10 Familiar Faces Who Made Epic TV Comebacks

Networks are trying to re-build on the popularity of actors of television seasons past — and for the most part it seems like a winning formula. Let’s take a look at some of the familiar faces back on our screens this season.

4. Christian Slater, Mr. Robot

Christian Slater is better known for his work on the big screen than on television. After the demise of his film career and many run-ins with the law, Slater worked steadily in television in guest spots and as a regular on a couple of shows, including The Forgotten and Breaking in. It feels like he has finally hit his stride in this latest role.

He plays Mr. Robot, an anarchist, and leader of a hacker group that recruits Rami Malek’s character. The show has been very well received  by both critics and audiences and the two leads play well of each other. The recent Golden Globe nominations for both actors should bode well for the show.

5. Fred Savage, The Grinder

Kevin Arnold from The Wonders Years grew up, became a lawyer and now stars on the Fox comedy, The Grinder. Sweet, adorable, dorky, relatable Kevin was a TV staple in the late 80’s. Who couldn’t relate to his teenage trials and tribulations? When the show ended, Savage disappeared for a while, and returned to spend more time behind the camera than in front it.

He’s back opposite Rob Lowe this season, and his straight guy act is the perfect foil to Lowe’s swagger. As mentioned previously, the show is doing well. It looks like little Kevin Arnold did alright.

6. James Van Der Beek, CSI Cyber

Van Der Beek rocketed to fame as Dawson on the teen drama Dawson’s Creek on the WB in the late 1990’s. Dawson will probably be best known as the teen heartthrob who didn’t get the girl, on his own show! A dubious distinction. While most of the other main characters on the show went on to bigger and better things, Van Der Beek didn’t quite find another foothold worth mentioning for a while.

But he’s back on CSI Cyber, the latest in the very successful CSI franchise, alongside stalwarts Patricia Arquette and Ted Danson. We’ll see if Special Agent Mundo is here to stay.

7. Colin O’Donnell, Chicago Med

I’m cheating a little bit with Colin, he’s not been gone that long, but he’s a favorite and he has been missed. As one of the main characters on Arrow in Season 1, Colin O’Donnell won hearts as the incorrigible but always lovable Tommy Merlyn. Best bud to the show’s leading man, Oliver Queen — Colin was a treat. His death at the end of season one was not well received by fans. So much so that he has made the occasional guest appearance in flashbacks.

Three years later, he’s back playing a doctor in NBC’s latest Chicago based series — Chicago Med. In the first few episodes he walks around with a day’s old scruff, saves babies, sutures himself (shirtless at that) and so much more. This version of Colin O’Donnell is just as charming and likable as Tommy Merlyn, and exactly what the doctor ordered.

 

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