The late actor appeared posthumously on the Thanksgiving episode, which aired on Dec. 1, reprising his role as Phil. Jordan died in a car crash on Oct. 24 after suffering a medical emergency behind the wheel. He was 67. A visibly emotional Bialik took to TikTok after the episode aired, noting that while filming, they “didn’t know it at the time that that was Leslie’s last episode.” “I couldn’t bring myself to watch it because I’m not ready. That week was so incredibly special because of our dialogue coach directing for the first time and just how much fun we had,” she said of Ren Bell’s directing debut. The episode, titled “Call Me Fancy Puffenstuff,” featured a murder mystery Friendsgiving that Bialik said was “crazy,” “fun,” and allowed the characters to be at their “silliest and best,” which seems like a fitting send-off for Jordan. She also noted that the episode was “very important” for Jordan as it was his “first onscreen kiss.” “He and John Griffin, who played his boyfriend on the show, were very specific about their appreciation for our writers’ sensitivity and writing a gay couple that was navigating the newness of living, I guess, a truly authentic, out life that their characters wanted to live,” she explained in the video. The Jeopardy! host also revealed that Jordan passed away while they were filming the following ninth episode, titled “Call Me Chrismukkah,” which will air this week on Dec. 8. The show’s executive producer, Maria Ferrari, previously told Deadline that “Leslie’s death absolutely affected the storylines.” Bialik elaborated that fans would be “hearing more about what we’ve decided to do with his character and how Vicki Lawrence is going to be part of that reveal.” Jordan’s friend, Lawrence, was cast as Phil’s mother, per the outlet. “I hope everyone is well, and may Leslie’s memory only be for a blessing. It seems like it has been for so many people. Last night’s episode was a very special reminder for all of us of how precious our time is with each other and in particular how much we miss Leslie Jordan,” she concluded in the nearly three-minute video. Since his sudden death, Jordan has appeared posthumously in a handful of shows, including MTV Cribs and a particularly special episode of Celebrity IOU. More News:
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