Girlfriends: Cancelled, Proper Series Finale Too Expensive
As discussed here on Tuesday, the long-running CW sitcom, Girlfriends, is saying goodbye after eight seasons. As tough as that is for fans of the show to hear, it’s made even worse by the notion that the show won’t be going back into production to film any more episodes to give some sort of closure for the characters.
It turns out, as one might expect, that the reason is pure economics. The CW network has said that they’re only resuming production on TV series which the network is considering renewing next season. Since the ratings have been down for Girlfriends, they’re canceling the sitcom and that apparently makes it a lame duck.
Orlando Sentinel’s Hal Boedeker reports that a spokesperson for the CW said, “This was a very difficult decision for us, and was based solely on the considerable cost to license each episode in an extremely unusual business environment.”
But wait, after bringing the CW and UPN networks millions and millions of dollars in ad revenue over the past eight years, don’t the show and it’s fans deserve a proper send-off?
Girlfriends creator Mara Brock Akil is philosophical about the cancellation and said, “Although it’s always difficult to say goodbye, I choose to focus my energy on the history that Girlfriends has made, the human stories that we told, the beautifully complex images that we projected and the blessings 172 episodes bestowed on us, both personally and professionally.”
She went on to say, “I am immensely thankful to the amazingly talented cast, writers, directors, staff and crew for their endless dedication and hard work for eight seasons, to the network that always wanted us and the studio that always supported us, but mostly to the audience, especially African-American women, who took the time to tune into us every Monday night at nine to have a dialogue with us and who have been our partner in this journey.”
As far as the series finale, it looks like it will indeed be some sort of compilation of clips. Akil said, “I am currently in talks with the studio and network on putting together a retrospective show which will honor and celebrate this landmark series, so please stay tuned.” 
May 22nd, 2008 at 4:06 pm
Why not boycott the CW advertisers and start a letter writing campaign to the network and the advertisers? It is typical that the CW has no value for African American viewers. Although the show was questionably the same quality as it was when Jill Marie Jones portrayed Toni, it was certainly as memorable and entertaining as the dullard show, “Friends”. So, why not a boycott of the CW advertisers with letters of protest to the network and advertisers?
May 22nd, 2008 at 2:46 pm
I’m devasted that Girlfriends is not returning. I was wondering why there were only showing re-runs. Girlfriends was the one show that I would never miss. A show that showed positive, successful black people. As a black woman I identified with all the women on the show. It is a slap in the face that they are not even closing the show with a proper finale. 8 years and you don’t do a finale! I’m so tired of the networks cancelling shows that show positive black people. The only thing that the networks want to put on tv is trash. I just hope The Game will last a while.
May 18th, 2008 at 7:11 pm
I’M PISSED! I loved all of the characters! Joan’s character in particular encouraged my friends and I to become successful black women. The three of us are under 25 and are working on our Master’s Degrees. We envisioned working a 9 to 5 and then meeting at the bar for drinks on the weekend. There will probably never be another show that has beautiful black suceccessful African American women!
May 13th, 2008 at 7:42 pm
That sh#% ain’t right! I’m upset! Girlfriends is the show. Why CW is cancelling all the good shows that was from upn. One on One, Half and Half, Cuts, All of Us, and now Girlfriends. Whats up with everybody hates chris did they cancel that too. Hopefully they won’t cancel the game. Why they cancel the african american shows?
May 13th, 2008 at 8:19 am
I didn’t want to believe that the show was cancelled. I just stopped watching this Monday when they ran the episode where Lynn is performing at the park. I am a young African American woman and this is the only show that gave me positive black women to look forward to seeing on TV. If they can give Sex In The City a movie, I know they can give our Girlfriends a movie if not some special on cable or DVD. It was not right how they brought us so close to Joan getting married, Lynn’s music career taking off, Mya and Darnell considering pregnancy again and the birth/parenthood of William and Monica’s new baby just to leave everyone of the end of there seats. If the network had any integreity they would do the right thing and give the show the well deserved finale.
May 6th, 2008 at 7:24 pm
ITS NOT RIGHT ITS BULL SH–…………….
May 4th, 2008 at 7:17 pm
I am more than a little upset that Girlfriends has been cancelled. What makes me more than a little upset is that some of the only quality black shows on tv are reruns of older shows. I don’t do reruns unless I have to and I don’t like having to. I think it is time for BET and TVone to step up and give us some quality shows that aren’t reruns. I’m sick of hoping that the other networks will do it. As history has shown us if they do it will only be short lived. Yes I think 8 years is short lived. Y&R and wrestling have been on for ages, hell before I was born I think. BET and TV One I’m calling you out. Give me something other than reruns, college hill, stupid ass hell date and constant repeated videos. 106 & Park can go if you ask me; you don’t get to see all of the videos on that show anyway.
