Has this ever happened in a TV show or movie...

[gblews]

Okay, so why don't you provide a couple of examples that you know of and illustrate the concept for the rest of us poor schlubs?

Okay, Mulder and Skully move from X-Files to Men in Black. They remain Mulder and Skully, played by David and Gillian, and remain the lead actors in MIB. One franchise to a completely different franchise, in different universe, with characters remaining the same and remaining the leads.

Dean and Sam Winchester move from Supernatural to Fringe. They remain the same characters, remain leads, but in completely different franchise in different universe.

Then the simple answer to your question is NO, it doesn't fucking ehappen and never has, for the simple reason that characters are valuable intellectual property, and lead characters are what you build the franchises on, and no studio, network or production company in its right mind would transplant the lead characters from one successful franchise to be leads in a completely different franchise because the most likely outcome of such a stupid move would be the death of both franchises, because you took the backbone of one and dropped into another where it completely wouldn't fit!

So no, Kirk and Spock never took over command of Alpha Moonbase, Jim West and Artemis Gordon never ran a herd of cattle on Rawhide, and the notion of Commander Adama in Hawaii ordering Magnum around is just retarded.

You asked a "What if" question in the form of a historical one. You shouldn't be surprised at the responses you're getting.

Now, if I had meant for it to be a "what if" then I would have worded it that way. But obviously I didn't.

I think perhaps you and one or two others may have gotten too hung up on my examples which involve major franchises and major actors and characters. I used those as examples precisely because they are well known and would better illustrate what I'm talking about.

It may never have happened in the recent past between major American productions, but my question wasn't limited to major American productions only.

If a show (or shows) has been gone from the air for some time, with no chance of returning, there is no reason a deal could not be struck between production companies or networks IF the involved parties are willing.

OTOH, you didn't have to post this much simply because you didn't know the answer to the question.

 

[Lonemagpie]

Gene Hunt, Ray Carling, and Chris Skelton in Life On Mars and Ashes To Ashes.

 

[the G-man]

If a show (or shows) has been gone from the air for some time, with no chance of returning, there is no reason a deal could not be struck between production companies or networks IF the involved parties are willing.

But wouldn't that be a spinoff or a sequel within the franchise?

I suppose it would be possible for a major character from a canceled show to join an existing show as a major character. However the economics of television production being what they are, if the characters were popular enough to help out the new show why wouldn't the network have kept the old show going...or done a sequel?

 

[The Old Mixer]

The can't be in the same universe thing is the silliest restriction. Usually when characters cross over from one show to another, that's our cue that they exist in the same universe. Nobody's going to say within the show that they've traveled to another universe.

 

[gblews]

The can't be in the same universe thing is the silliest restriction. Usually when characters cross over from one show to another, that's our cue that they exist in the same universe. Nobody's going to say within the show that they've traveled to another universe.

For the purposes of this discussion, "universe" (and maybe, "franchise") was simply the only word(s) I could come up with that would distinguish the type of "crossover" I'm talking about and "spinoffs".

Angel moving from Buffy to Angel is same "universe/franchise" (the Buffyverse) for lack of a better term. Mulder and Skully moving to Supernatural, would be moving to a different "universe". A "new" Supernatural series called say, "Castiel", would, of course be a sequel or spinoff and same "universe' and wouldn't fit my criteria. "Frasier Crane" moving from Cheers to "Frazier" is same Universe/franchise.

It is an "in-story universe" as opposed to an "out of story' universe. My use of "universe" was an attempt to distinguish between prequels, sequels, and spinoffs, (which are all same universe/franchise), and separate TV and movie "franchises".

Clear as mud, right?

 

[The Borgified Corpse]

So, what about John Munch going from Homicide to Law & Order: SVU, which was a spin-off of Law & Order, not Homicide? Would that count?

Or backdoor pilots that are not acknowledged by the regular series? The Masked Rider originally made his American TV debut in an episode of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. But when Masked Rider got his own series, it never acknowledged the events of his Power Rangers appearance.

 

[Starborn Dragon]

Supernatural did this, twice.

In one episode an Arch Angel trapped them in TV land where they were basically themselves in different TV shows.

In another they went through a window and ended up on the filming set of their own TV show. They had to assume the lives of the actors who were playing them. And, as it turns out, the actor who played Sam had married the actress that played the demoness Ruby.

