Honestly, ABC didn't know what they had. When you look back at the Don't Trust the B in Apartment 23 cast, it feels like a fever dream of talent that shouldn't have worked on a broadcast network in 2012. It was too sharp. Too mean. Way too weird. Krysten Ritter was basically playing a sociopath with a heart of... well, maybe not gold, but at least a very shiny copper. Then you have James Van Der Beek playing a satirical, ego-maniacal version of James Van Der Beek. It was meta before every show on TikTok tried to be meta.
The show famously suffered from the "network shuffle." Episodes were aired out of order, plot lines got tangled because of executive cold feet, and eventually, it was yanked off the air, leaving a cult following wondering how such a stacked ensemble disappeared so fast. But if you look at where that cast is now, it’s clear the talent scouts were onto something massive.
The Chloe Effect: Krysten Ritter Before She Was Marvel Royalty
Krysten Ritter didn't just play Chloe; she inhaled the character. Before she was breaking ribs as Jessica Jones or dealing with the tragic fallout of Jane Margolis in Breaking Bad, Ritter was the ultimate "B." Her performance as Chloe remains one of the most underrated comedic turns of the last twenty years. She had this specific way of moving—all limbs and dark eyeliner—that made her feel like a cartoon villain who somehow ended up in a West Village apartment.
Chloe was a nightmare. She scammed people. She drank too much. She had zero boundaries. Yet, Ritter made her strangely aspirational. You kind of wanted to be that unapologetic. Most sitcom protagonists are designed to be "relatable," but Ritter leaned into the unlikeability. It’s a tightrope. Fall one way, and the audience turns the channel. Fall the other, and you’re a legend. She stayed on the rope.
The chemistry she shared with Dreama Walker, who played the wide-eyed June Colburn, was the engine of the show. Walker was the perfect foil. While Ritter was the chaos, Walker was the "Midwestern nice" getting slowly corrupted. Dreama Walker hasn't stayed in the massive spotlight as much as Ritter, but her comedic timing in Apartment 23 was surgical. She had to play the "straight man" to a cast of lunatics, which is arguably the hardest job in a sitcom.
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James Van Der Beek and the Art of the Self-Burn
We have to talk about the Beek.
Long before it was trendy for actors to play "themselves" as heightened jerks (think Staged or Curb Your Enthusiasm), James Van Der Beek was doing it with terrifying commitment. He played a version of himself that was perpetually stuck in the shadow of Dawson’s Creek, obsessed with tight jeans and his own brand of "Beek Jeans."
It was a masterclass in ego-stripping. He wasn't afraid to look pathetic, thirsty, or completely out of touch. In one episode, he's trying to engineer a Dawson’s Creek reunion just to feel relevant again. It was meta-commentary on the nature of celebrity that felt years ahead of its time. The Don't Trust the B in Apartment 23 cast benefited immensely from his willingness to be the butt of every joke.
Actually, it’s worth noting that this role essentially revitalized his career. It proved he had comedic chops that nobody saw coming during his WB days. He went from being a 90s relic to a sharp comedic character actor.
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The Supporting Players Who Stole the Show
While the central trio got the billing, the fringe characters were where the show’s DNA really lived.
- Liza Lapira as Robin: Chloe’s neighbor who was obsessed with her. Lapira played "stalker-adjacent" with a level of desperation that was both hilarious and deeply uncomfortable. Lapira has since moved on to massive success in The Equalizer, but fans of the "B" remember her as the woman who just wanted to be Chloe’s best friend (or skin her and wear her as a coat).
- Michael Blaiklock as Eli: The neighbor across the way who spent most of his time watching the girls through their window. In any other show, Eli would be a creepy plot point. Here, he was just a lazy, perverted dude who occasionally provided sage advice. It was a weird vibe. It worked.
- Ray Ford as Luther: James Van Der Beek’s assistant. Luther was the voice of reason in a world of insanity, yet he was also completely devoted to the Beek’s nonsense. His deadpan delivery was the show's secret weapon.
Why the Show Was Cancelled (And Why People Still Search for the Cast)
Network television in 2012 was a different beast. Ratings were king, and Don't Trust the B was "niche." It didn't help that ABC aired the episodes in an order that made zero sense for character development. If you watch it on streaming now, you’ll notice that June’s job situation and her relationship with Chloe jump all over the place.
The show was eventually burned off. They aired the remaining episodes during the summer or shoved them online. It was a messy end for a show that was arguably more creative than the "safe" sitcoms that outlived it.
The reason the Don't Trust the B in Apartment 23 cast is still a hot topic is because of the "What If" factor. What if it had started on Netflix or Hulu instead of a major broadcast network? It likely would have run for six seasons. It had that Arrested Development or Community energy—the kind of show that builds a massive, dedicated following through word-of-mouth rather than a massive marketing spend.
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Where to Find the Cast Today
If you're looking to catch up with the ensemble, they've been busy.
- Krysten Ritter: After Jessica Jones, she’s been doing more directing and recently starred in Orphan Black: Echoes. She also wrote a psychological thriller novel titled Bonfire. She's basically a polymath now.
- Dreama Walker: She appeared in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood as Connie Stevens and has had various guest roles in prestige TV like The Good Wife.
- James Van Der Beek: He’s moved his family to Texas and largely stepped away from the Hollywood grind, though he still takes the occasional role and remains a social media favorite for his candid takes on life and fatherhood.
- Eric Andre: Yes, Eric Andre was in this show! He played Mark, June's love interest/coworker. Looking back, seeing the king of chaos comedy playing a relatively "normal" guy is bizarre. Obviously, he went on to create The Eric Andre Show and become a cult icon in his own right.
How to Watch Apartment 23 in the Right Order
If you are going to revisit the show—which you should—do not just hit "play" and assume the order is correct. Because of the way ABC handled the initial run, the "aired order" is a disaster.
Look for the "production order." This restores the character arcs. You see June actually grow from a victim to a participant in Chloe’s schemes. You see the relationship between Chloe and James evolve naturally. The show makes infinitely more sense when the continuity isn't being shredded by network interference.
The legacy of the show isn't just the laughs; it’s the proof that weird, female-led comedies have a place in the cultural zeitgeist. It paved the way for shows like Fleabag or Broad City—shows that aren't afraid to let their female leads be absolute disasters.
Next Steps for Fans:
- Check Streaming Services: As of now, the series frequently rotates through platforms like Hulu and Disney+. Always check for the "Production Order" list on fan wikis before bingeing.
- Follow the Cast on Socials: Ritter and Van Der Beek are particularly active and often share throwbacks to their time on set.
- Explore the Creator’s Other Work: Nahnatchka Khan went on to showrun Fresh Off the Boat and direct the Netflix hit Always Be My Maybe. Her signature wit is all over those projects too.
The show might be over, but the "B" in Apartment 23 is forever. It remains a time capsule of a specific era of New York City grit and mid-2000s cynicism that we probably won't see on network TV again.