We, fans, tend to grow a different kind of relationship with the characters we either love or hate from the shows we love. Great admiration for these actors grows as we see them lead these roles. A sudden departure of such actors and characters from the show leaves us (most of the time) devastated and heartbroken. Here’s a list of 21 such actors who left their own TV shows, and why.
1. Michael Scott from The Office
This had to be the first thing on our list of actors who left their own TV shows. The Office is one of the most loved NBC sitcoms ever and there’d be hardly anyone who would disagree with this. And for many, the reason to love the show so much is Michael Scott’s character and how wonderfully it was played by the amazingly skillful actor, Steve Carell. After Steve decided to leave the show he also decided to crush many hearts. Many fans even voiced their disappointment.
He acted in the series for seven seasons and decided to leave the show since his contract had come to an end. After that, two more seasons aired and in the series finale in 2013, he graced us with his presence again.
2. Christy from Mom
In September 2020, Anna Farris announced about leaving the show, CBS sitcom Mom, after seven seasons. Anna, alongside Allison Janney, gave us a great, if not ideal initially, mother-daughter duo. And we were soon attached to their lives, showing their success as actresses.
While announcing her departure from the show, she thanked the writers, producers, and co-actors for the amazing journey on the show as Christy. She also hoped to pursue new opportunities while being hooked to Mom with her family. The actors who left their own TV shows, especially like these, are hard to forget.
3. The Great, Sheldon Cooper from Big Bang Theory
We have loved Jim Parsons playing the adorable, Dr. Sheldon Cooper on Big Bang Theory. He did a great job in showing us, precisely, the sides of Sheldon, making us celebrate his weirdness and the soft side equally. However, after being on the show for twelve seasons, he decided that it was time to bid goodbye to the show and to us.
After announcing his exit, he left his fans and followers a heartfelt note on Instagram saying how much he will miss being Sheldon Cooper. Soon after this decision, CBS decided to have the twelfth season as the final one. He’s one of the most loved actors who left their own TV shows.
4. Gina Linetti from Brooklyn nine-nine
Gina’s exit from the show was the most hilarious exit and best suited for the characters. In shows like Brooklyn nine-nine, exit of such characters is more challenging. It should be buyable and apt for the show’s mood. The ending showed the beauty of the bonds she shared with each one of them, by showing her say goodbye to each one of them separately.
She left the show in the middle of season six and revealed that she had a lot of fun planning ways to show Gina’s exit with the show’s co-creator, Dan Goor.
5. Rachel and Mike Ross from Suits
Anyone liking a corporate, law drama must have enjoyed watching the series thoroughly. In the season seven finale of the show, the two characters decide to move away to Seattle after getting married. Meghan Markle and Patrick J. Adams left the series together after season seven.
Meghan wanted to leave the series post her engagement with Prince Harry in 2017, while Patrick wanted to spend more time with his family and thought that this was the best exit for the characters.
6. Amy from Superstore
In Superstore, America Ferrera’s, Amy, character’s corporate growth which led to Amy’s exit from the show. She gets a better opportunity which requires her to leave for Los Angeles. Her announcement of leaving the show was through a sweet Instagram post, thanking for the rewarding experience. Her final appearance on the show will be in the series finale.
7. Eric from That ‘70s Show
During the show, Topher Grace received recognition for his skills and as a result, it landed him a couple of roles for the big screen. To show the character’s exit from the show, he received an offer for a teaching job in Africa for a year. So the character exited by accepting the offer. They replaced Eric’s character by introducing Randy in the final season. Later after leaving the show, we saw him playing Venom in Spider-Man 3.
8. Lexie from Grey’s Anatomy
Did Lexie’s death on the show bring tears to your eyes? Did it break your hearts too? Well, the plane crash we all saw, that led to Lexie’s sad death, was indeed an exit plot for Chyler Leigh from the show. Later the actress revealed that she and the show producer, Shonda Rhimes worked together to figure out an exit for the character. Another, one of the actors who left their own TV shows who are hard to forget.
9. Kourtney Kardashian in Keeping Up With The Kardashians
However boring the series might be, it was still quite famous and endless. The show was criticized by many, however many admired the Kardashians’ beauty. Kourtney Kardashian left the series after working in it for over 10 years and for 18 seasons.
She mentioned that she wanted to devote more time to her kids and also that the work environment was becoming toxic for her. Later, she became the reason for show’s ending.
10. F. P Jones from Riverdale
The actor, Skeet Ulrich, announced his exit from the show earlier this year. F. P from the show was the former leader of the Southside Serpents and a father of two kids. He made the announcement via an Instagram live video. He mentioned that he got bored of the further development of his character. The show’s creator, Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa expressed hopes for him to return to the show.
11. Simon Basset from Bridgerton
Rege-Jean Page gained a lot of popularity from the Netflix series, Bridgerton. The series is the most-watched series in Netflix’s history. However, Page is determined to not return to the series for the second season. The actor thinks of his actor’s character arc to be a one-time thing.
12. Derek Morgan from Criminal Minds
The actor, Shemar Moore, announced leaving the show, Criminal Minds, in 2016. The character had great depth and was an integral part of the team. We saw him play the role for 11 years. His reason to leave was to explore himself more as an actor, to identify what other roles he is capable of playing.
13. Christina from Grey’s Anatomy
After they finished season nine, Sandra Oh told Shonda Rhimes that she wants to exit the series. The character’s exit in the show was planned gracefully, by making her the director of Cardiothoracic surgery in Zurich to work with Burke. She reasoned it by saying that she had accomplished everything for the character and felt a sense of satisfaction.
The list can go on and on… Which exit hurt you the most? Let us know in the comments below!
