Bob Hearts Abishola Stars Unpack Future-Set Finale and Mixed Feelings About Ending Now: ‘We Could Have Gone One or Two More Seasons’

TVLINE | The series finale begins with a seven-year time jump. Knowing that there were so many more stories that you could have told over additional seasons, were you excited about the prospect of flashing forward and seeing where everyone wound up?
OLOWOFOYEKU | I was really excited about that. I couldn’t comprehend what the writers would choose to do with this episode, but going into the future, and getting that opportunity to see these characters that you’ve been invested in for the last five years — seeing how they turned out, and seeing that they turned out so beautifully — was such a smart decision.
GARDELL | It really let us land the plane in a beautiful way, and we got to bring the entire cast back. Because of economics, we couldn’t have everybody in every [Season 5 episode], so we tried to service a few people each week, just to keep us all connected. But to get us all back on the final show to see where they had matured, where Bob and Abishola had settled, what happened with Dele and how he had matured, and to give a nod to where they’re going and what they had also accomplished [was perfect]. The big one, I think, is Abishola becoming a pediatrician… You see that she fulfilled her American dream, and I just think we need more good stuff like that in the air. It’s inspirational.

TVLINE | Folake, how did it feel entering in Abishola’s white coat for the first time and having the studio audience react the way that they did?
OLOWOFOYEKU | Well, my first moment to take it all in was when I saw Abishola’s office. I remember sitting at her desk and looking around, like, “All right, Abi! You did it! We started at the nurse desk, and now you’ve got a nice office.” I had that moment in her office during rehearsal, and it made feel like we accomplished something quite magnificent with this show. But stepping out and seeing the audience members now realize what had transpired… we had a huge ovation, and it was beautiful.

TVLINE | Billy, the first time we saw Bob, he was on a stretcher. He met Abishola after he had three stents put in his heart. Twelve years later, he’s as healthy as he’s ever been in his life — and his wellness journey coincided with your own. Can you think of a better example of art imitating life?
GARDELL | No. This thing starts with Bob in serious [crisis]. He finds this lovely woman, and he gets healthy. That comes with not only finding love, but learning to love yourself, which is what I had to do with my journey. The idea that I could make a life change like this — to do it on television, and have it fit into the story? My wife always says I have a horseshoe in my ass. I’m starting to think that she’s right. [Laughs] It was a real gift because I could play all of it [on screen]. Everybody was so supportive of me when I went through that. [Series co-creator] Chuck [Lorre] said, “Look, get healthy, man! Get healthy because it fits right into the show, and it’s just going to reinforce that this man found something healthy enough to take care of himself: the love of his wife.” In reality, that’s why I did it: to annoy my wife for 20 more years, and to give my son too much advice for another 20 years. It was a beautiful mirror.

TVLINE | I think this finale really drives home the idea that Bob and Abishola have not only enriched each other’s lives but have made each other better people. Billy, what do you think is the most important lesson that Bob has learned in this relationship?
GARDELL | That he doesn’t have to control everything, and that he can trust the process of life. There’s also the importance of family. Bob doesn’t come from… let’s say, the healthiest family, right? But the love between Abishola and her family, I think, is something that Bob desperately needed. When he was welcomed into that family, he took right to it. Bob was a workaholic, and Abishola [instilled] in him a work ethic that had to do with taking care of the family. That was a beautiful journey for him, and a beautiful journey for me. I mean, I learned so much about the Nigerian culture — about the work ethic, the importance of elders, the importance of family… and those are not highlighted when you hear about immigrants these days, and I think the idea that we were able to highlight that was really important. People need to realize that there are good immigration stories in this country. I think we showed that.

TVLINE | Folake, what do you think is the most important lesson that Abishola has learned in her relationship with Bob?
OLOWOFOYEKU | Learning that she could take a breath and rely on her partner. Even before they were married, she could rely on this guy who was showing up for her and thinking about her in ways that she needed. She was overworked, she was stressed out, and she held herself to very strict, very high standards. Bob and his family came into the picture and said, “Dude, you don’t have to be so g—damn rigid.” [Laughs]
GARDELL | I would say it like this: Abishola brought the beauty of the Nigerian culture to Bob, and Bob brought the best of America to Abishola…. I just think the relationship between Bob and Abishola is so important, especially right now in the world. We’re so divided, so at each other’s throats. Love is the most powerful weapon that we have, and it’s the last one we reach for. Week in and week out, we proved that love wins, and that’s what I am most proud of.

TVLINE | I’d be remiss if I didn’t ask about Bob and Abishola’s bench. It’s where we started the show, it’s where we end the show. For Bob and Abishola, it’s a sanctuary. It brings them peace. Talk to me about shooting that final scene.
GARDELL | It was a lot, man. Folake and I were so very careful with this relationship to make sure that it was based on trust and love, which our friendship is [also] based on, and it always culminated [on that bench]. Again, I’m going to refer to my wife, who always has great sayings. My wife always says that love grows best in small places, and that bench was the one place that there was no chaos for them. And I don’t mean bad chaos. There was no worrying about Dele, there was no worrying about the factory, there was no worrying about how Abishola was going to get through [medical] school. It was a place where the world stopped for those two, and the fact that they had that was beautiful. And then our writers, man… We always get our script the night before, and when I got to that last scene and it just said Exterior: Park Bench, I was like [imitates crying]. It just busted me. It was perfection. I’m so proud of it.
OLOWOFOYEKU | That was the first scene we shot for that episode, and I’m so glad we did it that way, too. We went into shooting Episode 13, the final episode of the entire show, with the park bench. It was early in the morning, and we hadn’t been out there in what felt like over a year… and it holds so many memories for us. We also did a black box version of that scene in front of the audience. I remember just looking out at our director, Rhiannon O’Harra, who [previously served as first assistant director and] got to direct the last episode, which was so beautiful. I heard her say “Action,” and the waterworks started.
GARDELL | We weren’t ready for that first round. I couldn’t look [Folake] in the eyes because then I knew that I was going to [start crying]. I’m trying to look at her and go, “I’m fine! Will you tell me when you’re ready?” And we finally did what we always do. We let go and trusted each other, and then boom, the audience was with us in that intimate moment. Again, a perfect ending.

TVLINE | I can’t help but think that this show could have kept going. There are so many more stories you could have told. Do you two share that feeling? Or is there something to be said about going out on a high note, and leaving the audience wanting more?
GARDELL | I think we’re leaving on a high note — definitely. But it would have been nice to do one or two more seasons, to see us at that place [we land in the finale]. But what’s that old saying? Don’t be sad it’s over, be grateful it happened? I can truly say that I feel that way about this show, even though I think we could have gone one or two more seasons. But look, that’s not in our control. I told these guys, having been through it once with Mike & Molly, to cherish every moment. Because as Folake was saying earlier, it’s going to end. It’s ending, so let’s spend our time wisely here. Let’s spend our time building something. This show went five years, through a pandemic and through a strike, and I really think it had some magic dust on it because it left an imprint. And now we’re going to be in syndication, and I think more people are going to find this show, and I hope it has the impact on them that it did on me.
OLOWOFOYEKU | Oh, it will.

What did you think of Bob Hearts Abishola‘s series finale? Grade it via the following poll, then leave your full review in Comments.