Here's What The Stars Of These Long-Running TV Shows Looked Like In Their Very First And Very Last Appearances

    If you take away anything from this post, it's that Tracee Ellis Ross is the official undisputed queen of 2000s TV.

    Molly Capobianco
    by Molly Capobianco

    BuzzFeed Staff

    Black-ish (2014–2022)

    ABC

    1. Dre (Anthony Anderson) in the pilot:

    ABC

    Dre in the finale:

    ABC

    Side by side:

    ABC

    2. Rainbow (Tracee Ellis Ross) in the pilot:

    ABC

    Rainbow in the finale:

    ABC

    Side by side:

    ABC

    3. Pops (Laurence Fishburne) in the pilot:

    ABC

    Pops in the finale:

    ABC

    Side by side:

    ABC

    4. Ruby (Jenifer Lewis) in her first appearance in Season 1:

    ABC

    Ruby in the finale:

    ABC

    Side by side:

    ABC

    5. Zoey (Yara Shahidi) in the pilot:

    ABC

    Zoey in the finale:

    ABC

    Side by side:

    ABC

    6. Junior (Marcus Scribner) in the pilot:

    ABC

    Junior in the finale:

    ABC

    Side by side:

    ABC

    7. Diane (Marsai Martin) in the pilot:

    ABC

    Diane in the finale:

    ABC

    Side by side:

    ABC

    8. Jack (Miles Brown) in the pilot:

    ABC

    Jack in the finale:

    ABC

    Side by side:

    ABC

    Friends (1994–2004)

    NBC

    9. Monica (Courteney Cox) in the pilot:

    NBC

    Monica in the finale:

    NBC

    Side by side:

    NBC

    10. Ross (David Schwimmer) in the pilot:

    NBC

    Ross in the finale:

    NBC

    Side by side:

    NBC

    11. Phoebe (Lisa Kudrow) in the pilot:

    NBC

    Phoebe in the finale:

    NBC

    Side by side:

    NBC

    12. Joey (Matt LeBlanc) in the pilot:

    NBC

    Joey in the finale:

    NBC

    Side by side:

    NBC

    13. Rachel (Jennifer Aniston) in the pilot:

    NBC

    Rachel in the finale:

    NBC

    Side by side:

    NBC

    14. Chandler (Matthew Perry) in the pilot:

    NBC

    Chandler in the finale:

    NBC

    Side by side:

    NBC

    Supernatural (2005–2020)

    Warner Bros/Courtesy Everett Collection

    15. Dean (Jensen Ackles) in the pilot:

    Warner Bros.

    Dean in the finale:

    Warner Bros.

    Side by side:

    Warner Bros.

    16. Sam (Jared Padalecki) in the finale:

    Warner Bros.

    Sam in the finale:

    Warner Bros.

    Side by side:

    Warner Bros.

    17. Castiel (Misha Collins) in his first appearance in Season 4:

    Warner Bros.

    Castiel in his last appearance in Season 15:

    Warner Bros.

    Side by side:

    Warner Bros.

    Frasier (1993–2004)

    NBC / courtesy Everett Collection

    18. Frasier (Kelsey Grammer) in the pilot:

    NBC

    Frasier in the finale:

    NBC

    Side by side:

    NBC

    19. Niles (David Hyde Pierce) in the pilot:

    NBC

    Niles in the finale:

    NBC

    Side by side:

    NBC

    20. Daphne (Jane Leeves) in the pilot:

    NBC

    Daphne in the finale:

    NBC

    Side by side:

    NBC

    21. Roz (Peri Gilpin) in the pilot:

    NBC

    Roz in the finale:

    NBC

    Side by side:

    NBC

    22. Marty (John Mahoney) in the pilot:

    NBC

    Marty in the finale:

    NBC

    Side by side:

    NBC

    Family Matters (1989–1998)

    Warner Bros.

    23. Carl (Reginald VelJohnson) in the pilot:

    Warner Bros.

    Carl in the finale:

    Warner Bros.

    Side by side:

    Warner Bros.

    24. Harriette (Jo Marie Payton) in the pilot:

    Warner Bros.

    Harriette in the last season:

    Warner Bros.

    Side by side:

    Warner Bros.

    25. Estelle (Rosetta LeNoire) in the pilot:

    Warner Bros.

    Estelle in the last season:

    Warner Bros.

    Side by side:

    Warner Bros.

    26. Eddie (Darius McCrary) in the pilot:

    Warner Bros.

    Eddie in the finale:

    Warner Bros.

    Side by side:

    Warner Bros.

    27. Laura (Kellie Shanygne Williams) in the pilot:

    Warner Bros.

    Laura in the finale:

    Warner Bros.

    Side by side:

    Warner Bros.

    28. Urkel (Jaleel White) in his first appearance in Season 1:

    Warner Bros.

    Urkel in the finale:

    Warner Bros.

    Side by side:

    Warner Bros.