And we get to see the director of the show shot and the actor who played Castiel killed. Who turns out to be really super addicted to Twiiterring about himself on the internet.

It's kind of complicated, actually. To truly understand you'd have to see the episodes and the full story arc they were a part of.

 

[Melakon]

I must not be understanding your definition of universe. Even my earlier Pete and Gladys example is the same universe as December Bride.

Given your conditions, I don't see how actors playing characters on one show playing the same characters on a different show can NOT be in the same universe, unless it's some sort of crossover gag appearance for sweeps weeks.

Even Please Don't Eat the Daisies' "Say UNCLE" episode had the kids wearing UNCLE shirts complete with logo when Robert Vaughn and David McCallum guested playing characters who looked and acted a helluva lot like Solo and Illya. Their Daisies characters were never named onscreen except when the kids see McCallum at a distance talking to their dad and exclaim "Illya!" mistaking him for the guy on their favorite tv show. They spend the whole episode thinking their dad is a spy because McCallum comes out of a basement tailor shop (not Del Floria's) and asks him for a match.

Yeah, I saw that one in first run too. Despite what IMDB says, I think they only get credit under the own names, but I've only seen it once and it was 49 years ago.

Trivia: Series star Patricia Crowley had been in the UNCLE pilot, later titled "The Vulcan Affair". Trek guest William Marshall had a significant role in "Vulcan". An expanded version was released to theaters as To Trap a Spy with original boss Will Kuluva as Mr. Allison, instead of Leo G. Carroll as Waverly. Trek guest Roy Jenson is a Thrush agent during the opening break-in of UNCLE headquarters. DS9 guest Fritz Weaver is Andrew Vulcan, and Charles Seel, the laughing bartender in "Spectre of the Gun" is a priest. Had to look at credits for those last two.

 

[tharpdevenport]

All your qualifiers, I believe, pretty much make it a sure thing there is no such example, gblews.

 

[Scout101]

Basically. Killed any chance of it before it started by crossing out anything close. As written, not sure the criteria even makes any sense, why would anyone conceivably want to create the conditions described?

Pretty much just asked for spinoffs, but said spinoffs don't count. And how many examples do you get of characters moving to another show (and staring in it) without it being a spinoff? they'd otherwise still be on the first show...

 

[gblews]

So, what about John Munch going from Homicide to Law & Order: SVU, which was a spin-off of Law & Order, not Homicide? Would that count?

Someone mentioned Munch further upthread. Munch works except the character wasn't a lead in either of the shows.

Or backdoor pilots that are not acknowledged by the regular series? The Masked Rider originally made his American TV debut in an episode of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. But when Masked Rider got his own series, it never acknowledged the events of his Power Rangers appearance.

Doesn't sound like Masked Rider was an already existing franchise. Also was he a lead character on MMPR?

I must not be understanding your definition of universe.

Forget the word, "universe" and substitute "franchise".

All your qualifiers, I believe, pretty much make it a sure thing there is no such example, gblews.

So your answer to my question is, never? That's valid.

Basically. Killed any chance of it before it started by crossing out anything close. As written, not sure the criteria even makes any sense, why would anyone conceivably want to create the conditions described?

Like so many threads in the BBS, some go on long enough that posters sometimes forget the original subject or question or never knew it in the first place.

My original question was, "has this, or has this not" ever occurred. My question was never, "I bet you can't guess which shows this happened on" or "guess which characters to which this happened".

A friend and I were contemplating the resurrection of a cancelled show with new characters, like TNG after TOS. We both agreed that there were two characters from a completely different show, also cancelled, who would fit perfectly into the new version of the original show. We then wondered if two lead characters had ever switched to a completely different franchise and stayed the same characters (and stayed lead characters) in an already existing franchise. We couldn't think of a time when it had. So I decided to throw the question out to TBBS because of the vast amount of TV watching experience here.

I didn't think the question was that complicated. I thought that giving you the example using the Winchesters would be explanation enough and would illustrate the parameters.

Pretty much just asked for spinoffs, but said spinoffs don't count. And how many examples do you get of characters moving to another show (and staring in it) without it being a spinoff? they'd otherwise still be on the first show...

Good lord...

 

[Avon]

i think the answer you've been looking for is 'No'.

