How TV Shows Handled Stars’ Deaths: From ‘Riverdale’ to ‘Glee’

Credit: Dean Buscher/The CW; Fox-Tv/Kobal/Shutterstock

How TV Shows Handled Stars’ Deaths: From ‘Riverdale’ to ‘Glee’

Riverdale, Glee and more TV shows were faced with the difficult task of writing out characters after their portrayers died off screen. Luke Perry’s sudden and tragic death in March 2019 left the Riverdale writers room with the undertaking of giving Fred Andrews a proper sendoff while also honoring the late actor. The crew decided to hold off on addressing the character’s absence until season 4, dedicating the entire premiere in October 2019 to saying goodbye. “It was really hard on everybody. We had gone through the hiatus and sort of, in a way, could dodge the feelings if we needed to, whatever the healing process became,” Skeet Ulrich told Us Weekly exclusively in October 2019. “We could lean on each other still through that break and then when we were tasked in retelling our own grief, in a way, it was quite a bonding experience. It’s a really tight-knit cast as it is, but that really put us to task.” [jwplayer tV7N8JYT-zhNYySv2] The Scream star detailed the process of filming the tribute episode. “There wasn’t a day where somebody wasn’t getting picked up off the floor from their emotions of it. It’s hard. It’s incredibly hard,” he recalled. “I mean, he should be here right now, doing this. He’s not gone. He’s as much a part of us now. I just miss his presence, and I think we felt that really deeply in the making of that episode, and it was quite a challenge.” The cast of Glee felt similar sentiments after Cory Monteith died in July 2013. “Tonights Glee was made out of a lot of love & a lot of tears by our incredible crew, cast & creators for our friend Cory,” Kevin McHale tweeted when the memorial episode to Finn Hudson aired in October 2013. “We miss you Cory.” Meanwhile, Naya Rivera admitted exclusively to Us in August 2013 that returning to the set after Monteith’s death was “terrible,” though filming the tribute helped her cope with her grief. Scroll to see how TV shows, including 8 Simple Rules, Dallas and more, handled the deaths of actors during production. [podcast_block]

Credit: Dean Buscher/The CW; Fox-Tv/Kobal/Shutterstock

How TV Shows Handled Stars’ Deaths: From ‘Riverdale’ to ‘Glee’

Riverdale, Glee and more TV shows were faced with the difficult task of writing out characters after their portrayers died off screen. Luke Perry’s sudden and tragic death in March 2019 left the Riverdale writers room with the undertaking of giving Fred Andrews a proper sendoff while also honoring the late actor. The crew decided to hold off on addressing the character’s absence until season 4, dedicating the entire premiere in October 2019 to saying goodbye. “It was really hard on everybody. We had gone through the hiatus and sort of, in a way, could dodge the feelings if we needed to, whatever the healing process became,” Skeet Ulrich told Us Weekly exclusively in October 2019. “We could lean on each other still through that break and then when we were tasked in retelling our own grief, in a way, it was quite a bonding experience. It’s a really tight-knit cast as it is, but that really put us to task.” [jwplayer tV7N8JYT-zhNYySv2] The Scream star detailed the process of filming the tribute episode. “There wasn’t a day where somebody wasn’t getting picked up off the floor from their emotions of it. It’s hard. It’s incredibly hard,” he recalled. “I mean, he should be here right now, doing this. He’s not gone. He’s as much a part of us now. I just miss his presence, and I think we felt that really deeply in the making of that episode, and it was quite a challenge.” The cast of Glee felt similar sentiments after Cory Monteith died in July 2013. “Tonights Glee was made out of a lot of love & a lot of tears by our incredible crew, cast & creators for our friend Cory,” Kevin McHale tweeted when the memorial episode to Finn Hudson aired in October 2013. “We miss you Cory.” Meanwhile, Naya Rivera admitted exclusively to Us in August 2013 that returning to the set after Monteith’s death was “terrible,” though filming the tribute helped her cope with her grief. Scroll to see how TV shows, including 8 Simple Rules, Dallas and more, handled the deaths of actors during production. [podcast_block]

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Brian Tarantina

The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel actor died of an accidental drug overdose in November 2019 at age 60. His character, Jackie, died suddenly of a stroke during the fourth season of the Prime Video series, which dropped in February 2022.

