Why Catherine Duke's send-off left fans outraged

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https://www.looper.com/1396142/chara...fans-outraged/

"NewsRadio" could thank its impeccable ensemble cast for any success it achieved. Joining "SNL" veteran Phil Hartman, "Kids in the Hall" founder Dave Foley, and the likes of Andy Dick, Maura Tierney, Vicky Lewis, and a young (and less crazy) Joe Rogan, was actress Khandi Alexander. Set in a New York radio newsroom, "NewsRadio" put Alexander into the role of anchorwoman Catherine Duke, whose strong-willed, no-nonsense attitude and sense of professionalism provided a strong contrast to the show's zanier characters.

Unfortunately, Duke went underused and, worse still, was sometimes little more than a sex object for leering male characters like handyman Joe (Rogan) and chauvinistic air jockey Bill (Hartman). This led to Alexander asking out of the series, and while the Season 4 episode that featured her exit is a good one, it once again showcases how the writers couldn't find better ways to use her. "Catherine Moves On" shows her departure from different perspectives and has both Joe and Bill fantasizing about her. Alexander mostly plays a fictionalized, over-the-top version of Duke — either bitter and angry, sexually frustrated, or alternatively submissive in various versions of events.

Sadly, the real problem for fans wasn't just that last episode, but the fact that the writers would allow things to get so bad that Alexander had no choice but to leave. Because Season 5, without Duke — and without Hartman after his tragic death — lacked two of its best stars, and suffered as a result.

[Hawkee]

I remember seeing that Newsradio episode when I would watch Newsradio reruns in syndication and in my eyes the actual reason why Khandi Alexander left Newsradio was simply because she was really unhappy with the direction that they were taking with the character Catherine Duke and the way I view it Newsradio was hoping to give the character Catherine Duke a bigger role in the show. But when Newsradio wouldn't give Catherine Duke an even bigger roles Khandi Alexander decided to let herself go and let Newsradio let Catherine Duke go too as well. I always viewed this episode as Newsradio's version of the Shelley Long/Diane Chambers farewell episode of Cheers. But why they made such a big deal by giving a message to Khandi Alexander that said this "Good Luck Khandi From All Of Us At Newsradio" at the end? I think in the end Khandi basically left Newsradio due to money and when NBC wouldn't offer her more money Khandi Alexander quit Newsradio. I'm also curious at how much Khandi Alexander was paid for being on Newsradio?