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Erinn Hayes not returning for Season 2, Leah Remini joins cast as regular

posted 7 years ago by JR-TV (102)
21 replies | jump to latest

Erinn Hayes who played the role of Donna Gable on Season 1 of Kevin Can Wait will not be returning for Season 2. Leah Remini, who guess-starred on the two-part season finale, will join the cast full-time. I don't know how I feel about this. On one hand, I didn't really like Hayes' character but on the other hand, I don't really want this show to become King of Queens. I hope they keep Remini's character as a co-worker. I don't want her to become a romantic interest for James' character. That would be too much like King of Queens. I did like the two pretending to be married undercover and disliking each other in 'real' life. I hope they keep most of the supporting cast including, the oldest daughter and her boyfriend, Kevin's brother and his group of friends. The younger daughter and the son can go the way of the wife as far as I'm concerned, as they really didn't serve a purpose to the show anyway. How are they going to explain Donna's absence? I really hope they explain why she is gone rather than the season starting and she just not be there, with no explanation of where she went. Would they be gutsy enough to kill off the character? I doubt it but would be open to that option as it would provide the most seamless transition. It will be interesting to find out. Season 2 starts Sept. 25th.

[–] [deleted] 7 years ago

The ratings were solid so not sure where this decision came from. Personally I think it's a terrible idea and I have no idea how they're going to pull this off. The problem is they're was no real hint that they were unhappy as a couple in the first season (yes they fought but appeared to still be in love through it all) so to have them get divorces makes a big part of season 1 feel like a total lie. Killing her off solves that problem but would still likely alienate many viewers who like Hayes. It will be interesting to see how this plays out.

[–] KevMill (242) 7 years ago

She was absolutely terrible!! No on-screen chemistry between she and Kevin, and can't forget, her being very unattractive. Her acting wa cring-worthy to say the least, gald she's gone. Wish her all the best on a show I don't watch, like game of thrones, or something.

[–] FordFairlane (299) 7 years ago

Very unattractive? Compared to who? Kevin? Leah? Dude, get real. And the fact you dont watch game of thrones says it all. No taste.

[–] Cookie.L.A. (2117) 7 years ago

<< Very unattractive? Compared to who? Kevin? >>

Exactly.

Like he's such a dreamboat...
.

[–] TMC-4 (19392) 7 years ago

Kevin Can Wait is if you ask me, shaping up to be CBS' version of Last Man Standing with Tim Allen. Both were fledgling or middle of the road (meaning that they did decent enough numbers and weren't that offensive but they at the end of the day, didn't create much waves) to put things more harshly sitcoms that were comeback vehicles of sorts for Kevin James (The King of Queens) and Tim Allen (Home Improvement).

But as things moved forward, both stars seemed to infuse more of their egos to the arguable detriment of the shows. In Tim Allen's case, he seemed to want to put in more of his real life political beliefs into his character as a means of creating some sort of new age All in the Family albeit more conservative slanted. Kevin James meanwhile, thinks that making King of Queens 2.0 by having Leah Remini (Tim Allen also brought along some of his old Home Improvement co-stars like Patricia Richardson, Richard Karn, and Jonathan Taylor Thomas to Last Man Standing for a cheap nostalgia pop) on will make things "all good" again.

And there's naturally, some big collateral damage along the way with Erinn Hayes and Alexandra Krosney (who played James and Allen's wife and eldest daughter respectively) getting dumped after the first seasons of each show.

[–] dt123 (688) 7 years ago

Years ago, on Make Room For Daddy, the character of Danny's wife passed away suddenly. This provided many grief episodes, until Danny finally remarried, to a wife with her own daughter, and sending the eldest daughter off to college, changing the family around. So they've been doing this stuff for decades. I liked Errin Hayes, though, and will be bummed to see her go. I guess not enuf laughs from her.

[–] JR-TV (102) 7 years ago

I remember hearing about that. That is probably the only time a sitcom has killed off a major character and not had it be for comedy. Will they do it with Kevin Can Wait? We will have to wait and see.

[–] dt123 (688) 7 years ago

Well of course there was Edith Bunker (Archie's Place, All in the Family sequel) and Henry Blake (MASH). And John Goodman character on Roseanne. Probably more I can't think of.

[–] JR-TV (102) 7 years ago

Yeah I guess there were more. But it is definitely rare.

[–] [deleted] 7 years ago

In the 80s ther was a show called Valerie starring Valerie Harper but after contract disputes early in the show's run they killed off her character and renamed the show Valerie's Family and eventually The Hogan Family.

[–] [deleted] 7 years ago

Also not a sitcom but a fairly lighthearted mystery show, McMillan and Wife in the 70s was rebranded as just McMillan around season 4 or 5 and it was explained his wife died in a plane crash.

[–] vranger (444) 6 years ago

On Good Times, Jimmy Walker's father was killed off.

James Garner was killed off on Nichols. Nichols was not a sitcom, but it was an hour-long show with a humorous side. The character was to be replaced by his brother (also Garner), but the show was canceled.

Charlie Sheen on Two and a Half Men.

This doesn't count the times it happened because the actor died. (John Ritter, Nick Colasante, for example).

[–] dt123 (688) 6 years ago

Good list.

[–] TJLamb0518 (3316) 6 years ago

My Mother The Car revolved around the mother being dead.......and a car.

[–] dt123 (688) 6 years ago

Ha! I think there might be other shows with cars, but I can't think of any.

[–] PinkRubies (4) 7 years ago

Yes, they are definitely killing off Haye's character. I didn't really "dislike" her, but it always seemed like Kevin was cheating on Leah to me. I absolutely love Leah as an actress, so I am THRILLED to see her FINALLY get a permanent spot on a show. I also loved King of Queens, so a revamp of that show is just fine with me! Wondering though, how they are going to kill off the Donna Gable character and if Kevin and and Vanessa will become an item.

Here's an article I found:
http://variety.com/2017/tv/news/erinn-hayes-kevin-can-wait-donna-killed-off-leah-remini-1202512614/

[–] ADBruno1985 (3303) 7 years ago

I don't even watch the show (or King of Queens, at least not regularly), but I'm going to guess they'll force the "working relationship" for a while, but have James and Remini be end game. But it'll be a bit so they can try to force us into believing it was organic and never really their plan.

[–] JR-TV (102) 7 years ago

I really hope they don't have plans to make them a couple. I thought it was hilarious them pretending to be married undercover and then hating each other in 'real' life. I want to see more of that.

[–] Washingtonnative (2613) 7 years ago

Oh, I definitely predict they will make them a couple. Why else would they kill off Erinn Hayes?

[–] TMC-4 (19392) 6 years ago

Kevin Can Wait hasn't recovered after the unexplained death of Erinn Hayes' character
https://www.newsday.com/entertainment/tv/kevin-can-wait-review-1.18386544
Not explaining why Kevin James' TV wife died has hurt the CBS sitcom, which is now on the bubble for next season. "A weird black hole has existed at the center of Kevin this season because it's finally occurred to fans, viewers, really anyone, that Kevin hasn't a clue what happened to Donna and couldn't care less, either," says Verne Gay. "Successful sitcoms float on a cloud of fake goodwill and bonhomie, even the most seditious of them (Seinfeld). By bumping off Donna, Kevin couldn't even fake that."

[–] Culburn (3638) 6 years ago

It's un-watchable. And after he was so dead on in KoQ,,,refused to loiter all the other shit shows garbage,,,he ends up in the shit & garbage anyway. I'll be damned. Not life & death, but, a dirty shame nonetheless.