How Matlock Addressed David Del Rio’s Exit in Midseason Premiere

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Billy Martinez won’t be returning to Jacobson Moore.

Four months after David Del Rio was fired from the show Matlock following accusations of sexual assault, the series acknowledged his departure with a joke about job losses at the firm in the latest episode.

In episode nine, Gwen Easton (played by Sarah Wright-Olsen), the head of personnel from Lamar and Olson—the company merging with Jacobson Moore—met Sarah and Matty Matlock. Sarah Franklin playfully nicknamed her “Layoff Barbie.”

She explained to them in the February 26th episode that she was working to understand everyone’s roles and how things operated as they merged into a more efficient legal team. She assured them she wasn’t there to eliminate jobs, but simply to suggest ways to streamline things by identifying overlapping roles.

When asked where Billy Martinez was, Sarah immediately said he was very sick, explaining he was vomiting, but Matty quickly jumped in to say they had everything under control.

Unfortunately, that seemed to be all Gwen needed to hear.

She exclaimed, relieved he wouldn’t be coming back, jokingly saying his position was gone. Then, after a slightly uncomfortable silence, she quickly added, “Just kidding! It was lovely meeting both of you.”

As Gwen stepped away, however, Sarah quickly yelled back, “Usually three!”

The HR representative spoke with the junior associate again to get her perspective on how she, Matty, and Billy assist junior partner Olympia Lawrence (Skye P. Marshall).

Gwen wondered if it would be possible for her to manage with just two people if one of them accepted the company’s severance offer.

Sarah defended their team of three.

She said she was sorry, but it wouldn’t be possible. Everyone is very committed to both Jacobson Moore and Olympia.

As a lot of you may have heard, Jack Del Rio is no longer with the show. Back in October, CBS confirmed his departure, but didn’t share many details at the time. Recently, they did a deeper look into what happened, and according to reports from Entertainment Weekly and Us Weekly, they’re standing by their original decision. It’s always tough when these things happen behind the scenes, but ultimately CBS feels they made the right call.

Del Rio, Lewis, and Bates hadn’t spoken publicly about the accusations, but Del Rio’s wife responded to Lewis’s firing with a puzzling social media post.

I was really shocked to see Katherine Del Rio share a post about Lewis back in October. She posted a picture of him on her Instagram Stories, and along with it, she wrote that he was the most disturbing person she’d ever encountered. It was a pretty strong statement, and the post has since been taken down, but I definitely remember seeing it at the time.

Lewis appeared to address the recent issues and Del Rio’s departure by sharing a picture of herself with her mother, Lorraine Lewis.

On the same day, the former Nancy Drew star shared on Instagram that her mother was with her. She added that they are facing things with love and resilience, and that she feels well-supported. She expressed gratitude for all the kindness and support she’s received.

TopMob News has contacted representatives for Del Rio to get their reaction to his character leaving the show, but they haven’t responded yet. We also previously reached out to CBS and representatives for Lewis and Bates about Del Rio’s departure, but haven’t received a response from anyone.

Billy Martinez isn’t the only TV character to unexpectedly leave a show. Here are some other series with surprising departures.

Jenna Lyons has confirmed she won’t be participating in the next season of The Real Housewives of New York City.

The rumors are true,” former J. Crew Creative Director Jenna Lyons shared on Instagram on November 21st. She explained that she was asked to join season 16 of The Real Housewives of New York City as a ‘friend of’ the cast, and they agreed this role was a good fit since she wasn’t comfortable filming her personal life.

The fashion icon, who started on the Bravo show in 2022 for its fourteenth season, shared that she eventually decided she didn’t want to be just a supporting player.

After careful consideration, I’ve decided not to return to the show,” she explained. “I’d be the oldest contestant and the only openly gay woman, and I think it’s a chance to bring a fresh perspective and new energy to the cast.

In 2025, Mehcad Brooks surprised viewers by announcing his departure from the NBC crime show before its 25th season.

Brooks, who joined the show in 2022, portrayed Detective Jalen Shaw for three seasons.

After nine seasons, the A-list realtor is done selling mega-mansions on the Netflix reality show.

In November, Chrishell shared on social media that she’s reached a point where she no longer relies on the show for income. She explained that she’s fortunate to have other work and prioritizing her mental well-being means stepping away.

Jax Taylor has confirmed he won’t be back for season three of The Valley. This decision comes after fans expressed concerns about his actions during the show’s second season.

