Tracee Ellis Ross and Richard T. Jones by Lisa Rose/The CW
During Monday night's seventh-season finale of the CW's Girlfriends, William and Monica got back together; Maya and Darnell found a new house and bought back Darnell's old garage; and Aaron proposed to Joan. Basically, everyone got a happy ending — including Lynn (who'd landed her first regular paying gig only one week before). But it was all just too jubilant and tidy. Everyone and their mama showed up for Joan's surprise engagement party — her parents, her boss, her one-time assistant Peaches, and even her dry cleaner! The shindig could have easily doubled as a series farewell reunion show. And many who watched the finale had to wonder: Could this in fact be the end of Girlfriends?
Insiders close to the show say CW execs have not tipped their hats either way. Officially speaking, creator and executive producer Mara Brock Akil will not find out if Girlfriends will get an eighth season until next week, mere days before the CW's May 17 upfront advertising presentations in New York City, but ratings for the show are down this year. Unofficially speaking, it didn't look good, so Akil and the other producers were prepared just in case, writing an ep that would work as a season or a series finale. "I think Joan getting a proposal would be a beautiful way for it to end," star Tracee Ellis Ross told TV Guide. "That works for me," she added. "I know that I would be happy to come back. But if Girlfriends ended, I would be OK."
Tracee might be fine, but what about us? Girlfriends and its spin-off, The Game, were among the first shows to be picked up when the WB and UPN merged to create the CW. It's one of the highest-ranked series among African-American viewers. If canceled, it would be missed. — Reporting by Rochell D. Thomas
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