The Good Wife Ending With Season 7

It's official: Julianna Margulies' CBS legal drama will come to an end in 2016

By Chris Harnick Feb 08, 2016 1:05 AMTags
The Good WifeCBS

The Good Wife is coming to an end. CBS has announced this season of Julianna Margulies' hit legal drama, season seven, will be the show's last.

The network made the announcement during the 2016 Super Bowl with a spot promoting the "hundreds of twists."

"But the biggest Good Wife surprise yet...This is the final season. The final nine episodes begin next Sunday," the promo said.

"Telling the story of the Education of Alicia Florrick is the creative dream of a lifetime. It was always our plan to tell it over 7 seasons. We wanted the story to have a beginning, middle, and an end—that's the only way actions can have real consequences—and it's the reason we had episode titles count up from one word to four, then back down again (it would have been pretty embarrassing if we were cancelled in our fifth season)," series creators Robert and Michelle King said in a series of tweets. "We are forever grateful to our fans, cast and crew and CBS. We're excited to celebrate the final 9 eps and bring the story to its natural conclusion. Here's a spoiler: the last episode will be called 'End.' Thank you for a GREAT ride!! R & M"

"Being a part of The Good Wife has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my career," Margulies said in a statement released by CBS. "As an actress and a producer, it has been an absolute honor to be a part of a series that, throughout seven years, never settled on being just good…but always strived to be extraordinary. I have witnessed magic happen when Robert and Michelle King put pen to paper, and it has been a privilege to be in the company of their brilliance. To the most amazing and talented cast and crew, there will always be a special place in my heart for our Good Wife family. As we close the book on our beloved show, I am humbled and grateful to know that together, we created and were a part of something truly remarkable."

The Good Wife's end isn't much of a shock to dedicated fans. Series creators Robert and Michelle King are working on new projects and CBS boss Glenn Geller told press that they would be leaving at the end of season seven. However, the network was still looking at continuing for a season eight...that is until Margulies announced she was leaving.

"I surprised Robert and Michelle tonight," Magulies recently said to an assembled crowd of casting directors, according to Vulture. "They didn't know I was going to be here. They think I'm here for them, but I'm unemployed come April, and I think you haven't seen me in a while, at least not in person, so I thought I should show up."

The Kings and Margulies have talked about the seven-year plan for some time, but CBS kept the door open for more in May 2015 when they announced it was renewed. "They are visionaries, they're inspired," Nina Tassler, then president of CBS Entertainment, told reporters about the Kings. "As long as they want to continue producing and writing, we love having that show on our air and are very proud of it."

The Good Wife currently stars Margulies, Cush Jumbo, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Matt Czuchry, Alan Cumming, Zach Grenier and Christine Baranski. Recurring guest stars this year include Chris Noth, Margo Martindale, Vanessa Williams, Jerry Adler, Makenzie Vega, Mary Beth Peil, Peter Gallagher and Michael J. Fox.

The writing has been on the wall for some time, notably when Morgan, a new cast addition as Alicia's new investigator in season seven, was cast in The Walking Dead. Margulies previously revealed seven was the golden number, per Robert King. "I have enough in me as long as they want to write," Margulies said prior to The Good Wife's fifth season premiere. "As long as the writing stays like this, I can keep going. He told me a while ago … he said, 'I know I have seven in me. I'm not sure if I have more, but I definitely have seven.' If they'll have us, I think seven is a great number."

"The Good Wife has been the creative experience of a lifetime," the Kings said in a joint statement released by CBS. "Collaborating with the finest actors, writers, producers, staff and crew on 'The Education of Alicia Florrick' has been a dream. We can't imagine working with a more talented, professional, generous lead than Julianna Margulies or more supportive partners than Leslie Moonves, David Stapf, Glenn Geller and Nina Tassler at CBS and CBS Television Studios. We're looking forward to using this seventh season to bring Alicia's story to its natural conclusion. We couldn't be more excited and grateful.

The Good Wife airs Sundays, 9 p.m. on CBS. The series finale will air Sunday, May 8 on CBS.

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