 

[gblews]

i think the answer you've been looking for is 'No'.

Where were you and Tharpdevenport 4 pages ago?

 

[Showdown]

The only example I could think of that comes close is Jackie Chan, in the American versions of some of his asian films. He essentially plays the same character, and they change his character name to Jackie in a lot of his movies (for marketing reasons). Same character, same name, diffferent movie universes. I love his movies.

 

[the G-man]

another "22 Jump Street" sequel will feature Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum returning as Schmidt and Jenko with a twist: A "Men in Black" crossover that would act as a sort-of sequel to the Will Smith-Tommy Lee Jones comedies.

http://www.syracuse.com/entertainme...simone_trailer.html#incart_more_entertainment

 

[Andrew_Kearley]

Arthur Lowe played Leonard Swindley in the early years of Coronation Street.

He then went on to play the same character in a sit-com called Pardon the Expression.

Is that the sort of thing?

Or what about Zoe Lucker who played Tanya in Footballers' Wives? At the end of series 3, she was found guilty of possessing cocaine and sent to prison.

The prison she was sent to was the one in the programme Bad Girls, which had already been running five series at that point. She then appeared as Tanya in series 6 of Bad Girls. When she was released from prison, she went back to Footballers' Wives.

 

[tharpdevenport]

Well, your friend can contemplate it all he wants, but rights to various shwos lie with different studios (Paramount, CBS, NBC, ABC, etc.). There's a long and difficult legal process and financial situation to get the rights, assuming a studio even wants to bargin. They may simply take a pass.

Then you have to take into account the actors. Do they want to repraise their roles? Assuming they aren't too busy. Or if they ask for a lot of money and prices you out of ti, then what? Then you got to re-cast if your friend wants to go further; then you have to take the fanbase into account.


Then you have studio interference. Let's assume said friend gets his wish and everything works out. The studio may ahve different ideas on how the characters are now, what they do, writers on the show, etc. You heard the phrase too many cooks in the kitchen? Well, if you read enough about problems on films and TV shows, there's always a producer out there who thinks he knows better than everybody else, there's always producers out there who buttheads with the other producers and show creators and want things another way; there's always some douchbag producer out there who wants to make a name for himself so he tries to take things over, lie, cheat, steal, just to climb the ladder.

 

[Shawnster]

There was an All in the Family spinoff with Gloria and Joey (Joey was seen as a baby on All in the Family). I don't recall the name of the spinoff series.

Gloria. Lasted 1 season.

 

[Shawnster]

Basically. Killed any chance of it before it started by crossing out anything close. As written, not sure the criteria even makes any sense, why would anyone conceivably want to create the conditions described?

Pretty much just asked for spinoffs, but said spinoffs don't count. And how many examples do you get of characters moving to another show (and staring in it) without it being a spinoff? they'd otherwise still be on the first show...

I think your request is basically asking for a positive times a negative to come out positive, or wanting both matter and anti-matter to interact without exploding.

Don't cross the streams, Egon.

Simply put... by taking 2 main leads from one television show, inserting them into a 2nd and unrelated television show as lead characters isn't possible. You make the 2nd show related to the 1st (same universe/spin-off).

Moving lead characters from one show to another doesn't make sense from a production or financial standpoint. Unless the 1st show ended, you're not going to move the leads to a new show.

Crossover stories are fun, but they don't lead to anything more regular than guest appearances or one-offs. Archie Bunker could have shown up on Mary Tyler Moore, but not as a regular or lead character.

Crossing over entirely unrelated styles and types of shows would strain the credibility and suspension of disbelief beyond repair. Adama showing up as a lead character on Magnum PI would not have worked and you would guarantee the death of the show. Heck, even a crossover wouldn't work. The closest we ever got to that was the in-joke in the A-Team were Dirk Benedict's character walks past a Cylon and has a moment of recognition.

But having leads from one TV show become leads and not guest appearances in an unrelated, separate universe non-spinoff, non sequel TV show and remain the same characters played by the same actors.... nope, not gonna happen.

 

[Allyn Gibson]

The thing that fits closest in my mind to what the OP is trying to describe isn't in television or film. It's in video games. The Kingdom Hearts series, where in addition to Final Fantasy characters out the wazoo, Donald Duck and Goofy are the co-leads.