These 10 Actors Ruined Their TV Show...
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VOICE OVER: Ryan Wild
WRITTEN BY: Don Ekama
When you're in the limelight, you need to watch your every move! Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the most notable actors whose questionable decisions damaged their TV show's image while on air, ultimately leading to its downfall. Our countdown includes actors Kevin Spacey, Alec Baldwin, Jeffrey Tambor and more!
Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the most notable actors whose questionable decisions damaged their TV show’s image while on air, ultimately leading to its downfall. Which of your favorite shows was ruined by one of its stars? Let us know in the comments below.
Throughout its run, the Amazon Prime series “Transparent” was praised for its nuanced exploration of gender and sexuality. Lead actor Jeffrey Tambor received particular acclaim for his portrayal of Maura Pfefferman, a transgender woman who comes out later in life. However, controversy arose after the fourth season’s premiere when Tambor was accused of sexual misconduct by two trans women who worked with him on the set. Although the actor denied the allegations, he was fired from the series a few months later. This scandal cast a negative light on the show, which was once hailed as revolutionary. With Tambor gone, the planned fifth season was eventually retooled into a film, which received far less favorable reviews than the preceding installments.
In 2014, singer CeeLo Green began hosting and starring in the TBS unscripted comedy series, “The Good Life”. But it seems life wasn’t so good for Green off-screen. That same year, he pleaded no contest to drugging a woman and was sentenced to three years of probation. Green came to his own defense on social media, attempting to redefine sexual assault and comparing it to a home invasion. His remarks sparked immediate backlash, particularly from the women’s rights group Ultraviolet, which called for the cancellation of “The Good Life”. A few days later, the show was axed by TBS. Although the official reason for the cancellation was poor ratings, Green’s controversial comments most likely contributed to the decision.
For two seasons, Clayne Crawford starred opposite Damon Wayans as two mismatched buddy cops in the TV reboot of “Lethal Weapon”. Despite strong audience ratings, Crawford was suddenly fired from the show following the second season due to his alleged hostile behavior on-set. Reports also indicated a strained relationship between Crawford and Wayans, a claim supported by Wayans in a lengthy Twitter thread where he criticized his former co-star’s questionable conduct. Crawford was eventually replaced with Seann William Scott, but the controversy already spelled doom for the show’s future. After filming of the third season was completed, Wayans also announced his departure, delivering a fatal blow to “Lethal Weapon”.
This short-lived sitcom starred Kevin James as a retired cop seeking a new purpose. Co-created by James, the show initially featured Erinn Hayes as his character’s wife, Donna. After the first season, however, Hayes was let go for unspecified creative reasons and her character Donna was killed off. Leah Remini, James’ former co-star from “The King of Queens,” then took over as the new female lead, steering the show in a different direction. This decision faced criticism from fans and critics alike, who disapproved of how Donna’s death was handled and unfavorably compared the James-Remini pairing to their previous series. Although James claimed the changes were made to secure the show’s future, “Kevin Can Wait” was ultimately canceled after the second season.
When the hit ABC family sitcom “Growing Pains” premiered in 1985, actor Kirk Cameron, who starred as the oldest son Mike, identified as an atheist. However, a few seasons in, Cameron converted to Christianity and made some significant life changes that began to seep into the show. The actor demanded script alterations and asked for certain lines that conflicted with his newfound beliefs to be cut. Most notably, he allegedly called for the firing of actress Julie McCullough, who played his on-screen girlfriend, because she posed nude for Playboy magazine. McCullough was replaced by Chelsea Noble, who later became Cameron’s real-life wife. These shifts seemingly complicated production on the sitcom and greatly strained Cameron’s relationship with his co-stars.
Alec Baldwin has had his fair share of controversies over the years, but it was a 2013 altercation that led to the early cancellation of his late-night talk show. Baldwin, who is famously known for his aversion to the paparazzi, was caught on camera in a confrontation with a photographer during which he uttered a homophobic slur. Even though he was caught on tape, Baldwin denied using the word, but apologized for the incident nonetheless. Despite that, MSNBC fired Baldwin and canceled his late-night talk show “Up Late with Alec Baldwin” after just five episodes. Even before the scandal, the show’s future was already shaky, given its lackluster weekly viewership.
