The Vampire Diaries fans are still reeling from the news that the star Nina Dobrev is leaving the series after six seasons. She had the right to do it, opting not to sign a new contract after fulfilling her current one. Still, Dobrev’s departure is creating challenges for the producers, studio and network behind the long-running vampire drama. When Vampire Diaries returns for a seventh season this fall on the CW, it will be different, just as NBC’s The Office became a different show after original star Steve Carell also left at the end of his contract.
While Vampire Diaries has already been renewed for next season, there are other veteran series whose renewal is entangled 
with talent negotiations as their stars’ contracts expire at the end of this season. That includes ABC drama Castle and its leading duo Nathan Fillion and Stana Katic; Fox drama Bones and its stars, David Boreanaz and Emily Deschanel; and fellow CBS crime procedural Criminal Minds, which has the vast majority of its primary cast — Thomas Gibson, Joe Mantegna, Shemar Moore, Kirsten Vangsness and A.J. Cook — in need of new deals after this season. Additionally, CSI leading man Ted Danson’s contract is up this season as were the deals of The Middle cast.
The Middle contract limbo led to co-star Charlie McDermott taking on the title role in the CBS pilot Super Clyde in February. I hear The Middle cast led by Patricia Heaton now has contracts in place, paving the way for a renewal by ABC. That series also will have to undergo some creative tweaking if Super Clyde is picked up to series as McDermott will exit as a regular, though I hear he would likely have some presence on the ABC comedy, something Dobrev would not do with TVD.
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Mothership CSI is truly on the 
bubble, but the rest of the series facing/undergoing cast negotiations would normally be considered a lock for next season. With romantic mystery dramas Castle, now in Season 7, and Bones, in Season 10, that is very much up in the air as the stars on both shows remain noncommittal about coming back, which complicates renewal plans.
While the CW and WBTV are proceeding with TVD sans Dobrev, shifting focus to her co-leads — he
artthrobs Ian Somerhalder and Paul Wesley, who have signed on for next season — it’s very hard for Castle, named after Fillion’s character, or Bones, named after Deschanel’s character, to continue without their star pairs. Losing one of the two leads would be a little bit more manageable. NBC’s Law & Order: SVU has gone on with Mariska Hargitay flying solo after her co-star Chris Meloni departed at the end of one of his contracts. She is on board for the crime drama’s recently ordered 17th season.
CBS is known for its tough stance on cast renegotiations involving its crime procedurals, as evidenced by the brief firing of CSI‘s Jorja Fox and George Eads over salary demands early in the show’s run. The last time the Criminal Minds five were up for new contracts two years ago, the network didn’t start talks until after renewing the show in May. Negotiations with Gibson proved lengthy and difficult, and he didn’t sign on until two weeks before start of production on Season 7, prompting writers to consider alternative storylines not involving his character.
Two years ago, CBS’ sibling CBS Studios had signed a new deal with Danson and had renewed CSI by March. With the long-running drama heavily on the bubble, I hear that talks with the Cheers alum are not expected to start until closer to the upfronts when the network would have a better idea which way it would be leaning on the show’s renewal.
This is a recurring ritual for series that go beyond 6-7 seasons, with the actors usually signing two-year deals at a time after that. (In the U.S., standard actor’s series contract is for six seasons. That is sometime extended to seven seasons in exchange for a salary bump early in the run of a show.) Last year, we saw the Grey’s Anatomy original cast’s pacts come up, with stars Ellen Pompeo and Patrick Dempsey negotiating new contracts and co-star Sandra Oh leaving. Pompeo and Dempsey will be up for renewal again next season, along with the stars of the CW’s Supernatural and a number of NCIS players, among others.
Cast contract negotiations are considered a high-class problem as they are associated with hit series that have gone the distance. They allow actors to get in on the shows’ success in a major monetary way or leave if they want to pursue other things. And while six years still prove short for some long-running series, that still is longer than the cast contracts in other countries as evidenced by the major creative shake-up on UK hit Downton Abbey, which saw three main cast members leave after Season 3, including male lead Dan Stevens.
If you believe that Castle can go on without one of the two leads, you have never watched Castle
I completely agree with you, and would say the same for “Bones.”
