Was Shirley's departure from Laverne and Shirley planned or unexpected?

Shirley's departure from Laverne and Shirley was both planned and unexpected. The decision was planned in the sense that both Penny Marshall and Cindy Williams, who played Laverne and Shirley respectively, had been discussing leaving the show since the end of season five. Both women were feeling that the show's quality had been declining and wanted to explore other opportunities.

However, it was not until the sixth season that the two women made the final decision to leave the show, and the departure was unexpected in the sense that fans did not know that the two actors would not be returning. Furthermore, the show's writers had to quickly adjust the show's storylines to account for the departure of the two leads. This was a challenge as Laverne and Shirley had been such integral characters to the show.

Ultimately, while Shirley's departure from Laverne and Shirley was a planned event, it still came as a surprise to fans and the show's writers. The show had to quickly adjust to the new reality of the absence of its two beloved characters.