MovieChat Forums > Prey (1998) Discussion > FYI Debra Messing Left Prey to do Will+...

FYI Debra Messing Left Prey to do Will+Grace

posted 18 years ago by Treefortrichard
7 replies | jump to latest

The reason why this show was cancelled...as I recall was that Debra Messing left it to do Will and Grace and they had no opportunity to wrap it up, she just quit.

[–] SilverChex 18 years ago

No the reason the show was canceled was because ABC canceled it. They kept preempting it with Americas Funniest Home Videos and it was competing against 'Friends' on Thurs. nights. Friends was the highest rated show at that time. I believe Prey would have made it if it had been handled better by ABC. It did extremely well with test audiences. ABC showed the first 8 episodes and canceled it. The fans pushed for them to air the last 5 episodes and they did. The show ended in July of 1998. Debra Messing went after the part in Will & Grace when Prey was canceled.... :(

[–] 18 years ago

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[–] moviemancritter 16 years ago

There is no way that the show was canceled just because of her leaving. When an actor (or actress) starts a new series they have to sign a contract making that series their primary obligation for anywhere from 5 to 7 years depends on the network and the producers.

The only way she could audition for the role of a series-regular in another series would have been with written-consent from the producers as well as the Network and Studio.

[–] pleistocene 13 years ago

So the world was spared another series of this highly interesting SF series in favour of the first series of 'Will And Grace'?

They should have eliminated Homo Sapiens when they had the chance...

"People will do anything, no matter how absurd, in order to avoid facing their own soul" - C.G.Jung

[–] SilverChex 13 years ago

Yes and it was quite good. They even hired Charlie Craig of the X-Files to come in and take over. Too bad ABC didn't give it more of a chance. Debra Messing was quite good in it. And the premise was exciting... If anyone would like to view some photos and clips go here: http://photobucket.com/Silverchex_Prey

[–] 13 years ago

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[–] jbowmore 13 years ago

As noted by others, shows do not get cancelled because the lead quits during the first season for another TV show. This is because the lead is contractually obligated to the show they are currently on.

Note however, that the lead could film a pilot for another show even without permission from the current show as a fallback option in case the current series is cancelled.

In such a case—if the pilot is picked up, and the leads current series is also not cancelled—the actors part in the new show is recast.

So if Prey had not been cancelled, then Messing would have been recast on Will & Grace before it ever aired (forcing the pilot to be partially re-shot). It is in fact not uncommon to have to re-shoot parts of a pilot due to an actor change.

I.E. her being in the W&G pilot did not force the cancellation of Prey. rather the cancellation allowed her to sign with W&G.