Scandal 100 Celebration [ABC]
ABC has officially confirmed what all gladiators and television fans already knew: the upcoming seventh season of “Scandal” will be the show’s last.
The formal confirmation came during Tuesday’s 2017-18 scheduling announcement.
In her official statement, ABC entertainment president Channing Dungey maintains that Rhimes made the decision to end “Scandal” this year.
“Shonda has decided the series needs to come to a close, and while this is definitely a bittersweet moment for all of us gladiators, I have no doubt what she has in store for the final season will be as powerful as what’s come before, and we will be sure to honor that every step of the way,” said Dungey.
“Deciding how to end a show is easy,” added Rhimes, who is the show’s creator and executive producer. “Deciding when to finish is quite simple when the end date is years away. But actually going through with it? Actually standing up to say: ‘This is it?’ Not so much.
So, next year we are going all out. Leaving nothing on the table. Creating this world in celebration. We are going to handle the end the way we like to handle the important things in our ‘Scandal’ family: all together, white hats on, gladiators running full speed over a cliff.”
In addition to confirming that season seven will be the “Scandal” swan song, ABC announced that George Newbern will be upgraded to series regular.