Bob Hearts Abishola Renewal Twist: 11 Series Regulars Demoted to Recurring
Bob Hearts Abishola is going to look remarkably different when it returns for Season 5.
According to our sister site Deadline, 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. (Could this be one way to write everyone off?)
Neither CBS nor WB would confirm an episode count for Season 5, which was greenlit in January.
B❤️A started off as a love story about a middle-aged compression sock businessman (played by Mike & Molly vet Gardell) and his cardiac nurse (Olowofoyeku). The unlikely couple tied the knot at the beginning of Season 3. Over time, the series has blossomed into a true ensemble effort, which was only natural with a robust cast of 13 series regulars.
CBS previously renewed its entire sitcom slate for the 2023-24 broadcast season, including Ghosts (for Season 3), The Neighborhood (for Season 6) and Young Sheldon (for Season 7). Bob Hearts Abishola wraps Season 4 on Monday, May 22; get finale spoilers here.
Bob Hearts Abishola fans, how are you feeling about the imminent cast shakeup? Sound off in Comments.
Wow. That’s crazy. The aunt, uncle, and Christine Ebersole are my favorites. They could definitely do without the siblings.
hmm wonder why. I love Uncle Tunde and Auntie Olu! this show cracks me up every week. my friend complains that it’s run it’s course at this point but I don’t think so (yet)
Money, it’s always money.
Exactly, that’s why they got rid of Magnum, too expensive. So glad NBC picked it up.
agreed–networks (& even non-networks) are tightening their belts on budgets for mostly all shows’ budgets that are not bringing in top revenue.At least their main supporting cast are still getting recurring contracts that will allow them to sign for other projects on off-time.
This sounds so messy. I love this show, but the 5th season needs to be the last.
Wow, has there ever been a cast reduction of this size before? I wonder if season 5 will wind up being the last one
Several over the years, naked truth, suddenly Susan, scrubs cut everyone by 2 episodes for season 9 then the final had half the cast the rest were reoccurring.
That’s with out thinking about it…NY undercover final season, dragnet la
Technically mom if comparing yr1 to last season only Bonnie remained
Why not just end it now? Bob and Abishola are happily married, and the writers have been struggling to manufacture minor conflicts between them. And how much more do we need to know about the sock-manufacturing business? At this point, the supporting characters are more interesting — and if they’re not going to be in it much, it’s time to cancel the show.
Syndication $$
I agree! It would need a major plot twist. They already had her ex seasons ago lol
I wouldn’t count Chuck Lorre out as he has a history of reinventing shows.. both 2 1/2 Men and Mom did remarkably well with the losses of major characters.
Really?
“Did remarkably well”, you say?
Oy!
“Men” limped along for 4 long tedious seasons (which are barely repeated in the syndication run)
“Mom” crashed & burned following the abrupt departure of series star Anna Faris after Season 7 – Season 8 was a true misfire (that canned laugh track due to COVID hurt as well). Luckily they pulled the plug on it knowing they couldn’t recover.
The cancellation bell is tolling. Next season may not only be shortened but the last.
I love the entire cast (especially the originals) and they all work well together. I hope they (the powers that be) will come to their senses and keep this show on air by keeping its cast together
It’s becoming less and less funny over time, so no big deal. The writers married Bob and Abishola too fast and all of the characters just bicker with each other. I stopped watching.
Between Jump Start and the Wayans project, I figured one of them would end up post-Neighborhood midseason and the others only having 5 episodes guaranteed seems to confirm it.
That stinks! I was watching on Monday and thinking how I love all the supporting characters. One of my fave sitcoms these days.
I totaly agree! HATE this! An excellent, ensemble, comedy show & this plan will ruin it.
If Warner Discovery is involved in the show, you knew they were going to butcher it in some way. Just like they have anything else remotely connected to that media behemoth, owned by a maniac serial killer groupie cultist named John Malone.
This
This is obviously a CBS-inspired budget cut having nothing to do with WBD. In order to deliver the next season under CBS’s licensing-fee offer, they had to make huge budget cuts, None of the cast is being let go, they’re just not going to be paid for episodes they do not appear in, which is understandable when you have eleven non-title characters.
Well that’s just dumb, I like the cast ensemble and isn’t the premise of them navigating their relationship within the family
Agreed.
I enjoy the show very much. It’s funny and the cast is great. I would like to see more.
The show in 4 seasons has 80 episodes. If they do 20 in the 5th season they get to 100, and the producers will get a lot of money for that. This is a business decision, not a creative one.
Article states its only guaranteed for 5, I feel they might stretch it to 10 but probably not more than that.
The ensemble cast is guaranteed for 5 episodes each. Article does not confirm how many episodes the season will be.
The guaranteed five isn’t the episode count. It’s the episode count for the actors and actresses that were bumped to recurring status.
I’m ok with the cast reduction, do not care for the woman who plays Abisholas mother, and Kemi is becoming boring, they should make this the last season.
Def take out her mom, agree
Yes! Yes! Yes! Dump her Mom. She brings NOTHING to the show. Predictable, detestable character.
I want to see more done with Dele! They have really relegated him to a non-person, shutting him up, and ignoring his life’s needs and growth, at an age, where his life could provide LOTS of laughter and drama.
I love Bob loves Abishola and the whole cast. I can’t even picture the show without the whole cast. They are all so talented. What is being done is like a slap in everybody’s face. They are just trying to get the show cancelled.
They are not trying to get the show cancelled. If they wanted it cancelled, they’d cancel it. They are trying to save money. It is quite uncommon for a sitcom to have as many regulars as they had.
I love this show. That is a terrible decision. It has really become an ensemble show and all of the cast is great. Without the ensemble, what is the point?
I totally agree!!
That stinks! I honestly think the family makes the show better.
I love B❤️A! I’m sad to see the great supporting cast are not going to be regulars. It will be interesting to watch an episode or two but worry interest will wane. We love the storyline for all! Sad.
I’m okay with the reduction of the ensemble… often times some of the cast only have 1 or 2 lines per episode. Maybe this way they can highlight each supporting cast more by giving them bigger roles in certain episodes. Also, wasn’t Abishola looking at going to med school out of state? Maybe B&A will move so she can attend and the others will visit?
I prefer the whole cast returns that’s what makes the show. You know what they say there is no I in team. The show is famous because of how it works now with the cast. Are you trying to kill the show off
What a bummer, I watch the show for ALL the characters, not just Bob & Abishola. I thought the ratings are still really good even with them scheduling the shows crazy. This showing one or two episodes then off again bugs me,no consistency.
The surrounding cast makes the show don’t make a big mess or I’ll stop watching
I feel like they should have just cancelled it. I like the show but it has been struggling and with so many cuts I am not sure they can produce a quality show.
Quit screwing around with the shows!
Quit screwing around with the shows! It’s perfect the way it is