In this Tuesday, June 5, 2018 file photo, Claire Danes attends the "Homeland" FYC Event at the Writers Guild Theater in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP, File)
BEVERLY HILLS, Calif.(AP) --
Showtime says that its acclaimed series "Homeland" will end in 2019 with its eighth season.
The show's conclusion was announced Monday by Showtime Networks chief David Nevins, who called the Emmy-winning "Homeland" a game-changer for the premium cable channel.
Nevins told a TV critics' meeting that creator-producer Alex Gansa will bring the national security drama to what he called its "proper conclusion."
In a statement, Gansa said he was sad to see the series end but said that it's time.
Claire Danes stars in "Homeland," which has taken her bipolar, now former CIA agent Carrie through dangerous conflicts that sometimes mirrored real-world events.
Last season, Carrie struggled to uncover an international conspiracy trying to harm America's democratic institutions.
The final season of "Homeland" will debut in June 2019.
This image released by Hallmark Media shows Hunter King, left, and Tyler Hynes in a scene from "Holiday Touchdown: A Chiefs Love Story. (Joshua Haines/Hallmark Media via AP)
Two new Christmas TV movies have a Taylor Swift connection that her fans would have no problem decoding.
"Christmas in the Spotlight" debuts Saturday on Lifetime. It stars Jessica Lord as the world's biggest pop star and Laith Wallschleger as a pro football player, who meet and fall in love — not unlike Swift and her boyfriend, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce.
"It's clearly inspired by Taylor and Travis, but I don't know them and I don't know what is going on behind the scenes. I only know what's been put out there," said Eirene Tran Donohue, a longtime, devoted fan who jumped at the opportunity to write a script even loosely based on her favorite musician.
She was inspired by the couple's support of each other's accomplishments, particularly Kelce's ease with dating the star despite the glare of the spotlight, adding, "I love the way that he celebrates her."
Tran Donohue wants fellow Swift fans to know she wrote the script with them in mind.
"There are so many Easter eggs," she said of little details added that a Swift fan would pick up on. "I put in as many as I could."
Then, on Nov. 30, Hallmark will air "Holiday Touchdown: A Chiefs Love Story." Instead of a nod to Swift, it's an ode to family traditions and bonding, like rooting for a sports team. Hallmark's headquarters is also in Kansas City, so it makes sense why the company chose the Chiefs to be highlighted.
In this story, written by Julie Sherman Wolfe, sparks fly when a new employee for the Chiefs organization (Tyler Hynes) meets a woman — played by Hunter King — whose family's dedication to the team goes back generations.
Sherman Wolfe, a San Francisco 49ers fan, said she got the call a week after Super Bowl LVIII, when the Chiefs... Read More
