Hugely disappointing news has arrived from the Kapow convention, taking place in London this weekend. Robert Sheehan, who plays Nathan Young in E4's BAFTA-winning superhero drama Misfits, will not be returning for the third series. His position on the show will be taken by a new character called Rudy, and the replacement dealt with in a webseries just prior to Misfits' return.
This is definitely a worrying change for the show. It was obvious from the start that Sheehan had enormous charisma, so I've been worried the show would struggle to keep him around. Sheehan's already appeared in some movies (Season Of The Witch, Killing Bono) and has more projects in the pipeline, so I don't blame him wanting to chase the opportunities that are arising. But from the perspective of Misfits fans -- how key was Nathan's character to its success? He was undoubtedly a big part of the show and many people's favourite character, but can he be replaced? Might it be good for the show to change the cast like his?
And, frankly, don't fans deserve a televised episode as Nathan's swansong? I'd rather he go out in a blaze of glory, rather than have his absence explained in a silly webseries (that may not even feature Robert Sheehan himself.) Hopefully we'll get more details about how writer Howard Overman's going to deal with Sheehan's departure soon.
Update: @C4Insider are saying that Nathan's exit will be shown in an "exclusive online film" written by Howard Overman, which sounds slightly more promising.
