Connor Paolo

Perhaps attempting to deflect the flak that producers took for not killing off a series regular in any of its murder mysteries, ABC's Revenge ended Season 2 by killing poor Declan (Connor Paolo) after an explosion at the Grayson Global offices.

While Paolo declined an exit interview, Nick Wechsler, who plays Jack and guessed that Paolo would not survive the season, says, "Connor wasn't happy. But he also took it like a champ. I think on some level he was preparing himself for it because he knew he wasn't being used that much." After two seasons, the character failed to click with most fans, and Wechsler believes that's because "the writers had a hard time finding a purpose for everyone, and he ended up not getting serviced."

Christa B. Allen, whose character Charlotte just discovered she's pregnant with Declan's child, learned of Paolo's demise from her make-up artist. "I couldn't hold it together," she recalls. "Then Connor came in to the make-up trailer while I was still sobbing." But Allen has confidence her pal will land on his feet. "I know he was really dissatisfied with how little he had to do, so he's going to find another role that enables him to show his talent."

Paolo isn't Revenge's only casualty. Mike Kelley, who created the series, is out as show runner, with executive producer Sunil Nayar stepping in. "I'm bummed," says Wechsler, "because Mike plucked me from obscurity after 10 years of nothing. I owe him so much. But Sunil called me to talk about next season. It would be nice if character arcs are mapped out in advance so we can structure our performances properly."

Henry Czerny (Conrad) says Nayar has pledged to "get back to the core characters and focus less on the shenanigans." In other words: adios to Aiden, the Initiative and the Falcon!

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