 Near the end of the first season in late May 2009, actor Kirk Acevedo announced he was "fired" off of the show from his Facebook page. Executive producer Jeff Pinkner denied it soon after, explaining that "like all things on Fringe, there is more to this story than meets the eye" and reminded viewers that an alternate version of his character had already appeared in a first season episode. Later that summer at Comic-Con in July he reiterated that "rumors of Charlie's demise are premature," and at the August Television Critics Association press tour he commented about Charlie possibly showing up in the previously visited parallel universe. "Momentum Deferred" marked the actor's last appearance in the prime universe. In response to why the character was killed off, Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello reported that the "storyline dictated. Charlie wasn't going to have much to do this season, and rather than waste Kirk's time, they cut him loose". The character's doppelganger from the parallel universe returned in the season finale "Over There".
