Good Wife creators: Decision to end show only happened last week

Now that Super Bowl 50 let the cat out of the bag, the creators of The Good Wife are ready to talk about how they would like to see their seven-year-old drama end in May on CBS. On Monday, executive producers Robert and Michelle King answered a flurry of burning questions about the drama’s final nine episodes, like whether Peter and Alicia Florrick (Julianna Margulies and Chris Noth) will finally divorce and whether Archie Panjabi will reprise her role as Kalinda for one more episode.

Here are seven highlights from Monday’s press conference:

1. The Kings say everyone only decided last week that it was time to end the show. Though they had always planned to leave the drama at the end of season 7, the creators admitted they were prepared for CBS to carry on without them. “We didn’t know [whether] it would be a Grey’s Anatomy thing, like how they continued with a whole new slew of doctors,” Robert King told reporters. “When [entertainment president] Glenn Geller stood up at TCA and said there was a chance it would continue, that meant CBS was still considering possibly going on [without us].” Added Michelle King, “There was a conversation with the network, studio and Julianna. Everybody came to the same decision, that to be able to go out together, is really what we all wanted. We felt very fortunate and flattered that we were being allowed to end the show together with the writers and producers in the way we would hope it would end.”

2. They’ve been looking forward to a season 7 finale since season 1. “We thought about the full story we wanted to tell and how long we wanted to tell it, having come from movies,” recalled Robert King. “We quickly thought that the show could only support seven years, so we started to build toward that. What you will see in last nine is the third act.”

3. Look for lots of old friends to return for these final episodes. “We’re trying to get a few, like Robyn [the investigator, played by Jess Weixler] to show where they ended up and landed,” said Robert King. “We want to check in with characters we haven’t seen.”

4. But that doesn’t include Kalinda. “That’s not our expectation,” said Michelle King. “That’s because she’s moved onto another series, which we can’t wait to see,” added Robert King.

5. And if they’re wanting Josh Charles to reprise his role at Will, they certainly aren’t saying it. “Alas, Will is dead, so [him returning] is sort of an problematic,” said Michelle King.

6. They’re staying mum about a Florrick divorce … or whether the show will end on a happy note. Citing series enders from shows like Breaking Bad and The Wire, Robert King said he’s a fan of finales that have some “resonance.” “A lot of these shows were happy and sad at the same time,” he said. Added Michelle King, “I admire when an ending feels inevitable and surprising.” Translation: “As for a divorce, we should stay mum,” she announced.

7. The Kings are open to a Good Wife spinoff! “Nothing is off the table,” said Michelle King. “Nothing is formal but we are not saying no to anything.” Added Robert King, “What would be appealing is if we could find a way to spinoff an ensemble. We wished we had more time to explore other lives [of their supporting characters].”

The final episode of The Good Wife will air on May 8.