What happened to fan-favorite character Cable on ‘Bull?’

While it might sometimes seem like there are too many shows about lawyers to count, the CBS drama Bull was a uniquely entertaining ride since it focused on the behind-the-scenes work of putting a trial together. I could watch a legal drama about clever characters all day long, especially since The Good Wife is long over. Bull featured some of the smartest, including hacker and computer whiz Cable McCrory.

Annabelle Attanasio, who played Cable, was such a strong part of the Bull cast that it seemed like she would never leave. But her time on the show unfortunately couldn’t last forever. How did Cable exit Bull?

Why did Cable leave Bull and how did the character’s story conclude?

Cable left Bull because Attanasio wanted to direct a movie and there was no way to do both at the same time. The actress called it an “extraordinary opportunity” in an interview with Deadline and made it clear that she enjoyed playing Cable and had only warm feelings toward the showrunner and her co-stars. The film in question, Mickey and the Bear, was released in 2019. While she hasn’t directed a movie since, she also hasn’t acted since leaving Bull, which suggests that directing could be where she wants to put her artistic energies.

We know there are only a few ways a character can leave a network drama such as Bull: moving away or tragically dying. Unfortunately for Cable fans, it was the latter. When fans watched the season 3 premiere of Bull, they found out that Cable died while driving on a New Jersey bridge that was bombed. While CBS has canceled a lot of shows that people love, it’s fair to say that the fictional world of Bull was overshadowed by real-world allegations by the time the sixth season rolled around. According to Entertainment Weekly, Eliza Dushku alleged that Michael Weatherly sexually harassed her while she played criminal defense lawyer J. P. Nunnelly. But at the beginning of season 3, this hadn’t happened yet. Viewers were still fully engaged in the show and Cable’s death was a shock.

In an interview with TV Line, Glenn Gordon Caron, the Bull showrunner, explained that Attanasio told him she wanted to direct Mickey and the Bear and wondered if it was possible. Caron said he thought it would be fun to have “a storyline about this person who one day just doesn’t show up for work.”

While fans were no doubt stunned by Cable’s passing, Caron told TV Insider that this felt like the only possible way for her to go. At least we can always rewatch the first two seasons of Bull and see Cable in all her clever glory.