Warning! The following contains spoilers for the Call Me Kat episode “Call Me Philliam.” Read at your own risk!
Call Me Kat made its big return from winter break, but it was a bittersweet episode of the Fox sitcom. “Call Me Philliam” was the episode that the series had to write off Phil due to the death of actor Leslie Jordan, who died in October of 2022. Though it likely wasn’t easy, the comedy managed to be the latest series to make a touching tribute that honored both its beloved character and actor all at once.
The series welcomed guest star Vicki Lawrence to play Phil‘s mother, Lurlene Crumpler, who showed up unexpectedly to fill in for Phil as the baker was away in Tahiti with Jalen. As Kat and the crew coped with Lurlene and her eccentric behavior, fans learned what Phil’s future was and why he won’t be around Call Me Kat going forward.
How Call Me Kat Said Goodbye To Phil
Phil and Jalen, as Call Me Kat previously revealed, went off to Tahiti together on vacation. Lurlene received a call from Phil during her shift at the cafe that he decided to stay in Tahiti with Jalen, and they were getting married and opening a bakery. The characters shipped out to Tahiti for a wedding that took place entirely off-camera, but fans later saw the cast gathered around a laptop reliving the whole thing.
The cast reminisced about how much they were going to miss Phil in a moment that felt somewhat like the Call Me Kat actors were talking about both Phil and Leslie Jordan. It was really an emotional moment, and it only went further in that direction when the cast broke the fourth wall and decided to acknowledge the loss of Jordan.
How Call Me Kat Said Goodbye To Leslie Jordan
A chair with Leslie Jordan’s chair was brought out at the conclusion of the scene, and a sequined suit jacket was draped over the top of it. Mayim Bialik, Cheyenne Jackson, Kyla Pratt, Julian Gant, and Swoosie Kurtz all gathered around the chair and looked into the camera. Bialik broke the silence and said the following:
What we’ve done here is we’ve given Phil a happy ending. What we’re really doing is mourning the loss of our dear friend, Leslie Jordan. He is irreplaceable. We will miss him very much. Love, light, Leslie.
The cast then remained on screen, cried, looked up at the sky, and honored the departed and well-respected Leslie Jordan. It was a very real moment that couldn’t have been a more fitting tribute, even if it broke the illusion of the episode a bit.
The scene then cut to country music legend and part-time actress Dolly Parton, who shared a few words about Leslie Jordan. After singing a few lines from the gospel song “Where The Soul Never Dies” that Jordan and Parton once performed together, Parton went on to say some words about her friend:
I know, usually, at a memorial, people talk about somebody, but I’m going to talk to you because there is that place on the other side, and I’m certainly going to see you there, little brother. You left a lot of people here with a lot of precious, precious memories. Everybody loved you, but I doubt many of them loved you more than I did. Anyhow, I just wanted you to know that we all love you, we all miss you, and I bet you’re having a big laugh over all of us being sad and sorrowful, and I know that would be the last thing you would want us to be. You made us happy you were here, and we’re happy you’re at peace.
Dolly Parton and Leslie Jordan’s version of “Where The Soul Never Dies” then played, while Call Me Kat ran a montage of some of Phil’s best moments on the show. I can’t imagine any fan watching did so with dry eyes, nor will those who visit the episode with their Hulu subscription in the future. It was a fitting sendoff to the actor, who will undoubtedly be missed by fans moving forward.
Call Me Kat airs on Fox on Thursdays at 9:30 p.m. ET. Tune in for more new episodes and to see how the series will fix its need for a baker going forward.