When a television star wants (or is wanted) off a series, writers and producers have to devise an exit strategy for that actor’s character — and sometimes sending in the Grim Reaper seems to be the only choice.
Maybe that character is in a romance that’s supposed to be endgame, maybe they’re too integral to the plot to disappear, maybe the actor themselves died, or maybe — as was nearly the case with Home Improvement’s Patricia Richardson — the network just wants to continue a show after a lead star walks away.
Kevin Costner’s falling out with Yellowstone meant the Paramount Network hit’s writers had to kill off his character, and as you’ll see here, his exit is just one instance of what TV Tropes calls the “Actor Leaves, Character Dies” phenomenon.