9 Disastrous Casting Decisions That Hurt TV Series

Dominic West as Prince Charles in The Crown

The Crown, a series known for its attention to detail and historical accuracy, faced a major setback with the casting of Dominic West as Prince Charles. Despite his commendable acting credentials, West's portrayal of the aloof and uncertain heir to the throne fell short of believability.

Dominic West as Prince Charles and Olivia Williams as Camilla Parker Bowles in The Crown season 6

The Three Sisters in Charmed

The Charmed reboot received criticism for its lack of diversity and controversy surrounding the casting of the three central sisters. The discrepancy between the characters' Latina background and the actors' ethnicities stirred significant controversy and impacted the show's reception.

The Charmed Ones look concerned in The CW Charmed reboot.

Richard Madden and Priyanka Chopra in Citadel

The high-budget series Citadel failed to live up to expectations, largely due to the lack of chemistry between lead actors Richard Madden and Priyanka Chopra. Their performance, combined with script and story issues, contributed to the show's downfall.

Richard Madden looking surprised in Citadel.

Cindy Williams Removed as Shirley in Laverne & Shirley

The unexpected removal of Cindy Williams as Shirley in Laverne & Shirley disrupted the dynamic of the show, ultimately ruining its concept. The decision to continue without one of the titular characters had a detrimental effect on the series.

Cindy Williams Penny Marshall look at each other in Laverne and Shirley

Glee's Supplementing the Original Cast

Glee's attempt to introduce an entirely new set of characters while following the original cast members led to narrative chaos. The show struggled to maintain coherence and lost its charm in the process of revamping and replacing the original cast.

A promo image featuring the cast of Glee

Gates McFadden Leaving as Beverly Crusher in Star Trek: The Next Generation

The departure of Gates McFadden as Dr. Beverly Crusher after season 1 of Star Trek: The Next Generation created a setback for the show. Her absence in season 2 highlighted the impact of a major casting mistake, contributing to the show's slow start and poor reception.

Gates McFadden as Dr. Beverly Crusher

Lennie Weinrib Cast as Scrappy-Doo in Scooby-Doo

The introduction of Scrappy-Doo to Scooby-Doo had a transformative effect on the original show, shifting its focus from mystery to merchandising. This cynical casting decision changed the tone and content of the series, resulting in a negative impact on its legacy.

Scrappy-Doo Scooby-Doo and Shaggy outside a castle

Finn Jones Cast as Iron Fist

The casting of Finn Jones as Iron Fist in the Marvel series received criticism for the failure to award the main part to an Asian actor. Jones' performance, along with pacing and story issues, highlighted the show's shortcomings and made it less forgiving to audiences.

Danny Rand with dragon tattoo in Iron Fist

Joseph Fiennes as Michael Jackson in Urban Myths

The decision to cast Joseph Fiennes as Michael Jackson in Urban Myths sparked widespread criticism and controversy. Fiennes' performance was heavily criticized by the public, and the episode has since been pulled from transmission due to the negative reception.

Joseph Fiennes Urban Myths Michael Jackson