‘The Good Wife’ Cancellation Confirmed — Julianna Margulies Drama Ending After Seven Seasons

CBS took the Super Bowl route to announce the cancellation of its Julianna Margulies-starring drama, The Good Wife. The show, which is critically acclaimed but has long been plagued by rumors of its impending death, gave public notice of its end date with an on-air promo during the big game.

The announcement comes after CBS confirmed Robert and Michelle King, The Good Wife‘s long-time showrunners, were not planning to come back if there was to be a Season 8. Julianna Margulies recently appeared at an event honoring the Kings and joked she would soon be looking for a new job.

Don’t miss the final nine episodes of #TheGoodWife. Alicia’s story concludes May 8th: https://t.co/gCGfum3AIuhttps://t.co/eS3aK4zj4e

— The Good Wife (@TheGoodWife_CBS) February 8, 2016

CBS followed up the Super Bowl ad with a press release. In it, CBS brass said the time was right to end the show while it was still producing quality television for the network.

“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.”

“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.”

Over its seven-year run the show progressed from the story of a political wife who must return to practicing law following her husband’s scandal that puts him in prison. The show explored the legal arguments of many hot-button issues while following the personal life of Margulies’ character and the politics of government and the politics of legal practice.

In Season 7, The Good Wife introduced two much-lauded characters, Lucca Quinn played by Cush Jumbo and Jason Crouse played by Jeffrey Dean Morgan. It was that ability of the show to successfully integrate new personalities into the mix that led a CBS executive to say just last month that the show could continue, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Lucca is ready for some answers. #TheGoodWife pic.twitter.com/pLgX707VKI

— The Good Wife (@TheGoodWife_CBS) February 1, 2016

Glenn Geller told the Television Critics Association press tour that the departure of Robert and Michelle King did not leave The Good Wife without off-air talent to make the show work. He said there was a “deep bench” of quality writers and the series had the ability to evolve.

“It could certainly go on. You can see every year the producers are able to reinvent what the show looks like.”

“The show looks very different than it did three years ago and it’s still a fantastic show.”

Margulies was effusive in her praise for The Good Wife, as she is quoted in the CBS press release thanking the Kings, the cast and crew.

“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.”

“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.”

Although Margulies may have joked she’s looking for work, she likely won’t remain unemployed for long. Her Good Wife co-stars have recently picked up some notable projects. Matt Czuchry, who has been on the series as long as Margulies as the upstart young lawyer Cary Agos, is appearing in the upcoming Netflix revival of Gilmore Girls, according to Variety. Christine Baranski has an ongoing guest spot on The Big Bang Theory as Dr. Beverly Hofstadter.

The final nine episodes of The Good Wife will air Sundays at 9 p.m. on CBS. The show’s finale will air on May 8, 2016.

[Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images Entertainment]