Top 10 TV Characters Who Returned After YEARS Away

At the beginning of “Gilmore Girls,” Lorelai Gilmore is 32, and her daughter Rory is in high school. By the end of Season 7, which concluded in 2007, both Rory and her mother face significant changes in their lives, including Rory moving away. Nearly 9 years later, Lauren Graham and Alexis Bledel returned as mother and daughter in the 2016 revival, “Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life.” Plenty of other characters, like Rory’s ex, Jess, return as well. But of course we’re going with the title characters here. The revival, considered an unofficial eighth season, picks up with Rory back in her hometown, as both she and Lorelei navigate new relationship and career challenges.

Many teens’ favorite web show host during the late 2000s and early 2010s was Miranda Cosgrove’s Carly Shay. In the series finale of the Nickelodeon teen sitcom, 'iGoodbye,' which aired in 2012, emotions ran high as the characters said their goodbyes and Carly reflected on her journey thus far. In 2021 though, Carly came back to Seattle as an adult and relaunched her show, as well as reuniting with friends and family. The “iCarly” revival provided fans with three more seasons inside the life of Carly Shay, offering a more adult tone and mature content compared to the original six seasons.

A decade plus gap between seasons is nothing to sneeze at. That’s what happened for the sitcom “Will & Grace.” The groundbreaking show originally wrapped up in 2006. Then, in 2017, it was revived for the first of what would go on to be three more seasons, with the whole gang returning. Eric McCormack and Debra Messing were back to resume their roles as the title characters, now living together again in their late 40s. And of course, the ever-sassy duo of Karen and Jack were back in the picture as well after the lengthy hiatus. Even after a lengthy break, this foursome was as hilarious as ever.

Kristen Bell made her big break as the title character of “Veronica Mars.” The well-received series concluded after three seasons, only to be revived for one last hurrah 12 years later. Veronica started off as a high school student and amateur sleuth. By what was originally the end of the series, she was just beginning her college education and working as a private investigator on the side. In the show’s 2019 revival, Bell returned as Veronica, who was still a PI, but now tackling even more complex cases.

For a TV series to come to a halt and then return 20 years later is pretty rare. However, CBS decided it was worth it for the sitcom “Murphy Brown.” After the last episode aired before the turn of the century, Candice Bergen came back to portray the title character in 2018. The show effectively incorporates the two-decade gap in Murphy Brown’s life, while also addressing how the media and journalism industries have changed. After retiring from her chosen fields, Murphy is drawn back in when she's offered a television host position she can't resist. Unfortunately, the revival was not as well-received, with critics describing it as topical, but without anything new to say.

As far as a TV character coming back from the dead, it doesn’t get much weirder than Michael Scofield in “Prison Break.” Michael was presumed dead near the end of Season 4 in 2009, which fans assumed was the end of the series. But, in 2017, “Prison Break” was brought back for one last job…er, season. And Michael was surprisingly alive. Another crucial character who at one point returned from the dead for years was Sara Tancredi, Michael’s girlfriend - so they have that in common. The revival featured another prison escape attempt (of course), as Michael and Sara face new challenges and threats.

Sam and Dean Winchester’s father, John, died in the early stages of Season 2 of “Supernatural.” And while the show featured multiple instances of individuals coming back from the dead, John’s death felt very final. That is, until he reemerged 12 seasons later, after his sons accidentally brought him back into the present timeline thanks to a magic pearl. This was not a 12-years-older version of John, but rather John from three years before his death. Mary Winchester, Sam and Dean’s mother, also deserves a mention, as she was resurrected at the end of Season 11 after being dead for basically the entire series. John’s hiatus was slightly longer though. Even so, the whole family gets a well-deserved reunion.

The return of “Roseanne” in 2018 was mired in controversy. The last season ended in the late 90s, so one might think the revival would last longer than just a few months. However, the series was abruptly canceled due to controversy surrounding offensive social media posts by lead actress Roseanne Barr. Instead, a spin-off was created which focused on the rest of the Conner family, namely Darlene, Becky, and Dan Conner. Dan’s death in the original run of “Roseanne” had been retconned, and he begins pursuing a new relationship after the death of his wife. Meanwhile, Darlene and Becky contend with their own relationship and personal issues.

For Season 21 of the popular medical drama, it was time to page an old friend: Dr. Sydney Heron. Kali Rocha reprised her role as Sydney after a 17-year hiatus. “Grey’s Anatomy” broke the record in 2019 for the United States’ longest-running primetime medical drama, so it’s not surprising that several of the many characters had a long absence in between appearances. Another example is Addison Montgomery who departed in 2013 before ultimately returning to the show 9 years later. Of course, 17 years beats 9, which is why Sydney earns her spot, bringing her perky attitude back to the show and to our list.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

Dan Fielding, “Night Court” (1984-92; 2023-)
Returned for the Reboot Over 30 Years after the Original Show Ended

Jessie Spano, “Saved by the Bell” (1989-93; 2020-21)
Returned for a Series Reboot after a Nearly 28-Year Hiatus

Shawn Hunter, “Boy Meets World” (1993-2000) & “Girl Meets World” (2014-17)
Appeared in a Spinoff Series about 14 Year’s after the Original Show

Kitty & Red Forman, “That ‘70s Show” (1998-2006) & “That ‘90s Show” (2023-)
Came Back for a Sequel Series 17 Years Later

Stephanie Tanner, “Full House” (1987-95) & “Fuller House” (2016-20)
Reappeared in a Sequel Series as an Adult After Starring in the Original Series as a Kid

If you’re someone who watched “Twin Peaks” when it aired in the early ‘90s, it would be understandable if you needed a refresher by the time of “Twin Peaks: The Return.” That’s because it came out in 2017, which is over 25 years after the show was canceled! It seemed like the well-acclaimed series, and its lead character Special Agent Dale Cooper, had more to give after its Season 2 finale. And they did, although only for a season. Cooper and the show came back for more investigations into the bizarre residents of the titular town and even more damn fine cups of coffee.

Let us know in the comments what TV series you hope returns!