‘Lethal Weapon’ Canceled by Fox After 3 Seasons

Fox finally canceled Lethal Weapon, the troubled series based on the action movie franchise, that struggled to retain fans after Clayton Crawford was fired before Season 3 began.

TheWrap confirmed the show was one of several Fox shows to get the ax, including The Passage and The Cool Kids. The network needed the extra space for the six new shows coming in next season.

The show was produced by Warner Bros. Television and launched with Crawford playing Martin Riggs, the role originated by Mel Gibson in the films, and Damon Wayans as Roger Murtgaugh, Danny Glover’s role. Crawford was fired after Season 2 wrapped for his on-set behavior, while Wayans said he was going to leave after filming the 13-episode third season.

Crawford was fired due to clashes with Wayans during an episode he directed. Wayans even shocked fans by tweeting photos of alleged injuries he suffered during production.

In a statement, Crawford admitted he was “reprimanded twice” for his behavior, but said he apologized and met with human resources.

“It takes a village, and I am incredibly sorry if my passion for doing good work has ever made anyone feel less than comfortable on set or feel less than celebrated for their efforts,” he wrote. “Furthermore, I apologize to all the crew and cast for any negative attention Lethal Weapon is receiving because of these incidents.”

At the end of Season 2, Riggs was shot and – as revealed in the Season 3 premiere – killed. Seann William Scott was brought in for the final season, but it was not enough to bring back fans who felt burned by the situation with Crawford.

Just weeks after the show returned in the fall, Wayans said he was leaving the series. That meant it would be only a matter of time until the show was cancelled.

“I’m going to be quitting the show in December after we finish the initial 13 [episodes],” Wayans told Electronic Urban Report. “I’m a 58-year-old diabetic and I’m working 16-hour days.”

Lethal Weapon was developed for television by Matthew Miller (Chuck, 666 Park Avenue) and based on the films directed by Richard Donner. There were four Lethal Weapon films released between 1987 and 1988, all starring Gibson and Glover. The first movie was written by Shane Black.

Photo credit: Fox