They replace actors all of the time, and they don’t have to use such convoluted stories to cover for it. We out here in TV land do understand, after all, that they are just actors. And it seemed even less necessary since it was the actor most connected to the role returning. I remember thinking that if they ever decided to use flashbacks, the silly face transplant wouldn’t make sense, since it would be Jay in the flashbacks. Now, here they are using flashbacks, so I guess they’ve forgotten (and we’re supposed to, too!) about the new face!