This is LITERALLY the worst news ever. Rashida Jones and Rob Lowe will be leaving Parks and Rec midway through the upcoming season. Which means no more of this awesome greeting:

As often happens when shows become popular (or it’s probably more accurate to say critically acclaimed in Parks’ case), it becomes more challenging to keep the cast together. Rashida wants to focus on her production company while Lowe has other side projects he want to give full-time attention to as well.

Parks and Rec has really come into its own over the last couple of seasons, becoming in my opinion the best comedy on television (only after 30 Rock went off the air of course). The combo of 30 Rock and Parks and Rec on the same night was amazing and something that I wish I appreciated more at the time.

Ann Perkins and Chris Traeger were essential parts of the shows success. Ann played a great straight woman to Leslie and Chris played  the overly-positive, quirky boss perfectly. Rashida Jones was the second person cast for the show behind Amy Poehler so her absence will take some getting used to. Rob Lowe joined the cast in season 3 and was only supposed to do a 6-8 episode arc. He ended up staying on for 75 episodes and the show was much better for it.

I’m excited to see what Michael Schur and Greg Daniels come up with for Ann and Chris in their final 13 episodes. Pawnee won’t be the same without them but I have complete faith that the show will continue to be hilarious. We still have comedy legends Ron Swanson, Leslie Knope, Tom Haverford, April Ludgate, Jerry Gurgich, Donna and of course Andy Dwyer to keep us laughing.