Credit: Craig Blankenhorn/HBO

Willie Garson

The Sex and the City alum died in September 2021 at the age of 57 after a secret battle with cancer. The actor reprised his role as Stanford Blatch in the SATC revival, And Just Like That, ahead of his death. The HBO Max series premiered in December 2021 and during the fourth episode, his character was written off the show when Stanford wrote a letter to Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker) saying he moved to Tokyo to work on a 17-year-old TikTok star’s tour.

Credit: Dean Buscher/The CW

Luke Perry

The Beverly Hills, 90210 alum died in March 2019 at age 52 after suffering a stroke. Riverdale wrote off his character, Fred Andrews, in the season 4 premiere, which aired in October 2019. Fred was killed by a hit-and-run driver while trying to help a woman, played by real-life friend Shannen Doherty, with her car.

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Cory Monteith

Monteith died in July 2013 at age 31 of an accidental mixed drug toxicity, involving heroin and alcohol. Glee paid tribute to his character, Finn Hudson, during episode three of season 5, titled “The Quarterback,” in October 2013. The show never revealed how Finn died but rather showed his friends and family — including girlfriend Lea Michele, who played his love interest Rachel Berry — coping with their grief.

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John Ritter

Ritter died of an aortic dissection in September 2003 at age 54. His 8 Simple Rules character, Paul Hennessy, was killed off due to a similar condition in season 2. A tribute episode, titled “Goodbye,” aired in November 2003. The series continued with a third season, as David Spade and James Garner joined the cast, but the sitcom was ultimately canceled as ratings dropped.

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Bill Paxton

Paxton died after suffering a stroke following heart surgery in February 2017 at age 61. The actor was starring as Detective Frank Rourke in CBS’ Training Day series at the time. The show aired the remaining episodes of season 1 and was then canceled.

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Larry Hagman

“Who shot J.R.?” was revived along with Dallas after Hagman died in November 2012 at age 81 following a battle with acute myeloid leukemia. His character, J.R. Ewing, last appeared in season 2’s “The Furious and the Fast,” which aired in March 2013. The oil magnate had his friend shoot him and pin the murder on longtime rival Cliff Barnes (Ken Kercheval) because he was dying of cancer.

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Phil Hartman

The Saturday Night Live alum was tragically shot and killed by his wife, Brynn Hartman, in May 1998 at age 49. His NewsRadio character, Bill McNeal, died by heart attack in the season 5 premiere that aired in September 1998. Hartman’s longtime friend Jon Lovitz later joined the show as his replacement, Max Louis.

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Carrie Fisher

The Star Wars actress died from sleep apnea and a combination of other undetermined factors in December 2016 at age 60. Her Catastrophe character, Mia Norris, was killed off following a suspected heart attack in the series finale in March 2019.

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Anthony Bourdain

Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown was in its 12th season when its host died by suicide in June 2018 at age 61. The series ended as a result, but not before CNN aired the final season with additional narration and interviews provided by guests. Several episodes also served as tributes to Bourdain.

Credit: Sonja Flemming/CBS

Miguel Ferrer

Ferrer died in January 2017 at age 61 following a battle with throat cancer. His NCIS: Los Angeles character, Owen Granger, was initially written out in March 2017 as he handled “unfinished business.” His colleagues discovered in a March 2018 episode that Granger died.  

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Lee Thompson Young

Young died by suicide in August 2013 at age 29. His Rizzoli & Isles character, Barry Frost, was killed off in a car accident in the season 5 premiere, which aired in June 2014, after going “on holiday” at the end of the previous season.

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George Reeves

Adventures of Superman lost its titular character in June 1959 when Reeves died of a gunshot wound at age 45. After talk of retooling the series, it was ultimately canceled.

If you or someone you know is in emotional distress or considering suicide, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).