Well, Shonda Rhimes will soon have a little more time to work on one of her bazillion other shows. Rhimes announced today that her Grey's Anatomy spin-off Private Practice will call it a series after the current season, the show's sixth. The news isn't that surprising, as star Kate Walsh already declared that she wouldn't return for a seventh season if the show were renewed for one, and, well, it just didn't have the same success as the show from whence it came.
Rhimes took to the interwebs to make the announcement, calling the decision "heartbreaking." But she also said the current season has reached "a creative renaissance" and that ABC, the studio, and she all decided the show "was reaching its finish line," which is kind of confusing. Here's the statement in its entirety:
I'm sad to say that Private Practice's run will end after episode 613 this season. There was a lot of discussion and debate but, in the end, the guys at the network and the studio and I all decided that Private Practice was reaching its finish line. Creatively, we are all extremely proud of the show and especially proud of this season—which you will all soon discover is a creative renaissance. I can't wait for you to see it.
It's heartbreaking to end. Truly. I feel so lucky to write for these characters and tell these stories and I truly feel this show has taught me so much as a writer. And there's a family here, of crew and cast, people who have bonded over these past five and a half seasons. It's rare for a show to go for more than 100 episodes and we are incredibly proud to have been such a show. And we're grateful to all of you for spending time with us for an hour every week for the last 6 years. It's meant the world.
Thank you.
The sixth and final season of Private Practice is currently on its third episode and will end with its thirteenth. Grey's Anatomy, meanwhile, is still going strong and was just extended by a couple of episodes, as were both Modern Family and The Middle. Castle recieved an extension of one episode.