1. Roseanne (Season 10)
The revival of Roseanne was met with both anticipation and success, but it was abruptly halted by the personal actions of its lead, Roseanne Barr. Roseanne Barr’s controversial tweets, particularly one comparing former Obama adviser Valerie Jarrett to an ape, sparked a public outcry and swift action from ABC. Roseanne’s Twitter statement is abhorrent, repugnant and inconsistent with our values, and we have decided to cancel her show,
stated Channing Dungey, the ABC Entertainment president. Disney CEO Bob Iger supported this decision, saying, there was only one thing to do here, and that was the right thing.
This incident underscores how an individual’s off-screen behavior can overshadow a show’s success and lead to its cancellation.
2. Charmed (Original Series)
The original Charmed series was known for its portrayal of sisterhood, but behind the scenes, there were reports of tensions between co-stars Shannen Doherty and Alyssa Milano. The discord contributed to Doherty’s departure after the third season when her character was killed off in a dramatic finale. Years later, Milano reflected on the situation: I could take responsibility for a lot of our tension that we had. I think a lot of our struggle came from feeling that I was in competition rather than it being that sisterhood that the show was so much about.
This admission suggests that personal conflicts among cast members can significantly affect a show’s dynamic and longevity.
3. Criminal Minds (Season 12)
Criminal Minds, a staple in crime drama, faced a shake-up when Thomas Gibson was fired following an altercation with writer-producer Virgil Williams. Gibson had been with the show since its inception in 2005 but was dismissed after he allegedly kicked Williams on set. Gibson’s own words on the incident were: As he brushed past me, my foot came up and tapped him on the leg,
which he said in his defense. However, his firing led to significant changes in the show’s cast and direction. Gibson expressed his dismay at how his exit was handled: It seems like they’re trying to erase me from the show. That hurts,
highlighting how such backstage drama can ripple through a production and impact its future.
4. Community (Season 4)
The quirky comedy series Community experienced its share of backstage drama when creator Dan Harmon was fired after conflicts with cast members, including Chevy Chase. Harmon once described an incident where Chase expressed jealousy towards co-star Donald Glover: Chevy was the first to realize how immensely gifted Donald was, and the way he expressed his jealousy was to try to throw Donald off,
revealing the strain between cast members. This tension contributed to a dip in quality during Harmon’s absence in season four, which many fans believe led to the show’s eventual cancellation.
5. The X-Files (Original Run)
The iconic sci-fi series The X-Files faced its share of challenges when star David Duchovny entered into contract disputes with Fox. Duchovny sought what he believed was owed to him, leading to legal action against the studio. His reduced role in later seasons contributed to changes in the show’s direction and eventually its original run’s end. Despite these issues, Duchovny returned for the series finale after settling out of court and has since reprised his role as Fox Mulder in subsequent revivals of the series.
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