10 Network TV Characters Written Off Because of Behind-the-Scenes Drama

Sometimes, characters are written off TV shows because it fits the storyline, or their character arc has simply come to an end. Other times, it happens because of behind-the-scenes drama. In these instances, the script is often adjusted to accommodate the unexpected departure.

It has happened many times throughout TV history, even with characters who were central to the plot. The way it’s handled can be shocking. There have been some silly storylines to justify the disappearance, often involving the character’s death by crazy means. Usually, the death becomes part of a larger storyline. But sometimes, a death is addressed swiftly, and things move on. In one case, the death on a show was only ever addressed with a coy breaking-the-fourth-wall moment. Here are 10 times characters have been written off due to behind-the-scenes drama.

1

Charlie Sheen as Charlie Harper

‘Two and a Half Men’ (2003–2015)

Image via CBS

Charlie Sheen was the main character on Two and a Half Men as Charlie Harper, starring alongside Jon Cryer as his down-on-his-luck brother Alan. But Charlie was written out of the show in the eighth season following a very public feud between Sheen and creator and showrunner Chuck Lorre. After making disparaging remarks about Lorre, Sheen’s contract was terminated. Sheen later decided to enter drug rehabilitation.

Though the show should have ended after losing its main character, Ashton Kutcher took over in Season 9, playing billionaire playboy Walden Schmidt, who buys Charlie’s bachelor pad. In an unbelievable twist, Walden allows Alan to continue to live there. Charlie’s character is killed off, the story claiming that he fell in front of a train in Paris. But Lorre got the last laugh by revealing in the series finale that Charlie actually survived. He was being held captive, only to die by a falling grand piano on the front of his doorstep before he got to re-enter his old house. Twisting the knife, Lorre appears on camera immediately after and declares, “Winning!” It was a reference to the word that became a meme during Sheen’s initial departure when he confidently spoke in interviews to describe his purported position in life.

2

Chevy Chase as Pierce Hawthorne

Image via NBC

Chevy Chase‘s character left Community during Season 4, reportedly a decision made after an on-set incident when he allegedly used a racial slur. After discussions with both NBC and Sony, Chase made the decision to leave the series. It came at an odd time, since the fourth season hadn’t yet finished filming, so his character Pierce Hawthorne was simply missing with no explanation as to why.

He did briefly return for a cameo in Season 5, but Pierce was eventually killed off. As it was told by his estate executor, the character trapped himself in his lab while trying to fill capsules with his sperm for the study group. He died there of dehydration. The plotline of Troy Barnes (Donald Glover) getting Pierce’s $14 million inheritance was written into the show as part of Chase’s unexpected departure.

3

Shannen Doherty as Prue Halliwell

‘Charmed’ (1998–2006)

Image via the WB

Shannen Doherty was one-third of the dynamic trio in Charmed, so it was a surprise when her character Prue was killed off in the Season 3 finale. The late Doherty initially said she chose to leave but later disclosed that there were reported tensions on set with her co-star Alyssa Milano and, as a result, she was fired. According to Variety, Doherty claimed that Milano issued an ultimatum to producers, saying they had to let one of them go, and if it was her, she would sue and declare a hostile work environment.

So, Prue was blasted through a wall by a demonic assassin sent by The Source of All Evil and suffered severe injuries. The injuries, in fact, were too severe for even Whitelighter Leo to heal. And so, she succumbed to them. Rose McGowan joined as Paige Matthews, written in as a long-lost half-sister to keep the familial tone going.

4

Katherine Heigl as Izzie Stevens

‘Grey’s Anatomy’ (2005–Present)

Image via ABC

Katherine Heigl played Dr. Izzie Stevens for the first six-and-a-half seasons of Grey’s Anatomy, but she left the show after the twelfth episode of Season 6. It was reportedly due to her desire to spend more time with her family and pursue a movie career. She also suggested her mental health played a role, as she felt burnout and anxiety. But it was no secret that there were also creative differences between her and the executives on the show. A catalyst for this may have been Heigl’s shocking decision to remove herself from Emmy consideration because she felt her character didn’t have enough material to warrant being in the running.

As the story was written in the medical drama, Dr. Stevens abruptly decided to leave Seattle due to a series of unfortunate events. She made a medical error that got her fired, for which she blamed her husband Alex (Justin Chambers) before walking out on him. When she tried to get back with him, he declared he deserved better. The character did get a mention down the line, revealing that Izzy supposedly moved to Kansas and used frozen embryos she and Alex had put aside to give birth to twins.

5

Jeff Garlin as Murray Goldberg

‘The Goldbergs’ (2013–2023)

Image via ABC

In one of the strangest handlings of an exit ever, Jeff Garlin left The Goldbergs midway through the ninth season. The decision came following human resources investigations into complaints about his behavior and alleged misconduct on set. Garlin publicly refuted all these claims, but his character was written out. However, this was complicated because Garlin was removed before the character Murray Goldberg was. How did that work? The show used stand-ins and CGI to make it look like Murray was still there, at least until the season in session was completed.

