The current season of “The Good Wife” is officially its last, CBS announced via a Super Bowl promo spot on Sunday.
The Emmy-winning drama series starring Julianna Margulies has nine episodes to go in its seventh season. CBS announced the May 8 series finale with a promo spot that aired during the network’s telecast of Super Bowl 50.
“It’s never easy to say goodbye to one of the crown jewels of your network and studio, much less to a show that is among the best on television,” said CBS Entertainment president Glenn Geller and CBS TV Studios president David Stapf in a joint statement. “But it also feels very right to end with the seven-year story its creators envisioned, and to celebrate the show’s final run while at the top of its creative game. It has been CBS’s sincere privilege to broadcast and produce ‘The Good Wife’ for seven extraordinary seasons. We thank and applaud the outstanding cast, led by the impeccable Julianna Margulies, and the consummate writing and producing team, headed by the brilliant Robert and Michelle King, who brought to life a smart, sophisticated series that has delivered audiences so many memorable characters and unforgettable moments. It is a series that will only grow in prestige as its episodes are watched again or discovered by new viewers for many years to come.”
Popular on Variety
“The Good Wife” has been the rare broadcast TV drama series to rank as a contender with cable fare in award races and critical acclaim. The drama, which bowed in 2009, initially focused on Margulies’ Alicia Florrick character as a Chicago political spouse trying to rebuild her life after her husband (played by Chris Noth) went to jail on corruption charges.
The end of the series had been up on the air for the past few months after showrunners and creators Robert and Michelle King confirmed they would step down from the show after its current season. But Geller told reporters last month during the Television Critics Association press tour that he was confident that the “Good Wife” production bench was strong enough for the series to endure after the Kings’ departure.
It’s clear that conversations with the key players during the past few weeks resulted in a consensus that the show would be best served by ending after the current season.
” ‘The Good Wife’ has been the creative experience of a lifetime,” said Robert and Michelle King. “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 (CBS’) 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.”
Margulies earned lead actress Emmy Awards in 2011 and 2014 for her work on the series. “Good Wife’s” accolades have also included AFI kudos, a Peabody Award, a Television Critics Award for drama series and a WGA Award for episodic drama. The show also nabbed Emmy noms for best drama series in 2010 and 2011. Carrie Preston and Martha Plimpton also earned guest star Emmy kudos for their work on the show.
“Being a part of ‘The Good Wife’ has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my career,” said Margulies. “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.”
“Good Wife” has never been a ratings monster by the standards of other CBS dramas, but it brought prestige to the Eye. And syndication deals with Amazon and Hulu were lucrative to warrant series renewals when the show otherwise would have been on the bubble. It’s understood that CBS seriously considered the option of giving the show a short pickup for next season in order to maximize “final season” marketing efforts. Just a few weeks ago, when Margulies joked about being “unemployed” soon during an awards presentation, CBS discounted the significance of her statement, calling it a joke.
But with the creators exiting as showrunners, CBS brass decided that sooner rather than later was better for the series finale.
In addition to CBS TV Studios, “Good Wife” hails from Ridley Scott’s Scott Free Productions. Ridley Scott, Brooke Kennedy, David W. Zucker, Craig Turk and Leonard Dick are executive producers along with the Kings.
