ABC is anticipated to officially announce that "scandal'' will end along with its recently announced Season 7 during the network's upfront presentation next week. The political drama TV series created by Shonda Rhimes and starring Kerry Washington is one of the network's most-watched shows.
The reasons
With just three episodes remaining for Season 6, the news of the conclusion came out following the death of a major character. Shonda Rhimes, the creator of “Scandal” decided to wrap up the TV series after one of its major characters died. Actress Portia De Rossi, who plays the character of Elizabeth North, decided to leave the show.
De Rossi expressed her gratitude to the cast and crew of the series. However, she said that she has already decided to focus on a business opportunity. She joined the show in a recurring role during Season 4 and became a series regular in Season 5. Rhimes accepted her decision and commended the great work she had done for the character of Elizabeth North.
The Ratings
With all of the issues within the series, “Scandal’s” rating is still consistent. Nielsen data showed a 1.3 rating for the show in adults 18-49 and 5.1 million viewers. The current sixth season has an average of 5.7 million viewers and 1.5 demo rating, which is 20-30 percent lower than what it had in Season 4. The highest rated episode of the series is the 4th season premiere that got a 3.8 demo rating and 12 million viewers.
Earlier this year, ABC Entertainment chief Channing Dungey leaked out that the network was expecting the end of the show sooner. Rhimes called for it and ABC is supporting her decision. This is despite the fact that she already had several plans about the upcoming seventh season. Unlike “Grey’s Anatomy,” which is also under Rhimes' creative control, the high-stakes narratives of “Scandal” gives it a shorter shelf life.
With all the complexities in the story, it is hard to go further without sacrificing the art of storytelling.
For her, there are limited areas to explore about "Scandal" that need to be told. Seeing the end point of her creation, she is satisfied where it is leading to the finale. On its debut in the spring of 2012, the show introduced a fresh offering in television drama.
It features the right mix of the elements of a procedural political thriller and a good soap opera drama, which is indeed a new viewing experience. Behind all of the thrilling experiences brought by “Scandal” to its audience, it will finally come to an end. Olivia Pope’s adventures in Washington are about to conclude.
