History YMMV / NewTricks

* CompleteMonster: In their reinvestigations, UCOS have faced a variety of criminals, but these stand out:
** [[SmugSnake Ricky Hanson]], the series's only recurring antagonist and Jack Halford's ArchEnemy, is a mid-tier LondonGangster described by Jack as "the biggest thieving, murdering, lying piece of shyte I've ever laid eyes upon." Taking over the "[[ANaziByAnyOtherName Twenty-Fours]]" in the 80's, Hanson used them as a front for his drug ring. When Ray Harris told him that two student activists had infiltrated his group, Hanson personally murdered them, then had their bodies hidden under Harris's conservatory, [[UngratefulBastard incriminating him]]. By 1996, Jack and Sandra Pullman were investigating Hanson for three murders, including that of his own brother. Realizing they were getting too close, Hanson ran over Jack's wife [[TheLostLenore Mary]], laughing as he did; it took two years for Mary's wounds to kill her. When his son, Luke, was wrongly accused of arson, Ricky abandoned him to nine years in prison to save himself, and also stole Luke's girlfriend. In "Congratulations", Ricky confessed to Jack he killed Mary, [[WouldYouLikeToHearHowTheyDied tormenting him with the details of the event]]. In "Casualty", Ricky tried to slowly run Jack over but was forced to flee. Sneaking into Jack's hospital, Hanson assaulted the nurse then almost smothered Jack. Interrupted by Brian Lane, Hanson tried to strangle him. In "The Last Laugh", when the reinvestigation into the student's disappearance led back to him, Hanson set his goons on Gerry's informant.
** "Powerhouse": [[AristocratsAreEvil Sir Edward Chambers]], the [[CorruptCorporateExecutive Chairman of E.C. Mining Ltd.]], is a wealthy, [[VillainWithGoodPublicity respected]] businessman who, while presenting himself as a charming gentleman, is truthfully a smug, callous greedy old man. During his National Service in Kenya, Sir Edward, while only 19, ordered and oversaw the massacre of 15 unarmed Kikuyu civilians, the youngest of whom was only [[WouldHurtAChild 12 years old]]. Blackmailed by Fred Tully for this crime, Sir Edward shot Fred dead in an alleyway and then, to protect himself, gave false testimony against Richard Dunne, ensuring the latter was hanged. Using his connections to become a wealthy mining tycoon, decades later, upon Fred's friend Douglas Murray also attempting to blackmail him, Sir Edward had [[PsychoForHire Jason Ferris]] brutally bludgeon the elderly Murray to death.
** "Dark Chocolate": [[CorruptCorporateExecutive Alex Close]] was an immoral small-time businessman whose cleaning companies operated through exploiting and overworking illegal immigrants. Even viler in secret, Close was also a SerialRapist who used his business's contracts to find victims. In 1992, he raped Jean Saunders at the chocolate factory where she worked, and then a few months later raped Eileen Harrison, permanently traumatizing her. Exposed for his abuse of illegal immigrants in 2001, Close fled the country to Poland. Returning nine years later, he started a new business, this time exploiting Polish immigrants, and immediately resumed his spree. Failing to get a bakery contract, the undeterred Close resorted to regularly going as a customer, until he knew the layout well enough to rape Helen Vestry.
** "Where There's Smoke": [[FirefighterArsonist George Mackie]] was a [[VillainWithGoodPublicity talented and respected fire investigator]] who was privately a [[PyroManiac serial arsonist]], claiming to having started 64 separate fires. He would place homemade firebombs in his targets, then turn up afterwards to analyze and [[GloryHound bask in the praise he received for his "insight"]]. In 1996, he burned the Union club to the ground, killing four people, including the club's owner, and causing seven hospitalizations. Shortly afterwards, Mackie retired and thus the fires stopped. UCOS's re-investigation into the Union fire inspiring him to come out of retirement, Mackie tracked down a survivor of the Union Club fire who had been left with third-degree burns over half his body and burned his home down. Later, he set another bomb in Stuart Russel's house, this one nearly killing him along with Jack, Brian and Gerry. Underneath all his charm and seeming helpfulness, Mackie was nothing more than a shameless AttentionWhore, happy to commit wanton destruction and kill innocent people just to stroke his own ego.
** "The Fourth Man": [[{{Sadist}} Michael Denby]] and [[DirtyCop Deputy Assistant Commissioner John Felsham]] were secretly partners in the notorious 1980 Heathrow Safety Deposit Robbery. A vicious yet intelligent career criminal, Denby's frequent acts of brutality--such as infamously subjecting his fence to a Colombian Necktie--ensured his reputation as someone "[[TheDreaded even the proper villains steer clear of]]". Already a bent Flying Squad sergeant and [[{{Slimeball}} smug, odious, self-serving weasel]], Felsham was contacted by a friend to scare Denby off, but realizing the potential payout, instead struck a deal. Striking Heathrow, Denby gunned down the two security guards and stole ten million in untraceable bearer bonds. Once clear, Denby butchered his own gang of boyhood associates, as [[YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness he no longer needed them]]. Realizing his friend wouldn't remain silent, Felsham had Denby murder him and covered it up, shipping Denby out of the country with a stolen identity. Using his ill-gotten wealth to climb the ranks, realizing UCOS reinvestigation into the robbery could expose him, Felsham attempted to permanently shut them down.
** "The Little Brother": [[AWolfInSheepsClothing Annabel Skinner]] is a former associate of the notorious [[ConMan Larry Goftman]]. Desiring Florence Epstein's money, [[TheVamp Skinner seduced her husband Jonathan]] until he was under her spell. They tortured Florence's bank details out of her, before bludgeoning her to death with a hammer. No longer needing him, Skinner turned Jonathan over to the police. However, when Goftman double-crossed her and ran off with the money, Annabel vowed vengeance against him and Peter Sale, [[MisplacedRetribution despite him not being involved in their plan and being cheated himself]]. She violently murdered Sale's sister Margaret Kirby and stole her identity. Six years later, after finding Goftman but being unable to find Sale, Skinner acquainted herself with Esther Lane. Playing the role of the caring sister, she set Brian on the trail to find Sale. Skinner than strangled Goftman, leaving his body for Brian to find. Finally finding Sale, Skinner eliminated the constable guarding him and tried to murder him. When Brian interrupted her, she tried to strangle him too. A manipulative violent sociopath, Skinner even described herself as "[[CardCarryingVillain fundamentally nasty]]".

