Lethal Weapon has made headlines for some unpleasant reasons in the last couple of weeks due to series star Clayne Crawford. Reports surfaced back in the end of April that Crawford had engaged in misconduct that could affect his future on the show and possibly the show's future overall, and rumor had it that a recasting would take place. Now, new reports indicated that Fox is indeed looking for the right man to replace Clayne Crawford as Martin Riggs in a potential third season of Lethal Weapon. Here's what's happening.
Fox and studio partner Warner Bros. are reportedly searching for somebody to replace Clayne Crawford on Lethal Weapon, which is news that comes very late in the game. The Season 2 finale airs in a matter of hours with no confirmation of whether or not Season 3 will happen. TVLine reports that the attempts to recast Riggs will probably determine whether or not Fox wants to give the renewal order to the series.
The trouble began in the public eye back on April 23, when the news broke that Clayne Crawford allegedly has a history of bad behavior behind the scenes at the Fox series. Crawford was reportedly disciplined more than once with his behavior disrupting the series to the point that other actors did not feel comfortable working with him. Given that Riggs is one half of the partnership that drives the action of Lethal Weapon, the rumors of trouble behind the scenes meant that the future of the show could be in jeopardy, and there were already rumbles of a possible recast at that point.
For his part, Clayne Crawford addressed the allegations only a day later on social media. He was neither angry nor volatile in his response to the very public claims about his behavior on set; instead, he attempted to explain and give context to the incidents for which he had been disciplined. He was clear in his social media statement that he hoped to stick with the show and did not mean to jeopardize the jobs of everybody working on Lethal Weapon. Apparently this statement was not enough for the folks at Fox and Warner Bros., and the future of the series is now in question.
Representatives for Fox and Warner Bros. have not yet released statements of their own, but fans of Lethal Weapon who want a Season 3 with or without Clayne Crawford should probably start worrying. The show was far from a sure-thing for a renewal even before the allegations against Crawford surfaced, and it's entirely possible that the series couldn't survive another season with a different actor as Riggs. Renewing for Season 3 could be a major risk for Fox that the folks up top may not deem worth taking. Given that Fox has already begun deciding on the fates of series for the season, we may find out sooner rather than later whether Season 3 will happen.
The season -- and possibly series -- finale of Lethal Weapon airs tonight at 8 p.m. ET on Fox. Be sure to stay tuned to CinemaBlend for the latest in renewal and cancellation news. If you're still looking for new shows to watch now and in the not-too-distant future, swing by our summer TV premiere guide. For more important dates as the 2017-2018 season comes to an end, check out our rundown of big TV season finales.
