How Bull Wrote Out Benny in Season 6 Premiere After Freddy Rodriguez's Exit

Matt Webb Mitovich
·2 min read
10

The TAC team has lost another member.

Three years after Bull wrote out hacker Cable McCrory (as a fatality in a bridge collapse), the CBS drama’s Season 6 premiere revealed that Benny Colón (played by original cast member Freddy Rodriguez) had also bid the team adieu, though on less tragic terms.

More from TVLine

“Benny is blissfully happy in Rome, singing ‘Mi Amore’ to his Italian bride,” Marrisa (Geneva Carr) reminded the gang at a karaoke bar, when some called for Benny’s channeling of Kenny Loggins. “True love won’t be denied,” Bull (Michael Weatherly) affirmed after Danny (Jaime Lee Kirchner) marveled that Benny had moved to Europe after knowing the gal for just one month.

Since the legal drama’s debut, Rodriguez had played Benny, a former prosecutor and a part of the jury consulting firm run by Dr. Jason Bull. Early in Season 5, it was revealed that Benny was being courted to run for DA, and in success, Chunk would take over his role at TAC. In fact, in the season finale, Benny resigned — only to return to Bull’s team in the end.

But Benny’s heart, and not any political ambitions, would take him from TAC in the end.

The on-screen explanation comes four months after it was reported that Rodriguez would not be continuing with the series. Following an investigation into the departure of several staff writers after Season 5, showrunner Glenn Gordon Caron (who had served as showrunner since Season 2) and the show parted ways, and the TV vet’s overall deal with CBS Studios ended.

Concurrent with that, CBS confirmed that Rodriguez also was exiting the show, following a workplace investigation (though the network declined to comment on the circumstances surrounding the actor’s departure).

When Bull was renewed for Season 6 back in May, Rodriguez reportedly had written on Instagram, “Thrilled to announce that we will be returning for a Season 6.” A little over a week later, word of his departure broke — and that celebratory post now appears to be gone.

What did you think of Benny’s exit, and will you miss the character?

Launch Gallery: The 28 Most Shocking TV Exits Announced This Year (So Far)

Best of TVLine

Get more from TVLine.com: Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Newsletter