‘Sistas’ Dropped 2 of Its Major Characters, Karen and Sabrina Ahead of Its 10th Season

January 2026 is a milestone month and year for Tyler Perry’s Sistas. During the new year, the Black women-led dramedy began promoting its tenth season seven years after it aired in 2019.

While Sistas entered the season with many of its OG cast members — KJ Smith as Andi Barnes, Mignon Von as Danni, and Crystal Renee Hayslett as Fatima back, with the addition of Angela Beyince, Devale Ellis, Brian Jordan Jr., Chris Warren, and Monti Washington — as the show’s central cast members, the promotions for the season showed two main characters noticeably missing.

The Season 9 finale ended with the fates of two characters, Karen (Ebony Obsidian) and Sabrina (Novi Brown), left unclear until neither of their faces appeared in Season 10 promotional imagery. So, why did Karen and Sabrina leave Sistas? Here’s what to know.

When Karen and Sabrina’s faces didn’t appear on the Season 10 poster for Sistas, fans wanted answers. Unfortunately, BET and Tyler Perry Studios didn’t disclose why they wouldn’t be returning to the show for Season 10. Deadline confirmed the news of their exits on Jan. 5, 2026, sparking outrage and confusion among the show’s fans. Many fans who commented on social media about the exits felt the endings for Karen and Sabrina were unfair.

“Ebony Obsidian leaving #sistasonbet makes sense,” one fan wrote. “Karen got her happy ending. There was full characterization and development. Plus, Ebony wants to capitalize on her success with that Netflix movie. Sabrina? No character resolution. So much they could've done with her character.”

“Dawggg Sabrina and Karen really left the show ???” another said. “I know I couldn’t stand Karen, but d--n.”

During the Season 9 finale of Sistas, both Karen and Sabrina faced devastating setbacks. After having her baby, Faith, during a blackout, the season ended with Karen deciding to move out of Atlanta to start over in Seattle with her partner, Aaron (Kevin A. Walton), and their baby. While she seemed to make it out of Atlanta safely, Sabrina’s story was pretty much confirmed to be over in the finale. On the show, she was involved in a severe car crash that also involved KJ’s character, Andi. Unfortunately, based on the Season 10 trailer for Sistas, it appears that she didn’t survive the fiery crash.

In addition to Novi and Ebony’s characters, Sabrina and Karen, respectively, being removed from Sistas, the series’ promo added two new Sistas to the mix. Jordan Coleman, who is best known for his previous role in All American: Homecoming, joined the series as Andi’s estranged sister, Cheyenne Barnes. The show also tapped Peloton instructor and content creator Tunde Oyeneyin, who plays Madison Truitt, a powerful, self-assured entrepreneur whose commanding presence and unapologetic ambition have carved out a space for her in a male-dominated world.

While some of the day one Sistas fans didn’t appreciate the introduction of the show’s new characters after Karen and Sabrina’s abrupt end, others felt the long-running show needed to add some fresh faces, saying the characters’ storylines had become dull. As of this writing, neither Tyler, who created and executive-produces the show, has discussed Sabrina and Karen’s departures, but he said he was hopeful about Sistas’ future.

“The longevity of Sistas is a testament to the incredible audience who has so deeply connected to the show,” Tyler said. “I know they will be invested in every plot line, every character, and a lot is going to happen this season. As always, we’ve got some big surprises, twists, and turns. It will not disappoint!”

Catch new episodes of Sistas on Wednesdays on BET at 9 p.m. EST.