The Search Party is coming to an end.
Friday, Jan. 7 marks the launch of the cult comedy's fifth and final season on HBO Max. So it's not surprising that the show's stars—Alia Shawkat, Meredith Hagner, John Early and John Reynolds—were feeling emotional during their exclusive chat with E! News ahead of the farewell season.
In fact, Early, who plays pathological liar Elliott Goss on Search Party, confessed that he's "still very sad that it's over," adding, "It was the best job I'll ever have. I can't believe I got to be on something that's as funny as it is."
Expressing a similar sentiment, Hagner, who plays the desperate for love Portia, quipped that she's "not doing well." Reynolds, who plays the soft-spoken Drew, shared that he's likely in denial, explaining, "I think it's one of those things where I'm grieving and I don't know it."
Shawkat, who plays trouble-seeking Dory, felt the same and admitted that she won't be able to accept Search Party's end until the final season airs. On playing Dory for five seasons, Shawkat expressed, "She's a character who changes so much. I think it's a rare opportunity as an actor on a TV show."
For those who've yet to stumble upon this laugh-out-loud sleeper hit, Search Party, which moved from TBS to HBO Max for its final three seasons, centers around a New York City-based friend group, who decide to search for a college acquaintance who's gone missing.
Alas, the search doesn't go according to plan, as the gang soon become central figures in a murder trial. The story further escalates when Dory gets kidnapped and almost dies in a fire.
After all of that, what could possibly be in store for the final season? Well, according to Reynolds, fans can expect the return of a few old faces and "a brand new chapter" for Dory and company. "Every season gets campier and campier," he further shared, "and this [season] definitely blows this up in a fun, good way."
Supporting Reynolds' description of the season, Hagner praised the show's creators and writers, Sarah-Violet Bliss and Charles Rogers, for crafting "a s--t show of epic proportions."
More specifically, the trailer has teased that, following her near-death-experience, Dory has a new lease on life—and has begun sharing this new ideology with the world. In short: She's a full on cult leader now.
"It definitely gets a bit loopy this season. It gets more extreme," Shawkat added. "It definitely has a technicolor rainbow, kind of like, surreal, psychedelic vibe to it this year."
Intrigued? Catch Search Party's fifth and final season when it debuts on HBO Max Friday, Jan. 7.