CBS Teases Photos of ‘Mom’s First Season Without Anna Faris

In early September, Anna Faris announced that she would not be returning to Mom for Season 8. The news came as a major shock to fans of the series, as Faris was one of the main stars of the show alongside Allison Janney. On Tuesday, CBS released teasers for all of their upcoming programming, including Mom. The sneak peek gives fans their first look at Mom without Faris’ Christy in tow.

According to TV Line, the synopsis for the Season 8 premiere involves Janney’s Bonnie inviting her friends over to a slumber party, which sees “childhood games” revealing “adult problems.” While the synopsis did not give any signs as to how Faris’ Christy will be written out of the show, the premiere will reportedly address her absence. The show also shared a photo of the Mom cast (minus Faris, of course) chowing down on some pizza while having a chat. Mom is set to return on Thursday, Nov. 5.

At the beginning of September, Faris announced that she would be leaving Mom after seven years with the series. She released a statement in which she thanked everyone who was involved in the production for giving her such a wonderful opportunity. “The past seven years on Mom have been some of the most fulfilling and rewarding of my career,” Faris said. “I’m so thankful to Chuck, the writers, and my amazing castmates for creating a truly wonderful work experience. While my journey as Christy has come to an end, allowing me to pursue new opportunities, I’ll be watching next season and rooting for my TV family.”

Faris’ exit was reportedly finalized early on in the show’s hiatus, meaning that the production had plenty of time to figure out how to write her character out of the show. With the actor’s exit, Janney, who portrayed Bonnie, Christy’s mom, will be the sole star of the series. In light of the news of her departure, WBTV, CBS, and Chuck Lorre Prods. released a statement that read, “From the inception of Mom, Anna was the first and only choice for the role of Christy. We are so proud of the stories we have been able to tell during Anna’s seven years with us. We wish Anna all the best, and we thank her for her beautiful portrayal.”