Game of Thrones isn't the only great HBO show that will be coming to an end in 2018. The Hollywood Reporter announced that Veep is ending after Season 7, and although it will be sad to say goodbye to Selina Meyer, it's clear showrunner David Mandel and executive producer Julia Louis-Dreyfus have put a lot of thought into the decision. Fans have watched as Selina transitioned from an over-eager Vice President into a presidential nominee before becoming a not-so-great President whose post-office life has been bumpy, to say the least. Through it all, Veep has never dipped in quality or critical acclaim. That's why it's hard to be mad at Mandel and Louis-Dreyfus for bringing Selina's story to a close now.
Ending a series after seven seasons of brilliant comedy is the dream. No one wants to see a show as strong as Veep end on a sour note, and if it continued on simply because it could, the story would likely suffer. Louis-Dreyfus told THR that both she and Mandel have a clear idea of how they want to wrap up Selina's journey. Knowing that there is an endgame in place should be a comfort for fans who have followed Selina and her staff through so many different stages. Louis-Dreyfus said,
"It became clear that this season should be the last season. We don't want to repeat ourselves or wear out our welcome. The story has a finality to it that feels end-of-series."
With 10 episodes left, there's still plenty of time to bask in the sharply profane humor that has made the comedy such a treasure. If anything, this move is guaranteeing fans a proper ending, instead of letting them down.
Veep's status as one of TV's all-time great comedies has already been solidified thanks to its boatload of Emmy wins and its talented cast. Louis-Dreyfus, who already had one career-defining role on Seinfeld, called Selina the "role of a life-time" in her THR interview. She knows the end of Veep will be bittersweet, but as a TV veteran, she also has a keen sense of how important it is to leave fans wanting more, rather than to leave them wishing the show would just end already.
It seems strange to think about now, but it wasn't that long ago that people were fretting over what backstage changes would mean for Veep. When series creator Armando Iannucci handed the reigns of the show over to Mandel after the end of Season 4, many feared the writer's unique style would be lost. However, Mandel is largely credited with taking Veep to new creative heights. For his part, he's just glad to have the opportunity to end Veep in a way that makes sense for the characters.
"It was just a very natural thing," Mandel told THR. "We don't want to repeat ourselves or be boring. It's bittersweet but it's right."
Season 7 may be Veep's last, but you can bet Louis-Dreyfus and Mandel will make sure their ragtag group of political underdogs go out on top — and the allure of finding out what that means for a legend like Selina should make saying goodbye a little bit easier.
