The long-running sitcom Girlfriends surprised many by returning for its eighth season last fall. The CW series was renewed for a full season of 22 episodes but, because of the writers strike, only 13 of those were completed. Now that the strike is coming to an end, the network is changing their plans. Would it have been better if the show had closed at the end of year seven?
The CW network has decided against putting the seasoned sitcom back into production for the remaining eight episodes. On top of that, they’re not bringing it back for season nine. Are this week’s episodes the last we’ll see of Joan (Tracee Ellis Ross), Lynn (Persia White), Maya (Golden Brooks), and the rest? Does this mean the fans will be left hanging?
Admittedly, Girlfriends’ season eight ratings haven’t been very good overall but it is the second most-watched sitcom among African Americans (bested only by Girlfriends’ spin-off, The Game). In late 2007, series creator Mara Brock Akil said she was hoping for the best but suspected that there wouldn’t be a ninth year. As a result, she conceived a contingency plan on how to end the show. She teased, “I think fans will be very happy.” Does that mean that Joan would get married? Akil would only say, “when we finally feel like Joan is really OK, I do believe the show is over.”
Unfortunately, with the network now cutting season eight short, it looks like she won’t be able to put that plan into action.
Though nothing is set in stone just yet, the network is currently considering putting together a special one-hour retrospective to close out Girlfriends. It would be made up of clips from past episodes. Though that sounds nice, it wouldn’t offer any kind of closure for the beloved characters — hardly a fitting send-off for a sitcom’s that’s been on the air for eight seasons. We’ll keep you posted on how this one develops. Stay tuned! 
I love Girlfriends, the show showed african americans in a good light. It was funny but also had serious issues. If they decide not to bring it back for a ninth season thats ok BUT they should finish out the rest of season eight and do a proper series finale. This show has done great for the network and it deserves a proper ending. So they should finish out the season and leave the fans satisfied.
Alexis
I think that this is just a debacle. I find this cancellation to be disappointing because how can you end a show in the middle of the season that is ridiculous. What they should do is develop a big mini-movie finale that will give perspective to ‘Girlfriends’. This was a really good show. It showed that women could be successful all by themselves. As I previously mentioned this is just a debacle of epic proportions and should be dealt with more maturely.
Al
I think it is very sad that they are not going to do a series finale for Girlfriends. The show has been on for 8 years and right when it seems like they are going to give everyone what they want Bam! they hit us with it being cancelled without at least letting us and the actors say good bye to the characters we all know and love. I think that we need to stand up as fans and say that we are not going to take it and demand a formal finale and the opportunity to say good bye.
I am truly disappointed but not suprised. The show seem to lose its speecial someth with the loss of the character Toni. I used to watch the show religiously to see what would happen between she and Joan or Mya; I got to the point when I would say so what. The character Lynn always felt like an extra. This wil be a great loss to all televison viewers not just the African American community. It deserves a season finale just like Sex in the City!
Sign a petition for Girlfriends to stay on air or to at least end with a proper finale. Go to the Girlfriends official website, click on finale to sign the petition.
Mondays are my only nights that I make sure I am home to watch Girlfriends and the Game. I am highly disappointed that CW has taken this step -AGAIN – to remove another predominantly African-American show. This was my biggest fear when CW came about – all of the African American shows will be the first to go. Just like Fox these networks start off with a lot of black shows, but as soon their network gain a certain “status”, they cancel the shows abruptly with little regards to the fans that have been faithful throughout the years. It is… Read more »
I have really enjoyed this show for all the seasons. It is a shame that it is being cancelled and I for one am noit happy about it. I do not and will not be looking at a realty show replacement etc…Also to end it abruptly without chance to go out with an ending is simply outrageuos. I wish I was a billionaire, I could fill all time slots with only shows that have been cancelled yet some of the best ever on TV such as most watched sitcoms of all time/. I wish the best to the great actors… Read more »
I did not see it on this Monday. Did they change the day and time?
Editor: It’s been moved to Sundays at 9pm with The Game at 9:30pm.
I will admit Girlfriends has not been the same since Jill Marie Jones left. I, think they should have ended the show with last year season finale. All the storylines were complete, they brought back old characters, we know Joan was getting married. Everyone had closure, but now to just leave us hanging is not fair either. At least bring it back for an hour show clearing up all loose ends.
I knew it was coming. Without Toni Childs, the show had no excitement! When I found out Toni Child was not on the show this season, I chose not to watch it. She was my favorite character on the show. I think they all saw it coming…You can not take a beloved character from a show an expect your viewers to be ok with it.
i think girfriends has always been a great show,but i do think it is unfair to end it so abruptly and without at least having jill marie jones back for at least one episode!
Come on, CW. Please give the fans some closure. 30 minutes or something…anything. This show deserves a series finale especially after 8 seasons. We’re not talking 2 or 3 seasons year. This show has been around for nearly a decade. Does that count for something?
I think it’s crazy to have one of the upn’s and cw longest running shows to end without any closure. It shows just how considerate the network is of their loyal viewers. Not to mention the very late and slow release of the dvd’s. There’s so many other boring shows that have every season out on dvd and there only on season 3 ( which did not get any promotion). I just think it’s really unfair.
This is very disappointing. I am so displeased with how this is all turning out. I don’t think that the network is being very fare to its loyal viewers. I have watched this show since episode 1 and I don’t think that there is an episode that I have missed. I’m sure that I’m not the only one. After watching all of these years the show is ripped away from us without any closure. I think it’s disrespectful. If “The Game” is cancelled we’ll be left with nothing. Every few years this happens another “black” show is pulled usualy without… Read more »
Trevor,
I just have to say that this act of obvious and clunky committee thinking is just the tip of the iceberg. The link I posted under URL (and I apologize if that option was meant for one’s own website) is written by a media critic named Jeff Harris, and I have to say that he brings up quite the good point about the CW, after listing all sorts of faulty recent practices.
Joseph
Long time reader, first time writer