** [[SmugSnake Ricky Hanson]], the series's only recurring antagonist and Jack Halford's ArchEnemy, is mid-tier LondonGangster described by Jack as "the biggest thieving, murdering, lying piece of shyte I've ever laid eyes upon." Taking over the "[[ANaziByAnyOtherName Twenty-Fours]]" in the 80's, Hanson used them as a front for his drug ring. When Ray Harris told him that two student activists had infiltrated his group, Hanson personally murdered them, then had their bodies hidden under Harris's conservatory, [[UngratefulBastard incriminating him]]. By 1996, Jack and Sandra Pullman were investigating Hanson for three murders, including that of his own brother. Realizing they were getting too close, Hanson ran over Jack's wife [[TheLostLenore Mary]], laughing as he did; it took two years for Mary's wounds to kill her. When his son, Luke, was wrongly accused of arson, Ricky abandoned him to nine years in prison to save himself, and also stole Luke's girlfriend. In "Congratulations", Ricky confessed to Jack he killed Mary, [[WouldYouLikeToHearHowTheyDied tormenting him with the details of the event]]. In "Casualty", Ricky tried to slowly run Jack over but was forced to flee. Sneaking into Jack's hospital, Hanson assaulted the nurse then almost smothered Jack. Interrupted by Brian Lane, Hanson tried to strangle him. In "The Last Laugh", when the reinvestigation into the student's disappearance led back to him, Hanson set his goons on Gerry's informant.

* TheyChangedItNowItSucks: The reason Waterman left the show - when all the other members of the original cast had left the show Waterman went on record to say that he missed the chemistry he had with them and it's just not the same without them so he decided to move on too.

