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.” 
August 25th, 2008 at 6:14 pm
What the hell is wrong with the CW first we stop getting episodes and now we can’t even get a series finale. O WOW
August 24th, 2008 at 8:24 pm
I’m not black and I LOVE the show! I never missed an episode & I always watch the reruns. I can’t belive it’s not coming back in the Fall!
August 24th, 2008 at 4:48 pm
I honestly think that the CW is not for us (blk ppl). They have all of these stupid white shows that don’t make any sense. I heard that P Miller (Master P) is launching his own TV channel. I think it would be a great move for him to bring back some of the shows that were taken off due to “low ratings”…..think about it….All of Us, One on One, Girlfriends, Half and Half, and even Eve’s old tv show. I know it might not happen but what if????? If he could pull that off it would be amazing!!!!
We need our shows also. We shouldnt be forced to watch all white shows with the token black person in it. I want to watch tv shows that relate to the black homes. Not some lilly white family on every station. I am not a racist but it does seem kinda funny that all of our shows are being cancelled because of “low rating”. I honestly think its a bunch of bs but what can we do. I don’t know exactly when P Miller’s tv station will be aired but I really do have high hopes for it. I for one will not be watching any of these silly white sitcoms.
August 24th, 2008 at 3:58 pm
I hated to hear that Girlfriends is not returning in the fall. It really is a shame that they could not finish the eighth season. Why not do a Girlfriends television movie that would show what happened to everybody. The tremendous success of the show deserves to end on a better note. This would have never happened to Sex and the City!! I hope it’s not because it was a black show.
August 16th, 2008 at 11:12 am
This is such BS..HOw coniencedental is it that the show that has continuous reruns that people watch…and its one of the only shows that African American women can even try to relate to…Tv keep producing all these bugglegum White america teen shows that no minority can relate to and stations are putting in huge money to make these crappy shows happen…Of course no one3 in production cares that we have lost another Black show…and couldnt have the deciency to give us a series Finale,,,Give me a break….
August 14th, 2008 at 9:33 am
This was done on purpose by the networks. First, they never should have moved the show to another night (probably knowing that this change would affect ratings). I wish that Jill had not left. She was the one leg that kept the table stable. What’s happening to all of our good black sitcoms? After Cosby and a Different World, every black show has struggled to remain on the networks. What’s going on?
August 10th, 2008 at 10:03 pm
It is sad that the network will not honor a last season and finale. I have followed the show since the very beginning and I’m sad it is over. Hopefully the network and writers can cometogether with some type of agreement and send the show off on a good note! There are too many loose ends, what is going to happen with Darnell and Mya, is Lynn going to get the attention she needs in order to have a successful albumn, I want to see Monica and William bring in their baby, and PLEASE let us see Joan FINALLY get married!!! It would even be nice to see Toni make a guest appearance. I need closure!!!
July 30th, 2008 at 4:29 am
I agree w/Felisha! WE NEED TO PROTEST….PETITION, LETTER CAMPAIGN, EMAIL CAMPAIGN…SOMETHING!!!!! Girlfriends is our equivalent to S*x and The City!! We could at least show the same respect w/giving a last season and proper finale….is their a movie in the works?!?!
How to begin?
July 27th, 2008 at 10:01 pm
OMG, no wedding for Joan!!! This is not fair, plus they moved The Game, I don’t even know when it comes on anymore. Can we get the show moved to different network. PLEASE!!!!!!
July 24th, 2008 at 6:04 pm
WAT? nah pipl we need to protest, do wat eva we can to win votes, because the fact is individual interests always outdo public interests n thats a fact…if we all stand together, they wont win..this is so unfair, wat have we done to dserve this? i mean eve, my wife and kids, kevin hill, half and half, all of us have all been cancelled..n y is this? it feels lyk we blak folk r not being treated eually, they r keepin all the s***ty shoes lyk gilmore girls instead og girlfriends, it wont make as much money as girlfriends did. aaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrgggggg i’m so angry and furious. that show needed Toni fo it to be as it was b4…n i learntdat Jill Marie Jones who plays Toni Childs was coming bak fo the 9th and final series..nw we’l neva knw if they made up, if Aaron came bak safe, if maya adopted, damn!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
July 24th, 2008 at 5:56 pm
i am very furious with CW. I cannot believe this, the only show that we black folks could relate to, after all the other sows had been cancelled, this is just unfair, a miscarriage of justice. People should do more like protest and complain because is racist, what can we watch now that every BLACK show exept everybody hates chris has now been canelled? At least produce the final episods were Toni returns by her girl to watch her get married..or sumthn i mean cumon this is crap…somethin needs to be done about this..soon The Game will be cancelled too…the network is bull s****
July 24th, 2008 at 3:25 pm
OH HEEEEEELL NO!!! WE WANT GIRLFRIENDS BACK!!!
July 22nd, 2008 at 12:44 pm
I watched Girlfriends since airing of the very first episode and i fell attached to the story. I faithfully watched every episode of every season and when the last season aired it seemed like there may have been a dark cloud hovering over the girlfriends. You can tell that the writing changed but my loyalty to the show hadn’t changed. Even though it is disappointing that the show is canceled, it would have been nice to have an actual scripted ending for them. Joan finally keeps a man and marries him only for them to have him shipped off to iraq…now what? is he coming back safe and sound? is all well with the girlfriends? i guess we’ll never know. =/
July 20th, 2008 at 9:06 am
Why the HELL you are cancelling Girlfriends INSTEAD OF WRESTLING. WESTLING IS NOTHING BUT MURDER! We the fans of the show deserve the season finale and more episodes. CASE CLOSED
June 26th, 2008 at 11:04 am
I’m not surprised they won’t do a finale. Like all America they get up on the backs of Black folks and then push us aside for the white ones. They did it with Cosby, Different World, Living Single, My Wife and Kids, the list goes on.
June 8th, 2008 at 11:57 am
This situation was typical. I figured this decision was in the making when the network changed the airing time of Girlfriends to Monday nights at eight. Coincidence that it’s set at the same time as Monday night football. I feel that decision was made to decrease ratings, which in turn would cover the reasons for cancellations. They should have left Girlfriends on Thursdays. Then in the end denied a respectible and conclusive series finale.
June 7th, 2008 at 7:43 pm
I’m very upsest that the series Girlfriends is comming towards a close. Through out the past eight years I Have enjoyed te series sense I was 9 years old, yes nine. I wish many blessings for the cast and crew because I feel like the series have changed my life. I will have a hard time trying to find another telivision show just as funny, exciting, and spectacular as Girlfriends.
May 28th, 2008 at 7:45 am
I think it’s very sad this show has been on for 8 years and they could not it a proper ending 2 leave the fans hangin like that did joan get married? how did william and monica handle beingn parents. Did mya get her baby girl how did len singing career do. they need to finsh these storyies that we have followed all these years.
May 26th, 2008 at 5:21 am
It’s a shame that a show that was successful for the network for 8 years does not get a proper send off. i have seen show after show do a season finale and some had been on the air less than 8 years. I know African-American shows have to struggle to gain a audience and UPN/WB and now the CW billed itself on being the network for African-Americans. Now it totally disregards those viewers by not giving one of our most beloved shows the proper send off that many other “main stream” shows receive. CW for once think about the your viewing audience. You did not give kevin hill a second season due to struggling viewship but for the “main stream” Veronica Mars you moved it around to capture an audience. Can a TV Network for once show some appreciation for the African American television viewer.
May 22nd, 2008 at 8:51 pm
happy this show is over because they should have worked together and helped my girl jill, what goes around always come back and bite you bye