TV The Replacements: TV’s Most Memorable Recastings

Futurama without the original voice cast? Sounds odd to us.

When Futurama returns to the boob tube in 2010, it may sound a little funny-style. 20th Century Fox TV is producing 26 new episodes for a mid-year cable run on Comedy Central, but talks have broken down with voice stars Billy West, Katey Sagal, John DiMaggio, Maurice LaMarche, and Tress MacNeille over money. Fox is trying to cut costs for the move to cable and has offered the cast less than they were hoping for, so don’t be surprised if Yakov Smirnoff ends up voicing all the characters on the cheap.

It wouldn’t be the first time a network pulled the okey doke on fans with replacement actors. Salary disputes, drug problems, thespian beef, and even the desire to get a college education (scandalous!) have all led to sudden, unexplained cast changes. Keep reading for the lowdown on some of television’s most memorable switcheroos with before-and-after photos included!