Scandal season 7 to be the last on ABC: Report
TVLine was the first to report on Wednesday that the landmark series, starring Kerry Washington as “fixer” Olivia Pope, is going to be ending at around this time next year presumably. The news does make some sense, given that ratings for the show have declined in recent years and creatively, the show has experienced a wide array of different stumbles, including some plotlines as of late that feel a little bit like retreads on the past.
Do we think that it’s still earned its spot in television history? Absolutely, since Scandal really redefined what it means to be a network drama with twists around every corner, and it sparked live-tweeting in part as a pop-culture phenomenon. In our mind, it was at its best during the second season, when the Olivia / Fitz relationship was still fresh and the show was more about fixing problems and less about shadow governments.
The end of Scandal should mark a great opportunity to see where some of these characters’ stories go, and also for creator Shonda Rhimes to stamp her overall legacy. We do hope that at the end of the day, there is some element of closure, and a sign that despite all of the craziness, this version of the United States of America will be okay. We do know that this is a series defined by jaw-droppers, but in this current climate, don’t we all need a little bit of hope when the truth is stranger than fiction?
Don’t assume that this is a sign that Rhimes’ other flagship drama in Grey’s Anatomy will be coming to an end anytime soon. That show does have more of a procedural feel to it, which allows it to continue to have new stories with a rotating panel of actors. Scandal over the years has become so serialized that it felt like it had to end sooner rather than alter.
If Scandal season 7 does turn out to be the final one on ABC, do you think that it’s the right move? Share some of your thoughts on the matter below!
Meanwhile, be sure to head over here for some further news pertaining to the show. (Photo: ABC.)