NBC has announced that their series Grimm will end next year, upon completion of its sixth and (now) final season. The hybrid police procedural/fantasy show, created by Stephen Carpenter, David Greenwalt, and Jim Kouf, has been on air since 2011 and released over one hundred episodes. It's a sad day for fans of the show, who were also disappointed when NBC ordered just 13 episodes of the series for season 6. However, the network's decision to finally end Grimm's run could make way for new programming that may interest the series' now-despondent followers.

Grimm is a procedural show with a twist. In the pilot, homicide investigator Nick Burkhardt (played by David Giuntoli) learns he is a Grimm, a kind of guardian that must protect humanity from otherworldly creatures called Wesen. Burkhardt, does so with the help of his partner Hank Griffin (Russell Hornsby), creature Monroe (Silas Weir Mitchell), and other comrades. The supernatural drama, which had an intriguing season 5 finale, will come back for its final season on January 6, 2017.

The long-running drama has faced uncertainty regarding its renewal for the past few seasons. In an interview with TVLine during this year's Comic-Con, star Bree Turner (Rosalee Calvert) said, "We’ve just always been very present and very appreciative and it’s just been a super fun ride." Now that cast and creators have been notified, they can prepare for their next projects. That could mean something big for some of them, like co-creator and Buffy alum David Greenwalt and star David Giuntoli, who co-wrote and executive produced the Slamdance 2016 premiere Buddymoon.

Grimm Season 6 Poster

It might not be all bad for fans of the kind of fantastical dramatics that Grimm brought to our screens every Friday. For instance, NBC's new show Emerald City looks like it could appeal to Grimm fans, and NBC has smartly scheduled its series premier on January 6, right after Grimm's final season premiere. The series focuses on 20-year-old Dorothy Gale as she navigates a dark and mystical world with her K9 police dog. Tarsem Singh (The FallImmortals), is set to bring his directorial acumen to the wondrous world, and if his film work is any indication, the result will be breathtaking.

At the same time, NBC should take good care not to burn bridges with Grimm fans, especially since their new and upcoming lineup features just three fantasy shows amidst a sea of reality TV and yikes-inducing dramas and comedies. After all, since Grimm's ratings were consistent across the board, is it really worth it to dump them and take a chance on the Taken prequelor The New Celebrity Apprentice with Arnold Schwarzenegger? Viewers will have to find out in the coming months.

The final season of Grimm premieres on January 6, 2017 at 8 p.m., EST.

Source: TVLine