Will Bob Hearts Abishola‘s Finale Set the Stage for That Mass Cast Exodus?
It’s hard to imagine a version of Bob Hearts Abishola without the extended Wheeler and Olatunji families present every week — but what if the Detroit-based marrieds made a big move ahead of Season 5?
As previously reported, only Billy Gardell and Folake Olowofoyeku are returning to their titular roles as series regulars. The remainder of the cast — which consists of Christine Ebersole (as Dottie), Matt Jones (as Douglas), Maribeth Monroe (as Christina), Vernee Watson (as Gloria), Shola Adewusi (as Auntie Olu), Barry Shabaka Henley (as Uncle Tunde), Travis Wolfe Jr. (as Dele), Bayo Akinfemi (as Goodwin), Anthony Okungbowa (as Kofo), Saidah Arrika Ekulona (as Ebunoluwa) and series co-creator Gina Yashere (as Kemi) — will return on a recurring basis, with each reportedly guaranteed just five episodes next year.
As a result, Warner Bros., which produces B❤️A, has waved exclusivity on the rest of the cast. In other words, they’re free to look for other TV jobs — and their returns are in no way assured.
That brings us to the synopsis for B❤️A‘s Season 4 finale. In the episode, airing Monday, May 22 (CBS, 8:30/7:30c), “doubts begin to creep in as Abishola awaits her acceptance letter to the medical school of her dreams in Baltimore” — as in Maryland. Meanwhile, “Bob battles his subconscious when he realizes he doesn’t want to leave Detroit.” But will he have a choice?
Should Bob and Abishola make the move from Michigan to Maryland, that’d put more than 700 miles between the marrieds and their brood… and make it easy to explain why, say, Tunde and Olu aren’t dropping in for regular family dinners. And surely Goodwin, Kofo and the Wheelers can keep MaxDot afloat if Bob leaves the family business (or decides to work remotely). But is that a version of the show that you’d want to see? Sound off in Comments.
Hey look I just started a brand new manufacturing plant that isn’t even up on its feet and now i’m going to move far away.
I mean sure, it’ll make it eaiser to remove actors, but it will make no sense story wise
Sometimes RL has a way of derailing your plans. If you say were starting up a brand new manufacturing plant you may legitimately drop everything to support your suppose in pursuing a once in a lifetime opportunity for their own dream.
So while the change in direction story wise is unfortunate it is also not that hard to believe.
I love the entire cast and I’m not sure I will enjoy Bob and Abishola Do Medical School as much. I would continue watching , hoping to see more of the family than suggested.
My favorite part of the show is the hospital lunch breaks so if they are gone, I guess so am I.
The supporting cast is arguably the best part of the show so I don’t see this working well if so. I’d say a spinoff with everyone but B&A would actually do better than the inverse
I agree totally.
Bob ❤️Abishola’s respective families are a CENTRAL part of what makes the show so WONDERFUL. Not sure if B❤️A in Medical School would have an attraction as STRONG.
Please don’t do this!!! This is one of the best shows on TV. Maybe Aboshola can start with all of classes being online and only leaves for important testing.
Bob would never leave his elderly mom nor Aboshola her son. Family means everything to both of them as well as the love from the people they would leave behind.
Plus Kimmy is about to be married!!!!
Please don’t take B❤️A away from the world!!!!
Hmmm…human anatomy (wiith corpses that you cut open) would be pretty hard to do online (no computer simulations are not ‘just as good’)
Presumably they’re referring to Johns Hopkins, which is generally considered the best medical school in the country. We know Abishola is a hard worker, but that would really be an impressive feat. It’s hard to imagine someone being accepted there an not going, no matter what the reason.
On the other hand, sitcoms have a habit of finding an excuse to keep characters in the city where everyone else lives. Even if the others will only appear in a few episodes each, it’s hard to imagine them changing the show so completely, especially near the end of its run. “Bob and Abishola Go to Baltimore” sounds like a really bad idea.
This sounds terrible. It’s the only comedy show I watch and it sounds like I won’t be watching for long. I’ll give it a try, but the supporting cast is what makes the show. I love Uncle Tundi.
Totally agree. I love Uncle Tundi. He makes the show.
I love ❤️ the family 👪 It would not be a good idea at all.
Sounds like they’re trying to ruin the show!
Sounds like they had to cut costs or face cancellation. No one tries to ruin the show that gives them a paycheck.
It is more about the shame of what is starting to happen to “over the air” TV. More costs, less revenue, more shows headed for streaming. To keep a show on the “Network” many shows will probably be following suit and cutting cast members, as well. I don’t like it, but it is a sign of the times.
