Favorite tv show where the same characters / actors stayed for the full run

[Jim Kelly]

On STAR TREK, there were only three actors that were considered regular cast members. And even DeForest Kelley wasn't in "Where No Man Has Gone Before" (the first episode in production with the new cast, but not the first episode aired). All the other actors were recurring cast members and would have had different contracts. A fact that George Takei glossed over. William Shatner was actually the only star on the show (in the first season), which is why he got special privileges.

The Pike episode was the original pilot but the network didn't give that the green light. "Where No Man Has Gone Before" was the new pilot with Shatner in the lead and that's the one that got picked up.

If you count original pilots that were turned down and then recast, there would be a lot less shows to consider.

There have been many shows where an actor is a series regular yet is credited as a special guest star. On LOST IN SPACE, for example, Jonathan Harris was a special guest star in the first episode. He was supposed to leave after that, but Harris connived his way into getting the biggest part on the show.

[AndrewCrossett]

Doctor Who.

Just kidding.

Arrested Development
As Time Goes By
The Dick Van Dyke Show
Frasier
The Good Place
How I Met Your Mother (notwithstanding the awful final season)
I Dream of Jeannie
I Love Lucy
The Kids in the Hall
The Odd Couple (original)
Seinfeld
The Simpsons - the gold standard for cast longevity, though being animated certainly made that possible
WKRP in Cincinnati
Xena: Warrior Princess (major characters only)

[caj]

On STAR TREK, there were only three actors that were considered regular cast members. And even DeForest Kelley wasn't in "Where No Man Has Gone Before" (the first episode in production with the new cast, but not the first episode aired). All the other actors were recurring cast members and would have had different contracts. A fact that George Takei glossed over. William Shatner was actually the only star on the show (in the first season), which is why he got special privileges.

I guess it depends on how you choose to look at it, which is fine.

But for me, Checkov was a major character along with Scotty, Sulu, and Uhura. Even if they weren't in the opening credits, they were in six (or in some cases, seven) movies that followed the series.

If you only count actors that were in the opening credits, then Mary Tyler Moore is the only regular in her show from the 70s. Lou, Rhoda, Murray, Phyllis, Ted, Georgette, and Sue Ann all appeared in the closing credits. But in reality, all of them were regulars in several (or all) seasons of that show.

[AndrewCrossett]

Star Trek meets the rules of the thread in that none of its major cast members left during its run, although a couple were added.

(Unless you count Grace Lee Whitney... that one is debatable.)

[Jim Kelly]

If you only count actors that were in the opening credits, then Mary Tyler Moore is the only regular in her show from the 70s. Lou, Rhoda, Murray, Phyllis, Ted, Georgette, and Sue Ann all appeared in the closing credits. But in reality, all of them were regulars in several (or all) seasons of that show.

Cloris Leachman was another one who always got the Special Guest Star credit--in the end credits of MARY TYLER MOORE. But she wasn't in every episode--not like Heather Locklear who got the Special Guest Star tag despite being the series lead for most of MELROSE PLACE. Well, since the regular cast were listed alphabetically, it gave Locklear special status to be listed last in the opening titles.

[GozertheGozarian]

House. The roles for the diagnostic team shifted later on, but all five main characters stuck around.

[Omega Alpha]

House. The roles for the diagnostic team shifted later on, but all five main characters stuck around.

Yes, but Cuddy left before the final season.

[j9ac9k]

WKRP in Cincinnati

She wasn't a main character, but this reminds me of how they recast Carlson's mother at some point early on and I think and the woman they chose to replace the original was a ton better, imo - she really owned that role.

[AndrewCrossett]

She wasn't a main character, but this reminds me of how they recast Carlson's mother at some point early on and I think and the woman they chose to replace the original was a ton better, imo - she really owned that role.

Yes, Carol Bruce. She'd been a Broadway star going back to the 40s. I believe in one episode she even got to sing some Gershwin.

[babyblob]

Big bang Theory is a good one for this. I loved that show and everyone stuck around. They even added solid pieces with Amy who got better and better as the show went on and Bernadette who pretty much stayed the same but just got mean at times. Even Stuart got a lot more air time and became a good member of the group.

[Jim Kelly]

Right, our favourite Canadian shows, where the cast stayed the same for the whole run--

CORNER GAS (six seasons)--Brent Butt, Gabrielle Miller, Fred Ewanuick, Eric Peterson, Janet Wright, Lorne Cardinal, Tara Spencer-Nairn, Nancy Robertson

MURDOCH MYSTERIES (fifteen seasons so far)--Yannick Bisson, Hélène Joy, Thomas Craig, Jonny Harris (other actors have been added to the cast and gone, but the original four have stayed)

THE KIDS IN THE HALL (five seasons, not counting revivals)--Dave Foley, Bruce McCulloch, Kevin McDonald, Mark McKinney, Scott Thompson

SC****S CREEK (six seasons)--Eugene Levy, Catherine O'Hara, Daniel Levy, Annie Murphy, Emily Hampshire, Jennifer Robertson, Chris Elliot, Sarah Levy (other recurring actors came and went, but I think these are the main cast that were on the show for the whole run)

Honourable mentions:

THE LITTLEST HOBO (1960s original series two seasons, 1980s revival series six seasons)--London (a German shepherd--the original series is the one I remember from when I was a little boy and I met London in person once at some children's event; London was credited as the Hobo in both series, but I think they were different dogs, plus other stunt doubles)

THE FRIENDLY GIANT (twenty-seven seasons)--Bob Homme and Rod Coneybeare (Homme was Friendly and Coneybeare was the puppeteer/voice of Jerome the Giraffe and Rusty the Rooster--prior to this there were four season in the United States in the 1950s)

[useridgoeshere]

Shows I can watch over and over again (all comedies ...)

Schitt's Creek is definitely one of mine (the four Roses, Stevie, and Roland are the only ones I would count as main).

Frasier (Frasier, Niles, Daphne, Martin, and Roz)

30 Rock (Liz, Tracy, Jack, Jenna, and Kenneth)

Golden Girls (Blanche, Dorothy, Rose, and Sophia)

[caj]

Everybody Loves Raymond

Ray, Debra, Robert, Marie, Frank, the three kids, and even Amy (who was recurring during seasons 1-7) were in all 9 seasons. Pretty impressive.