April 30th, 2008 at 1:01 pm
Totally upset,
Well I am quiet disappointed by the cancellation of Girlfriends. I have waited ever so paciently to see a final, and nothing. It seems as if every show that I watched is cancelled for some reason or another. First things first they always cancel without some final episode. There isn’t enough black shows to begin with. Than this, how unfair. I wanted Joan to get married, have a baby, and her relationship with Tony to be restored. I wanted Lynn to find happiness and have her singing career take off. Also for Myia and Darnell to conceive or adopt and Jabaree go off to college. As for William and Monica, I see them to have their baby and the drama of being a parent. Then I wanted Tony to return for good or come back to repair her friendship with Joan and the girls. I also wanted her and Todd back together and for her to be happy even if she didn’t move back to LA. So if they don’t air a final episode make a DVD or something but I need to watch some type of ending!!!! Please!
April 17th, 2008 at 5:28 pm
Just like everyone else I was watching the reruns. I was checking on Sunday and Monday, eagerly waiting for the new shows to air. I just happened to read CANCELLED Girlfriends while I was looking for yet another show I enjoy. It is truly sad to turn on the television and not be able to find a show that I can identify with. As a black woman, strong, smart, funny,sad, angry,scared,in love, out of love. The rainbow of emotions I feel , good and bad relationships, family drama, friendship drama. My Girlfriends reflected that. I loved that show, those women ( and William ) became family. I felt their pain, their joy, and now they are gone. It isn’t fair! With all the shows that are aired and created where are “our” showes, “our” faces “our” voices? It just isn’t right and I fear this is how it will always be.
April 15th, 2008 at 7:13 pm
Girlfriends should have a proper close. How about straight to DVD for fans of the show. After eight years of the show, there should be closure!
April 13th, 2008 at 6:58 pm
I just thought about something. BET should step up to the plate. They already run the old Girlfriends episodes so they should be more than willing to air new shows. And maybe then BET will actually air something that doesn’t stereotype and pigeonhold us. If they can continue to support videos with half naked women and stereotypical rappers I know that they can air Girlfriends or at least the finale.
April 13th, 2008 at 6:43 pm
I agree with the other comments. Like them I have been a dedicated fan to this show. It was the only show I looked forward to watching each week. I really enjoyed Joan’s character and could identify with her, so I always invisioned a finale with her getting married. All I want is a finale. Out all the money the creator and producers have made I cannot see how they cannot afford a show. It is really a slap in the face. You watch eight seasons, watch the characters go through ups and downs for nothing in the end. If they needed money they could have took donations or something.
April 9th, 2008 at 12:58 am
I am saddened yet again by this display of unfair treatment toward minority shows. It was sad enough that Half and Half got cancelled and replaced with a less than mediocre show like Aliens in America (which should have never even aired), but now Girlfriend’s is in the bag as well. Don’t you think that the faithful viewers of this show deserve to see a REAL SERIES FINALE? What is wrong with this picture? For the last 6 years or so, Girlfriends has been the top rated sitcom on Fox as well as the CW; and now to end it that way it simply unfair. I don’t mind that the how got cancelled; it’s just the way in which they chose to do it. For the past eight years, I have been a faithful viewer of this show. I have watched as each character matured and grew up. Finally when all the drinks had been set on the table, they decided to rip the cloth from the table. This is not, IS NOT fair to the viewers of this sitcom. Are you trying to tell us thanks for watching for the past eight years but we don’t have enough money to film a proper finale oh well thanks for watching for nothing now what? I don?t want to have to think about the what if’s, should have’s, would have’s, nor do I want to think Joan got married; nor I think Aaron died in the war, I think Tony came back, I think Monica had a girl, I think Lynn finally signed her contract, I think Mya and Darnell adopted or I think Mya and Darnell got pregnant again. This is just not right (television injustice). What do the viewers get in turn for watching this show for the past eight seasons? nothing but crapp (fecal matter, junk) from the network. I want (NEED) this show, THIS SHOW to have its proper finale. Shouldn’t the viewers get at least that? That is not a lot coming from the many viewers who have tuned in to watch this show DESERVES. I pray that the proper people receive this blog. May you be blessed in JESUS NAME AMEN & be blessed
April 3rd, 2008 at 8:30 am
what pisses me off is that if a white show is on the air for 8yrs and the ratings drop they still give a proper send off out of respect for the viewers that invested 8yrs in watching the damn show.. It’s because the Actors were black and the consumers were black so in white Hollywood it’s insignificant.. Happy Days jumped the shark 2 years before they cancelled it . Racist ass country … so far the only show that they ended properly is The Parkers .. the Hughley, One on One and All of Us were all cancelled with the same lack of respect … I say we boycot UPN until the decide that they’re black viewer count too…
April 1st, 2008 at 7:56 am
Well, another one bites the dust. It was bad enough with The Jeffersons,and they heard about theire cancellation from friends. Then Bernie Mac and My Wife and Kids, now they’ve done it to Girlfreinds. You would think that an allowance would be made for one more show to wrap things up a bit. I was left hanging with all of my favortie sitcoms just being sliced out of existence. Maybe someone, somewhere would produce a TV movie that would at least give closure to the last three. Was Bernie’s wife pregnant, did ‘Nessa go to college? Will Joan ever get her man back? I was still hoping Ms. Childs would make a guest appearance and help close that wound. These are the few shows that I bother to look at and this is one of the reasons why. Remember, Jim Belushi’s gosh awful show remained, and My Wife and Kids, clearly a much better show, was snuffed out. I agree, a word of warning would have lessend the impact and shows that don’t deserve the air time are treated with more respect. I’ll be watching a lot more old movies, it’s safer than becoming a fan and being treated so badly.