It sounds like the producers were told they needed to cut the per episode cost for the next season. The most surprising of the changes is seeing series co-creator Gina Yashere being included in the episode reduction.
It will be interesting to see how they structure this new season.
I need the supporting cast. They’re comedy gold!!
This is a really bad choice, while I love the main characters, it really is the supporting cast that makes this show successful.
We were just saying the same thing as we watched the show! The supporting cast makes the show. It would be nice if they developed the whole family dynamic even more.
It is the whole cast that clicks .is there no medical school where they live come on
Why do that have to screw this show up by messing with the formula that works. I admit the cast seems too large but good grief how cast members of Ghosts again? 30. They did the same thing when Mike and Molly was on and switched the focus of the show and the magic of the ensemble of the show was gone. Went to being a mid season replacement show to permanently being replaced in Season 6
I love Bob Hearts Abishola and the *whole* cast, esp the interactions between Kofo/Goodwin.
Will I still watch it? Yes
Do I like this? Nope.
Wait for the fairly highly rated Bob Hearts Abishola to move to Paramount+
Not amused
Tom
They’re taking a big risk.
It will kill the series, moves like this will always kill a show
I don’t understand?? It’s an ensemble from the get go…I’m not sure they should do that, but they must have a plan?? I fear it will be the last season based on that-how sad! It’s working-why mess with it at all??? Ugh!
While they’re probably doing this as a compromise with the network to massively reduce costs in order to keep the show on the air, I think they’re misunderstanding just whu viewers enloy the show. Billy Gardell is a very good straight man, and therefore a good person to be ay the center of a crew of eccentrics, but without the right folks to react to he’s less of a draw.
Folake Olowofoyeku is interesting as a study in watching a tightly wound Nigerian woman loosen up in an American setting, and increasungly so by virtue of her relationships with her new husband but primarily with both her Nigerian and American families and friends. When the main scenes are primarily with just Abishola and Bob the harshness of the character comes across as a bit too harsh and it feels much better when she talks over her feelings with her co-workers about her inevitable conflicts with Bob.
I like the show but for the sake of viewer enjoyment it might be better to end it before stripping out so much of what makes the show fun and relatable.
Don’t send Bob to Baltimore, write in best medical school is in Detroit. Bob needs to remain running his father’s company don’ t continue outsiders that are not family as CEO. Keep Bob, his mother Dottie, his brother and sister as the sole people that are in charge and remain in charge. Don’t mess with dialog
I’ll stop watching this show if they get rid of the rest of the cast. They are what makes this show hysterical.
They are totally ruining the whole show. It would have been better to cancel or sell it to Hulu or Paramount. How can’t believe Chuck Lorre is letting this happen. This is a multi cultural show. Where do you find that anymore.
The whole cast makes the show. You can’t do Bob♥️Abishola without the whole family. Have we forgotten Abishola heritage? It’s all about family. Chuck Lorre
CBS has very little comedy’s on the air. I don’t care about Young Sheldon & Ghost I want my Monday Night Comedy’s The Neighborhood and Bob❤️Abishola.
A show without Gloria and Kemi. Without Dottie and Ebunoluwa. And I Miss Uncle Tunde and Auntie Olu. We need Dele, Christina & Doug & Kofo and Goodwin.
This one is best.
NO NO NO JUST PLAIN NO WAY!!!!!
The only way this will work is to take enough of them to do a spin off of BHA. My family circle has already been predicting a spinoff bc of too many characters. I can’t see how you, Mr. Lorre, would do this again to the actor who plays Douglas. He was so good on Mom, I can actually understand the shift more on Mom rather than BHA. CBS instead of wasting your time with two new sitcoms, Terry Crews and the Wayans, lets face it both of them are going to be canceled. Can you say How We Roll? They want be better than that John Ritter wanna be. Please please please Chuck Lorre change your mind and put half of these people on a spin off leave the others with BHA. Abishola needs to go to school where she’s at! She’s Nigerian, she has always been a tough cookie! Don’t degrade her now bc she’s female!
I love this show, but seriously… Bob & Abishola are great, but have become the least interesting characters. I’d rather watch most of the supporting cast, especially Yashere and Watson.
I never thought CBS would treat Chuck Lore THIS Bad a 3rd time … first it was when they pushed MIKE & MOLLY’s final season to the end of that 6th Season,(“Burning off” episodes as double runs, and having only ordered 13 episodes… hmm…wonder if Billy noticed this) then canceling MOM when the new format was working and getting viewers…and now this…is it any wonder he’s not brining another show to CBS?