The July 28 episode of Jeopardy!, starring guest host LeVar Burton, featured a category all TV fans must have flipped out over, as it focused on famous sitcom exits. One of those mentioned was Anna Faris‘ departure from Mom. Faris left the CBS sitcom before its eighth season, which turned out to be its last. The show, which also starred Allison Janney, ended its run in May.
The $800 clue in the Sitcom Exits category read, “In 2020, Season 8 still had Mom, but Christy Plunkett, portrayed by her, was off to Georgetown Law.” The correct response was Faris, whose character’s name was Christy Plunkett. In the Season 8 premiere, Bonnie (Janney) revealed that Christy was leaving California to study at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. Christy received a full scholarship to attend Georgetown’s law school.
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“Every mom dreams of the day when they drop their 42-year-old daughter off at the airport to go to school,” Bonnie told Adam (William Fitchner) after they drove Christy to the airport. “Georgetown Law School on a full scholarship? Phew! A lot of parents would be in a puddle of tears right now.” Christy did not appear in the Season 8 premiere episode, but she did call Bonnie to learn how Tammy’s (Kristen Johnston) birthday sleepover went.
Faris announced her departure from Mom in September 2020, just weeks before the pandemic-delayed production was about to begin. “The past seven years on Mom have been some of the most fulfilling and rewarding of my career,” Faris said in a statement at the time. “I’m so thankful to [co-creator Chuck Lorre], 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.”
The Overboard star’s decision to leave the show reportedly came as a shock to CBS executives, especially since she had signed a two-season contract before Season 7 started. Janney called Faris’ departure a “huge loss” for the show in an Entertainment Tonight interview. Fairs “was part of creating a character, Christy, that everyone fell in love with, who was so lovable and warm and gullible and funny and we will miss her so much,” Janney said. “I think I’ll miss the most, for me, the relationship between Bonnie and Christy, even though that will still continue. But she won’t be present. That’s what I’ll miss.”
Although Mom is over, the show landed three Emmy nominations. Janney was nominated for Oustanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series, while James Widdoes was nominated for Oustanding Directing for a Comedy Series, and Joe Bella was nominated for Outstanding Multi-Camera Picture Editing for a Comedy Series. Janney previously won Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for Mom in 2015.
