I read in a 1996 issue of Entertainment Weekly that Tony Shalhoub was going to leave "Wings" at the end of the season. Of course it turned out to be the last season. The show would have really gone down, first no Lowell and then no Antonio.

Alex broke up with Brian and just left Nantucket. Lowell joined the Wittness Protection Program and left Nantucket. How do you think the people behind "Wings" would have gotten rid of Antonio?

Antonio moved out to San Francisco and became a homicide detective who has some severe psychological problems ;)

I can't think of how they would have written him off. Maybe he decided to move back to Italy or something.

I originally posted this before "Wings" came to Nick at Nite, and many of you who visit this messageboard didn't read this. Maybe I'll get a few more replies.

If "Wings" HAD been renewed for a 9th season and Tony hadn't returned as Antonio, the show REALLY would have suffered from the loss.

The worst part is that after seeing how things were handled after Lowell's departure, it's doubtful that the "Wings" producers and writers would have come up with a suitable "Antonio" replacement so late in the game....maybe they could have brought back Bud Bronsky and just have him talk with an Italian accent! :D

Originally posted by pilotguy
If "Wings" HAD been renewed for a 9th season and Tony hadn't returned as Antonio, the show REALLY would have suffered from the loss.


I agree. I think anyone leaving Wings would have killed the show. The characters all complemented each other perfectly. Lowell wasn't even a favorite character of mine, but I still think the show suffered when he left.