James Garner says viewers will be seeing real tears in tonight’s episode of 8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter — the first new one since the death of star John Ritter.

“When [the cast members] have to do their tender scenes when they are crying — it’s not difficult for them,” he said.

That’s because Ritter’s TV family is still sad over the loss of the star, who collapsed on the set in September and died soon thereafter from a heart ailment.

ABC and the show’s producers are carrying on without him. In tonight’s hourlong episode, Ritter’s character, Paul Hennessey, dies as well.

Garner, 75, steps in to play the father of Paul’s wife, Cate (Katey Sagal), showing up to comfort the family.

“He tries to keep himself and everybody else together,” he said.

Garner has signed on for four episodes and has an option to appear in more if the audience sticks with the show.

“It’s going to be tough,” Garner said. “People tuned in to the show because they loved John. I hope they’ll accept this.”

Garner himself won’t be making comparisons. He said he’s never watched the show.

“Don’t need to,” he said. “I’m going to do what’s in the script. I doubt I’ll see the ones I’m in. I don’t watch myself.”

Garner will be joined by another veteran star, Suzanne Pleshette, who plays Sagal’s mother and his estranged wife. When production resumed last month, the first read-through of the script was difficult for Sagal and the actors who play the Hennessey children, Kaley Cuoco, Amy Davidson and Martin Spanjers.

“You know they are hurting,” he said. “But we slowly worked through that.”

The mood has lightened each day, said Garner. But the episode, called “Goodbye,” was shot without a studio audience to make their return easier.

It’s safe to assume Garner’s presence will provide some comfort to viewers. Known for playing Bret Maverick and Jim Rockford, he’s been an audience favorite for nearly as long as television has been around.

“I’ve been in their homes for 50 years, so I’m a well-known face,” he said. “You don’t have to go in there and judge. Either they like me or they don’t.”

ON TV

Program: 8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter

Airs: 8 p.m. Tuesdays on WPLG-Ch. 10, WPBF-Ch. 25