Once a television character becomes part of popular culture, it is difficult to separate that familiar face from the finished personality. Behind the camera, however, many classic characters were still being discovered after filming had begun. A few characters on this list were even scheduled to die. Had the original plans survived, entire seasons would have unfolded differently, and some of television’s most familiar faces would now be remembered as little more than brief supporting players. Looking back at those abandoned ideas shows how much of television history depended on timing, instinct, and the ability to recognize when something unexpected was working.
#1: Joey Tribbiani Was Originally Written as a Sophisticated Jerk
The six friends gathered around the Central Perk sofa might have included one personality who was much harder to forgive. Early ideas for Joey leaned toward a smooth, self-aware womanizer, polished enough to understand precisely how he was using his charm. Matt LeBlanc saw a problem with that interpretation: why would the other five people continue inviting such an unpleasant man into their lives? He found the answer by removing much of Joey’s calculation.
