'Bull' Season 6: Why is Freddy Rodriguez leaving the CBS hit legal procedural?
Season 6 of 'Bull' is all set to see a major change. The CBS legal procedural will see the absence of a major character. Freddy Rodriguez, who plays lead attorney of the Trial Analysis Corporation (TAC), Benny Colon, and Jason Bull's (Michael Weatherly) brother-in-law on the show, will not be reprising his role in the upcoming season.
The legal procedural revolves around Dr Jason Bull and his firm Trial Analysis Corporation (TAC)’s employees. Bull is a psychologist and is fully skilled in trial science. He is the head of TAC, a jury consulting firm. Although the storyline is that he found love in a new country, according to showrunner Nichole Millard, there have been off-the-camera incidents that have led to his departure from the show. In an interview with TV Line, Millard was quoted saying: “Benny found love in a different country, and the team is very happy for him." Taking his place as the lead attorney is Chunk Palmer.
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Why did Freddy Rodriguez leave 'Bull'?
The news of Rodriguez leaving the show was announced on May 23 this year after reports of allegations of toxicity on the set. It wasn't just him as CBS also ousted showrunner Glen Gordon Caron. The move comes in after there was already ample speculation from fans that Rodriguez might be leaving the show. Rodriguez has not spoken about his exit publicly; however, there has been a whole plotline within the show featuring Benny potentially running for DA on the series. The details of CBS investigation have not been released.
Caron served as showrunner since Season 2 of the legal drama. Writers Kathryn Price and Millard take over as co-showrunners when Bull returns. This was the second time the show found itself in some major soup after former cast member Eliza Dushku spoke out about the sexual harassment she experienced on set from Weatherly.
On the show front, CBS released the synopsis for the first episode. The official logline reads: "Bull and the TAC team must call upon all of their collective experience to locate Bull's kidnapped daughter; Bull begins to suspect the captor is someone connected to his past." The latest season of 'Bull' will see more emphasis on Dr Bull's personal life rather than a new client case each week. A
According to Millard, the upcoming season marks a massive change. “I think [co-showrunner] Kathryn [Price] and I would feel comfortable saying [Bull’s] whole character journey is one of control that is kicked off in our first episode of the season when his child is taken from him, which is obviously the most primal loss of control, right? To be able to protect your family." Millard added: “And then we’ll see that idea of control for him personally threatened in various ways throughout the season. And the end will be how he can get back to equilibrium and maybe change a little on the way.”
'Bull' Season 6 premieres on October 7 on CBS.
