It was announced today that Megan Fox will be moving into the loft in the television show New Girl to replace Zooey Deschanel whilst she is one Maternity Leave. According to Entertainment Weekly:

“Several episodes into the season, Deschanel’s Jess will find herself on sequestered during jury duty (and will not appear in the show).During that period, Fox’s character will rent out Jess’ room. Fox plays “Reagan,” described as a “gorgeous, straight-shooting pharmaceutical sales rep who comes to town on business and shakes things up in the loft.”

Can she really be as good as Zooey?

Now, as an avid sitcom comedy fan, I am really not happy with firstly the choice of actress they have chosen to replace Zooey and also the fact that they are replacing her at all. I mean can you imagine if that had happened in your other favourite Sitcoms how different they would be? When they have had to write someone out of a sitcom sometimes they succeed but sometimes they are really terrible and the audience can really notice. Lets have a look at some other Sitcoms to see what would happen if the same had happened to them.

F.R.I.E.N.D.S – Chandler gets a job in Tulsa and has to leave the show, replaced by Gunther. 

Chandler replaced by Gunther?

So when Chandler took a job offer in Tulsa imagine if the writers had completely written him out of the show for a few episodes? Would it still be the same without the joker in site and with Monica say things like ‘oh i just got off the phone with Chandler he hopes your all ok’ No it wouldn’t be. IF they had done this however, I think that Joey would be so desperate to find a new partner in crime that he would turn to Gunther and try and make him to be the ‘funny man’ – not really the same is it?

The Mindy Project – Mindy has left to start a new life with her fiancee

Could James Franco really of lead the show?

Just Like New Girl, Mindy’s name is in the title of the show. Who would take over as the lead for a while and in all seriousness would it work as Mindy has a quirky outlook on life (remind you of anyone) and the place in which she works tends to all fall around her character. How would it of gone if James Franco had replaced her in her spot and we didn’t see Mindy when she went away in the First season / second season. How different would that of been? Why would it still be called the Mindy Project (again, remind you of anyone? )

The Big Bang Theory – Sheldon Never Returned from the North Pole as his stay extended

Sheldon shock

This is one show where a lot of the main characters fo on excursions, but they still always remain prominent in the show. Howard going into space, Leonard going on a submarine and Sheldon in the Arctic, have all happened but they have all stayed in the show. Just imagine if Sheldon stayed in the Arctic for a bit longer in Season 3 and never came back how would the Big Bang Theory stayed as popular? Let’s be honest it is him that made the show. Replacing him with someone like Kripke would not of brought the same thing to the show.

Whether or not Megan will lead the show strongly, we will have to see but the question still remains how a show with the leads title in the name can be successful WITHOUT the lead appearing even if it is for a shot amount of time. A perfect example of one that didn’t do well after a main (permanently) left is Two and a Half Men.