If you are of a certain age (10 years old and under) Nickelodeon's The Fresh Beat Band is probably part of your world. The show is now starting its third season, and in keeping with a very odd TV tradition, unexplained cast changes stand out as an incongruity that - whether TV executives like it or not - kids do notice and do not appreciate.
The Fresh Beat Band revolves around four likeable teenagers (Twist, Shout, Kiki, and Marina) who go to music school, dance and sing a lot, and seemingly have nothing else to do but have a good time. For the first two seasons these characters were played by Jon Beavers, Thomas Hobson, Yvette Gonzalez-Nacer, and Shayna Rose, but now in the third season Marina is being played by Tara (no relation to Katy) Perry.
It actually stands out in a significant way, and both of my kids noticed it immediately. No explanation has been given as to the change in appearance of the character, and so kids are expected to be as resilient as Bewitched fans seeing Dick Sargent become Darrin (replacing Dick York) without any explanation.
Unfortunately, this is part of a TV tradition that I find slightly irritating and a bit condescending. Do writers and producers have so little respect for their viewers as to think they will not notice such cast changes? The Fresh Beat Band has already undergone cast changes, with the character Reed being played by Hadley Fraser in season one and replaced by Patrick Levis in season two (again, no explanation), and now they have dropped Melody (owner of the Groovy Smoothie) played by Dioni Michelle Collins. My kids really liked her and are wondering where she has gone. I don’t have the heart to tell them she has joined many others in that big lost character pool kept somewhere in a Hollywood warehouse.
Such cast changes are not without precedent in the TV world. If you are of a certain age (40 years old and over) you will recall that Richie Cunningham's brother Chuck disappeared after season one of Happy Days (again no explanation). On Dallas Miss Ellie went from being played by Barbara Bel Geddes to Donna Reed and then, after one season, back to Bel Geddes (again without explanation).
Some shows have tried to get it right. M*A*S*H writers went through great pains to say goodbye to Henry Blake (McLean Stevenson), but then dropped the ball when the popular Trapper John (Wayne Rogers) left without much explanation. When Frank Burns (Larry Linville) was canned, they did a little better job - but not much. And first season character Spearchucker Jones (Timothy Brown) disappeared from the show (again, without explanation).
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - Elizabeth Edwards
It's completely bizarre that they changed Marina without a word to anyone. Hello, Nickelodeon, you are on twitter and facebook! All you had to say is the old Marina was leaving to pursue other projects and welcome to the new Marina. Would that have been so hard?
2 - Jay Manley
In Mid June-July of 2011, it was announced that Rose was leaving the show to get married and pursue other projects
3 - Victor Lana
Thanks for the comments.
I am not talking about press releases or publicity. I can remember that happening with Wayne Rogers and David Caruso too.
The "unexplained" part is within the show itself. The disappearance or change should be made part of the episode, especially in dealing with little kids.
In the case of The Fresh Beat Band it probably would have been better for Marina to "go to college" the way Steve did in Blues Clues and bring in a completely new character. My son is sitting there hearing this new person called Marina and he's saying "that's not Marina" and he's right.
4 - tee
I read the reason Marina was being replaced is Shayna Rose wanted to leave the show because she was getting married. Not sure why she can't be married and stay on the show, but that was the reasoning she gave.
5 - Nessa87
Even my two year old noticed! They shouldve just gave the new character a new name in my opnion.
6 - scalice
dont forget when they changed the daughter on Rosanne! my 5 year old noticed the fresh beat switch right away and added, "i like her, she can really dance."
7 - Dee Dee
Don't forget the youngest daughter on Family Matters. She went upstairs, and never came back down.
8 - LuckyGirl
I'm a fourteen year old girl who watches this show and I'm quite disappointed. I'm watching an old episode at the moment with the old Marina and the Groovy Smoothie lady. I love this show. And besides Twist, Marina was my favorite character. :(
9 - Dr Dreadful
It's kind of hard to explain to kids especially, but remember that these are actors playing fictional characters. The key, as with all fiction, is to suspend disbelief.
Nobody bats an eyelid when, for example, Robin Hood is played by Kevin Costner and then a decade later he turns into Russell Crowe.