    Criminal Minds (2005–2020)

    CBS

    29. Reid (Matthew Gray Gubler) in the pilot:

    CBS

    Reid in the finale:

    CBS

    Side by side:

    CBS

    30. Garcia (Kirsten Vangsness) in the pilot:

    CBS

    Garcia in the finale:

    CBS

    Side by side:

    CBS

    31. Morgan (Shemar Moore) in the pilot:

    CBS

    Morgan in his last appearance in Season 13:

    CBS

    Side by side:

    CBS

    32. JJ (A. J. Cook) in her first appearance in Season 1:

    CBS

    JJ in the finale:

    CBS

    Side by side:

    CBS

    33. Prentiss (Paget Brewster) in her first appearance in Season 2:

    CBS

    Prentiss in the finale:

    CBS

    Side by side:

    CBS

    34. Rossi (Joe Mantegna) in his first appearance in Season 3:

    CBS

    Rossi in the finale:

    CBS

    Side by side:

    CBS

    How I Met Your Mother (2005–2014)

    20th Television

    35. Ted (Josh Radnor) in the pilot:

    20th Television

    Ted in the finale:

    20th Television

    Side by side:

    20th Television

    36. Robin (Cobie Smulders) in the pilot:

    20th Television

    Robin in the finale:

    20th Television

    Side by side:

    20th Television

    37. Lily (Alyson Hannigan) in the pilot:

    20th Television

    Lily in the finale:

    20th Television

    Side by side:

    20th Television

    38. Marshall (Jason Segel) in the pilot:

    20th Television

    Marshall in the finale:

    20th Television

    Side by side:

    20th Television

    39. Barney (Neil Patrick Harris) in the pilot:

    20th Television

    Barney in the finale:

    20th Television

    Side by side:

    20th Television

    Girlfriends (2000–2008)

    CBS Television Distribution

    40. Joan (Tracee Ellis Ross) in the pilot:

    CBS Television Distribution

    Joan in the finale:

    CBS Television Distribution

    Side by side:

    CBS Television Distribution

    41. Maya (Golden Brooks) in the pilot:

    CBS Television Distribution

    Maya in the finale:

    CBS Television Distribution

    Side by side:

    CBS Television Distribution

    42. Lynn (Persia White) in the pilot:

    CBS Television Distribution

    Lynn in the finale:

    CBS Television Distribution

    Side by side:

    CBS Television Distribution

    43. Toni (Jill Marie Jones) in the pilot:

    CBS Television Distribution

    Toni in her last appearance in Season 6:

    CBS Television Distribution

    Side by side:

    CBS Television Distribution

    44. William (Reggie Hayes) in the pilot:

    CBS Television Distribution

    William in the finale:

    CBS Television Distribution

    Side by side:

    CBS Television Distribution

    Home Improvement (1991–1999)

    Buena Vista Television

    45. Tim (Tim Allen) in the pilot:

    Buena Vista Television

    Tim in the finale:

    Buena Vista Television

    Side by side:

    Buena Vista Television

    46. Jill (Patricia Richardson) in the pilot:

    Buena Vista Television

    Jill in the finale:

    Buena Vista Television

    Side by side:

    Buena Vista Television

    47. Brad (Zachery Ty Bryan) in the pilot:

    Buena Vista Television

    Brad in the finale:

    Buena Vista Television

    Side by side:

    Buena Vista Television

    48. Randy (Jonathan Taylor Thomas) in the pilot:

    Buena Vista Television

    Randy in Season 8:

    Buena Vista Television

    Side by side:

    Buena Vista Television

    49. Mark (Taran Noah Smith) in the pilot:

    Buena Vista Television

    Mark in the finale:

    Buena Vista Television

    Side by side:

    Buena Vista Television

    Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (1999–present)

    NBC

    50. Benson (Mariska Hargitay) in the pilot:

    NBC

    Benson in the latest episode:

    NBC

    Side by side:

    NBC

    51. Fin (Ice-T) in his first appearance in Season 2:

    NBC

    Fin in the latest episode:

    NBC

    Side by side:

    NBC

    52. Munch (Richard Belzer) in the pilot:

    NBC

    Munch in his last appearance in Season 17:

    NBC

    Side by side:

    NBC

    53. Don (Dann Florek) in the pilot:

    NBC

    Don in his last appearance in Season 23:

    NBC

    Side by side:

    NBC

    54. Stabler (Christopher Meloni) in the pilot:

    NBC

    Stabler in the latest episode:

    NBC

    Side by side:

    NBC

    It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia (2005–present)

    FX

    55. Dennis (Glenn Howerton) in the pilot:

    FX

    Dennis in the latest episode:

    FX

    Side by side:

    FX

    56. Dee (Kaitlin Olson) in the pilot:

    FX

    Dee in the latest episode:

    FX

    Side by side:

    FX

    57. Mac (Rob McElhenney) in the pilot:

    FX

    Mac in the latest episode:

    FX

    Side by side:

    FX

    58. Charlie (Charlie Day) in the pilot:

    FX

    Charlie in the latest episode:

    FX

    Side by side:

    FX

    59. Frank (Danny DeVito) in his first appearance in Season 2:

    FX

    Frank in the latest episode:

    FX

    Side by side:

    FX

    Will & Grace (1998–2006, 2017–2020)

    NBC

    60. Will (Eric McCormack) in the original series pilot:

    NBC

    Will in the reboot's finale:

    NBC

    Side by side:

    NBC

    61. Grace (Debra Messing) in the original series pilot:

    NBC

    Grace in the reboot's finale:

    NBC

    Side by side:

    NBC

    62. Karen (Megan Mullally) in the original series pilot:

    NBC

    Karen in the reboot's finale:

    NBC

    Side by side:

    NBC

    63. Jack (Sean Hayes) in the original series pilot:

    NBC

    Jack in the reboot's finale:

    NBC

    Side by side:

    NBC

    And finally, The Simpsons (1989–present)

    FOX

    64. Homer in the pilot:

    FOX

    Homer in the latest episode:

    FOX

    Side by side:

    FOX

    65. Marge in the pilot:

    FOX

    Marge in the latest episode:

    FOX

    Side by side:

    FOX

    66. Bart in the pilot:

    FOX

    Bart in the latest episode:

    FOX

    Side by side:

    FOX

    67. Lisa in the pilot:

    FOX

    Lisa in the latest episode:

    FOX

    Side by side:

    FOX

    68. Maggie in the pilot:

    FOX

    Maggie in the latest episode:

    FOX

    Side by side:

    FOX