Lauren Graham exits Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist due to scheduling conflict caused by COVID delays

Lauren Graham exits NBC’s Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist due to scheduling conflict caused by COVID-19 delays

The season 2 premiere of NBC’s Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist aired on Tuesday night.

But fans of first season regular Lauren Graham were disappointed to learn that she won’t be appearing very much this season due to COVID-19 rescheduling.

Graham, who played Joan on the show that stars Jane Levy in the title role, tweeted: ‘Please watch the first episode of @ZoeysPlaylist tonight! Joan is only there for a wee moment (plans to do more thwarted by pandemic-related scheduling issues), but I’m so excited to watch the incredible @jcolburnlevy and company. xL.’

Written out: Lauren Graham has been written out of season 2 of the NBC show Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist with her character Joan departing on Tuesday night’s season premiere

In an interview with show creator Austin Winsberg published on THR.com earlier in the day, the showrunner explained that Graham’s character had been written out of the show.

‘I would have loved to have had more of her in season two. Unfortunately, the character of Joan was a victim of covid scheduling,’ Winsburg told the outlet.

‘Lauren had committed to doing another show that was supposed to be done shooting by the time we went into production. But the pandemic changed all of that and both shows ended up shooting at the same time. So, there was just no way for her to do both,’ he explained.

He went on: ‘Joan was going to be in a lot of the [season 2] episodes, and then covid happened…. We had to adjust multiple episodes because of it… and there was no way to make it work.’

Gracious: Graham, 53, tweeted to let fans know she was barely featured in the premiere and explaining her absence was due to the pandemic, urged them to continue to support the show

Gracious: Graham, 53, tweeted to let fans know she was barely featured in the premiere and explaining her absence was due to the pandemic, urged them to continue to support the show

Headliner: Levy, 31, stars as 'a young woman discovers she has the ability to hear the innermost thoughts of people around her as songs and musical numbers'

Headliner: Levy, 31, stars as ‘a young woman discovers she has the ability to hear the innermost thoughts of people around her as songs and musical numbers’

Reason why: Show creator Austin Winsberg told THR.com: 'Lauren had committed to doing another show that was supposed to be done shooting by the time we went into production. But the pandemic changed all of that and... there was just no way for her to do both'

Reason why: Show creator Austin Winsberg told THR.com: ‘Lauren had committed to doing another show that was supposed to be done shooting by the time we went into production. But the pandemic changed all of that and… there was just no way for her to do both’

Will be missed: Winsburg added the caveat that 'the door is always open for Lauren and Joan to return, and nothing would make me happier than having her back'

Will be missed: Winsburg added the caveat that ‘the door is always open for Lauren and Joan to return, and nothing would make me happier than having her back’

That other show was the Disney+ series The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers, a TV show based on the 1990s films with original star Emilio Estevez. 

That said, in his conversation with THR.com, Winsburg added the caveat that ‘the door is always open for Lauren and Joan to return, and nothing would make me happier than having her back.’  

Graham, 53, first found fame on The WB series Gilmore Girls which ran from 2000 to 2007 and co-starred Alexis Bledel. 

She went on to star in NBC’s Parenthood from 2010 to 2015.

Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist airs Tuesdays on NBC.

New show: Graham was committed to teaming up with Emilio Estevez, 58, for the Disney+ series The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers, based on the 1990s films starring Estevez

New show: Graham was committed to teaming up with Emilio Estevez, 58, for the Disney+ series The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers, based on the 1990s films starring Estevez

Graham, 53, found fame on The WB series Gilmore Girls which ran from 2000 to 2007 and co-starred Alexis Bledel (pictured). She went on to star in NBC's Parenthood from 2010 to 2015

Graham, 53, found fame on The WB series Gilmore Girls which ran from 2000 to 2007 and co-starred Alexis Bledel (pictured). She went on to star in NBC’s Parenthood from 2010 to 2015