What makes a good television show? Witty dialogue, interesting plotlines, an all-star cast? Probably all of the above but what really draws an audience in and garners a list of Emmy nominees are the fictional characters brought to life from the screen. They invade our homes with their creative personalities, quirks and faults making them almost part of the family. But what happens when main characters get written off for whatever reason? Does the audience decide to write the show out of their lives as well?

This question can especially be applied in present times with the impending departure of Steve Carell from “The Office” and the more scandalous exit of Charlie Sheen from “Two and a Half Men.” Both hold central roles in their series, causing a whole uproar of questions and worry as to if the shows can possibly survive without them.

In an interview with E! Online, Carrel expressed nothing but optimism: “The show is great, and the ensemble is so strong and the writers are great, so it’s just one part of that ensemble drifting off. They’ve incorporated so many new characters and so many new, great storylines that I have no doubt it’ll continue as strong if not stronger than ever.”

The situation surrounding “Two and a Half Men” seems to be a bit bleaker, as it has been put on temporary suspension to help figure out the next move.

Is it possible for a show to keep going when the main character bows out earlier? History seems to lean more towards the negative.

“That 70s Show,” a popular sitcom revolving around a group of young friends growing up during the 1970s, only survived one season after loosing two central characters. Topher Grace played Eric Foreman, the nerd of the group and the guy who owned the house everyone hung out in, and Ashton Kutcher was Michael Kelso, the good-looking goof-off who lacked brains. Both departed in the seventh season but returned for the series finale, only one season later. 

“The OC” is another example, as it was cancelled in the fourth season due to what many believe was the departure of the character Marissa Cooper, played by Mischa Barton. The show focused around a group of teens growing up in California and the drama that followed. Barton was an important figure in said group and one of the top female romantic interests.

Another failure was when Michael J. Fox’s character of Deputy Flaherty Mayor departed from “Spin City” during season four due to Fox’s Parkinson Disease, so Charlie Sheen was brought in as a replacement. However, following Fox, there were three other characters as well as a producer that also departed from the show. The show only continued for another two seasons.

Another sad end to a TV series was “8 Simple Rules,” which faced a timely cancellation after the death of John Ritter. He played the father figure in a family dealing with raising kids, especially their teenage daughter who was entering her dating phase.

Others also argue that “Happy Days” was doomed the moment central character Richie Cunningham, played by Ron Howard, left. However the show shifted its focus to the famous romantic plotline of “Joanie and Chachi” and of course it’s other central character, Fonzie, played by Henry Winkler. The show did go on for a couple more years until its eventual conclusion.

But is there any hope?

Television shows are sometimes able to stay afloat when losing a central figure. “M*A*S*H,” was a drama/comedy focusing around a hospital and army unit during the Korean War. Although the show saw several characters leave during its years, it replaced them accordingly and managed to be one of the most prosperous and famous of series. “Grey’s Anatomy” is another example, a show about the drama surrounding a group of doctors, with such departures like Katherine Heigl, T.R. Knight, Brooke Smith and Isaiah Washington. Still, the show is going strong with its eighth season.

So, is it possible that “The Office” and “Two and a Half Men” will be able to go on? Perhaps one show more so than the other, seeing that the departures of their star actors are due to very different reasons. This is a question that will be answered only by the audience who will decide if the shows are worthwhile anymore.