The FX comedy drama “Louie,” which was created, written, directed and produced by Louis C.K., also starred him as a fictionalized version of himself. Hence, when bombshell allegations emerged against the comedian, many struggled to dissociate the series from its creator. In 2017, multiple women had come forward accusing C.K. of gross sexual misconduct, which he eventually admitted to. At the time, “Louie” was on hiatus, but due to the mounting controversy, FX cut off ties with C.K. and canceled the show. Even with “Louie” now off the air, fans have found it hard revisiting it because of the striking parallels between the fictional character’s life and that of the real-life comedian.
By October 2017, the Netflix political thriller “House of Cards” had released five stellar seasons, led by Oscar-winning actor Kevin Spacey. Shortly after its sixth season renewal, actor Anthony Rapp accused Spacey of sexual misconduct, which occurred when Rapp was still a minor. Spacey claimed to not recall the incident, but apologized for it anyway. Over the next few days, more allegations surfaced, which prompted Netflix to fire Spacey from the show and completely sever ties with him. The following year, the final season of “House of Cards” returned without Spacey, whose character had been killed off. The glaring absence resulted in decreased fan interest and notably poorer reviews for the season, compared to previous ones.
For eight seasons, Charlie Sheen essentially played himself on the CBS sitcom “Two and a Half Men,” becoming the highest-paid actor on television. Sheen grappled with substance use disorder, resulting in multiple rehab stints that caused production on the show to be suspended. However, it was when the actor made several disparaging remarks about “Two and a Half Men” creator Chuck Lorre that the studio decided they had had enough. Sheen was initially banned from the production lot and eventually kicked off the show entirely. His dismissal cost the network millions of dollars and left the series hanging in the balance. Although the show eventually rebounded with Ashton Kutcher taking over, it never really felt the same without Sheen.
It is typically unheard of for a network to cancel a show with astronomical ratings. But that’s exactly what ABC did to “Roseanne” in 2018. Just two months after ABC renewed it for another season following its incredible premiere numbers, the network reversed course. Their unexpected decision came as a result of a controversial tweet from star Roseanne Barr, who used derogatory terms to describe a former White House advisor. Later that same day, Barr was fired and the show was canceled. This meant that the fate of the cast and crew remained uncertain while the network decided on their next action. Eventually, they retooled the show as “The Conners,” retaining much of the original team, except for Barr.
#10: Jeffrey Tambor
“Transparent” (2014-19)Throughout its run, the Amazon Prime series “Transparent” was praised for its nuanced exploration of gender and sexuality. Lead actor Jeffrey Tambor received particular acclaim for his portrayal of Maura Pfefferman, a transgender woman who comes out later in life. However, controversy arose after the fourth season’s premiere when Tambor was accused of sexual misconduct by two trans women who worked with him on the set. Although the actor denied the allegations, he was fired from the series a few months later. This scandal cast a negative light on the show, which was once hailed as revolutionary. With Tambor gone, the planned fifth season was eventually retooled into a film, which received far less favorable reviews than the preceding installments.
#9: CeeLo Green
“CeeLo Green's The Good Life” (2014)In 2014, singer CeeLo Green began hosting and starring in the TBS unscripted comedy series, “The Good Life”. But it seems life wasn’t so good for Green off-screen. That same year, he pleaded no contest to drugging a woman and was sentenced to three years of probation. Green came to his own defense on social media, attempting to redefine sexual assault and comparing it to a home invasion. His remarks sparked immediate backlash, particularly from the women’s rights group Ultraviolet, which called for the cancellation of “The Good Life”. A few days later, the show was axed by TBS. Although the official reason for the cancellation was poor ratings, Green’s controversial comments most likely contributed to the decision.
#8: Clayne Crawford
“Lethal Weapon” (2016–19)For two seasons, Clayne Crawford starred opposite Damon Wayans as two mismatched buddy cops in the TV reboot of “Lethal Weapon”. Despite strong audience ratings, Crawford was suddenly fired from the show following the second season due to his alleged hostile behavior on-set. Reports also indicated a strained relationship between Crawford and Wayans, a claim supported by Wayans in a lengthy Twitter thread where he criticized his former co-star’s questionable conduct. Crawford was eventually replaced with Seann William Scott, but the controversy already spelled doom for the show’s future. After filming of the third season was completed, Wayans also announced his departure, delivering a fatal blow to “Lethal Weapon”.
