Top 10 Times TV Shows Shared the Same Cast

“3 Body Problem” (2024-)
David Benioff and D. B. Weiss oversaw such a huge ensemble on “Game of Thrones” that some actors were bound to meet again. Quite a few fan favorites reunited when the showrunners and Alexander Woo teamed up on Netflix’s adaptation of the Chinese sci-fi series “3 Body Problem”. It’s particularly fun to see John Bradley play more confident than Samwell Tarly as a forthright entrepreneur. And Liam Cunningham, who was one of the few truly good guys in Westeros, makes for a chilling villain. Jonathan Pryce, Conleth Hill and others also show up in the first season alone. As mind-bending as “3 Body Problem” is overall, even the cast will thrill “Game of Thrones” fans.

“Midnight Mass” (2021) / “The Fall of the House of Usher” (2023)
Mike Flanagan has always been loyal to his collaborators. He seemed to just be following horror anthology tradition when he recycled most of the cast from “The Haunting of Hill House” for its follow-up, “The Haunting of Bly Manor”. But when he returned to Netflix with the miniseries “Midnight Mass”, he brought such talents as Alex Essoe, Rahul Kohli and Samantha Sloyan. Newcomers Zach Gilford and Igby Rigney then joined these veterans for “The Fall of the House of Usher”. Ultimately, all four series featured Carla Gugino, Henry Thomas, and Flanagan’s wife Kate Siegal. Casting is clearly part of this horror-drama auteur’s signature. As versatile as his actors are, fans can only look forward to seeing them again.

“Fear the Walking Dead” (2015-23)
You expect to see familiar faces walking around AMC’s “The Walking Dead” franchise. As “Fear the Walking Dead” began adopting a Western aesthetic, however, it did more than revive the style of the HBO classic “Deadwood”. Kim Dickens first reunited with Dayton Callie and Ray McKinnon in Season 3. Then came Garret Dillahunt in Season 4. Then came Keith Carradine, whom he killed over a card game, to play his father. Most of these actors didn’t even star in “Deadwood: The Movie”. Dillahunt himself used the obvious wordplay “Fear the Walking Deadwood” in an interview for The Hype Magazine. Whether the showrunners were motivated by that pun, they probably wanted to see “Deadwood” reincarnated more than most.

“Rick and Morty” (2013-) / “Solar Opposites” (2020-)
“Community” landed such big stars and cult fandom that Dan Harmon could count on viewers picking up on familiar voices on “Rick and Morty”. Alison Brie, Gillian Jacobs, Joel McHale and Jim Rash were especially notable guest stars on the animated comedy. Keith David also voices the increasingly recurring President Andre Curtis. Nathan Fillion, Tony Hale and John Oliver are just a few more of the many to pass through the hallowed halls of Harmon’s two shows. Several alumni even signed up for “Rick and Morty” co-creator Justin Roiland’s show “Solar Opposites”. With all the pop culture references in these shows, audiences should keep their ears open for easter eggs right down to the casting.

“American Crime Story” (2016-)
Brad Falchuk and Ryan Murphy embrace the fantasy of “American Horror Story” by recasting many actors across the anthology’s seasons. Despite the titular connection, “American Crime Story” downplays that gimmick while dramatizing high-profile true crime cases. Nonetheless, there are many casting connections between the series. “AHS” mainstay Sarah Paulson helmed “The People v. O. J. Simpson” as Marcia Clark, eventually returning as Linda Tripp in “Impeachment”. Across three seasons of “ACS”, heaps more “AHS” alums have appeared in smaller roles. Cuba Gooding Jr. and Cody Fern actually did “Crime” first. These talents are so immersed in playing historical figures that it’s rarely distracting. Falchuk and Murphy’s repeat collabs still provide much-needed fun in all of their intense anthologies.

“The Righteous Gemstones” (2019-)
“Vice Principals”’s star power may have been outshined by the irreverent romp “The Righteous Gemstones”. But fans of creators Danny McBride and Jody Hill were no less sold by Edi Patterson being promoted to McBride’s top billing in the cast. Never mind Walton Goggins wearing aging makeup to play their Uncle Baby Billy Gemstone. Shea Whigham also has a memorable guest stint, also in aging makeup. There may not be much more cast overlap between “Vice Principals” and “The Righteous Gemstones”, but it consistently makes an impact for McBride and Hill’s followers. If they love this duo's wild sense of humor, then the self-conscious casing can only add to the oeuvre.

“Gargoyles” (1994-97)
Viewers have long discussed the bizarre number of “Star Trek” actors who voiced in the Disney animated fantasy “Gargoyles”. Of the over two dozen franchise veterans who made this trek, much of “The Next Generation”’s core cast was prominently featured. A pay dispute was reportedly the only thing that kept Patrick Stewart from lending his legendary voice. The story goes that after Jonathan Frakes and Marina Sirtis were cast in “Gargoyles”, the production made it a mission to expand the connection. Other big stars include Avery Brooks of “Deep Space Nine”, Kate Mulgrew of “Voyager”, and Nichelle Nichols of “The Original Series”. “The Next Generation” simply kicked off years of diplomacy between Trekkies and “Gargoyles” geeks.

“Sons of Anarchy” (2008-14) / “The Abandons” (Upcoming)
“The Shield” made household names of Walton Goggins, CCH Pounder, and others. It also led to writer and executive producer Kurt Sutter creating his own FX crime drama, “Sons of Anarchy”. Besides wife Katey Sagal taking the lead, many veterans of “The Shield” led extended guest arcs. Pounder was especially crucial in Season 6 as a district attorney who was basically Claudette Wyms. And Vic Mackey himself, Michael Chiklis, was pivotal in "SOA"'s final episodes. Of course, nothing tops Goggins's tenure as Venus Van Dam. There was clearly much self-awareness in how these veterans were cast and used in the story. With Ryan Hurst and Michael Ornstein slated to appear in Netflix's "The Abandons", Sutter sure knows how to thrill true fans.

“Breaking Bad” (2008-13)
Before breaking the mold of Peak TV, Vince Gilligan worked extensively on “The X-Files”. He was also so impressed by comedic actor Bryan Cranston's guest performance in Season 6 that he made him the headliner on “Breaking Bad”. That wasn't the only promotion from Gilligan’s first show. Aaron Paul and Dean Norris went from unknown guest stars to leads in one of the biggest TV dramas ever. The prolific Michael Shamus Wiles, Dale Dickey and Danny Trejo are just some of the most distinct crossovers in the supporting cast. With Gilligan’s creative control on his masterpiece, this “X-Files” reunion isn't exactly a coincidence. For fans of the sci-fi classic, though, the casting gives “Breaking Bad” its own eerie quality.

“Treme” (2010-13)
The gritty realism of David Simon’s HBO shows pardons their tendency to share actors. In fact, the crossovers were particularly glaring in his two most celebrated works, “The Wire” and “Treme”. Wendell Pierce led the march with the iconic roles of a Baltimore police detective and a New Orleans jazz musician. Clarke Peters, James Ransone and others also adapted to this very different narrative environment. And yes, several of Simon's people appeared in “The Deuce” and “We Own This City”. While HBO was establishing itself as the new standard of TV, it wasn't unusual for some character actors to appear in different productions. But in keeping that tradition alive, Simon reminds networks that they should have more faith in recurring actors’ range.

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