Naturally you would say the same for Bones, the show is totally ripped off of it. Except Bones is actually some good. Also the stars are attractive, that’s about the only difference.
Yes because Bones was the first cop show to ever have it’s two leads fall in love
Bones has been on for 10 years vs Castle 6 years
i think his point is everything rips off everything else, and saying castle is only bones with a different cast just shows you don’t pay much attention.
Both shows are different enough, and if you want to compare shows that are the same and are just blarg, Look at the Csi spin offs and clones.
The show is called Castle. As a fan of the series, I really believe that it can survive a few more seasons without the whole group of detectives. In fact, I think it’d be really interesting to see Castle do something different for a season. Maybe he can travel and get into some weird situations overseas instead of the back and forth of the police station and crime scene that’s gone on for so long now.
That could be an interesting concept. But this is a cozy mystery series and the family-like cast is a big part of that.
But House was a million times better with the new cast starting with that rehab episode at the beginning of season 6. Every episode of the final 2 seasons was rivetting.
They tried having Castle working on his own this season and ratings dropped.
That’s what the article is all about. TVD is done.
Nina Dobrev said that she had planned to only do 6 Seasons
To one has never watched Castle, it wouldn’t matter.
Well you could say that about any show. Personally, I can’t believe anyone could stomach more than a couple seasons of the endlessly repetitive Vampire Diaries. Of all the leads, Dobrov is the least valuable.
Thank you, her first character is so freaking boring and they got rid of her interesting character last year so she was dead weight anyway. The lead is Ian Somerhalder and it has been since season 2.
I agree. I can watch the show without her, and I would prefer to. I’m looking forward to seeing what the coming season will be like.
It’s not on the same wavelength as ‘Castle’ but ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ has done just fine without one of it’s leads (Sandra Oh) this season.
‘Castle’ could survive without Beckett.
MAYBE even Castle (though I doubt it).
Who cares? Get someone else… Everyone is replaceable!
Uh, no.
Uh, yes. See: CHEERS & NYPD Blue. Everyone is replaceable, if replaced with the right actor.
Here we go again – this is primarily an CBS problems where their shows more than any other network tend to go the distance into 8-9-10-11 seasons….
I wonder if they had these issues with James Arness
Back then, there were fewer option for TV actors. There was less cross-over to films, and there were only three networks. Besides, Arness owned a piece of Gunsmoke and his part got smaller in later seasons, so he apparently was happy to ride the gravy train.
I hope CBS gets the actors of NCIS and Criminal Minds locked in for at least another two years before retiring both shows with closure.
You would think that contract-renewals would be something everybody wanted to get out of the way in December at the latest and not when the season have finished shooting
If you do it early, you lose some of your negotiating power, which could be major money.
Neither Castle or Bones can go onwithout either one of their leads. Just from this year on Bones with Booth and Brennan being apart so much I know I wouldn’t watch anymore if one or both were gone. I personally don’t get, with either show why these negotiations are taking so long.
Because the actors are bored with their series and want a good reason to continue with it. Lots of money is at stake, but actors also want to be challenged and if they think they’re losing out on other roles they want, then it will take a lot of perks to interest them to stay. It’s a major decision that affects everyone on the show, not to mention the studio and network.
Yeah, basically it starts getting boring and you want to do other things. So you see how much they’re willing to pay you. If they want to give you a godfather offer, you stick around for another year or two. If they don’t want to meet your demands, you go find other things to do. And if you’ve just spent a decade on a hit show with a heavy presence in syndication, you’ve probably got enough cash to hold you over for a while. Especially if you know that there will always be a place for you if you decide to come back to the grind of tv.
It’s not just money. Sometimes it’s working less days so you can work on other things at the same time. Sometimes it’s being able to be a part of the writers room when story breaking (like Timothy Olyphant was on Justified), sometimes it’s about producing credits, sometimes it’s being able to direct a episode or two during the season (like Jensen Ackles and Misha Collins on Supernatural). It’s not just money – and why shouldn’t they get their worth? Without them the show wouldn’t have been a hit and in syndication. It’s a collaborative effort.
let CSI go- it has lived well beyonfd its years
CBS, the Right-To-Work network.
ABC and FOX should just pay to bring back Castle and Bones.
