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'The Big Bang Theory': 2007 -

One of the most popular sitcoms around, 'The Big Bang Theory' nearly wasn't picked up by the network, until showrunners added Kaley Cuoco as Penny.

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'The Big Bang Theory': 2019 -

By the final season, the show was so popular, the original five core cast members earned US$1 million per episode each.

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'Married… with Children': 1987 -

Fox's first primetime series was initially pitched with Sam Kinison and Roseanne Barr as the leads, but managers for both actors declined. Instead, Ed O'Neill and Katey Sagal got the roles as Al and Peggy Bundy. Christina Applegate and David Faustino played their kids, Kelly and Bud.

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'Married… with Children': 1997 -

The unique family dynamics and humor kept the Bundy family and all four original actors on TV screens for 11 seasons.

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'30 Rock': 2006 -

Tina Fey was the first woman to become a head writer on 'Saturday Night Live,' an experience she later used to create her own successful sitcom about the behind the scenes of a sketch comedy show. '30 Rock' premiered in October 2006, starring Fey, Alec Baldwin, and Tracy Morgan. 

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'30 Rock': 2013 -

By the end of its seven-season run, the show earned 16 Primetime Emmy Awards. Six of the show's top stars appeared in all 138 episodes.

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'Brooklyn Nine-Nine': 2013 -

With a total of eight seasons, the show revolves around seven New York City Police Department (NYPD) detectives who are adjusting to their new commanding officer, the serious and stern Captain Raymond Holt, played by Andre Braugher. 

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'Brooklyn Nine-Nine': 2021 -

Featuring an ensemble cast headed by Braugher and Andy Samberg, eight of the main cast members stuck around for the show's entire 153 episodes. Chelsea Peretti was the only core actor to depart the show early on season six. 

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'Seinfeld': 1989 -

Like many other series, the actors who landed roles on 'Seinfeld' had experience prior to being cast, but they became truly famous for their work on this sitcom. The original cast included Jerry Seinfeld, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Michael Richards, and Jason Alexander. 

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'Seinfeld': 1998 -

Throughout nine seasons, the show's popularity translated into financial success. Seinfeld himself went from making US$20,000 per episode in season one, to US$1 million per episode in the final season.

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'Will & Grace': 1998 -

Set in New York City, the show focuses on the friendship between best friends Will Truman (Eric McCormack) and Grace Adler (Debra Messing). Alongside them are their friends Karen Walker (Megan Mullally) and Jack McFarland (Sean Hayes).

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'Will & Grace': 2018 -

Despite initial criticism for its stereotypical portrayal of gay characters, it became one of the most successful series with main gay characters. And although the show ended in 2006, the original cast returned for a three-season reboot in September 2017.

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'That '70s Show': 1998 -

Mostly unknown, the young ensemble cast members included Topher Grace, Mila Kunis, Ashton Kutcher, Danny Masterson, Laura Prepon, and Wilmer Valderrama. All who went on to act in other successful series and movies. 

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'That '70s Show': 2006 -

While Grace and Kutcher exited the show early looking for other acting opportunities, Grace did return for the series finale. The other lead actors all stayed in their roles until the show ended.

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'Scrubs': 2001 -

This hilarious and heartfelt series revolved around a group of doctors and nurses working in the fictional Sacred Heart Hospital. Starring Zach Braff, Donald Faison, Sarah Chalke, John C. McGinley, and Judy Reyes, the show was known for its slapstick humor. 

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'Scrubs': 2010 -

While Faison and McGinley were in each of the show's 182 episodes, Braff and Chalke only appeared in a few episodes during the final season. Showrunners decided season nine would be a spin-off of the original, bringing on a new cast, which didn't please viewers. 

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'The Office': 2005 -

'The Office' cast comedic genius Steve Carell, Rainn Willson, and up-and-coming actors Jenna Fischer and John Krasinski. Then there were also actors like Phyllis Smith, who had no acting experience at all.

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'The Office': 2013 -

For a show with such a large ensemble cast, a surprising number of the original actors stuck around for the full nine seasons. Carell left in season seven but returned for the series finale. A few new faces, like Ed Helms and Ellie Kemper, joined the cast and stuck around until the show ended.

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'M*A*S*H': 1972 -

A spinoff of the 1970 film about the staff of an Army field hospital during the Korean War, the iconic show ran for 11 seasons. 

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'M*A*S*H': 1983 -

The ensemble cast originally featured Alan Alda and Wayne Rogers. They were later joined by Larry Linville, Loretta Swit, McLean Stevenson, Gary Burghoff, Jamie Farr, and William Christopher.

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'How I Met Your Mother': 2005 -

'How I Met Your Mother' combined experienced actors with newer faces to create the cast of this sitcom about a father telling his kids how he met their mother.

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'How I Met Your Mother': 2014 -

The five main cast members stayed on screen for the entire nine-season run. In 2012, seven years after its premiere, the series won the People's Choice for Favorite Network TV Comedy. 

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'Modern Family': 2009 -

Ed O'Neill, or rather, TV's favorite dad, returned to screens to play the Pritchett family patriarch on 'Modern Family.' Other core actors included Julie Bowen, Sofía Vergara, Ty Burrell, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, and Eric Stonestreet. 

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'Modern Family': 2020 -

All original adult cast members appeared in the show's 250 episodes, each ending the series with a salary of US$500,000 per episode. Over the course of 11 seasons, the show's child actors grew up on screen, and so did their salaries. Sarah Hyland, Ariel Winter, Rico Rodriguez, and Nolan Gould made US$100,000 each per episode.

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'Roseanne': 1988 -

Stand-up comedian Roseanne Barr had no prior acting experience, but she impressed TV producers so much with her 1985 performance on 'The Tonight Show' that they offered to create a sitcom just for her. John Goodman was cast as her husband. 

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'Roseanne': 2018 -

For the most part, the same group of actors portrayed the Conner family across all 10 seasons. Although the show ended in 1997, it was rebooted in 2018, resurrecting Dan (Goodman), who died in the original series finale. ABC canceled the show after Barr made racist comments on Twitter in May 2018. 

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'Friends': 1994 -

Back in 1994, Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, Matthew Perry, and David Schwimmer were six relatively unknown young actors. But everything changed once they signed on this sitcom about a group of friends living in Manhattan.

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'Friends': 2004 -

The six lead actors remained for every single one of the 234 episodes, and ended up earning US$1 million per episode by the end of the series. 

Sources: (Stacker) (Parade) 

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