The classic TGIF sitcom Family Matters had a consistent main cast until mom Harriette Winslow changed when Jo Marie Payton left during the final season. The network TV landscape of the 1980s and the 1990s was all about family-oriented sitcoms; one such wholesome sitcom was Family Matters, which debuted in 1989 on ABC and ended in 1998. By the end of its run, Family Matters had fled ABC’s TGIF line-up and moved to CBS.
Despite CBS paying big money to acquire the long-running show for season 9 after its TGIF run on ABC, it turned out season 9 would ultimately be Family Matters’ last, as despite indications to the cast and crew there would be a season 10, CBS instead decided to cancel the show. One of the biggest hits for the final season was losing Harriette Winslow’s original actress, Jo Marie Payton. Replacing cast members isn’t new, but someone leaving in the middle of the final season is quite uncommon.
Why Jo Marie Payton Left Family Matters In Season 9
Some viewers tend to forget that Family Matters was a spinoff, as Harriette was first introduced on the sitcom Perfect Strangers. Reginald VelJohnson also made some cameos as Harriette’s husband, Carl. When ABC decided to launch Family Matters, the intent was to create a star vehicle for Jo Marie Payton’s Harriette. Along the way, though, Steve Urkel (Jaleel White) joined the cast. He caught on with audiences, and Family Matters became a showcase for Urkel. This change understandably never sat well with Payton, who felt Family Matters’ quality level steadily dipped.
Payton wanted out several years before the show’s end, but she had an eight-season contract and with Family Matters being a hit, ABC wouldn’t let her out of it. She was more than ready to exit following season 8. In the end, CBS made her a good enough offer that she agreed to continue playing Harriette, as the network wanted to ensure a sense of continuity between Family Matters’ stay on ABC and its move to CBS. However, the agreement came with an interesting clause.
The clause stated Payton could leave Family Matters after the first half of season 9 had been filmed. Her desire to leave hadn’t changed, so she left. CBS and the producers had to quickly find a new actress to fill the void in the Winslow family. Judyann Elder, who had recurred on Martin and done lots of voice work, took over the Harriette role. By the end of season 9, the bottom had fallen out for Family Matters’ ratings partially thanks to an ill-considered timeslot change, and CBS canceled the show.
Other Short-Lived TV Cast Changes
Family Matters isn’t the only TV show that made a shocking casting change that threw off viewers. Some changes lasted long enough for the new actors to remain remembered for the role. A great 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 first three seasons, while Daphne Maxwell Reid played the character for the final three seasons.
The most notorious cast change came in the sitcom Roseanne. Lecy Goranson played Becky Conner for the first five seasons of the show. However, she left the series to go to college, and since her character was so important, Roseanne replaced her with Sarah Chalke as Becky for the next two seasons. That led to a meta-joke in season 8 where both actresses played Becky and the family commented on her changing appearance at times.
This also happened in the DC superhero series Batwoman. The show had Ruby Rose playing Kate Kane as Batwoman for the first season. Season 2 replaced her with Wallis Day, but this was pushed back when a new character took over the Batwoman role, and Kane became a side character. Going back to the classics, two men played Darrin in Bewitched, the first three seasons with Dick York and then the last three with Dick Sargent.
Finally, another hit sitcom in the era following Family Matters replaced a major character, negatively affecting the series. In this case, it was That ’70s Show when the production team replaced Lisa Robin Kelly as Laurie Forman with Christina Moore. Rumors indicate that Kelly’s real-life problems caused the show to let her go and seek a replacement. The story had a sad ending, as Moore used the role to elevate her career while Kelly ended up dying young from an accidental overdose.