CBS should also bring back CSI which has only been watchable since they added Ted Danson and Elisabeth Shue.
Danson, yes, Shue, no. My family and I have stopped watching it a few episodes after Shue’s arrival. That’s three different households, man. Imagine how many that’d be nationwide.
Rich people and their problems (on all sides) Good luck!! all shows mentioned are kinda tired anyway. Any show past 6-7 seasons w/o successful major creative and/or cast changes should be dumped.
Note: CBS waiting for Danson’s negotiations until the upfronts? I say this is a ploy to dump him if CSI: Cyber ratings hold up.
CSI Cyber is horrible. It scares it’s viewers like it is the local news. “You are at risk. Watch this show to save your family.”
And the performances involved are just so bad. Everyone except Peter McNichols is unbelievable.
It is cool to see that Vanderbeek can do action, but this lacks his self deprecating charm.
CSI should not die to allow this turd to continue.
I’ve never understood why shows need to last so long. There may be some that can last but usually the writing gets bad and by the time they do decide to end it the show has lost a lot of viewers. Why can’t a show go out on a high note and be happy with that. It seems the US likes to run shows to the ground.
Money.
This!! ^^ :-) As I was reading Lauren’s comments, I was answering her fair questions in my mind the exact same way you did… ‘money’. Then I read your comment and laughed. Yep, so much of this is just ‘business’, and business always comes down to money.
One thing I will say about Nina D – she may well have been offered a movie role, and at that point, she’s got to move on. Six seasons is a good run. She needs to move on with her career. Will TVD miss her? Yes. But she’ll need to be replaced, and the show will need to go on, at least this upcoming season and then reassess spring 2016. The CW doesn’t appear inclined to cancel any series anymore (just HoD?), so I guess the only way to end a series now at CW is to quit and walk away. :-))
One looks at the ratings (even demo) on these CW shows, and it is remarkable how Mark P and co. cannot see fit to cancel ‘something’… ‘anything.’ Reign back for a third season? Wow. I know, I know, lots of ‘tweet’s and ‘likes’ and ‘loves’ on social media, but is that paying the bills? Can a broadcast television network survive on counting ‘tweets’ and re-tweets’ and ignoring the dismal ratings, including those in that key demo [and DVR+]? I don’t know, but we’ll know one of these days when CW inevitably goes OTT.
One word: Netflix. The CW has a very lucrative deal with Netflix for its existing shows. This has been well-documented. You make a good point about Reign but it might be performing well on the streaming service — who knows? And that timeslot has always been trouble for the CW — is it ranking better in that slot vs. the competition than its predecessors in, say, women 18-34? Also, when the deal expires, Netflix’s further interest is unclear — will they pay up as significantly for the CW’s new shows beyond that point? The CW may have an incentive to keep its existing shows around longer since they’re guaranteed a lucrative home in streaming “syndication” — though what Netflix pays is pegged to ratings to some unknown degree.
Bones without either Booth or Brennan. Castle without either Beckett or Castle. Forget about it. Cancel them.
Good point, and I do think both networks will ‘sweeten’ the deal for their Castle and Bones stars to come back one final season.
That said, let’s assume one of the networks will not. I think there is a far, far better chance for Fox to bring back Bones. They need that series – it is one of the few older series left on their schedule. One more year, and then they can build around dramas Empire and Gotham as they would be entering year 3 in fall 2016. So, Bones will be back, if nothing else, for a short-order of 13 for next fall or winter after sports in October.
Castle? Not so sure. ‘Art over commerce’ maybe, but money does talk. ABC is both network and production house on this show, so they have to foot the entire bill – no co-partner to share costs. Plus, ABC has Revenge and Nashville to consider – if you cancel Castle now, that allows Revenge one more season, maybe Nashville one more, two more? But if you bring back all three, where does that leave you at this point next spring 2016? Eventually, old makes way for new. Perhaps Castle get’s a short-order of 13 episodes and then the end. But my guess is ABC says ‘goodbye’ to Castle in May… just a guess.
Oh no. How will ‘The Middle’ ever survive without Charlie…what’s his name? How does the thing survive in the first place? Every week seems like a variation on the same tired,old sitcom cliches. As Seth McFarlane once pointed out it seems to be just a lot of noise with no purpose. It makes ‘The Goldbergs’look like ‘Seinfeld.
