Five Ways Mom Will Change Now That Anna Faris And Christy Have Left

Anna Faris sent shockwaves to millions of fans of the CBS hit Mom, when she announced this summer that she would not be returning for Season 8 of the hilarious sitcom in order to explore other opportunities.

Mom Moves Forward With A Big Change

Considering the show revolves around the relationship of Christy (Faris) and her mom Bonnie (Allison Janney), this seems to create a rather big hole to fill. Thankfully, a strong supporting cast that includes Jamie Pressly (Jill), Mimi Kennedy (Marjorie), Beth Hall (Wendy), and Kristen Johnston (Tammy) should be able to supply enough laughs to keep the show at the top of its game.

Even so, here are the Top Five ways the show may change in the wake of Faris’s departure.

1. Ever since getting married, Bonnie and Adam (William Fichtner; ex-Josh/Rod, As the World Turns) have been living with Christy but now they’ll get a chance to be husband and wife without a buffer. Expect a little more fighting between the couple as Bonnie no longer has Christy to vent to and Adam can’t look to his step-daughter for advice.
2. The original premise of Mom had Christy raising two kids—a smart-alecky young son and a wild teenage daughter—but both characters have left the canvas with hardly a mention. A return home by Violet (Sadie Calvano) might give someone new for Bonnie to jar with and relive the troublesome years she had at that age, opening up some nice dramedy for Emmy-winning Janney to play.
3. In recent years, the support group has been given more to do—and the show has been better for it, especially with the addition of Tammy. Now that Christy’s gone, expect to learn even more about the lives of Jill, Marjorie, Wendy, and Tammy.
4. Some of the best recurring characters on the show predominantly deal with Christy. For instance, French Stewart’s Chef Rudy who steals every scene he is in. But with Christy no longer working at the restaurant, expect the self-absorbed chef to rekindle a relationship with Tammy. As good as Stewart is alone, his scenes with his former Third Rock From the Sun co-star are an absolute hoot!
5. Mom is known for mixing humor with some serious stuff, and it’s been a while since they’ve dealt with a relapse of a character. Could Christy’s leaving send Bonnie or one of the other core characters off the wagon?

Mom returned to production for Season 8 in mid-September, with new episodes starting sometime in November. Mom airs Thursdays on CBS. Check your local listings for airtimes.