'The Soup' Is Coming To An End

For some reason, I really love when TV gets meta. TV shows about TV? Sign me up. That's one reason I've always loved The Soup , the E! series that covers the most hilarious and ridiculous aspects of the entertainment world on a weekly basis. I don't think there's a single episode that hasn't had me cracking up laughing, which is why I'm so sad to hear that The Soup is ending after 22 seasons and will air its last episode next month. Losing one of the best (and most underrated) comedy series is really sad news, but I suppose all good things have to come to an end.

Joel McHale will host the final episode of The Soup on Friday, December 18, and then we'll all cry because seriously, it's the end of an era. McHale has hosted and produced the show for the past 12 years, but the show has actually been on the air since 1991, with Greg Kinnear, John Henson, Hal Sparks, Aisha Tyler having helmed it before McHale took over in 2004. We still have a few more weeks of Mankini and Lou the Chihuahua to enjoy, but it's going to be a sad day when The Soup is over.

"We are incredibly proud of the long-running success of The Soup," said Jeff Olde, EVP of Programming & Development for E!, in a statement released on Wednesday. "The Soup has delivered countless laughs and unforgettable episodes, and we are grateful to the talented team’s fearless wit and clever approach week after week. Joel took the show to new heights for more than a decade, and his irreverent humor and unique brand of comedy as captured so perfectly on The Soup will be missed."

I don't think there's any other show on the air right now that can take The Soup's place, and maybe that's a good thing. We don't want a cheap imitation or replacement, but I can't say I won't seriously miss tuning in on Friday nights to see what I missed on TV over the week (and what I didn't miss but needed to see be made fun of by McHale). Until then, let's just enjoy the few new episodes we have left, however few they may be.

Images: E!