Gilmore Girls to End Run After Seven Seasons

LOS ANGELES, May 4: Gilmore Girls, the saga of an independent mother and daughter that
helped strengthen the fledging The WB network, will end its run after seven
seasons, airing its final episode on May 15 at 8 p.m.

The announcement was made by The CW network and producer
Warner Bros. Television. In a joint statement, they noted: "Gilmore
Girls helped define a network and created a
fantastic storybook world featuring some of television's most memorable,
lovable characters.” They also thanked fans for their "passionate
support" and promised to give the show "the send-off it
deserves."

Last year, the series moved to The CW, created by the merger
of The WB and UPN. Ratings had dipped this season, following the departure of
series creator Amy Sherman-Palladino and her husband and fellow executive producer, Daniel
Palladino, after they had failed to come to terms with the studio on a new
deal. The April 24 episode drew fewer than 4 million viewers, down about 25
percent compared to the same time last year.

Gilmore Girls is
set in the fictional small town of Stars Hollow, Connecticut, and stars Lauren
Graham as the single mom Lorelai and Alexis Bledel as her bright daughter Rory.
The series, which features the two women’s signature rapid-fire banter, follows
Lorelai and Rory as they grow up together, struggle through romances and try to
find their place in the world.