Silicon Valley type TV Show network HBO

A beloved start-up is now headed toward a finish. That’s right: Middle out is… out.

HBO announced on Friday that the upcoming sixth season of Silicon Valley will be the show’s last. The critically admired comedy follows the travails of the deeply flawed geniuses at Pied Piper, a technology company that built its ever-changing fortunes on a unique compression algorithm. Launched in 2014, Silicon Valley has earned raves for its searing send-up of Bay Area technology culture, and its season 1 finale birthed the longest and most intelligent dick joke in TV history. With a lauded cast that includes Thomas Middleditch, Kumail Nanjiani, Zach Woods, and Martin Starr, the series has been nominated for the Outstanding Comedy Series Emmy in each of its first five seasons, and along the way has tallied 40 total Emmy nominations and two wins (for editing and production design).

“Silicon Valley has been a career and life highlight for us,” said showrunners Mike Judge (who co-created the series) and Alec Berg in a statement. “We’ll miss it desperately, but we’ve always let Pied Piper’s journey guide the way, and Season 6 seems to be the fitting conclusion. We are forever indebted to our incredible cast, crew, and partners at HBO. At a certain point, there’s only so much we can do to make the world a better place.”

Image zoom John P. Johnson/HBO

The news is hardly surprising, and Judge has talked about a six-season plan in the past. “Seems like six would be a good amount,” Judge told EW in 2017 after season 4 wrapped. “I would hate to run it into the ground… I think two more seasons — we have it in us. And for the story we’re telling about Richard and the company, it seems like that’s what it ought to be. But you never know.”

The season 5 finale aired last May, and with season 6 not airing until later this year, fans are left with their longest wait yet for new episodes. The final season will consist of seven episodes. Silicon showrunners have been keeping busy with other projects on HBO: Berg is the co-creator/co-showrunner of Barry, while Judge received the green light for two new comedies earlier this year.

The cast also features Amanda Crew, Jimmy O. Yang, Suzanne Cryer, Matt Ross, and Josh Brener, and previous cast members include T.J. Miller and the late Christopher Evan Welch.

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