** [[SmugSnake Ricky Hanson]], the series' only recurring antagonist and Jack Halford's ArchEnemy, is mid-tier LondonGangster described by Jack as "the biggest thieving, murdering, lying piece of shyte I've ever laid eyes upon." Taking over the "[[ANaziByAnyOtherName Twenty-Fours]]" in the 80s, Hanson used them as a front for his drug ring. When Ray Harris told him that two student activists had infiltrated his group, Hanson personally murdered them, then had their bodies hidden under Harris's conservatory, [[UngratefulBastard incriminating him]]. By 1996, Jack and Sandra Pullman were investigating Hanson for three murders, including that of his own brother. Realizing they were getting too close, Hanson ran over Jack's wife [[TheLostLenore Mary]], laughing as he did; it took two years for Mary's wounds to kill her. When his son, Luke, was wrongly accused of arson, Ricky abandoned him to nine years in prison to save himself, and also stole Luke's girlfriend, later revealed to be [[ParentalIncest his own daughter]] and [[BrotherSisterIncest Luke's half sister]], a fact known only to Ricky. In season 3's finale "Congratulations", Ricky confessed to Jack he killed Mary, [[WouldYouLikeToHearHowTheyDied tormenting him with the details of the event]]. In season 4's premier "Casualty", Ricky tried to slowly run Jack over but was forced to flee. Sneaking into Jack's hospital, Hanson assaulted the nurse then almost smothered Jack. Interrupted by Brian Lane, Hanson tried to strangle him. In season 6's "The Last Laugh", when the reinvestigation into the student's disappearance led back to him, Hanson set his goons on Gerry's informant.

** "Where There's Smoke": [[EngineeredHeroics George Mackie]] was a [[VillainWithGoodPublicity talented and respected fire investigator]] who was privately a [[PyroManiac serial arsonist]], claiming to having started 64 separate fires. He would place homemade firebombs in his targets, then turn up afterwards to analyze and [[GloryHound bask in the praise he received for his "insight"]]. In 1996, he burned the Union club to the ground, killing four people, including the club's owner, and causing seven hospitalizations. Shortly afterwards, Mackie retired and thus the fires stopped. UCOS's re-investigation into the Union fire inspiring him to come out of retirement, Mackie tracked down a survivor of the Union Club fire who had been left with third-degree burns over half his body and burned his home down. Later, he set another bomb in Stuart Russel's house, this one nearly killing him along with Jack, Brian and Gerry. Underneath all his charm and seeming helpfulness, Mackie was nothing more than a shameless AttentionWhore, happy to commit wanton destruction and kill innocent people just to stroke his own ego.

** "Where There's Smoke": [[HeroismAddict George Mackie]] was a [[VillainWithGoodPublicity talented and respected fire investigator]] who was privately a [[PyroManiac serial arsonist]], claiming to having started 64 separate fires. He would place homemade firebombs in his targets, then turn up afterwards to analyze and [[GloryHound bask in the praise he received for his "insight"]]. In 1996, he burned the Union club to the ground, killing four people, including the club's owner, and causing seven hospitalizations. Shortly afterwards, Mackie retired and thus the fires stopped. UCOS's re-investigation into the Union fire inspiring him to come out of retirement, Mackie tracked down a survivor of the Union Club fire who had been left with third-degree burns over half his body and burned his home down. Later, he set another bomb in Stuart Russel's house, this one nearly killing him along with Jack, Brian and Gerry. Underneath all his charm and seeming helpfulness, Mackie was nothing more than a shameless AttentionWhore, happy to commit wanton destruction and kill innocent people just to stroke his own ego.

** "The Fourth Man": [[{{Sadist}} Michael Denby]] and [[DirtyCop Deputy Assistant Commissioner John Felsham]] were secretly partners in the notorious 1980 Heathrow Safety Deposit Robbery. A vicious yet intelligent career criminal, Denby's frequent acts of brutality--such as infamously subjecting his fence to a Colombian Necktie--ensured his reputation as someone "[[TheDreaded even the proper villains steer clear of]]". Already a bent Flying Squad sergeant and [[{{Slimeball}} smug, odious, self-serving weasel]], Felsham was contacted by a friend to scare Denby off, but realizing the potential payout, instead struck a deal. Striking Heathrow, Denby gunned down the two security guards and stole ten million in untraceable bearer bonds. Once clear, Denby butchered his own gang of boyhood associates, as [[YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness he no longer needed them]]. Realizing his friend wouldn't remain silent, Felsham had Denby murder him and covered it up, shipping Denby out of the country with an stolen identity. Using his ill-gotten wealth to climb the ranks, realizing UCOS reinvestigation into the robbery could expose him, Felsham attempted to permanently shut them down.

