Allison Janney says working on the Mom series without Anna Faris is very odd. Premiering in 2013, Mom quickly became a smash hit for CBS. The series, created by Chuck Lorre, follows dysfunctional mother/daughter duo Christy (Faris) and Bonnie (Janney), who reside in Napa Valley. The two navigate life’s hurdles as single mothers while struggling with sobriety and attempting to rebuild their relationship after years of estrangement.

Hailed for its powerhouse performances, Mom has received praise for doling out hilarious moments while tackling topical issues. These include addiction, teen pregnancy, domestic violence, and relapse. Last year, Faris shocked fans when she announced that she would exit the sitcom ahead of season 8. Pivoting Janney’s character Bonnie into the spotlight, Mom gave Faris' character a satisfying sendoff and explained that Christy is off to Georgetown Law School. Now, Janney has opened up on what it has been like to film without her longtime co-star.

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Janney recently sat down for an interview with Ellen Degeneres, admitting that filming Mom without Faris is “very odd” and that the actress and her character are "very missed.” Expressing her support for Faris’ decision to leave Mom, Janney said, “We’re just happy that she’s doing what she wants to do now, and we’re happy even more so that we’re able to tell these stories about these great women in recovery.” Despite the sudden departure of Faris, Janney appears adamant about the continuation of the sitcom and states, “...we’re going to keep telling the stories as long we can.”

Anna Faris and Allison Janney sitting next to each other in Mom

Of course, Janney continues to tackle relevant storylines in her Emmy winning role on Mom, despite the lack of the integral mother/daughter component. Faris appears to remain in good rapport with Janney and the creative forces behind Mom, and the series continues to pepper in mentions of Christy while Janney’s character deals with a fresh empty nest and her marriage to Adam (William Fichtner). As it stands, it remains to be seen how long CBS will keep Mom on the air, as the sitcom reportedly experienced a decline in ratings following the premiere of season 8.

Indeed, Faris was regarded as an anchor for Mom, both on and off-screen. Faris has not stated if she would appear in the future series finale of Mom, but the show could leave the door open for Christy to make a return. Popular series that bid farewell to a central character, such as Shirley in Laverne and Shirley, Fiona Gallagher in Shameless, and Michael Scott in The Office, usually tote a short shelf-life after the lead’s exit. Of course, Janney’s raw talent and impeccable comedic timing continue to shine on Mom.

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Source: The Ellen DeGeneres Show