In July 2025, the Bravo star, who is going through a difficult divorce with Brittany Cartwright, explained that he’s currently prioritizing getting sober, improving his mental health, and being a good coparent. He believes taking this time to focus on himself is essential, particularly for the sake of his son, Cruz.

Okay, I’m still reeling! It feels like everyone I love on Saturday Night Live just decided to leave, all at once! Seriously, within days of each other, so many of the cast announced they weren’t coming back for the next season. It’s like my whole weekend is ruined! I can’t believe they’re all gone… it’s going to be a completely different show next year, and I’m honestly devastated.

Longfellow and Walker each spent three seasons on SNL while Wakim exited after just one season.

Following the departures of Longfellow, Walker, and Wakim from Saturday Night Live, two more popular cast members, Gardner and Nwodim, announced they wouldn’t be back for the show’s 51st season. Gardner had been with the show for eight seasons, and Nwodim for seven.

Sofia Mattsson finished her role on the long-running soap opera in the summer of 2025, after seven years as Sasha Gilmore. Her character moved to Paris as part of the storyline.

I was so surprised to hear that Tracy Ifeachor, who was amazing in The Pitt, decided not to return after the first season! It was such a hit on HBO Max, and she really stood out, so it’s a shame she won’t be continuing with the show.

The actress shared on Instagram on July 10th how honored she was to play Dr. Heather Collins in what she called a truly special season of the show. She also thanked viewers for watching, supporting the first season, and sharing their personal experiences with her.

Even though fans likely expected Joel Miller, played by Pedro Pascal, to die – his fate in April 2025 closely mirrored the events of The Last of Us Part II, the video game the second season of The Last of Us is based on – the sudden and violent way his character died still came as a shock.

Pascal, known for dying in roles on shows like Game of Thrones and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, wasn’t surprised by his character’s fate. He playfully told Entertainment Weekly, “I’m used to it – I actually enjoy dying on screen!”

Following what he called a “wild adventure,” Peter Krause finished his run as Bobby Nash, the fire captain on the drama series 9-1-1, in an episode airing in April 2025.

According to a statement to the Hollywood Reporter, the character Bobby Nash was intentionally created to make a powerful sacrifice, reflecting the bravery of real-life first responders. Creator Ryan Krause explained that the character’s storyline is meant to honor those who risk their lives to save others.

Showrunner Tim Minear told Variety that the decision to kill off a popular, yet troubled, firefighter was a difficult one. However, after eight seasons, he felt it was necessary to raise the stakes for future storylines. “Someone’s got to die,” he explained, “if we want to create stories that truly matter.”

Summer just got a little less fun.

In June 2025, Paige DeSorbo revealed she was leaving the Bravo series after being on the show for seven seasons.

After sharing seven summers with you all, I’m so thankful for the memories, the support, and everything this journey has given me,” the Giggly Squad podcast host posted on Instagram. “But it’s time to move on to new things, just like with any good story (and even some mistakes!).

The popular Netflix show won’t have the French actress in its fifth season, which is set to come out in April 2025. She has confirmed she won’t be returning.

In an Instagram post on April 23rd, the actress announced she’s leaving Emily in Paris. She shared photos with her former co-stars and described her time on the show as a fantastic experience full of growth, creativity, and cherished memories.

Before the third season of The Sex Lives of College Girls begins, Reneé Rapp has announced she’s leaving the show.

She shared on social media in July 2023 that the show College Girls brought her to Los Angeles and connected her with many of her closest friends. She added that after two and a half years, it’s also given her a wonderful community of fans like you.

As many of you have heard, Renee Rapp, who played Leighton Murray, is leaving the show, and I’m so sad to see her go! Mindy Kaling, one of the show’s creators, shared the news on Instagram, and it’s clear everyone loves Renee. It’s bittersweet, of course, but we’re all incredibly excited for her and can’t wait to see what she does next – especially with her music career taking off! We’re sending her all our best as she hits the road for her tour.

After over a year of speculation, Kevin Costner confirmed in June 2024 that he won’t be returning for the final season of the popular Paramount drama, following his departure after four and a half seasons.

In February 2023, Ellen Pompeo finished her run as Meredith Grey on the ABC drama after playing the character for 19 years.

Pompeo admitted on The Drew Barrymore Show in December 2022 that she needed a change of pace, even though she’d already made a guest appearance in May and continues to narrate the show. She explained that at 53, her mind feels scattered, and she needs to try new things – you can’t do the same thing, like The New York Times crossword, every day.

