‘Mistresses’ season 3: Alyssa Milano to exit show over filming relocation

While there may have been some good news on Tuesday regarding the renewal of “Mistresses,” we now know that it comes with a silver lining: Alyssa Milano will not return to the ABC series in the role of Savi.

The reason for this ultimately seems tied to what is a repeated move by many studios these days: Shifting production up to Vancouver as a way to cut costs. This is understandable, given that the ratings for the second season dropped to a point where it was not likely viable to continue filming there. At the same time, you have to expect that this could be a consequence of your decision.

In a statement posted on her social-media pages, Milano cited her desire to stay close to her children as the reason for her exit:

“After two wonderful seasons in Los Angeles, the studio has decided to shoot Season 3 of Mistresses in Vancouver, Canada for financial reasons. It’s with a heavy heart that I have decided that I can’t relocate.

“I have two babies under 4. Being a mother and wife comes first, and I just can not uproot my children and separate the family by moving away.

“I will miss this job desperately and wish everyone the absolute best.”

This is one of those rare situations where we understand where both the production and Milano are coming from, but it still stinks for the fans. Milano was probably the biggest name on the show, and her character Savi had quite a big cliffhanger courtesy of what she witnessed with Joss in the finale’s closing minutes.

There is no word yet on if the character will be recast, or if there will be a new woman introduced with her own story. We suppose it’s also possible that the show could continue with just three leads rather than four.

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Photo: ABC