Several of the original study group were largely absent in Rick and Morty). Brown first portrayed the character in the 2009 pilot before serving as a regular cast member. Here's why the actress exited the series but how she stayed close to her Community family.
Before Brown secured a role in Community, she split her time between TV and movies. Her acting gigs ramped up in the early '00s with roles in popular shows like Curb Your Enthusiasm, Two and a Half Men, and Drake & Josh. Brown then appeared in shows like eldest female with motherly tendencies. Shirley's goal was to take business courses so that she could build a company of her own one day.
After a failed business attempt, Shirley re-enrolled at Greendale and attempted to reopen "Shirley's Sandwiches" in the school's cafeteria. Throughout season 5, Shirley was involved with the "Save Greendale Committee" in the hopes of keeping the college up and running. She helped save Greendale, but the character didn't come back as a regular in the sixth and final season. Ahead of Community season 6, Brown announced that she wouldn't be returning so that she could take care of her ailing father. Due to the TV series' grueling work schedule, Brown didn't have the time to take care of her father full-time in addition to her commitments as a series regular. Brown's father was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, and she understandably chose her family over her work. The cast and crew of Community wished her the best, but the group wasn't separated for too long.
Yvette Nicole Brown Made Guest Appearances In Community Season 6
Brown appeared in the Community season 6 premiere episode so the series could tie up loose ends with the character. Just like her real-life situation, Shirley left Greendale to care for her ill father. Shirley then became a personal chef to a paralyzed private investigator named Mr. Butcher. In time, Shirley began helping her boss with his cases, making them crime-solving partners. Brown made one last guest appearance in the series finale as the remaining of the study group envision what next semester will look like. Some of the imagined Shirley returning to serve as the matriarch of the group as she did in the past.
With Shirley along with virtual table read. There's also a hope that she will return for the highly rumored sequel movie in the near future.