
NBC Veterans Bow Out in May
'West Wing,' 'Will & Grace' Bow Out in May
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Sunday, January 22, 2006 10:33 AM PT
Two of the most-honored shows in NBC's recent history will say goodbye at the end of this season, as the network is preparing sendoffs for "The West Wing" and "Will & Grace."
NBC said going into this year that 2005-06 would be the last for "Will & Grace," and speculation had been growing that this would be it for "The West Wing" as well. With the latter show still headed toward its election night, it looks like there won't be much time for a new administration to take hold.
"We are proud to have had the opportunity to bring television viewers one of the most acclaimed series in television history," NBC Entertainment chief Kevin Reilly says of "The West Wing." "From the venerable, moving performances by the first-rate cast to the sterling creative team behind the camera, this series has left an indelible imprint on the landscape of television drama."
Reilly also has high praise for "Will & Grace," saying the show "assembled one of the finest comedic casts on television, bringing to life the hilarious, groundbreaking scripts from [creators Max Mutchnick and David Kohan] and their writing team to create what has truly become one of the classic comedies on television."
"The West Wing" will end at 8 p.m. ET Sunday, May 14, with a one-hour retrospective preceding the last episode. "Will & Grace" will bow out four days later with an hour-long episode, also paired with a look back.
Between them, the two series have won 38 Emmys -- 24 for "The West Wing" and 14 for "Will & Grace." ("The West Wing Documentary Special" also won an award for special-class program in 2002.) The awards for "Wing" include four consecutive wins for outstanding drama series, while each of the four principal actors on "W&G" has an Emmy.