‘Veep’ Exit After Seven Seasons Marks The End of Another HBO Era
“Veep” will end its run with its seventh season, which is now in production for a 2018 premiere. HBO made the surprise announcement on Wednesday afternoon.
The announcement of “Veep’s” final season comes on the eve of this year’s Primetime Emmy race, in which “Veep” is the favorite to win its third consecutive Outstanding Comedy Series award. Star Julia Louis-Dreyfus is also poised to shatter the record books with her sixth consecutive win for Outstanding Comedy Actress, making it the most Emmys won by a performer in the same role for the same series.
“The decision to bring ‘Veep to a close at the end of next season is bittersweet,” said Casey Bloys, president, HBO Programming. “We love the show and everyone involved but respect the producers’ choice to bring Selina Meyer’s journey to its conclusion after an extraordinary run of critical and award-winning acclaim. Julia Louis-Dreyfus’ comedic brilliance infused Selina with a dynamic presence and a vibrant wit which will ensure her a place in the history of television’s most iconic comedic characters. We look forward to producing the seventh and final season.”
The end of “Veep” comes at the same time that HBO says goodbye to “Game of Thrones” — which ends with one final season either in late 2018 or early 2019. That means HBO will soon be without its signature drama and comedy series. The double whammy is reminiscent of how HBO also lost its two biggest shows in the 2000s, when “The Sopranos” and “Sex and the City” went off the air around the same time. Back then, pundits wondered whether HBO would recover — but of course, along came “Thrones” and “Veep,” which have both been ratings and awards juggernauts.
With one final season, “Veep” and Louis-Dreyfus will likely be front runners again in the 2018 Emmy derby — but after that, it opens the door in 2019 for fresh comedy blood in two key categories.
Besides the record for most Emmys in the same role, Louis-Dreyfus is also in line this year to tie Cloris Leachman for the most Emmys ever won by a female performer. (Leachman has eight.)
“Veep” ended its sixth season on a bit of a cliffhanger, as former President Selina Meyer (Louis-Dreyfus) admitted that she planned to run for president again. Showrunner David Mandel recently spoke with IndieWire’s “Very Good Television” podcast, where he revealed that Selina would be spending a good chunk of time in the political battleground of Iowa. Mandel wouldn’t tell IndieWire that Selina was definitely running, only that “she wants to run.”
“Veep” also stars two-time Emmy winner Tony Hale as Gary, her devoted bodyman; Emmy nominee Anna Chlumsky as Amy, her on-again, off-again right hand; Emmy nominee Matt Walsh as Mike, her former spokesperson; Reid Scott as the ultra-ambitious Dan; Timothy Simons as Jonah, a hanger-on turned congressman; Kevin Dunn as Ben, her former chief of staff; Gary Cole as analyst Kent; and Sam Richardson as staff member Richard. “Veep” was created by Armando Iannucci; and is executive produced by Mandel, Frank Rich, Louis-Dreyfus, Lew Morton and Morgan Sackett.
