History Main / ThePeteBest

** After starting as a backup QB for the Green Bay Packers in 1999, Aaron Brooks was traded to the New Orleans Saints the year after, where he helped lead the Saints to a division title and their franchise's first win in the postseason (against the defending Super Bowl champion St. Louis Rams, no less). But after the 2005 season, where they finished 3-13 due to Hurricane Katrina devastating New Orleans and the Superdome in particular, forcing the Saints into being a permanent road team, the Saints let him go and they signed Drew Brees as a free agent, who would lead the Saints to their first NFC Championship appearance in 2006, and in 2009, to their first Super Bowl win against the highly-favored Indianapolis Colts. Brooks would finish out his NFL career as a QB for the Oakland Raiders.

* ''Series/{{Castle}}'' had a fourth precinct detective in the pilot who was dropped due to lacking good chemistry with the other characters. The trope (and the TropeNamer) are also referenced in the episode ''Swan Song'' when the rock musician murderer gets a MotiveRant about how the victim (his bandmate) was going to "Pete Best" him.

** Perhaps no NFL quarterback has been the victim of this more than one Tyrod Taylor. While Taylor will always hold a special place in the hearts of Buffalo Bills fans for his role in helping them break their playoff drought in 2017, the team nonetheless decided to move on from him in the subsequent offseason, drafting Josh Allen in the 2018 draft while trading Taylor to the Cleveland Browns. Taylor was named the Browns' Week 1 starter, but only started three games before being injured and replaced by rookie quarterback Baker Mayfield, who dazzled in the opportunity and thereby won the permanent starting job over Taylor. This would turn out to be the start of a pattern for Taylor, who would experience a near-identical scenario (initially win the starting job, get injured early in the season, rookie earns the starting job in his absence) twice in the next three years, being displaced by Justin Herbert with the L.A. Chargers in 2020 and by Davis Mills with the Houston Texans in 2021. In 2022, Taylor signed as a backup for the New York Giants.

* The talk show ''Live with Kelly and Ryan'' (hosted by Creator/KellyRipa and Creator/RyanSeacrest) was known for most of its life as ''Live with Regis and Kathie Lee'', and hosted by Creator/RegisPhilbin and Kathie Lee Gifford. Gifford left in 2001 and was replaced with Kelly Ripa, Philbin left a decade later and was replaced by Michael Strahan, and Strahan was replaced by Seacrest in 2016. The show underwent various {{guest host}}s prior to each successor, along with a name change after each new host was established (''Live with Regis and Kelly'', then ''Live with Kelly and Michael''). However, despite all this, Gifford was ''not'' the original co-host; under its original name of ''The Morning Show'', it was co-hosted by Philbin and Cyndy Garvey[[note]]then wife of [[UsefulNotes/MLBTeams Los Angeles Dodgers]] star Steve Garvey[[/note]] for its first season in 1983, followed by Ann Abernathy for another season before Gifford entered in 1985. The show began naming itself after its hosts in 1988. Thus, the show is a double example — those who remember it only for the ''Regis and Kelly'' era onward may not realize that Ripa replaced Gifford; and those who ''do'' remember Gifford may not realize that she herself was a replacement.

** Garfield's original voice was not Creator/LorenzoMusic. In the very first animation that aired on ''The Fantastic Funnies'' (1980), adapting five newspaper strips, Garfield was voiced by Scott Beach. Music became Garfield's voice in 1982 starting with ''[[WesternAnimationHereComesGarfield]]''.

** Garfield's original voice was not Lorenzo Music. In the very first animation that aired on ''The Fantastic Funnies'' (1980), adapting five newspaper strips, Garfield was voiced by Scott Beach. Music became Garfield's voice starting with ''[[WesternAnimation/GarfieldSpecials Here Comes Garfield]]''.
** While Thom Huge ''did'' voice Jon Arbuckle in ''The Fantastic Funnies'', the role was handed over to Sandy Kenyon for ''Here Comes Garfield'', the first of the WesternAnimation/GarfieldSpecials. Huge returned for the rest of the animated specials through ''Garfield Gets a Life'' in 1991, along with the entirety of ''WesternAnimation/GarfieldAndFriends'' (1988-1994).

