(Relaxnews) - With each new year comes a round of new TV shows and, on the other hand, a number of bittersweet farewells. In 2015, viewers will bid goodbye to at least a dozen series, including the critically acclaimed "Mad Men," the beloved "Parks and Recreation," the long-running "Two and a Half Men" and the bouncy "Glee."
With each new year comes a round of new TV shows and, on the other hand, a number of bittersweet farewells. In 2015, viewers will bid goodbye to at least a dozen series, including the critically acclaimed "Mad Men," the beloved "Parks and Recreation," the long-running "Two and a Half Men" and the bouncy "Glee."
Mad Men
After "Breaking Bad," AMC is preparing to send off another of its star dramas. The cable network's very first original series, "Mad Men" became an emblem of its time, despite its retro setting. Praised for its visual ambiance, dialogue, character depth and accurate depictions of American society of the 1960s and 70s, the drama has since 2007 earned 15 Emmy Awards and four Golden Globes. The New York ad agency home to Don Draper (Jon Hamm) will return April 5 in part two of "The End of an Era," the seventh and final season of "Mad Men."
The Mentalist
After arriving on CBS in 2008, the character of Patrick Jane quickly won over viewers with his psychic and observational abilities. Australian actor Simon Baker's good looks may also have had something to do with the show's instant success. Six years later, interest in the mentalist's work with Teresa Lisbon and the California Bureau of Investigations has dropped off, particularly in the US, where a mere eight to nine million viewers currently follow the show each week. Nonetheless, "The Mentalist" remains a hit abroad. In 2012, it was the world's most watched series, with 58.1 million viewers across the five continents. Its seventh and final season will wrap up on February 18.
Two and a Half Men
The most watched comedy in the US just a few years ago, the series has since undergone one major casting change. In 2011, the show officially fired its star Charlie Sheen due to a number of public, self-destructive antics. Despite his replacement by Ashton Kutcher, the sitcom never returned to its former ratings glory, which included a peak audience of 16.5 million viewers. Today, "Two and a Half Men" attracts less than 10 million viewers, far behind "The Big Bang Theory," America's favorite comedy. The men of the Harper family will say goodbye in the show's 12th season finale on February 19.
Glee
The hit show of fall 2009, "Glee" will deliver its final performance on March 20 at the end of its sixth season, which premieres January 9 on Fox. Faced with a sharp decline in ratings (3.3 million viewers for season five), creator Ryan Murphy opted to cut his losses in 2015. The comedy has been honored regularly at TV awards ceremonies, and its musically gifted cast led to the sale of millions of records. But little by little, audiences have turned away from the show's adolescent intrigues, which continued with some difficulty after the death of former star Cory Monteith, who played Finn Hudson.
Cougar Town
To see Jules and the gang enjoying drinks together one last time, viewers can tune in to TBS. The comedy starring Courteney Cox, known to "Friends" fans as Monica Geller, actually outlived its first cancellation by ABC in 2012. But this time there's no way around TBS's decision to end the show after its sixth season, which started this week. Jules and her friends will try to console themselves with a bottle of red wine and a visit from Cindy Crawford, who will play herself.
Nurse Jackie
After seven seasons on Showtime, the Vicodin-popping nurse will step down in spring 2015. Fans will savor every moment of Edie Falco's final performances as Jackie Peyton, the cynical New Yorker struggling to balance her demanding job as an ER nurse with her catastrophic family life. The role allowed Falco to add another Emmy to her collection, which already included one earned in 1999 for "The Sopranos."
Parks and Recreation
The NBC comedy's seventh and final season will air from January 13 to February 24. Since premiering in 2009, the show on the public servants of Pawnee, Indiana has gained a strong following, in large part thanks to the talent of its creator and star Amy Poehler. But fans also love the show's unique supporting characters, played by Nick Offerman, Aziz Ansari, Rashida Jones and of course Chris Pratt, who was revealed on "Parks and Rec" and has since made his way to silver screen stardom in "Guardians of the Galaxy."
Parenthood
Faced with a steady decline in ratings, NBC opted to cut this series adapted from Ron Howard's 1989 feature. Since its premiere in 2010, the dramatic comedy on the highs and lows of the Braverman family has never been particularly successful, despite the presence of award-winning actors Lauren Graham ("Gilmore Girls") and Peter Krause ("Six Feet Under").
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