ABC Entertainment president Channing Dungey spoke up on the decision to fire "Castle" lead co-star Stana Katic, which was eventually followed by the decision to cancel the long-running show.
Dungey made the statements during the executive session for ABC Entertainment, as part of this month's Television Critics Association Press Tour. In April, ABC announced that Katic was leaving "Castle," but continued to give casting updates on a potential ninth season before finally announcing that the show was officially cancelled.
According to Dungey, ABC Entertainment had told ABC Studios of the possibility that the show might not be renewed for a ninth season, wherein she also revealed that they felt that the series was running on "parallel tracks." Dungey then explained that ABC Studios then made decisions that they thought might be necessary in order to push through for a new season of "Castle."
"So they did what they felt they needed to do in order to be ready should they get the nod," Deadline quoted the ABC Entertainment executive as saying. This included firing Katic, and Tamala Jones, who plays Lanie Parish in the show.
Dungey, however, said that ABC Entertainment ultimately decided that the "right thing" to do was to cancel the long-running show.
In other news, "Castle" lead star Nathan Fillion revealed in an interview with TV Line the things that would have happened in the show, had it been renewed for another season.
Fillion confirmed that there would have been a time jump to explain the sudden absence of Katic's character from the show. The actor also hinted that the time jump would have been "meaningful," joking that Rick could be carrying a gun and speaking in a heavier voice than usual in Castle's would-be Season 9.
The actor, who will be appearing in Marvel's "Guardian of the Galaxy Vol. 2" as Simon Williams, also wondered about a proper way to send off the long-running series to rest.
Fillion will also be in a recurring role in "Modern Family," while Katic will appear in two films - "The Rendezvous" and "Sister Cities."
