Briefly: We’re getting a sixth season of Community, which is absolutely incredible in itself, and something that we never thought would happen.
Sadly, Shirley will not be a part of it.
TVGuide broke the news earlier today, and we’ve been hanging our heads in sadness ever since. It was hard to be too upset with the actress however, when she explained why she left:
“My dad needs daily care and he needs me. The idea of being away 16 hours a day for five months, I couldn’t do it. It was a difficult decision for me to make, but I had to choose my dad.”
Family comes first, and rightly so.
How the show will handle her departure will certainly be interesting, but Yvette says that “I am totally open to whatever Dan decides. I’m glad it won’t be hard for them to explain where she is. She has three kids, a degree and a business. There are a lot of ways to explain her [departure].” It was also noted that she may be open to guest appearances.
So, we’ve now lost Shirley, Pierce, and Troy (though there are some rumours that he’ll be making a return). Are you still excited for the sixth season? Or is half the cast disappearing too much for you?
We’ll be sure to share more Community news as soon as we hear it!