Fox News’ top-rated roundtable, The Five, has never been short on fireworks. Built on the clash of five distinct personalities — two left-leaning, three conservative — the show has thrived on its combustible mix of humor, opinion, and outright sparring. But lately, the spotlight has shifted to one particular seat: that of Jessica Tarlov, the liberal co-host whose presence has set off a wave of viewer backlash louder than anything the show has faced in years.
Tarlov, who has been with the program since 2021, has become the most polarizing figure at the table. To some, her role as a counterweight to the dominant conservative voices embodies the original DNA of The Five. To others, her sharp exchanges with Greg Gutfeld, Jesse Watters, and Judge Jeanine Pirro cross the line into exhausting and unwelcome. Social media hashtags demanding her removal trend on X almost daily, with fans accusing her of derailing conversations and dismissing her conservative co-hosts too often.
Executives at Fox News have remained silent, offering no hint that Tarlov’s chair is in jeopardy. But the speculation isn’t quiet. Industry insiders and even longtime Fox viewers are floating possible replacements if the network ever decided to pull the plug on her role. Among the names most frequently mentioned are Harold Ford Jr., the former congressman turned Fox contributor known for his calm delivery and pragmatic takes, and Sandra Smith, a respected Fox anchor who has proved her chops moderating heated exchanges on America Reports. Both are seen as voices who could bring balance without sparking the same level of division Tarlov currently generates.
Part of what makes The Five unique — and so dominant in the ratings, consistently drawing more than 3 million viewers nightly — is its chemistry. Gutfeld plays the sharp-tongued satirist, Watters the needler, Dana Perino the steady voice of reason, and Judge Jeanine the fiery prosecutor. Tarlov, by design, is the ideological outsider. For years, this mix has kept the program far ahead of CNN and MSNBC competition in its timeslot, even beating late-night entertainment shows on broadcast networks.
Yet the backlash is a reminder that The Five’s success rests not just on the panel’s formula, but also on the audience’s perception that the dynamic is fair. Viewers are now openly questioning whether Tarlov tips the balance too far. Some argue that Harold Ford Jr.’s smoother style could keep the left-leaning voice without the constant verbal collisions. Others say Sandra Smith’s credibility as a journalist would strengthen the panel’s discussions, while still allowing conservatives like Gutfeld and Watters to drive the debate.
For now, nothing has changed. Tarlov remains in her seat, continuing to spar daily with her co-hosts. But the growing unrest from Fox News’ loyal base — and the names being whispered as potential successors — raises the question of how long executives can ignore the noise.
As The Five remains cable’s crown jewel, the decision over who fills that one chair could determine whether Fox doubles down on its winning formula or risks shaking the chemistry that made the show a phenomenon.
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