** "Powerhouse": [[AristocratsAreEvil Sir Edward Chambers]], the [[CorruptCorporateExecutive Chairman of E.C. Mining Ltd.]], is a wealthy, [[VillainWithGoodPublicity respected] businessman who, while presenting himself as a charming gentleman, is truthfully a smug, callous greedy old man. During his National Service in Kenya, Sir Edward, while only 19, ordered and oversaw the massacre of 15 unarmed Kikuyu civilians, the youngest of whom was only [[WouldHurtAChild 12 years old]]. Blackmailed by Fred Tully for this crime, Sir Edward shot Fred dead in an alleyway and then, to protect himself, gave false testimony against Richard Dunne, ensuring the latter was hanged. Using his connections to become a wealthy mining tycoon, decades later, upon Fred's friend Douglas Murray also attempting to blackmail him, Sir Edward had [[PsychoForHire Jason Ferris]] brutally bludgeon the elderly Murray to death.

* CompleteMonster: In their reinvestigations UCOS have faced a variety of criminals, but these stand out:
** [[SmugSnake Ricky Hanson]], the series's only recurring antagonist and Jack Halford's ArchEnemy, is mid-tier LondonGangster described by Jack as "the biggest thieving, murdering, lying piece of shyte I've ever laid eyes upon." Taking over the "[[ANaziByAnyOtherName Twenty-Fours]]" in the 80's, Hanson used them as a front for his drug ring. When Ray Harris told him that two student activists had infiltrated his group, Hanson personally murdered them, then had their bodies hidden under Harris's conservatory, [[UngratefulBastard incriminating him]]. By 1996, Jack and Sandra Pullman were investigating Hanson for three murders, including that of his own brother. Realizing they were getting too close, Hanson ran over Jack's wife [[TheLostLenore Mary]], laughing as he did; it took two years for Mary's wounds to kill her. When his son, Luke, was wrongly accused of arson, Ricky abandoned him to nine years in prison to save himself, and also stole Luke's girlfriend, later revealed to be [[IncestIsRelative his own daughter and Luke's half sister]], a fact known only to Ricky. In season 3's finale "Congratulations", Ricky confessed to Jack he killed Mary, [[WouldYouLikeToHearHowTheyDied tormenting him with the details of the event]]. In season 4's premier "Casualty", Ricky tried to slowly run Jack over but was forced to flee. Sneaking into Jack's hospital, Hanson assaulted the nurse then almost smothered Jack. Interrupted by Brian Lane, Hanson tried to strangle him. In season 6's "The Last Laugh", when the reinvestigation into the student's disappearance led back to him, Hanson set his goons on Gerry's informant.

* ItWillNeverCatchOn: TV critic AA Gill was widely mocked for claiming the show would sink without a trace when it first debuted; of course it not only went on for more than a decade with very high viewing figures, but was also one of the most popular British export programmes.

* ItWillNeverCatchOn: TV critic AA Gill has been widely mocked for claiming the show would sink without a trace when it first debuted; of course it not only went on for more than a decade with very high viewing figures, but is also one of the most popular British export programmes.

* ItWillNeverCatchOn: TV critic AA Gill has been widely mocked for claiming the show would sink without trace when it first debuted; of course it has not only been going for more than a decade with very high viewing figures, but is also one of the most popular British export programmes.

** [[SmugSnake Ricky Hanson]], the series's only recurring antagonist and Jack Halford's ArchEnemy, is mid-tier LondonGangster described by Jack as "the biggest thieving, murdering, lying piece of shyte I've ever laid eyes upon." Taking over the "[[ANaziByAnyOtherName Twenty-Fours]]" in the 80's, Hanson used them as a front for his drug ring. When Ray Harris told him that two student activists had infiltrated his group, Hanson personally murdered them, then had their bodies hidden under Harris's conservatory, [[UngratefulBastard incriminating him]]. By 1996, Jack and Sandra Pullman were investigating Hanson for three murders, including that of his own brother. Realizing they were getting too close, Hanson ran over Jack's wife [[TheLostLenore Mary]], laughing as he did; it took two years for Mary's wounds to kill her. When his son, Luke, was wrongly accused of arson, Ricky abandoned him to nine years in prison to save himself, and also stole Luke's girlfriend, later revealed to be [[IncestIsRelative his own daughter and Luke's half sister]] something known only to Ricky. In season 3's finale "Congratulations", Ricky confessed to Jack he killed Mary, [[WouldYouLikeToHearHowTheyDied tormenting him with the details of the event]]. In season 4's premier "Casualty", Ricky tried to slowly run Jack over but was forced to flee. Sneaking into Jack's hospital, Hanson assaulted the nurse then almost smothered Jack. Interrupted by Brian Lane, Hanson tried to strangle him. In season 6's "The Last Laugh", when the reinvestigation into the student's disappearance led back to him, Hanson set his goons on Gerry's informant.