#7: Kevin James
“Kevin Can Wait” (2016-18)This short-lived sitcom starred Kevin James as a retired cop seeking a new purpose. Co-created by James, the show initially featured Erinn Hayes as his character’s wife, Donna. After the first season, however, Hayes was let go for unspecified creative reasons and her character Donna was killed off. Leah Remini, James’ former co-star from “The King of Queens,” then took over as the new female lead, steering the show in a different direction. This decision faced criticism from fans and critics alike, who disapproved of how Donna’s death was handled and unfavorably compared the James-Remini pairing to their previous series. Although James claimed the changes were made to secure the show’s future, “Kevin Can Wait” was ultimately canceled after the second season.
#6: Kirk Cameron
“Growing Pains” (1985-92)When the hit ABC family sitcom “Growing Pains” premiered in 1985, actor Kirk Cameron, who starred as the oldest son Mike, identified as an atheist. However, a few seasons in, Cameron converted to Christianity and made some significant life changes that began to seep into the show. The actor demanded script alterations and asked for certain lines that conflicted with his newfound beliefs to be cut. Most notably, he allegedly called for the firing of actress Julie McCullough, who played his on-screen girlfriend, because she posed nude for Playboy magazine. McCullough was replaced by Chelsea Noble, who later became Cameron’s real-life wife. These shifts seemingly complicated production on the sitcom and greatly strained Cameron’s relationship with his co-stars.
#5: Alec Baldwin
“Up Late with Alec Baldwin” (2013)Alec Baldwin has had his fair share of controversies over the years, but it was a 2013 altercation that led to the early cancellation of his late-night talk show. Baldwin, who is famously known for his aversion to the paparazzi, was caught on camera in a confrontation with a photographer during which he uttered a homophobic slur. Even though he was caught on tape, Baldwin denied using the word, but apologized for the incident nonetheless. Despite that, MSNBC fired Baldwin and canceled his late-night talk show “Up Late with Alec Baldwin” after just five episodes. Even before the scandal, the show’s future was already shaky, given its lackluster weekly viewership.
#4: Louis C.K.
“Louie” (2010-15)The FX comedy drama “Louie,” which was created, written, directed and produced by Louis C.K., also starred him as a fictionalized version of himself. Hence, when bombshell allegations emerged against the comedian, many struggled to dissociate the series from its creator. In 2017, multiple women had come forward accusing C.K. of gross sexual misconduct, which he eventually admitted to. At the time, “Louie” was on hiatus, but due to the mounting controversy, FX cut off ties with C.K. and canceled the show. Even with “Louie” now off the air, fans have found it hard revisiting it because of the striking parallels between the fictional character’s life and that of the real-life comedian.
#3: Kevin Spacey
“House of Cards” (2013-18)By October 2017, the Netflix political thriller “House of Cards” had released five stellar seasons, led by Oscar-winning actor Kevin Spacey. Shortly after its sixth season renewal, actor Anthony Rapp accused Spacey of sexual misconduct, which occurred when Rapp was still a minor. Spacey claimed to not recall the incident, but apologized for it anyway. Over the next few days, more allegations surfaced, which prompted Netflix to fire Spacey from the show and completely sever ties with him. The following year, the final season of “House of Cards” returned without Spacey, whose character had been killed off. The glaring absence resulted in decreased fan interest and notably poorer reviews for the season, compared to previous ones.
#2: Charlie Sheen
“Two and a Half Men” (2003-15)For eight seasons, Charlie Sheen essentially played himself on the CBS sitcom “Two and a Half Men,” becoming the highest-paid actor on television. Sheen grappled with substance use disorder, resulting in multiple rehab stints that caused production on the show to be suspended. However, it was when the actor made several disparaging remarks about “Two and a Half Men” creator Chuck Lorre that the studio decided they had had enough. Sheen was initially banned from the production lot and eventually kicked off the show entirely. His dismissal cost the network millions of dollars and left the series hanging in the balance. Although the show eventually rebounded with Ashton Kutcher taking over, it never really felt the same without Sheen.
#1: Roseanne Barr
“Roseanne” (1988-97; 2018)It is typically unheard of for a network to cancel a show with astronomical ratings. But that’s exactly what ABC did to “Roseanne” in 2018. Just two months after ABC renewed it for another season following its incredible premiere numbers, the network reversed course. Their unexpected decision came as a result of a controversial tweet from star Roseanne Barr, who used derogatory terms to describe a former White House advisor. Later that same day, Barr was fired and the show was canceled. This meant that the fate of the cast and crew remained uncertain while the network decided on their next action. Eventually, they retooled the show as “The Conners,” retaining much of the original team, except for Barr.
