Board Thread:Spoilers!/@comment-1916997-20170217023403/@comment-24674051-20170220035547

I'll say it again. Even if (and it is still uncertain that this is the direction they are going, just a possibility) they go this way, I am sure they will construct the story in such a way as to have the current main characters available. aged appropriately, since there is (most likely) nothing to stop them from aging this time. The shift does offer the possiblity to gracefully allow some characters to exit without the need to kill them off.

Now, I'll admit that my opinion is that this is the direction they are going, but that is just opinion. and anyone is welcome to disagree and provide their own thoughts on the direction they are going (in fact, I'd love to see some other well thought out ideas on the direction that they might go). But going with my opinion on the direction, it is still possible, and in fact likely, that they will contine to use members of the current cast (though maybe not all of the current cast).

One final point, if they do go this direction it will not be a temporary redirection, but will be a fundamental and permanent shift in the storyline. This could be good for the show, or it could finish the show, only time will tell on that score.