Showtime Political Docu-Series to End After Eight Seasons

Political docuseries The Circus: Inside the Greatest Political Show on Earth is coming to an end after eight seasons. According to Politico, this Sunday's episode is going to be the final episode of the series. Presented by John Heilemann, Mark McKinnon, and Jennifer Palmieri, The Circus premiered in 2016 and initially followed the 2016 presidential election. It's also focused on the Trump Administration, the 2020 presidential election, and the Biden Administration.

"When we started The Circus in 2016, we thought it would be a one-and-done deal," Heilemann told the outlet. "Eight seasons and 130 episodes later, we're still agog that Showtime gave us the trust and support that kept us cranking on this long, strange trip — and let us prove that our idea of doing a weekly, behind-the-scenes, real-time doc series on American politics wasn't as unhinged as it seemed. Our belief in the importance of the story we've been covering and our eagerness to keep covering it, Circus-style, hasn't changed."

Produced by Left/Right Productions, The Circus has aired 129 episodes. It's unknown why the series is ending, but it sounds like it was time. It's possible the series could come back in the future to cover even more political madness, but for now, the Nov. 12 episode will be the final one. Aside from John Heilemann, Mark McKinnon, and Jennifer Palmieri, Mark Halperin hosted The Circus for the first two seasons, while Alex Wagner served as host for Seasons 3-7.

The show has received generally positive reviews, with the first season nailing a 75 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The series digs deep into politics, with most recent episodes focusing on the A.I., former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, and the presidential race ahead of the 2024 presidential election. Fans will want to tune in to Sunday's episode to see what else will be discussed and how the show will come to an end. While it will be strange to not have the series focusing on the election next year, at least there is a little taste of it for these final episodes.

Over the summer, Showtime scrapped four shows, and The Circus is just the latest. Many networks and streamers have been canceling or ending shows lately, meaning that no show is safe, no matter how popular or how long it's been on. The TV industry is changing, and whether shows are ending on their own or by way of cancellation, it never gets easier.