March 31st, 2008 at 4:24 pm
THIS HAS BEEN MY FAVORITE TV SHOW FOR TH PAST FEW YEARS! I AM COMPLETELY DISSAPOINTED THAT I WILL NO LONGER GET TO WATCH THIS MONDAY NIGHTS..SINCE DAY 1 I HAVE BEEN ENTERTAINED AND BECOME PART OF THIS FANTASTIC SITCOM WITH THOSE INSPIRING BEAUTIFUL INTELLIGIANT AND SUCCESSFUL WOMEN. TELEVISION NEEDS MORE SHOWS WITH INSPIRING STRONG MINORITY WOMEN WHO WE CAN LOOK UP TO AND TO TAKE IT OFF THE AIR IS SIMPLY ABSURD. THROUGHOUT EACH SEASON WE HAVE ALL WATCHED JOAN TRY RO FULLFILL HER DREAM OF MARRIAGE AND ITS DISSAPOINTING THAT DEVOTED VIEWERS WILL NOT GET THAT CHANCE. THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS THE SHOW HAS BUILT UP FOR EACH CHARACTER AND SADLY WE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO WATCH THOSE ENDINGS AND SCENARIOS TAKE PLACE. BRING GIRLFRIENDS BACK!
March 31st, 2008 at 11:48 am
i am very upset with this decision. I among a whole lot of people faithfully watched this show. Every Monday night this is what we looked forward to. For them to say that this is due to ratings… I think is so wrong. I have been reading lots of blogs, and information about this and lots of people are highly upset. Please give us the pleasure to at least see Joan get her dream wedding (which she has been planning since the day she was born) and Toni come back for the wedding, and William and MOnica have the baby, and Maya and Darnell have a sucessfull business that is what they were all working for, and they deserve to have it… We have learned to love these characters and would love to see that.
March 24th, 2008 at 4:39 pm
It is completely insane! I have been hearing rumors for weeks. Until I finally got tired of seeing the reruns and wondering “where are the new episodes”, and decided to research the information I’ve heard. I am truly disappointed and sadden by this sudden cancellation (at least to the public). Where is the respect to the fans for the support of this show and network to just take the show off air without any formal announcement or series finale. If they don’t do Girlfriends justification and make an already difficult lost less painful to viewers, I will surely not be watching this network’s up and coming shows!
March 10th, 2008 at 2:41 pm
THIS IS ONE OF THE BEST AFRICAN AMERICAN SHOWS THAT HAS TOUCHED WHITES BLACKS ,HISPANICS, ASIANS, YOUNG ,OLD ,CLASSY AND ASHY AND TO BE CUT OFF AS IF THEY NEVER EXISTED OR MAKE THEIR MARK ON PRIME TIME T.V IS INSANE WHATS NEXT IF WE DON’T STAND FOR SOMETHING NOW WE MUST QUESTION THE INTEGRITY OF PROD CASTING AND WHY THEY MAKE THE DECISION THAT THEY MAKE WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO AFRICAN AMERICAN SHOWS THAT HAD THE HIGHEST RATINGS SINCE THE COSBY . WE NEED TO PAY VERY CLOSE ATTENTION TO THIS
–
March 5th, 2008 at 1:12 pm
I had a feeling the show was coming to an end, perhaps that is why I started buying the seasons on DVD. This is my favorite TV show and has been for a long time. I am so tired of good television shows going off the air, and those being replaced by trash. An annoucement to the ending of the series would have been respectful to the fans that have watched for all these years. It is truly disrespectful for a series to be cut off in the middle like it was not watched for all those years even as the days and times of the show changed randomly. Can you imagine other shows like “Friends” being cut off in the middle without outrage from their fans? Probably not, and neither shoud “Girlfriends” be treated as if it was not worthy of a proper closing.