But she’s not gone for good. Pompeo still pops in and out of Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital.

Henry Cavill, known for playing Superman and Batman, has announced he’s leaving the Netflix series The Witcher after its third season. Liam Hemsworth will take over the role of Geralt starting with season four and likely for future seasons as well.

In an October 2022 Instagram post, Henry Cavill announced that after playing Geralt of Rivia, he would be stepping down from his role for Season 4, saying his time battling monsters and going on adventures as the character had come to an end.

Jesse Lee Soffer, an original cast member, left the show in 2022 after playing Detective Jay Halstead for 10 seasons.

Everyone involved with the show has poured their heart and soul into making each episode, and it’s been a wonderful experience,” said Jesse Soffer after appearing in his final episode on October 5th. “I’m incredibly proud of my time playing Detective Jay Halstead.

After five seasons, Damian Lewis departed Showtime’s Billions in Oct. 2021.

In August 2021, Emily VanCamp left the TV show The Resident on Fox, marking the end of her role as a doctor on the series.

Madeleine Mantock, who played Macy on the CW’s Charmed reboot, decided to leave the show after three seasons. She announced her departure in 2021, calling the role a great opportunity and expressing her appreciation for the show’s producers, writers, cast, and crew. She said she had a wonderful time working with everyone.

As a longtime fan of The Blacklist, I was definitely surprised when Megan Boone decided to leave the show after eight seasons! It meant her character, Liz Keen, wouldn’t get the answers she’d been searching for about Raymond Reddington – a real gut punch for viewers. Sadly, her character was killed off before she could even read that crucial letter. Megan shared on Instagram that working on the show was ‘a dream,’ and while we’re sad to see her go, it sounds like she left on a positive note, even if Liz’s story ended tragically.

The second season of Bridgerton didn’t feature the Duke, as Rege-Jean Page, who became a fan favorite in the first season of the popular Netflix drama, chose not to return in 2021, disappointing many viewers.

He told Vanity Fair that he simply did the work he’d signed up for, and then took on additional assignments. He admitted it wasn’t a particularly exciting story, and wished there was more to it.

Ruby Rose first appeared as Batwoman (Kate Kane) in a 2018 Arrowverse event and then led the CW’s Batwoman series for one season. This was a landmark moment as she became the first openly lesbian superhero to star in her own show. However, Rose announced her departure from the series just two days after the first season concluded in 2020. In season two, Javicia Leslie took over the role, playing a new character named Ryan Wilder who became the new Batwoman.

Later on in season two, Kate got a bit of a face swap and returned played by Wallis Day.

America Ferrera left the show Superstore after its fifth season in 2020, which meant Cloud 9 lost its manager and the series lost a main character. Because of the pandemic, she made a brief appearance in the first two episodes of season six. When season six became the show’s final season, she returned for the last episode to give her character, Amy, and Jonah (Ben Feldman) a satisfying conclusion to their story.

In the final episode of season four of the Syfy show The Magicians, Jason Ralph’s character, Quentin, successfully rescued Eliot (played by Hale Appleman) but died in the process. Although the show often deals with characters dying – it is called The Magicians – Ralph didn’t reprise his role in the fifth and final season.

Ahead of the final season, Arrow‘s Emily Bett Rickards announced her exit in a poem of sorts.

Felicity and I are very close, but we’ll be leaving after completing grades one through seven, as I’ve written.

She did, however, return for a guest appearance in the show’s 2020 series finale.

Lauren Cohan initially left The Walking Dead in 2018 after difficult contract talks. She appeared in a few episodes of season nine, but her character, Maggie Greene, was absent after a time jump of six years. The show’s producers wanted her to return, and when her short-lived TV series Whiskey Cavalier was cancelled, she did. Cohan came back to The Walking Dead in the 16th episode of season ten, which aired in October 2020.

Following Cohan and Andrew Lincoln’s departures from the show, Danai Gurira also left. She joined the AMC series in its third season as the skilled swordswoman Michonne and appeared for the last time in an episode that aired in March 2020.

Nicollette Sheridan played the famous Alexis Carrington, appearing in multiple episodes during the first season and becoming a main cast member in the second. In 2019, she decided to leave the CW series reboot before its third season to care for her mother, who was unwell.

George Eads left the CBS series in 2019, during its third season. He stated he wanted to focus on spending more time with his family.

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2026-02-27 18:19