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.

8.  America Ferrera, Superstore

America Ferrera is back on my TV screen and I couldn’t be happier. She first made a name for herself as the awkward but lovable Betty on ABC’s telenovela-esque Ugly Betty. She also had a short stint on The Good Wife and other forays on the big screen.  My personal favorite is the teenage angst, best buddies, road trip (for the pants, at least), movie — The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants.

This time she is back on TV as a big box store floor supervisor on NBC’s Superstore. It debuts in January 2016, but the first 3 episodes are available for streaming. I actually enjoyed the first one. Mostly because I can watch America in anything, but also because it’s quite funny and mostly well written. Oh and look, there’s Ben Feldman — your everyday nice guy, love interest to dozens of TV characters over the years, and still likable. I might just stick around for this one.

9. Zachary Levi, Heroes Reborn

Zachary Levi has worked on a couple of different TV shows but he’s most loved for his work on Chuck in the late 2000’s. From hapless computer geek to invaluable CIA agent, and all the bumps along the way, it made for fun television. The fantastic chemistry he shared with co-star Yvonne Strahovski still have audiences clamoring for a Chuck revival.

In the meantime, we get to see Zachary again in Heroes Reborn — a sequel to the original Heroes series. He’s is cast against type as tortured soul Luke Collins, coping with the loss of his son. Suffice it to say that Luke won’t satiate the hardcore fan appetite for Chuck.

10. Mark-Paul Gosselaar, Truth Be Told

Mark-Paul’s breakout role was that of Zack Morris on Saved By The Bell, another coming of age show that was a cultural phenomenon in its time — first as a high school student and then as a college student in the sequel. He then worked steadily on TV in various shows like NYPD Blue and Franklin and Bash.

He’s back in a lead role on the NBC comedy,Truth Be Told. It revolves around the lives of two diverse couples who are friends and neighbors, but the series has not been well-received by critics or audiences. Its fate hangs on a thread, but I wouldn’t worry about Mark-Paul. He’ll be back.

Who are we missing, and which of these familiar faces are you happiest to have back on your television screen? Share your thoughts in the comments below, and don’t forget to share this post with a friend!

Riya Verghese

Riya is a software engineer by day and a writer by night. After years of writing code for a living, Riya decided to make time for her original love, creative writing. When she's not writing, she loves spending time with her kids, reading, tweeting, and cooking. Riya also writes for DocBrownTV and UntitledTV. Follow her on Twitter: @rsarahsays