‘Girlfriends’ ends after eight seasons

The CW’s Monday night comedy series “Girlfriends,” the longest-running nonanimated comedy on network television, is ending after eight seasons.

The series about three friends navigating life and love has been a linchpin of the CW’s Monday night lineup. It previously aired on the network’s predecessor, UPN.

Star Tracee Ellis Ross earned six consecutive NAACP Image Award nominations as best comic actress, winning once.

“Girlfriends” is the second-highest rated series with a predominantly black cast, behind “The Game.” The only such show to produce more episodes was “The Cosby Show.”

Mara Brock Akil, the show’s creator, said in a statement that she was grateful to the “Girlfriends” audience, particularly black women, for seeking the series out each week.

Akil said she’s in talks with the CW to put together a retrospective show about the series’ history.

The show’s return this season was in doubt, so much so that Akil wrote a final episode where Ross’ character Joan finally got a marriage proposal after some tough years for her love life.