The 90’s kids must have fond memories of the sitcom ‘Living Single. This series which premiered on Fox Tv for five seasons, won over the audience with its humorous plot and interesting characters. Since all the leading six characters were black, so the show received a warm reception from critics for its black representation. It smashed the common narratives and stereotypes shown in Hollywood about Black people. Instead, Living Single portrayed the common and relatable struggle of black people due to careers, relationships, etc.
This show tracks the journey of four girls- Khadifah, Maxine, Synclaire, and Regina and their neighbors- Kyle and Overton. The chemistry between Maxine (played by Erika Alexander) and Kyle (played by Terrence T.C. Carson) struck an instant chord with the audience. Both the characters gained immense love and appreciation from the viewers. So when Kyle, aka T.C Carson, left the show, it was a massive shock for the viewers.
Why Was Living Single So Popular?
This show was one of the first ones to lay focus on friendship sitcoms. In fact, we can say that Living Single showed the world that friendship sitcoms are the next big thing in the entertainment industry. Many of you might not be aware, but the extremely popular sitcom ‘Friends actually drew inspiration from Living Single. Yes, you read that right! Living Single never got enough appreciation and ratings for the kind of content the show presented. Nevertheless, the show remains the talk of the town even years later.
The news of Kyle quitting Living Single spread like wildfire. Fans were left extremely disappointed to know this update. They desired to see more cute moments between Maxine and Kyle. So Kyle’s sudden exit wasn’t received very well by the fans. Towards the end of season 4, which aired in 1997, Kyle is shown leaving for London. He invites Maxin to join him, but she refuses to do so. Viewers were left in tears to witness one of the most beloved couples parting ways like this.
Who Played The Role Of Kyle Barker In Living Single?
The role of Kyle Barker, a witty investment banker, was played by Terrence T.C Carson. Carson appeared in a total of 4 seasons before making an untimely exit from the show. He later appeared in the series finale only. He used to do regular stage shows before grabbing Living Single. Carson’s chemistry with his co-star Erika Alexander who portrayed Maxine, was the main highlight of the show. Fans even used to speculate that both of them were dating in real life though there was never a confirmation for the same.
Someone who was getting so much love and appreciation suddenly quit such a popular show was quite shocking to the viewers. Firstly people thought that he quit the show for other opportunities. Others remarked that he might be suffering from some health issues. But the real reason got revealed soon when Carson appeared in multiple interviews to reveal the truth.
Why Did TC Carson quit Living Single?
People initially assumed that Carson quit of his own will, but that wasn’t the case. The shocking truth was that Carson had been fired from the show. Well, that surely sounds too outrageous. Why would the production team let go of such a popular character? Later on, the real facts behind Kyle’s exit from the show surfaced.
Carson was extremely upset with the production house of Living Single- Warner Bros. He revealed in an interview that the production house was assigning much more importance and resources to another of its sitcom- ‘Friends.’ There was too much miscommunication in the sets. Both Carson and his co-star John Henton who played the role of Overton, were unhappy with the way their characters were being chalked out.
Carson revealed that he was not pleased to see Kyle and Overtone being reduced to clowns. The script penned down was adding unnecessary elements that would make their characters too buffoonish. And it wasn’t just Carson and Overton who weren’t happy with the changes. The rest of the cast had the same apprehensions. But the production team felt that Carson was the one who was inciting others as he was quite persuasive. They accused him of being the root of all problems. The writers had been changed, and the new ones had no proper understanding of the black culture.
Carson was taken aback by this accusation. He told the production clearly that just because he was vocal and loud didn’t imply that he was instigating others. Carson’s reply to his ouster from the show was, “I was a little too Black and too strong.” So it highlighted the racial undertone behind his exit from the show. According to Carson, the producers of the show were not happy to see a black man voicing out his opinions so fiercely. Their ego had taken a hit to see Carson leading a group of distressed cast members. Therefore they showed him the doors.
How Did Viewers React?
Viewers were left heartbroken due to Kyle’s exit from the show. Many of them vented out their anger to the production. The show did register some dip in ratings due to this development. And after knowing the true facts behind Kyle’s exit, viewers were left enraged.
What Is Carson Doing These Days?
Though Carson quit the show at the peak of his popularity, it honestly had no impact on his future. Fans still adore and remember Carson as the energetic Kyle and his chemistry with Maxine. Talking of Carson, he ventured into the voice-over industry. He voiced various characters like Mace Windu in Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Kratos, etc. So his exit from the show didn’t really impact his career success. Fans still remember him for his portrayal of Kyle Barker and will continue to do for a long.