicits feelings of sadness, as is the case with Luke Perry of “Riverdale.”
The CW drama shut down production for at least two days after Monday’s news of Perry’s death less than a week after he suffered a stroke.
Perry’s family, friends and his many fans need time to absorb and mourn the loss, but eventually his “Riverdale” colleagues will have to figure out how to go on without the actor and his character, Fred Andrews, father of central character Archie (K.J. Apa).
Neither CW nor Warner Bros. Television, which produces the series, has announced plans. But here’s a quick update of where “Riverdale” stands: 13 of 22 Season 3 episodes have aired, and a 14th is scheduled for Wednesday (8 EST/PST). Fred is expected to appear in any episodes Perry shot before the stroke.
The drama, a reimagining of the Archie Comics characters that has performed well for CW, already has been renewed for a fourth season.
Although Perry’s Fred is not a main character in “Riverdale” – and overall the show has pared back on adult story lines this season – his absence requires resolution. The drama series revolves around Archie and his high school contemporaries, but wise Fred serves as a grounded presence amid the tempest of “Riverdale” teen drama.
A look at how past shows have dealt with actor deaths provides an idea of what options “Riverdale” might consider. In most cases, the accompanying character also dies. (That also has happened in cases that don’t involve an actor’s death, most recently with the off-screen death of matriarch Roseanne Conner on ABC’s “The Conners,” a spin-off that arose after Roseanne Barr was fired and “Roseanne” was canceled.
In some cases, the show can’t (or won’t) go on, to contradict an entertainment bromide, because the actor
is too integral or the program is not established enough to survive.
Bill Paxton of ‘Training Day’
That happened in 2017 with CBS’ “Training Day,” after Paxton, who played one of the two main characters and was by far the show’s biggest star, died as first-season shows were airing. CBS broadcast all 13 episodes, which finished shooting before Paxton’s death, then canceled the series.
Cory Monteith of ‘Glee’
Monteith was a major “Glee” character when he died in 2013 at the age 31. The fifth-season Fox musical dramedy took a production break before eventually presenting a Season 5 tribute episode that dealt with the death of his character, quarterback Finn. Later, executive producer Ryan Murphy revealed his hoped-for final series scene, which was precluded by Monteith’s death.
John Ritter of ‘8 Simple Rules’
A decade earlier, “8 Simple Rules” went on after the death of central star Ritter, who died in 2003 during the ABC comedy’s second season. After a break, “Rules” returned, acknowledging the death of Ritter’s family patriarch, Paul, while bringing in James Garner and David Spade as new cast members. The show ran for three seasons, and ratings fell significantly after Ritter’s death.
John Spencer of ‘The West Wing’
In the case of actors in supporting roles on established programs, the situation closest to Perry and “Riverdale,” the show historically has moved on, and the character’s death usually is written into the story. That was the case with Leo McGarry of “The West Wing” after Spencer’s death in 2005.
Miguel Ferrer of ‘NCIS: Los Angeles’ and Glenne Headly of ‘Future Man’
Besides Paxton, deaths in 2017 included Ferrer, whose character’s demise and a tribute were part of a posthumous episode of CBS’ “NCIS: Los Angeles,” and Headly, who played the main character’s mother on Hulu’s “Future Man.” The actors made significant contributions to their shows, but each played a supporting character whose departure didn’t affect the program’s continuation.
Carol Ann Susi of ‘The Big Bang Theory’
Voice actors not seen onscreen are theoretically easier to replace if the actor dies, but some shows have chosen to honor valued cast members by retiring the characters. CBS’ “The Big Bang Theory” commemorated the 2014 loss of Susi, who played Howard’s unforgettably loud, raspy and hilarious (but unseen) mother, with a story in which she dies in her sleep.
Marcia Wallace of ‘The Simpsons’
“The Simpsons” retired teacher Edna Krabappel after the death of Marcia Wallace, who voiced the beloved character, in 2013. The show later offered a tribute to Wallace with an epilogue from another character, Ned Flanders. In the 1990s, the long-running animated classic made a similar move, ending popular characters Troy McClure and Lionel Hutz after the death of Phil Hartman.
Nicholas Colasanto of ‘Cheers’
In cases where a character doesn’t have a specific family relationship, as Perry’s Fred does as Archie’s father, replacement can succeed, especially when the newcomer has a different personality. Woody Harrelson became a star as Woody, the sweetly dim-witted bartender who joined “Cheers” after the 1985 death of Colasanto, who played gruff, lovable Coach.
Christopher Evan Welch of ‘Silicon Valley’
When Welch died in 2013 after filming five episodes of HBO’s “Silicon Valley,” his character, venture capitalist Peter Gregory, was mentioned in the remaining Season 1 episodes. Season 2 introduced Laurie Bream (Suzanne Cryer), who was as socially awkward as Peter but less empathetic. That both “Cheers” and “Silicon Valley” were fairly new at the time of the deaths might have made it easier to make replacements.