It’s the end of an era, as Jesse L. Martin is no longer a series regular on the CW’s The Flash after an eight-season run with the DC adaptation. He is currently on his way to lead the new NBC drama The Irrational but won’t be leaving the series entirely. He is still set to appear in multiple episodes of the upcoming ninth season of the series, but won’t have a larger role moving forward. It still won’t be the same to see CCPD detective Joe West have a large part as the guardian of Barry Allen.
While not a complete exit, it’s heavy to think that only three of the original cast members remain, which are Grant Gustin, Candice Patton, and Danielle Panabaker. There were rumors that a ninth season might not happen, as all their contracts were set to end with the eighth but they managed to renew at least Gustin‘s contract ahead of the renewal announcement. Supposedly, Patton and Panabaker have also negotiated to return.
What stands out in the report from Deadline is that Martin wasn’t actively approached for a return, which gave him the opportunity to be available for other series and pilots. It seems that he was offered the role and closed the deal as he was their first choice. Supposedly, it’ll allow him to still do up to five episodes of The Flash. He’s set to start work on The Irrational in May or early June, which will also film in Vancouver. So, it definitely seems like it’ll be easy for him to join in for a few episodes.
Source: Deadline
