They shouldnt've killed off Chris. I know that Rob probably didn't want to act in Silk Stalkings anymore, but they shouldnt've killed off his character. They could've just had his character go off with Rita. After all, Mitzi soon afterwards also left the show. So they should've just had his character leave.
It was Estes' idea to have his character killed off, as he didn't want the door open for him to ever come back. He says this on the Season 1 box set in an interview.
But I agree. I wish they would've left the show together. I was so into that storyline and was happy they finally got together. I hated the way they ended it. Always have.
Actually, it really wouldn't have mattered what Estes wanted. The writers/producers/directors determine what happens, not the actors. And the original idea was not to kill Chris off. This was before Mitzi discovered she was pregnant and planned on leaving the show herself. The idea had been to have Chris and Rita sleep together and then realize that they had ruined their friendship. Chris was going to move to Chicago. Then Mitzi found out she was pregnant so the writers had to change the last five or so episodes at the last minute because they knew that it would be completely out-of-character for Chris to abandon a pregnant Rita. Thus came about the story of them getting married, Chris getting killed, and Rita high-tailing it to places unknown. I saw an interview somewhere and the writers were talking about how they had to change the whole direction of the show right at the last minutes due to Mitzi's pregnancy. It all came down to Mitzi leaving the show too. Rob had nothing to do with that storyline.
I think when Mitzi was still staying on the show, they didn't want to kill Chris off because they could perhaps 'make up' over the phone, mail, etc. Who knows...maybe they would have tried to get someone else to play Chris(not that it would have worked). If Rita was still there, they didn't want to totally give up on the Chris/Rita storyline. But since both were leaving, they decided to just make a clean break and start the series over with the two new actors. It was the same series only in name.
Personally, while I'm horribly saddened that Chris was killed, it actually makes for some really good television. Those last few episodes were some of the best in the series, IMHO. It certainly makes those episodes much more memorable then if Chris and Rita had just moved away together.
Thanks for that important information Cloudburst2000! It really made me understand why they did things even though I did not agree with the killing of Chris's character though. I understand that with Mitzi's pregnancy it made the show a little more interesting but it is a shame that while this was on that they did not create a spinoff show from this with the new characters like they have now with Law And Order, CSI, and a lot of others as well that you can think of.
The thing is would it have had a following though is my question if they created a spinoff of the show? That I am not sure but if I was a true Silk Stalkings fan then I would have watched it though.
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"Actually, it really wouldn't have mattered what Estes wanted. Rob had nothing to do with that storyline."
Again, Estes himself takes credit for the idea of Chris getting killed in the Season 1 box set interviews. Fact.
Now, whether or not that is true -- I'm not in a position to judge.
What I meant was that the direction of the storyline really had nothing to do with Estes. They were definitely NOT going to kill him off when Mitzi was still going to be on the show. His death would have over-shadowed any ensuing seasons that still had Rita in the show. It would not have made a hill of beans difference what Rob wanted. They only agreed to kill Chris off when it became apparent that Mitzi would not be coming back either. Rob might have suggested killing Chris off, but the directors/writers would have done what they wanted to do regardless of what Rob wanted. Chris would not have died if Mitzi had stayed...end of story. The show would have become depressing and would have only focused on Chris' death and Rita's handling. I, myself, think that may have been interesting, but they weren't interested in turning the show into a serious drama which is what it would have become. Since both Rob and Mitzi were going to be gone, Chris' death and Rita's departure was a rather sad and poignant send-off to an end of the first era of Silk Stalkings. But Rob ultimately didn't control the direction of the storyline, the writers did. They ONLY went with his suggestion at the end because it worked as a way to write out both characters.
shareWhether they "ONLY" killed off Chris because Mitzi wasn't coming back, and would've definitely "NOT" gone that direction had she stayed -- the fact is that part of the story (Chris dying) was Rob's idea and that's all I said which you have agreed with, albeit seemingly reluctantly.
shareI'm not saying that he didn't come up with the death of Chris storyline, but that in the end, it would not have mattered what he wanted them to do. They decided to use his idea when it was apparent that both Mitzi and Rob were leaving for good. They were not going to kill off Chris prior to Mitzi deciding to leave the show too. My point is that the writers could have just decided to have Chris and Rita marry and then move to Timbuktu and Rob couldn't have done a thing about it. They took a suggestion from Rob, yes, but the direction of the show was up to the writers, not Rob.
shareI agree that they shouldn't have killed off Chris. But maybe just maybe Rob and Mitzi will work together again. The chemistry between them was awesome!! :-)
shareYou seem to know a lot about the details behind the show, Cloudburst2000. Do you know whether or not Rob Estes left the show because he wanted to join Melrose Place? I noticed that the timeline fits nicely so that as soon as he left Silk Stockings, shortly thereafter he joined Melrose Place. So I was wondering if that was planning on his part, or just mere coincidence?
Also, in the scene where his character is shot, was he wearing a bulletproof vest? It's been nearly 20 years, but I thought there was some mention that the killer used so-called cop killer bullets. Do you remember anything about that?
Uhh... I don't know if he specifically left for Melrose Place but I suspect that he did. His wife was one of the characters on that show.
And yes, Chris was wearing a bullet-proof vest, and he was killed with cop-killer bullets that could pierce a bullet-proof vest.
"It was Estes' idea to have his character killed off, as he didn't want the door open for him to ever come back."
I never get why actors say this. Don't they have enough willpower to say" No, I'm never coming back!"???
I totally agree with you! I cant even bear to watch season 5 because of that. I saw a little clip on youtube of the wedding/funeral/rita crying. Nope way too sad i refuse to watch past season 4
shareBut, especially if you're a Rita & Chris shipper, you miss out on a lot of the best scenes if you don't watch the first episodes of season 5!! Since you already know what happens, just stop after watching after episode 11 Till death do us part. Ep 12 The las kiss goodbye and ep 13 Dead asleep are the sad ones.
I also hate that they decided to kill Chris. Since both Rob and Mitzi left the show, I think they could've come up with a storlyline of them moving away that could've worked. For instanse some scenario with these mafioso/bad guys that forced C&R to "dissappear" for their and their baby's safety. Something like that. One thing I don't think would've worked is for Chris to just move away and leave Rita. Him leaving a pregnant Rita, even if them sleeping together would've ruined their friendship, would've been totally out of character for him. So even if I hate that they killed him, that works better than him just moving away somewhere.
Though I used to wish Rob hadn't pushed to have Chris killed, I recognize that it made the most sense when Rita (Mitzi) was leaving anyway. Wouldn't have been much of a climax had they just walked into Capt's office and said "see ya" and disappeared. Those last few episodes had a lot of shock value to them from the moment Chris and Rita finally become romantically involved, to Chris' death, then that last Mitzi episode where it was pretty obvious she was leaving the show. I remember all that being quite a ride and when I watched those episodes years later when Season 5 came out on DVD it was still strong enough to get me teary eyed. Much more memorable than had they both just decided to quit the force and move to Saskatchewan. I doubt the series would've endeared on in my memory from that era of my life had that been the case.
shareI know this is any old reply but I cried my eyes out when he died, as you said I wish they didn't kill him off; they could've had Chris/Rita leave together and have their family. I NEVER understood why it all played out that way??? The show was never the same and I love Chris Potter but things just changed for me.
shareIt's one of those tv-land things I don't understand either. Since both actots wanted out, and they didn't have yo come up with a storyline that worked with just one of the main characters, why not let the fans have their happy ending? There's nothing gained killing Chris off and having Rita move away the episode after...
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