(Brian Bowen Smith / FOX)
As previously reported, Clayne Crawford, who starred as Martin Riggs on the first two seasons of the Lethal Weapon TV show on FOX, was let go from the production. Subsequently, Lethal Weapon was renewed for season three, and a new actor, Seann William Scott, has been tapped to star in a new role opposite Damon Wayans’ Roger Murtaugh. During the Upfronts, a FOX exec addressed the recent firing of one of the show’s two leads.
A FOX TV series adaptation of the buddy-cop film franchise, Lethal Weapon also stars Keesha Sharp, Kevin Rahm, Jordana Brewster, Johnathan Fernandez, Dante Brown, Chandler Kinney, and Michelle Mitchenor. FOX Chair and CEO Dana Walden made it clear that firing Crawford wasn’t the network’s call.
On Crawford’s ouster and bringing back Lethal Weapon with a new co-star, Scott, playing a new character, Fox chairman Dana Walden said, “It wasn’t our choice. Our partners at Warner Bros. came to us and said that they could not deliver the show as it was.”
She noted that it was a difficult decision on both the part of the studio and the network. After the studio presented Fox with Scott as a replacement, the network signed off on a third season.
“I think we made the right choice,” she said, noting that Scott’s addition brings “good new dynamic to the show with a lot of its original dynamic intact.”
Newman added that “90 percent of the cast is coming back,” including the Murtaugh family, which is an important focal point of the show.
“We will be making sure to let the audience know there is something new” on the series this fall, he added regarding Fox’s marketing plans for Season 3 and noted that another cop drama, ABC’s NYPD Blue, had to replace one of its two leads after the first season after David Caruso’s exit, but went on to have a long and successful run.
What do you think? Are you a Clayne Crawford fan? Will you check out the third season of the Lethal Weapon TV series, to see how you like the new actor and character?
New season definitely sucks without Riggs. He made the show. Will not watch anymore!!!!
We had Lethal Weapon preprogrammed on our tv because we looked forward to watching the antics of Roger and Riggs.The shows ducks without Riggs.
OK, I just watched Lethal Weapon season 3 and I loved the show. Seann William Scott was great and the extra muscle he put on works well for the role, sometimes change is good because it leaves room for the writers to be more creative Maybe the females case members will have more scenes as well to make the show more family friendly.
Won’t waste my time watching without Clayne
Clay made the show, big mistake. I watched the new guy no way !
I gave the show a chance. The magic is gone. No more for me. It is a shame.
I loved riggs, and the premise of the show was those 2 guys together, totally off the beaten path.
How is aformer CIA agent going to fit into it?
Wayans was not getting the attention that he thought he should, Riggs was the best.
No I’ll not be watching the show. I watched it because I loved the Lethal weapon movies.
No longer kin to those.
I was shocked to hear this about Clayne Crawford not being back on the show! Riggs was paired so well with Daymon!! I will NOT be watching it anymore. He played his part great & Warner Bros just made a mistake, this will not be on after this season!
Sean william scott is good for another american pie i watched the show because of crawford and damon’s partnership bring him back it’s gonna suck with stiffler nothing he makes ever works you just messed up my show line up….bring him back
Clayne sucks. Happy to see him go.
We will be watching. Glad Clayne is gone. He was ruining the show .
Bring back Riggs or cancel the show, will not watch season 3 without him. It’s his personality that drew most of the fans!
No i won’t be watching. I absolutely loved leathal weapon, riggs was such a great character and clayne IS amazing. You have ruined it !!
We won’t be watching the new actor, we don’t like Murtaugh, and we loved Crawford…
My husband and I will no longer watch Lethal Weapon. Clayne Crawford was the lethal weapon. He can’t be replaced.
so there making leathal weapon season 3 without the leathal weapon. riggs. its not going to work. It might as well be called the Murtaugh show. Shows dead now.
To true !!
Totally agree!
I look forward to seeing the new partner for D. Wayans. It will be refreshing to see a new character that is a little more balanced.