’30 Rock’ Season 7 To Be Its Last; Extended Series Finale

So it’s finally official: NBC’s hit comedy 30 Rock will meet its end at the conclusion of its upcoming seventh season. NBC Entertainment chairman Robert Greenblatt confirmed Monday at the NBC upfronts presentation in New York that the Emmy Award-winning comedy will end after its 2012-2013 season – but the series will receive a special hour-long series finale.

Although there was heavy speculation about whether or not Season 7 would be the last, the official announcement comes a day after Greenblatt told reporters that a decision had not yet been made either way – even in the midst of somewhat suggestive comments from series stars Alec Baldwin and Tina Fey. NBC’s previous decision to shorten 30 Rock and some of its other veteran comedies to 13-episode runs added to the conjecture that NBC might be reducing cost and clearing space for new comedic blood. Greenblatt also confirms that despite Baldwin’s previous comments, he will return next season.

While fans of 30 Rock are definitely feeling the sting of the show’s imminent swan song, a ray of hope may be that NBC is eager to see Tina Fey stick around on a more permanent basis. Said Greenblatt:

“We think the world of Tina Fey, who is truly a comic genius, and we hope she has a home at NBC for years to come. I know Tina, Alec and the rest [of the cast] will deliver some of their best work”.

No word yet on what new storylines the seventh season will feature or how the show will end (personally I hope Liz gets a baby) – but it is expected the show will continue to rollout A-List celebrities to see the series off. The sixth (and current) season finale is set to air this Thursday and will feature Jack (Baldwin) and his previously-kidnapped reporter wife, Avery (Elizabeth Banks), renewing their vows.

So there it is – after seven years we will have to say a fond farewell to the 30 Rock gang, and after seeing a slow but steady decline in viewership, it’s probably a good thing that the award-wining series bows out on a high note before it becomes too stale. Although the news is kind of sad, die-hard fans of the show shouldn’t get too bent out of shape; seven seasons on the air in tandem with a plethora of awards (including 10 primetime Emmys) is great run for a series – and you can bet a show like 30 Rock will go out with a hilarious bang.

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Check back with us for more updates on the seventh and final season of 30 Rock and catch the season 6 finale this Thursday @ 8:30 on NBC.

 

Source:  TV Line