* ''Series/ParksAndRecreation'' had its own "Pete Best" with Paul Schneider, who played Mark Brendanawicz in the first two seasons. The character was [[TheScrappy pretty widely disliked by the fans]] for coming off as [[TheGenericGuy bland]] compared to the other characters while critics noted Schneider never seemed to quite fit in with the rest of the ensemble cast, and his status as the odd man out only became more obvious when the show began [[GrowingTheBeard finding more of its own distinct identity]] away from its [[Series/TheOfficeUS parent series]]. Eventually, Schneider left the show at the end of Season 2 (with Mark being PutOnABus and [[LongBusTrip never coming back]]) and was replaced with Creator/AdamScott and Creator/RobLowe as the characters of Ben Wyatt and Chris Traeger respectively, who were [[BreakoutCharacter an instant hit with fans]] as well as a perfect fit for the show's newfound style, rapidly becoming {{More Popular Replacement}}s.

* Like ''Series/TheOC'' example below, Creator/ShaileneWoodley had it happen to her a second time when she was cut from ''Film/TheAmazingSpiderMan 2'' and the series was [[AbortedArc left behind]] with her role of ComicBook/MaryJaneWatson being recast in upcoming movies. However, the franchise ended up being cancelled in favor of the MCU Spiderman, so she didn't really lose out on anything.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfKorra'': Initially the Fire Ferrets consists of Mako, Bolin, and Hasook. After Hasook's performance causes conflicts in the team, Hasook leaves in a fit. To avoid disqualification, Korra enters the team as a last minute replacement. She then proceeds to take the team all the way to the championship, but they lose due to the opponents cheating.

* Early episodes of ''WebVideo/OSWReview'' occasionally featured a fourth person named Neo who joined the three others (Jay, OOC, and V1) or replaced V1 or OOC altogether. He disappeared and was replaced with the traditional three man lineup, and the official explanation is that he simply stopped showing up to recordings.

** The episode "Homer's Barbershop Quartet" is a deliberate spoof on the Beatles' career, with Chief Wiggum playing the role of Pete Best and Barney Gumble (who turns out to have a breathtaking singing voice) as Ringo Starr. Wiggum takes it poorly, repeatedly trying to either get back into the group or screwing them over (like trying to arrest them).

* In 1981, Creator/{{MTV}} hired five people as its original lineup of [=VJs=]: Nina Blackwood, Mark Goodman, Alan Hunter, J.J. Jackson, and Meg Griffin (no, not [[WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy that one]]). Griffin was a radio vet (as were some of the others) but she had difficulty adjusting to an on-camera role during rehearsals and quit just two weeks before the August 1 launch date. She was hurriedly replaced by 22-year-old radio intern Martha Quinn, who went on to become the [[FaceOfTheBand most famous]] VJ.

* At least the Hulk has become a major character on his own. Two founding members of the new ComicBook/XMen fit this trope a lot better. Sunfire, who quits the team in the second issue, and Thunderbird, who dies in the third issue. While their teammates Wolverine, Colossus, Nightcrawler, and Storm have become major characters, these two remain mostly footnotes in comic book history. Banshee, another founding member, is more of a downplayed example, as he stuck around long enough to be considered a "real" X-Men, but quit the team just before the comic's popularity skyrocketed.

* Creator/IanHendry played Dr. John Keel, the lead of the first season of ''Series/TheAvengers1960s'', with Steed (Creator/PatrickMacnee) as the secondary lead. The show was a moderate success, but Hendry moved on, with Steed becoming the lead - joined by first Cathy Gale (Creator/HonorBlackman) and then Emma Peel (Creator/DianaRigg). The show became a big hit when Blackman joined, then a full-blown craze when Rigg took over. No-one really remembers Hendry (not helped by only one of his episodes still existing).

* In the season three premiere of ''WesternAnimation/{{Metalocalypse}}'', there's a flashback of Dethklok signing its first contract. The rhythm guitarist there is ''not'' the current rhythm guitarist, Toki Wartooth, but a man named Magnus Hammersmith. Hammersmith, we later learn, was kicked out of the band and replaced because he was [[{{Irony}} abusive and violent.]] Predictably enough, he worms his way into a friendship with Toki, then literally stabs him in the back during the Revengencer attack. [[spoiler: When Dethklok awakens the power of the Doomstar while rescuing Toki, Magnus realizes he was the villain the whole time and stabs himself.]]

