As it turns out, America Ferrera hasn’t left Superstore after all — at least not as of yet. Following news the actor would be leaving the show after the Season Five finale aired in April, Ferrera has extended her deal two more episodes. Now, Ferrera — who’s served as the lead for top NBC comedy for five seasons — will depart two episodes into the show’s sixth season, after the show’s milestone 100th episode airs.
“We’re lucky enough to have America back for our first two episodes of the season,” Superstore co-showrunners Jonathan Green and Gabe Miller told TVLine. “There was so much we wanted to explore with COVID and how it changes the world of Cloud 9 that we decided to focus on that in the premiere, with Amy starting her new job remotely while still trying to manage the store.
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The duo added, “The second episode will cover Amy’s last day at Cloud 9, so we can fully give her the sendoff she deserves. It’s also Superstore’s 100th episode, so we’re excited that America will be celebrating that milestone with us.”
Green and Miller revealed the sixth season will focus heavily on the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, something that will be explained in-depth on the series. It first started production earlier this month.
“[There will be] time jumps within the episode taking us through the early months of the pandemic, [before we] gradually catch up to where things are now,” they concluded. “We’ll show how all of our characters are handling the uncertainty, the panicky and difficult customers, and the new demands of the job.”
NBC also released the first official look at the season, showing series regulars wearing masks and gloves. As one might expect, America Ferrera’s Amy is missing entirely.
“The last five years on Superstore have been some of the most rewarding, enriching and enjoyable years of my career,” Ferrera said in a statement released about her departure earlier this year. “Producing, directing and acting with this wonderful cast and crew has given me opportunities to grow as a person and storyteller. I’m so grateful to my partners at NBC and Universal Television for the support and belief they have always placed in the show, and I’m most thankful to the brilliant [series creator] Justin Spitzer for creating the funny, smart and relevant world of Superstore and inviting me to be a part of it. As I start the next chapter for my family and career, I wish only the best, and much continued success, to my beloved Superstore family.”
Superstore returns on October 22nd at 8/7 p.m. Central.
