Why does Pretty Little Liars have to end? Recently, Freeform executive Karey Burke spoke with Variety about the decision to end the popular teen drama.

Yesterday, the network confirmed that season seven will be the last for the series, which stars Troian Bellisario, Ashley Benson, Lucy Hale, Shay Mitchell, Sasha Pieterse, Ian Harding, Janel Parrish, Tyler Blackburn, and Laura Leighton.

In the interview, Burke said the decision to end Pretty Little Liars was “entirely creative”:

They were entirely creative. It’s rare that you have a chance to send a series out on top, which the feeling very much was that this would achieve. It ultimately comes down to [showrunner] Marlene [King] and her vision, and her sense of where the natural place for the narrative to end was, and this was that. Knowing that there was an ending point really gave her and [producers] Oliver [Goldstick] and Joe [Dougherty] and Charlie Craig creative license to build very carefully toward something. Rarely in television do you get the chance to do that. I think they did wonders with it.”

Burke also teased the series finale next spring, saying it will surprise and satisfy fans:

I think they will be glad that they stayed on the ride. It’s mind-blowing, it’s provocative, it’s everything the audience has come to expect from the show. It’s unexpected, and completely and totally satisfying.”

The first half of season seven ends tonight, August 30th, at 8 p.m. ET/PT.

What do you think? Are you a fan of Pretty Little Liars? Are you sad the show is ending?