Jeff Neumann/CBS
Creators Robert and Michelle King will be exiting and star Julianna Margulies has also indicatd she will be jobless after this season.
CBS used TV's biggest platform — the Super Bowl — to confirm that the current season of The Good Wife will be its last. The series finale will air Sunday, May 8, CBS confirmed in a release shortly following the on-air promo (watch that, below).
“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,” CBS Entertainment president Glenn Geller and CBS TV Studios president David Stapf said in a joint statement Sunday. “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’ 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.”
Sunday's news that season seven of The Good Wife comes as little surprise. Star Margulies said in January that she would be "unemployed come April," indicating wide speculation that this would be the end of the road for the critical darling when production on the drama concludes. That followed news in early January from Geller that the Kings would be exiting their drama after this season. The executive, at the time, seemed optimistic that The Good Wife could go on without them. He pointed to the show's "deep bench" of writers on staff — including executive producer Craig Turk, whom Geller pointed to as a possible new showrunner.
Said the Kings, who have spoken about their seven-season plan for the show multiple times over the years, in a joint statement: “The Good Wife has been the creative experience of a lifetime. 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.”
Said star Margulies: “Being a part of The Good Wife has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my career. 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.
A modest ratings performer for the network known best for procedural franchises like NCIS and Criminal Minds, The Good Wife has remained an important part of the network's slate primarily because of its prestige, drawing high-profile guest stars like Michael J. Fox and David Hyde Pierce in addition to winning Emmys for Margulies and former star Archie Panjabi, among others.
The Good Wife marked Margulies' biggest TV role to date since her Emmy-winning breakout turn on ER.
Kate Stanhope contributed to this report.