Honestly I could imagine Bones going on without one of the main leads because the writers are talented enough to pull that off and still have a great show. However, I just don’t want it. The show has gone 10 seasons and I am definitely on board for more seasons, but if the choice is to lose a lead and keep going or end the show, then I think its best to end the show. As long as it is planned and the finale is a proper series send off I would be happy. 10 seasons is satisfactory to me.
“Castle” could likely survive one more year with Fillion alone. With both stars back, it may have two years. But if “Castle” dies — ABC’s got big problems at 10 on Monday nights.
Agree, but that’s why ABC mgmt. makes the big bucks. Castle would leave big hole at Monday at 10pm, but eventually, ABC must find a replacement for that timeslot – be it now, or next May. It is incumbent upon ABC to figure this out. Shonda and co. have another pilot on tap, and I suspect it will get the green-light to series for this fall. Thus, ABC will have other shows to slot into 10pm Monday if Castle is indeed done this May. A short order of 13 for next fall is very do-able, and I would welcome that.
However, ABC is both network and production house for this show, so they foot the entire bill. And at some point, ABC will have to say goodbye to Castle. The only question(s) left – when, and how much will it cost?
No partners also means no one to share profits with. So long as the show makes more money than it costs ABC is happy to front those bills alone.
I love the Middle and am not worried about Charlie McDermott leaving since he is the least funny character. I hope his new series works out and think having him come back once in a while on the Middle will work out fine.
I don’t see Castle continuing without both of its leads. It’s a romantic drama/comedy; you need both for the romantic part. Interestingly, both leads are posting what can be construed as “goodbye” notes to social media. Is it a negotiating ploy or have they both decided not to re-sign?
It makes sense that Nina Dobrev would want to leave the show now. The show has at least a couple of seasons left and considering that the hype around the show has died down considerably in the past few years, all the opportunities that have arisen for her will be gone by the time the show ends.
Best to strike as the iron is still hot.
Hopefully, she’ll be able to find a role that suits her.
All the negotiations come to after five or six seasons is usually about syndication money.Look at the cast from friends in their last couple of seasons.They are still making a lot of cash.
The Middle is overlooked at the Emmys every year. Meanwhile, ABC knows it has a very special show. Hooray for year 7 !!!
Get tired of celebrities holding out for more money when they are already wealthy from years of being on a series. Let them go after a few tries, then the others might be a bit more apt to settle for a regular pay hike. I personally think Crminal Minds will not survive if even one character decides to walk away. As a very wise ‘Producer’ said to me once. ‘BYE’
Writers and Producers are super important to the quality of the show, but it is the actors who the audience tune in for.
The actors deserve the money. And audiences can be fickle and it is always possible popular stars may never work again.
Studios who play chicken with actors over money and end up cancelling shows are the villains.
CBS dug this hole last season when they bowed down and paid the the cast of the Big Bang there over the Top wage demands now everybody on a successful show is going to come after them for there piece of the pie. This is going to be like the writers strike all over again with the cancelling of shows left right and center because they will just become to expensive to make, with there current cast. I said this a year ago when they paid out and the show stopped being funny and its ripple is starting to hit this years contracts….
Don’t blame CBS, Big Salaries at CBS were going on LONG before TBBT was even a pilot.
Jackie Gleason had a deal that CBS would pay him $1 Million Dollars (A lot in the late 1950’s-early 1960’s) for every season he DID NOT have a show on the air to keep him off NBC and ABC!
(Lucky for CBS, there was only 1959,1960,1972,1973 – when he left CBS for a development deal at NBC where nothing happened, and then to ABC for his four specials)
I hope season 7 is the last season of tvd – not bc of Elena’s exit, imo her character doesn’t add anything in the series anymore, on the contrary the focus on her & DE the last couple of seasons takes away from other storylines and the development of the characters and her exit can actually give a breath of fresh air in the series especially if they focus on bad ass Damon (s1 Damon), Defan and their history, Lily, Bonnie etc – but I hope it won’t last for more than a season bc I want to see the actors in different things. Six – seven years in a tv show is a lot of time and for me most characters after watching them for so long loose their appeal.
I just hope criminal minds comes back