Some of television’s most popular shows are ending this season, following their series’ finales.
TV Guide breaks down 14 series that have ended or will end in 2014. Some of the series are long-running, while others couldn’t survive past one or two seasons.
Psych
Comedy crime series Psych (USA) focuses on a fake psychic detective and his sidekick who will solve their final case in March. Some could have predicted the show was nearing its end when Maggie Lawson joined ABC’s short-live Back in the Game last fall. The series is known for their celebrity guest stars and their admiration for things like The Bachelor to Indiana Jones.
Drop Dead Diva
Lifetime put Drop Dead Diva through the ringer when they first cancelled the series and then brought it back in 2013 and cancelled it again in February. The upcoming sixth season will be the last for Drop Dead Diva. The series has an incredibly strong fan base as they nearly single-handedly brought the show back last year.
How I Met Your Mother
“It’s going to be legen… wait for it… dary!” How I Met Your Mother will end in March after an eight season run. It included some hilarious stories about how Ted Mosby met his wife and his experiences with friends along the way. The audience met the mother at the end of season eight. The final season had many callbacks, returning guest stars (like Bryan Cranston) and a 200th episode with an in-depth look into the future Mrs. Mosby.
True Blood
True Blood season one didn’t bring in noteworthy ratings but surprisingly exploded onto the TV screen during its second season. The series will end after seven seasons this coming summer. It began introducing new characters to the series such as Joe Manganiello and fans welcomed them warmly. However, the series became confusing with the addition of fairies, werewolves and witches.
Californication
Hank Moody (David Duchovny) will pen his final chapter as the series Californication (Showtime) finishes in April. The final season will have guest stars Michael Imperioli, Heather Graham and Mary Lynn Rajskub. Viewers hope for a happy conclusion for Hank and Karen but not at the cost of Hank’s debauchery.
Wilfred
This series came from a popular Australian series about a suicidal man and his neighbor’s dog who he thinks walks and talks like a human being. It was the first regular TV role for Elijah Wood. His star power and the chemistry shared with Jason Gann drew some A-list guest stars. However, it was never enough to move past its niche audience mainly because of the dark tone and confusion as to what Wilfred really is. Wilfred will end this summer after four seasons.
Boardwalk Empire
HBO’s Boardwalk Empire had its best season in 2013 and will end this fall. The Prohibition Era drama about politician-turned-gangster Nucky Thompson (Steve Buscemi) did well with speaking its narrative through supporting characters and pulling the stories into a big conclusion. The finale will let viewers see Al Capone ascend the throne in Chicago and brothers Nucky and Eli fix their relationship. Most importantly, all the big stories will play out in an amazing way.
Sons of Anarchy
The hit FX series Sons of Anarchy will bow out this fall after its seventh and final season. Kurt Sutter, the showrunner for the series, was clear with his intentions when he killed two favorite characters in Season 6. However, Sutter is working on a Sons of Anarchy prequel.
The Newsroom
The HBO series The Newsroom from Aaron Sorkin (The West Wing and Sport’s Night) did not have a stellar first season. The series had great performances from stars Jeff Daniels and Sam Waterston. The show’s second season returned with some surprising turns. The series will end after just three seasons.
The Killing
AMC’s The Killing spent the first two seasons solving the same crime and the network axed the series and then brought it back several months later for a well-received third season. It never gained momentum with former fan base and the network pulled the series yet again. However, Netflix brought the series back to life, promising a six-episode season finale with Oscar nominee Joan Allen as Linden’s nemesis.
The Michael J. Fox Show
This NBC series was the first series regular TV role for Michael J. Fox in 13 years. It was highly anticipated and was ordered straight to series. The series followed Fox’s character, who has Parkinson’s disease, as he returns to work as a TV news anchor after some time off. The series had an excellent supporting cast with Betsy Brandy (Breaking Bad) and Wendell Pierce (Treme). The fan following never got enough speed to get off the ground and the network pulled the remaining seven episodes.
Sean Saves the World
Will & Grace alum Sean Hayes starred in Sean Saves the World, a comedy series from NBC. The show brought in similar low numbers as Community and Parks and Recreation. The network shut production down on the series at the beginning of 2014 before a much-anticipated reunion of Hayes and former Will & Grace co-star Megan Mullally was filmed.
Warehouse 13
This Syfy series was renewed for a fifth and final season last May comprising of only six episodes. The supernatural series has a strong fan base and the cancellation angered some fans. The advanced notice will give Secret Service Agents Lattimer and Bering plenty of discoveries in their final season.
Good Luck Charlie
This Disney series neared its 100-episode mark with many other Disney series; the network announced the series would wrap in February of 2014. Good Luck Charlie became the first Disney series to introduce a same-sex couple in January 2014.