"I think the idea is essentially that this would be the finale," the exec producers told reporters Saturday at TCA.

It may be the end of the road for CBS' Person of Interest.

Executive producer J.J. Abrams told reporters Saturday at the Television Critics Association's winter press tour that season five of the CBS procedural would likely be its last.

"My guess is it is the final season," said Abrams, who was at TCA to support his Hulu drama 11.22.63. "The only heartbreak there is [is] how much good story there was to come if it were to have continued. [Executive producers/showrunners] Jonah [Nolan] and Greg Plageman have done such an amazing job on that show. I know what these episodes are that they’ve done wrapping it up."

The drama, produced by outside studio Warner Bros. Television, was renewed for a fifth season in May but has not been scheduled. The procedural was not included on CBS' midseason schedule, which was announced Friday.

"We don’t yet have a schedule, but I know they will see the light of day," said Abrams. "People will get to see these episodes. I know the power of that story. Again, to have a show that goes on as many years as that has, it’s very hard to complain. It’s a miracle to get a show on the air, and to have it last that long is something that we should just be grateful for, but I do love that show and I would’ve loved to see that continue."

While official word about POI's fate has not been determined — CBS will present at TCA next week — Abrams admitted that producers would be open to shopping the series to another outlet. "Those are discussions that, in theory, will be had in the right time. But at the moment that’s not what we’re doing," he said.

Meanwhile, Abrams noted that producers have been planning for the season-five finale to serve as a series finale as well. "That’s sort of the goal," he noted. "Obviously things can become malleable and adjust based on, I supposed, miraculous performance of this thing. I think the idea is essentially that this would be the finale."

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