And it's not unheard of for a broadcaster to screen a pilot episode, decide they like the idea and commission a series, but they don't think the actors are a good fit so they recast it. (In the pilot of Cagney and Lacey, for instance, Cagney was played by Loretta Swit, who was subsequently replaced by Sharon Gless when the series was picked up.)
There are also many examples of movies being made into TV series, usually with entirely different casts: the aforementioned M*A*S*H is one good example. (Radar was the only character played by the same actor in both incarnations.)
A series with established recurring characters has its own special challenges in that respect, yes, but sometimes just replacing the actor is a better option than writing in some elaborate and contrived explanation for why the character looks different.
10 - fbb
My son said "Look. Marina's go a new head."
11 - Nikki
I don't think they dropped Melody. When I was at Paramount Studios in mid-June, she was there filming for season 3.
12 - Victor Lana
Okay, Nikki. My daughter said something about the Groovy Smoothie becoming a pizza place. Not sure about that one.
13 - The Girls!
I watch this show with my twin girls and they love it so much that I dance/sing with them as well. Marina(SR)will be missed!!
14 - Nathan
It did look like The Groovy Smoothie was a new pizza place for an episode, but it was back (as was Melody) on another new episode (i.e., the pool party one that just aired last week).
Also, is there any way you can remove the #10 comment by Jo above concerning his preferred diet? That strikes meâ€"especially in the context of a kids showâ€"as pointlessly vulgar.
15 - lizzette carmin flores
i love you gise and i love your show so so so much [personal contact info deleted by comments editor] love lizzette
16 - DKIII
In addition to the cast change, all of the promos leading up to the new season seemed to be hiding the new girl. Like the editors did EVERYTHING they could do to focus on the other three, even with a song solo. Lame.
17 - Mrs Whitley ,VA
MY DAUGHTER NOTICE THE CHANGE TOO. AND SHES ONLY 2 ...ugh!... where's Marina mama? where's Marina? thats not Marina...Hope to see her again somehow., i like her too.Freash beat band will never be the same again.
18 - Derrell
Wtf wha happened 2 marina & who is this imposter thats not marina I like her she was a cutie
19 - Mom in CO
My daughter is extremely confused. She just kept saying "What's wrong with Marina's hair? That's not Marina!"
I don't think unexplained changes with main characters are very good for kids. I like Nick Jr. because of the learning factors~ especially in a day and age where most TV turns your brain to mush. This is simply confusing my kid after having dealt with a family death a few months ago and "how come your dad doesn't live with your mom?" types of issues. Disappointing, what could have been a lesson and giving the kids a chance to say good-bye rather than sending the message that people are disposable and replacable. It's simply inappropriate when dealing with children.
20 - Cobye
Thanks for letting us know about Marina. I noticed the new girl on the new video they are playing "Here we go!" My kids love that song! I thought maybe i was seeing things, but then a commerical came on with the new girl and it was bugging me because i hadn't heard anything about any cast changes. Well i think the new girl will do a great job, i am sure alot of kids will be disapointed but hopefully over time they will grow to love her too. All my kids love this show! My daughter loves to dance along it's just so cute to see kids interact with these shows! I wish Rose the best of luck on her marriage and hope to see her again on another show because she was very talented!
21 - Karlton
In the opinion of my wife, daughter, and myself the worst switch was Reed.
22 - Sonia
I agree with Karlton..My daughter loved Reed and now that he is replaced she gets upset. The new Marina doesn't really phase her much because her favorite has always been Kiki. As long as the songs and morals are still as strong and note worthy as before I'm sure the show will have continued success
23 - Erica
It was a big shock...to me, my son didn't really notice. I really prefer Rose. I think she meshed well with the others. Even though I think the new Marina is a better dancer. Do they have real concert shows,like the commercial, any where? My son would love it! He screams and starts dancing whenever the concert commercial comes on.
24 - Victor Lana
The rumor is a concert tour sometime in 2012 for the Fresh Beats. Right now I'm hoping to get tickets to the Yo Gabba Gabba live show that is coming this fall.
25 - giana
lol omg ppl its just a character kids will get used to it..if they throw a fit then maybe its ur parenting skills..lol she chose to leave the show so get over it stop being so dramatic