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Fox's Lethal Weapon got hit with some rough news recently, as Damon Wayans announced he would be exiting the series at the end of Season 3. While that's not ideal for a drama which fired its other main star, Clayne Crawford, the season prior, there is a bit of good news on the heels of this new information. Fox has ordered two more episodes for Season 3, both of which Damon Wayans is set to appear in.
As mentioned, the two-episode order came after Damon Wayans announced his exit. Wayans announced he was done after Season 3's initial 13 episodes completed, as the 58-year-old diabetic actor said the 16-hour workdays were leaving him exhausted. Fox's episode order reported by Deadline was apparently on the table before Wayans' surprise exit, and the studio has reportedly made some accommodations to bring Wayans back on for the episodes.
As for what those accommodations were, it's being reported Wayans will be provided special diabetic meals on set, and that the actor has spoken to Lethal Weapon producers and worked out a way to adjust his shooting schedule. The conversations appear to have gone well, as Wayans is allegedly not wholly against a return to Lethal Weapon should the series get renewed for Season 4.
Those reports make it hard to predict what Lethal Weapon's two additional episodes will be about, as Wayans' future on the program is seemingly up in the air. Had the original statement of the actor's exit been all that was released, it would stand to reason the two episodes would focus on giving Murtaugh an exit and passing the torch to Seann William Scott as the show's new lead. It's possible that could still happen even if Wayans returns, and perhaps he could transition from a series regular to a recurring character to reduce filming time.
It's still too early in Season 3 to say whether or not Lethal Weapon will get the go-ahead for Season 4, although live/same day ratings have been decent so far. Ratings don't mean everything, however, as drama with lead actors can be enough for networks to boot a series these days. That's especially true with Lethal Weapon, which almost didn't see a Season 3 after actor Clayne Crawford's removal. Granted, Damon Wayans' situation is far different than Crawford's, and provided reports about a resolution being worked out are accurate, it should be a non-issue in the network's future decision.
Lethal Weapon airs on Fox Tuesdays at 9:00 p.m. ET. Keep up with the latest premieres and returns on television over the next couple of months by visiting our fall premiere guide.