10 Actors Making TV Comebacks in Fall 2020 & Midseason Shows

TV Comebacks Patrick Dempsey Queen Latifah Kyra Sedgwick
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The pandemic crisis has been wreaking havoc on TV development and production, but as in any other year, the broadcast networks are still banking on familiar faces to put over their new shows for fall and midseason.

Happily for us viewers, several of those 2020–2021 stars haven’t had a series regular role in a minute. Queen Latifah, Patrick Dempsey, Kyra Sedgwick, and Leslie Jones are just some of the television favorites making a return trip to the small screen. Scroll down to read more about the big-name comebacks in the season ahead.

Queen Latifah
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Queen Latifah (The Equalizer)

The Living Single and Star alum follows in the footsteps of Edward Woodward and Denzel Washington, playing the (gender-flipped) role of guardian angel Robyn McCall in this CBS crime thriller. The reboot is scheduled for Sundays at 8/7c this fall.

Christopher Meloni
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Christopher Meloni (Law & Order: Organized Crime)

Reprising the role of Elliot Stabler, Meloni makes his highly anticipated return to NBC’s Law & Order franchise with a new drama this fall. The spinoff, which shifts the action to the NYPD’s organized-crime unit, is slated for Thursdays at 10/9c, right after SVU.

TV Comebacks Patrick Dempsey
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Patrick Dempsey (Devils)

Best known as McDreamy from Grey’s Anatomy, Dempsey plays investment-bank CEO Dominic Morgan in the international thriller Devils. The CW acquired this Italian-French coproduction for its fall lineup, airing Wednesdays at 8/7c.

Kylie Bunbury
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Kylie Bunbury (Big Sky)

The Pitch alum takes on the role of Montana private detective Cassie Dewell in a crime thriller from creator David E. Kelley. Big Sky debuts this fall on ABC, airing Tuesdays at 10/9c.

TV Comebacks Annaleigh Ashford
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Annaleigh Ashford (B Positive)

Ashford (Masters of Sex) stars opposite Thomas Middleditch (Silicon Valley) as a rough-around-the-edges kidney donor in CBS’s B Positive. The fall sitcom is slotted for Thursdays at 8:30/7:30c.

TV Comebacks Leslie Jones
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Leslie Jones (Supermarket Sweep)

Jones, a Saturday Night Live cast member for five years, hosts this game-show reboot for fall, Sundays at 8/7c on ABC.

Dylan Walsh
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Dylan Walsh (Superman & Lois)

The Nip/Tuck star gets paternal as Samuel Lane, Lois’ father, in The CW’s newest Arrowverse series, arriving midseason.

TV Comebacks Kyra Sedgwick
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Kyra Sedgwick (Call Your Mother)

The Closer‘s leading lady plays Jean Raines, an empty-nester who moves in with her adult children, in ABC’s mideason sitcom Call Your Mother.

TV Comebacks Mayim Bialik
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Mayim Bialik (Call Me Kat)

In her sitcom return, the Big Bang Theory veteran plays the title role in this Fox series for midseason. Who is Kat? A 39-year-old who spends her life savings to open a cat café!

TV Comebacks Holly Hunter
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Holly Hunter (Mr. Mayor)

The Saving Grace and Here and Now alum will play a liberal councilwoman who clashes with Ted Danson’s titular character in Mr. Mayor, a Tina Fey-produced NBC sitcom scheduled for midseason.