Discovery Channel made big headlines in August 2014 by announcing that the trio of Kari Byron, Tory Belleci and Grant Imahara were being let go from "MythBusters."
The "Build Team," which effectively functioned as a secondary, self-sufficient group of 'Busters, were fired released from their contracts after many years with the show in order to take the series in a new direction. The exact nature of that new direction has yet to be revealed, but it's believed to be a "back to basics" approach modeled after the show's early years. In those days, "MythBusters" consisted solely of the two original stars, Adam Savage and Jamie Hyneman.
Fans were shocked by the abrupt departures of the Build Team, to put it mildly. Imahara was with the show for 9 years, since halfway through its third season. Belleci was a MythBuster for a full decade, signing up at the beginning of Season 2. Byron was the real veteran, though, having been part of the show since its very first episode (though her minor appearance was uncredited), aside from a half season of maternity leave a few years ago.
Upon finding out that the popular trio were being forced out of the show, a group of fans created an online petition (the way they do) to have Kari Byron reinstated. Technically, all three members of the Build Team are listed on the petition, but it's Byron who gets the real attention. Her fans are using the petition to call out Discovery Channel, pointing out that she was the only female castmember, and as such "inspired a generation of girls" to see that women have a place in science.
It would be easy to write off the petition as the bored work of the show's most rabid fans, but they do raise some valid points. Aside from Byron's place of prominence as a female in science, they also recognize Imahara's position as the show's only person-of-color. Petition creator Julie Rodriguez was particularly irked by the way in which the trio were "quietly dropped from the show at the very end of the season finale" as particularly stinging, given their many years of service. If they had to go, didn't they deserve a better send-off?
Discovery Channel has taken notice of the petition and released the following statement to Entertainment Weekly.
"We are all big fans of Kari — as well as Tory and Grant — and are looking for other projects where we can work with them."
While it doesn't seem that the cable network is open to bringing the Build Team back to "MythBusters," it sounds like Discovery may find a new home for them. Might there be a "MythBusters" spinoff coming? Or an entirely new show tailored around the trio? Three new shows, one for each?!?
At press time, the "MythBusters" Build Team petition was on the cusp of garnering 35,000 signatures.
