Last month during the TCA’s Showtime said there was an end in sight for Ray Donovan but I don’t think anyone saw it coming that the end would be so abrupt. The cable network has announced that season seven is the last for the show and it will not be getting a final eighth season. The January 19 season finale is now considered its series finale.
The network had this to say about the cancellation in a joint statement:
“After seven incredible seasons, Ray Donovan has concluded its run on Showtime. We are proud that the series ended amid such strong viewership and on such a powerful note. Our deepest thanks go to Liev Schreiber, Jon Voight, showrunner David Hollander and the entire cast and crew, past and present, for their dedicated work.”
During the TCA’s Showtime’s Co-President of Entertainment Gary Levine made it seem like Ray Donovan was wrapping up its run soon but he also gave the impression that it could get an eighth and final season:
“I think Ray Donovan is nearing the end of its run. We always talked about seven or eight seasons. Nothing has been decided yet but it’s fair to say it is nearing the end.”
The news of Ray Donovan’s cancellation comes mere days before Showtime prepares to say goodbye to their signature series, Homeland, after eight seasons. It’s a little surprising that the series would end like this and without a truly proper ending so I’m sure we’ll hear soon that this likely came down to not securing propers deals to get everyone to return for one more season. Whatever the case, seven seasons is still a great run and it has been a consistent award favorite, particularly for its star Liev Schreiber and co-star Jon Voight.