** [[SmugSnake Ricky Hanson]], the series's only recurring antagonist and Jack Halford's ArchEnemy, is mid-tier LondonGangster described by Jack as "the biggest thieving, murdering, lying piece of shyte I've ever laid eyes upon." Taking over the "[[ANaziByAnyOtherName Twenty-Fours]]" in the 80's, Hanson used them as a front for his drug ring. When Ray Harris told him that two student activists had infiltrated his group, Hanson personally murdered them, then had their bodies hidden under Harris's conservatory, [[UngratefulBastard incriminating him]]. By 1996, Jack and Sandra Pullman were investigating Hanson for three murders, including that of his own brother. Realizing they were getting too close, Hanson ran over Jack's wife [[TheLostLenore Mary]], laughing as he did; it took two years for Mary's wounds to kill her. When his son, Luke, was wrongly accused of arson, Ricky abandoned him to nine years in prison to save himself, and also stole Luke's girlfriend. In season 3's finale "Congratulations", Ricky confessed to Jack he killed Mary, [[WouldYouLikeToHearHowTheyDied tormenting him with the details of the event]]. In season 4's premier "Casualty", Ricky tried to slowly run Jack over but was forced to flee. Sneaking into Jack's hospital, Hanson assaulted the nurse then almost smothered Jack. Interrupted by Brian Lane, Hanson tried to strangle him. In season 6's "The Last Laugh", when the reinvestigation into the student's disappearance led back to him, Hanson set his goons on Gerry's informant.

** [[CorruptCorporateExecutive Alex Close]], from season 7's "Dark Chocolate", was an immoral small-time businessman whose cleaning companies operated through exploiting and overworking illegal immigrants. Even viler in secret, Close was also a SerialRapist who used his business's contracts to find victims. In 1992, he raped Jean Saunders at the chocolate factory where she worked, and then a few months later raped Eileen Harrison, permanently traumatizing her. Exposed for his abuse of illegal immigrants in 2001, Close fled the country to Poland. Returning nine years later, he started a new business, this time exploiting Polish immigrants, and immediately resumed his spree. Failing to get a bakery contract, the undeterred Close resorted to regularly going as a customer, until he knew the layout well enough to rape Helen Vestry.
** [[HeroismAddict George Mackie]], from season 7's "Where There's Smoke", was a [[VillainWithGoodPublicity talented and respected fire investigator]] who was privately a [[PyroManiac serial arsonist]], claiming to having started 64 separate fires. He would place homemade firebombs in his targets, then turn up afterwards to analyze and [[GloryHound bask in the praise he received for his "insight"]]. In 1996, he burned the Union club to the ground, killing four people, including the club's owner, and causing seven hospitalizations. Shortly afterwards, Mackie retired and thus the fires stopped. UCOS's re-investigation into the Union fire inspiring him to come out of retirement, Mackie tracked down a survivor of the Union Club fire who had been left with third-degree burns over half his body and burned his home down. Later, he set another bomb in Stuart Russel's house, this one nearly killing him along with Jack, Brian and Gerry. Underneath all his charm and seeming helpfulness, Mackie was nothing more than a shameless AttentionWhore, happy to commit wanton destruction and kill innocent people just to stroke his own ego.
** [[AWolfInSheepsClothing Annabel Skinner]], from season 10's "The Little Brother", is a former associate of the notorious [[ConMan Larry Goftman]]. Desiring Florence Epstein's money, [[TheVamp Skinner seduced her husband Jonathan]] until he was under her spell. They tortured Florence's bank details out of her, before bludgeoning her to death with a hammer. No longer needing him, Skinner turned Jonathan over to the police. However, when Goftman double-crossed her and ran off with the money, Annabel vowed vengeance against him and Peter Sale, [[MisplacedRetribution despite him not being involved in their plan and being cheated himself]]. She violently murdered Sale's sister Margaret Kirby and stole her identity. Six years later, after finding Goftman but being unable to find Sale, Skinner acquainted herself with Esther Lane. Playing the role of the caring sister, she set Brian on the trail to find Sale. Skinner than strangled Goftman, leaving his body for Brian to find. Finally finding Sale, Skinner eliminated the constable guarding him and tried to murder him. When Brian interrupted her, she tried to strangle him too. A manipulative violent sociopath, Skinner even described herself as "[[CardCarryingVillain fundamentally nasty]]".

