Fans devastated over beloved sitcom character’s death

Spoiler alert: Fans are lapping up the Will & Grace reboot — but were left stunned this week when the sitcom killed off one of its most beloved characters.

WILL & Grace fans may need a little extra love and attention at the moment, because over the weekend they bid farewell to a beloved character — Rosario Inés Consuelo Yolanda Salazar.

The episode of the sitcom reboot, Rosario’s Quinceañera, addressed the absence of Karen Walker’s (Megan Mullally) long-time maid (and Jack’s former green card wife), but not in the way fans were hoping.

Actor Shelly Morrison’s fan-favourite character had yet to appear on the NBC revival, which is available to watch on Stan here in Australia, but when she finally did, it was for a sombre reason — to give her a proper send-off.

Will & Grace stars including Eric McCormack and Debra Messing returned for the new season — but the actress who played Rosario did not want to come back.

Morrison, whose name was the only other to appear in the opening credits besides the central four leads, was expected to return to the series, but the 81-year-old actress had reportedly retired from acting and did not plan on jumping back into the industry for the show. Her volatile (and at the end of the day, loving) relationship with Karen was one for the books, so the show’s creators felt it necessary to give her more than just a one-line send-off. On this week’s episode, Rosie died off-screen.

Rest easy, Rosie. Watch last night's #WillAndGrace now: https://t.co/qyV8m5FFcK pic.twitter.com/OsLU6sJnte

— Will & Grace (@WillAndGrace) November 3, 2017

“The [Rosario] character felt too much a part of the fabric of the show to just dismiss it with a line or two or an explanation,” show co-creator David Kohan told Variety. “It felt like it merited more of a loving farewell.” And a loving farewell it was; while Morrison did not return for her character’s final episode, Karen did bid her former maid tearful goodbye, and her funeral was a tear-jerker in more ways than one. Fans, understandably, did not take the death well, and took to Twitter to mourn Rosario.

I shouldn’t be this upset about a fictional character from a comedy show dying 😞 R.I.P. Rosario Inés Consuelo Yolanda Salazar #WillAndGrace

— Britanni Taylor (@BritanniTaylor) November 3, 2017

Nooooooo Rosario is gone? #WillAndGrace pic.twitter.com/mLRUIFo43w

— Ke (@ShesKRenee) November 3, 2017

How are we supposed to live without Rosario on #WillAndGrace? Her relationship with Karen was comedic gold. I’m officially in mourning. pic.twitter.com/BlIHHAUiHT

— Vintage Wingnut (@vintagewingnut) November 3, 2017

@WillAndGrace Rest In Heavenly Peace Rosario. #WillAndGrace pic.twitter.com/k1xtDkos9D

— Timothy Murphy (@TimothyMurphy50) November 3, 2017

No word yet on the fate of Karen’s new maid, but we can be sure that she’ll never quite fill the Rosario-shaped hole in our hearts.

This story originally appeared on Decider and is republished here with permission.