The Goldbergs went on for one more season, and before Season 10 began, Murray was officially killed off. It’s never specifically discussed how Murray dies, just that he passed away unexpectedly prior to the beginning of Season 10. A time jump helps eliminate the main grieving period, though much of the final season focuses on Beverly (Wendi McLendon-Covey) and the kids trying to navigate life without his presence. Picking up some of the slack, especially with the death of George Segal in 2021, Judd Hirsch appeared more frequently as Murray’s father Ben “Pop Pop” in Season 10, while Dan Fogler returned as Murray’s younger brother Marvin.

6

Roseanne Barr as Roseanne Conner

‘The Conners’ (2018–2025)

Image via ABC

The Conners was off to a great start as a direct continuation of the iconic sitcom Roseanne, erasing the weird ending of the original and taking things back to the core premise. But when star Roseanne Barr made a series of controversial tweets, the show was abruptly canceled. The others, however, fought for the series, led by Sara Gilbert, who was also an executive producer. They brought it back without Barr, writing Roseanne’s character death into the story.

Fitting with the show’s theme of tackling serious topics faced by average Americans, Roseanne was told to have become a victim of the opioid crisis. Procuring pain medication from cheaper sources since she didn’t have sufficient coverage, Roseanne eventually became addicted to them and overdosed. Her presence was felt through the show’s entire run, and the rest of the returning cast managed to keep the show’s essence alive. The Conners went on for seven total seasons and was a roaring success, using Roseanne’s death as a catalyst for many of the storylines. This includes Dan (John Goodman) having trouble handling his grief and feeling the weight of the world on his shoulders to provide for the family on his own.

7

Nicollette Sheridan as Edie Britt

‘Desperate Housewives’ (2004–2012)

Image via ABC

Nicollette Sheridan was on Desperate Housewives until Season 5, when her character, Edie Britt, was shockingly killed off. It seemed to come out of nowhere, and that’s because it kind of did. Sheridan was in a lengthy, public battle with the show’s creator, Marc Cherry, and ABC, even filing a lawsuit against them. She claims that after complaining about an on-set altercation, she was wrongfully terminated. The lawsuit took years, but Sheridan’s claims were eventually dismissed.

The character found out that her husband Dave (Neal McDonough) was plotting to kill Mike Delfino (James Denton). Edie rushed away in her car and swerved when she almost hit Orson (Kyle MacLachlan), causing her vehicle to crash into a utility pole. This isn’t what killed her, though. She was still alive and emerged from the car. But then, she was electrocuted after stepping on a puddle and a fallen live power wire. The death was as soapy and dramatic as you’d expect from the show, and one that fans (and Sheridan) couldn’t stop talking about for a long time after.

8

Janet Hubert as Aunt Viv

‘The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air’ (1990–1996)

Image via NBC

One of the most talked-about cast departures on a TV show is that of Janet Hubert, who played matriarch Aunt Viv on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air for the show’s first three seasons. After feuding with star Will Smith and contract disputes, she was let go and replaced by Daphne Maxwell Reid. In one of Reid’s first appearances, Smith addresses her in the kitchen and says she “looks different,” then comedically breaks the fourth wall to give the camera a knowing glance.

Hubert declared that she had a tough time getting roles after that because the media framed her as being difficult to work with and claimed she was jealous that Smith had the spotlight on the show. Smith and Hubert finally mended fences on the 2020 reunion for the masterpiece sitcom. He apologized for his actions, admitting he was young and immature and did not understand what she was going through at the time. Hubert revealed that being pregnant and in an abusive relationship back then understandably impacted her mood on set as well. It was an unfortunate situation all around.

9

Selma Blair as Dr. Kate Wales

‘Anger Management’ (2012–2014)

Image via FX

Another situation involving Charlie Sheen, Selma Blair starred in Anger Management alongside the actor as his character Charlie’s therapist and occasional sex partner, Dr. Kate Wales. But she departed suddenly in the middle of the second season. It was reportedly due to arguments with Sheen, who was not only the star but also executive producer of the show. Things got heated when Blair reportedly spoke up about Sheen’s work ethic and propensity to show up late for filming. He allegedly told producers to fire her, or he would walk.

The direction of the show shifted completely after that, with Laura Bell Bundy joining the cast as a new psychologist and Charlie’s business partner, Dr. Jordan Denby. It didn’t last, however, as Anger Management was canceled after its second season ended. The show was hugely popular when it was on the air but was marred by this behind-the-scenes controversy.

10

Clayne Crawford

‘Lethal Weapon’ (2016–2019)

Image via Fox

Lethal Weapon was off to a great start, with Clayne Crawford and Damon Wayans taking on the roles from the popular film series. But Crawford, who played Martin Riggs, was fired from the show at the end of Season 2 because of an alleged on-set altercation, hostile working conditions, and a feud with Wayans. His character was killed off, shot in the chest by his own estranged half-brother. He was told to have been rushed to emergency surgery but did not make it.

Lethal Weapon continued for one more season, with Wayans reprising his role as Roger Murtaugh, joined by Sean William Scott taking over as a new character named Wesley Cole. When Wayans left the series after Season 3, the show simply didn’t return. It’s a shame, as Lethal Weapon got decent reviews. On screen, at least, the two original leads were praised for their chemistry.

Lethal Weapon

Release Date

2016 – 2019-00-00

Network

FOX

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  Damon Wayans

  Roger Murtaugh

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  Keesha Sharp

  Trish Murtaugh

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  Johnathan Fernandez

  Scorsese

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