* MagnificentBastard: MI5 agent Stephen Fisher (played by Creator/TimMcInnerny) in Series 9.

** [[CorruptCorporateExecutive Alex Close]], from season 7's "Dark Chocolate", was an immoral small-time businessman, whose companies operated through the exploitation and overwork of illegal immigrants. Close proved to be an even more vile man, as he was also a SerialRapist who used his business's contracts to find victims. In 1992, he raped Jean Saunders at the chocolate factory where she worked, and then a few months later raped Eileen Harrison, permanently traumatising her. Close got around the mass DNA screening by forcing someone else to go in his place. When in 2001 his abuse of illegal immigrants was exposed, Close fled the country to Poland. Returning nine years later, he started a new business, this time using Polish immigrants, and immediately resumed his spree by attempting to get a bakery contract so he could rape his next target. When he failed, the undeterred Close resorted to regularly going as a customer, until he knew the layout well enough to rape Helen Vestry.
** [[HeroismAddict George Mackie]], from season 7's "Where There's Smoke", was a talented fire investigator respected for his [[ConsummateProfessional dedication and knowledge]]. However, he was secretly also a serial arsonist, later claiming to having started sixty-four separate fires. He would place homemade firebombs in his targets, then after the fire burned out, he would turn up to analyze it and [[GloryHound bask in the praise he received for his "insight"]]. In 1996, one of Mackie's bombs caused the Union club to burn to the ground, killing four people, including the club's owner, and causing seven hospitalizations. Shortly afterwards, Mackie retired and thus the fires stopped. UCOS's reinvestigation of the Union fire inadvertently inspired Mackie to come out of retirement. Breaking into David Swallow's house, he set up another bomb; Swallow was himself a survivor of the Union Club fire who had been left with third-degree burns over half his body. Mackie then set another bomb in Stuart Russel's house, this one nearly killing Jack, Brian and Gerry along with Russel. [[BitchInSheepsClothing Underneath all his charm and seeming helpfulness]], at heart Mackie was nothing more than a shameless AttentionWhore, happy to commit wanton destruction and kill innocent people just to [[ItsAllAboutMe stroke his own ego]].
** [[WolfInSheepsClothing Annabel Skinner]], from season 10's "The Little Brother", was a former associate of the notorious [[ConMan Larry Goftmon]]. To steal Florence Epstein's money, [[TheVamp she seduced Florence's husband Jonathan]] until he was so under her spell he agreed to murder Florence and steal her money. They tortured her bank details out of her, before bludgeoning Florence to death with a hammer. No longer needing him, Annabel turned Jonathan over to the police. However, Goftmon double-crossed her and ran off with the money. Desiring vengeance, not just against Goftmon but also the accountant Peter Sale--[[MisplacedRetribution despite him being unaware of their plan and being cheated himself]]--she [[NeckSnap violently murdered]] Sale's sister Margaret Kirby and [[DeadPersonImpersonation stole her identity]]. After six years of searching she found Goftmon, but couldn't find Sale. Devising a plan, she set up a trail directing towards him and got acquainted with Esther Lane. [[BitchInSheepsClothing Playing the role of a caring sister who wanted to tell her brother he was an uncle]], she thus sent Brian on the trail to find Sale. Skinner then tipped the police about Gofton's new alias, before strangling him and leaving the body for Brian to find. Finally finding Sale, Skinner disabled the police officer who was guarding him and tried to murder him. When Brian interrupted her, she tried to strangle him too. A manipulative violent sociopath, Skinner even described herself as "[[CardCarryingVillain fundamentally nasty]]".

* EarWorm: "It's all right, it's okay"

* SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute: Averted with Steve replacing Jack, as they are very different characters. Less averted for Dan replacing Brian, as they are both TheSpock and have family issues (though different ones) and for Sasha replacing Sandra.
* TheyChangedItNowItSucks: The reason Waterman left the show - when all the other members of the original cast had left the show Waterman went on record to say that he missed the chemistry he had with them and it's just not the same without them so he decided to move on too.