* At least the Hulk has become a major character on his own. Two founding members of the ComicBook/XMen fit this trope a lot better. Sunfire, who quits the team in the second issue, and Thunderbird, who dies in the third issue. While their teammates Wolverine, Colossus, Nightcrawler, and Storm had become major characters, these two remain mostly footnotes. Banshee, another founding member, is more of a downplayed example, as he stuck around long enough to be considered a "real" X-Men, but quit the team just before the comic's popularity skyrocketed.

* ''Radio/TheHitchhikersGuideToTheGalaxy'': The first episode of the original radio series was produced by Simon Brett, who left the BBC soon afterwards to work for London Weekend Television and has since become a rather successful author in his own right. He was replaced by Geoffrey Perkins, who would go on to be the BBC's Head of Comedy and may or may not have been the man who invented [[Radio/ImSorryIHaventAClue "Mornington Crescent"]].

** For the French dub, François Chaumette voiced Darth Vader in 1977 (he didn't sound like Creator/JamesEarlJones). He was replaced with the more memorable Creator/GeorgesAminel as of ''The Empire Strikes Back''. Aminel's voice sounded closer to Jones, and he would voice Vader again for ''Return of the Jedi'' and ''Revenge of the Sith''.

* For the ''Film/MissionImpossibleFilmSeries'', Ethan Hunt (Creator/TomCruise) has had three different dubbing voices in French -- Creator/PatrickPoivey for the [[Film/MissionImpossible1996 first film]], Yvan Attal for the [[Film/MissionImpossibleII second film]], and Creator/JeanPhilippePuymartin for the others since ''Film/MissionImpossibleIII''. Puymartin remains by far the most well known of the bunch (Poivey was more famous for dubbing Creator/BruceWillis).

* In ''LightNovel/{{Slayers}}'', Creator/CrispinFreeman is best known for being the voice of Zelgadis, however, Daniel Cronin had voiced the character for nine episodes before the character was PutOnABus and recast with Crispin after he reappeared eight episodes later (apparently, the people working on the dub couldn't get back in contact with Cronin). Interestingly, this was a controversial recast in the day, as many fans were used to Daniel's voice, and had a hard time adjusting to Freeman; with how long Freeman has been in the role, however, nowadays people who haven't been watching since the beginning only see Cronin as Zelgadis' "old voice" when they watch the earlier episodes.

Named for Pete Best, the first drummer of Music/TheBeatles, who was replaced by Music/RingoStarr ''just'' before they hit it big, with Ringo having suddenly become available after leaving another band.

** In the original version of ''The Empire Strikes Back'', Emperor Palpatine's face was provided by veteran actress Marjorie Eaton and voiced by Clive Revill. Creator/IanMcDiarmid played the character in ''Return of the Jedi'' and the prequels, and when ''Empire'' was re-released to [=DVD=] in 2004, Palpatine's scenes were re-shot with [=McDiarmid=] in the role.

** In a non-voice acting example, Townsville had a completely different mayor in the first WAC short. The character in that episode appeared to be modeled after UsefulNotes/BillClinton and was voiced by Creator/JimCummings. The classic Mayor (voiced by Tom Kenny) and Miss Bellum replaced him in the main TV show. This is also an example of ArtEvolution as the earlier mayor had a more realistic look compared to the classic mayor, who's as stylized as the girls themselves.

* Creator/TomClancy's character Jack Ryan was originated in film by Creator/AlecBaldwin in ''Film/TheHuntForRedOctober''. However the role is best remembered from the portrayal by Creator/HarrisonFord in the follow-up adaptations ''Patriot Games'' and ''Film/ClearAndPresentDanger''.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'': The episode "Homer's Barbershop Quartet" is a deliberate spoof on the Beatles' career, with Chief Wiggum playing the role of Pete Best and Barney Gumble (who turns out to have a breathtaking singing voice) as Ringo Starr. Wiggum takes it poorly, repeatedly trying to either get back into the group or screwing them over (like trying to arrest them).

*** The same thing had happened to Otto before in "A Streetcar Named Marge", where director Llewellyn Sinclair took him out of the cast of "Oh! Streetcar!" just before the opening performance, replacing him in the part of Pablo with himself.