‘Parks and Recreation’ season 6 spoilers: Are Rob Lowe, Rashida Jones leaving?

Please, say it isn’t so? If the following story is true, then the cast changes over at NBC go beyond one popular comedy in “Community”; they are also potentially impacting the world of “Parks and Recreation.”

BuzzFeed claims that at the midway point of season 6 (or technically, the end of the first 13-episode arc), both Rob Lowe and Rashida Jones will be leaving the show. This is interesting considering that we last saw Chris and Ann coming together in order to have a child at the end of last season, so if they are leaving, maybe it is (in the context of the show) that they each want to move forward and start a life together somewhere new.

As for why both actors could take off from the show, there are really two very simple explanations that we could understand:

1. A desire to do other things – Remember, Lowe is no stranger to leaving established programs. They’ve given years to Mike Schur and company, and despite the show being a critical hit and paying a good chunk of money, there may be an itch to try something different. At one point, Lowe was rumored to be joining Kelly Ripa on her morning talk show before Michael Strahan landed the gig.

2. Budget – The ratings for “Parks and Recreation” are not great, and Amy Poehler, Aziz Ansari, and some rising stars in Chris Pratt and Aubrey Plaza do not come particularly cheap. If the show is going to continue, it may need to find some ways to cut out costs from somewhere; and while this was probably not a primary factor, we imagine that Lowe and Jones will be replaced with more affordable options.

What’s your take on this news? If you want to read more news about the upcoming “Parks and Recreation” season, you can do so over here.

Photo: NBC