CBS‘ Madam Secretary cast knows that season 6 is the show’s last. The TV drama has 10 more episodes to wrap up the storyline. Those watching at home also know it’s the last chance to say goodbye to their favorite characters.
The cast and crew are giving it their all to make the most of this time. But, Jay and Matt are no longer major characters, and fans are not happy.
‘Madam Secretary’ Season 6 changes for Elizabeth McCord
The biggest shocker is that Elizabeth McCord (Téa Leoni) isn’t part of Dalton’s cabinet anymore. The secretary is now the president of the United States. She has moved out of her luxurious Georgetown home and resides at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.
The writers didn’t want to have a campaign storyline that ran simultaneously with the real presidential election of 2020. They decided to do a two-year time jump and start the season off with her already in the Oval Office.
But beyond its main character, Madam Secretary‘s cast also underwent some major changes. And not all of them have been well-received by some loyal viewers.
‘Madam Secretary’ cast changes in season 6
Executive producer Barbara Hall told TVLine that Season 6 is “like launching a new series.”
The writers decided to change the character lineup to reflect McCord’s new role as president. That means a lot of fan favorites didn’t return for the final season.
President Dalton (Keith Carradine), Kat (Sara Ramirez), Alison (Kathrine Herzer), and Jason (Evan Roe) are no longer season regulars. Hall claims these actors may appear at least one more time before the season finale.
Where is Jay?
Jay Whitman (Sebastian Arcelus) was a loyal ally of Elizabeth McCord. Fans are angry and disappointed that he didn’t return for the final season. At the end of season 5, Jay met Annelies (Marissa Neitling), a world-famous chess player. They had an immediate connection and decided to start a long-distance love affair.
In the season 6 premiere, it’s mentioned that Jay has left the McCord administration to pursue a romantic interest. Did Jay choose Annelies over the chief of staff position?
Regardless of the reason for his departure, fans agree that the new season is not the same without Jay. “Bring Jay back” seems to be the mantra on fan forums across the internet.
Some viewers are speculating that Arcelus had no idea he wouldn’t be returning for the final season. An Instagram post from May 2019 sounds like he was eager and ready to get back to work on season 6.
He thanked his fans stating, “See you again this fall!” A viewer commented on the Instagram post saying, “I hate that you’re not on the show. It’s just wrong.”
What happened to Matt?
Fans are also distraught about the disappearance of Matt Mahoney (Geoffrey Arend) in season 6. There is no mention of him in any of the new episodes. Viewers are wondering why he didn’t make the jump to White House communications director.
They understand why the McCord kids weren’t offered recurring roles, as it is easy to explain them away by being off at college. But losing Matt doesn’t seem right to fans. Last season, Matt feared for his job. It seems those fears were justified, as he is now out of work.
Fan reactions to ‘Madam Secretary’ changes
Not only are fans missing Matt and Jay, but they are also angry about the show’s cancellation.
Viewers have started a petition on change.org to try and convince CBS execs to allow another season. They have started a tweeting campaign and are encouraging other fans to write letters to keep Leoni in the role of president.
Show creators assure fans they will receive an ending that leaves them feeling satisfied.
As the season winds down, tensions are running high on set. As Leoni was giving a speech, a fight broke out. A large group of background actors swarmed the craft service table to get coffee and snacks. They started jostling for position in line when the altercation began.
Police arrived at the scene and transferred one of the actors to the hospital. Luckily, none of the main cast got involved.
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