If only there was some way to get through the impossibly thick skin of showrunners (from producers to directors to writers — anyone who has a say in the matter) that writing off a character from your show does not always mean: a) DEATH and/or b) COMPLETE CHARACTER ASSASSINATION that totally overlooks said character's development & induces a personality transplant!!!!!
It's sad because it just ruins everything that character stands for on a show, and boy oh boy if they're part of a romantic pair, it's destructive because there end up being 2 victims — the one who's being written off & the one who's still here. Honestly feels like an insult to the characters (and the actors who bring them to life) in some cases.
Some characters that were dealt this hand, off the top of my head:
Dr Lisa Cuddy (House MD)
Dr Helen Sharpe (New Amsterdam)
Dr Sarah Reese (Chicago Med)
Honestly, this one just hurts. So much potential down the drain because she was just used as a character that never really knew what to do & they kept ruining her.
Special mention (because I understand but also no?): I keep thinking of Leo Hendrie from Chasing Life — I kind of get it; the actor was always credited as a guest star & ultimately it was a show about cancer so someone had to die if not the lead character (April Carver), but one week after their wedding?! Cop out, I tell you!
Goodness me, I have so many feelings & thoughts about this but not much energy, so this will have to do.
