It's nearly time to say goodbye to Homeland. It's seemed more and more like the long-running Showtime drama was nearing its end, as both star Claire Danes and co-creator Alex Gansa have both indicated that to be the case. Now, Showtime CEO David Nevins has made it official, declaring that Season 8 will be the show's last. But he wants to make it clear that the network hasn't canceled the series. Merely, it's been decided that the show is ready to reach its end naturally.

David Nevins made the reveal during the Television Critics Association summer press tour. He had previously been a bit unwilling to declare that Homeland season 8 would indeed be the end, as the critically-acclaimed drama has been a pillar for Showtime for many years now. But now Nevins has embraced the inevitable. Here's what he had to say about it.

"I do not want to hear the word 'cancellation. [Co-creator and showrunner] Alex Gansa will bring the show to its proper conclusion."

Homeland debuted in 2011 and reached a critical peak rather quickly. Both Claire Danes and former co-star Damian Lewis won Emmys for their work on season 1. The show was also nominated for Best TV Drama at the 2012 Emmys. The show has remained a steady hit for Showtime and has continued to be reasonably well received. Though, it's generally agreed upon by fans and critics alike that the show peaked some time ago. Alex Gansa spoke earlier this year, indicating that, regardless of what plans Showtime had for the future, his time with Homeland was coming to a close.

"It's definitely going to be my last year. I can't speak for [stars] Claire [Danes] or Mandy [Patinkin], but it will be my final year and it will be designed to be the end of an eight-season story. If Showtime, Fox, Claire and Mandy want to take the show further, that's their decision, and we would leave some room for that to happen, if there's an appetite."

Assuming that Homeland season 8 sticks to the 12 episode format that all of the previous seasons have, that will bring its episode count to 96. What's important about that number is that it's just four shy of what would typically be needed for a big syndication deal. It will be interesting to see if Showtime tries to get creative in order to reach the 100 episode mark.

While Homeland season 8 will conclude the series, that doesn't mean a continuation is totally off the table. The network could easily explore a reboot or spin-off centered on new characters with a new cast, embracing the same general premise. HBO is already exploring a Game of Thrones spin-off as the final season of the hit fantasy series is set to air next year. It's possible Showtime could do something similar here. Homeland season 8 doesn't yet have an exact premiere date, but it will begin airing in the first quarter of 2019. This news comes to us courtesy of The Hollywood Reporter.