"Saving Grace" to wrap next summer

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - The run of TNT's drama series "Saving Grace" will come to an end with a nine-episode final season slated to air next summer.

Created by Nancy Miller, the show stars Holly Hunter as Grace Hanadarko, a high-spirited detective who holds nothing back, on the job or in her personal life. The role has earned Hunter two Emmy nominations. Kenneth Johnson, Leon Rippy, Yaani King and Laura San Giacomo co-star.

Originally, the cable network had ordered a typical split 15-episode third season -- nine to run this summer and six in the winter.

TNT now has ordered three more episodes, which will be added to the six earmarked for winter. Those nine episodes will air next summer.

It is understood that TNT offered "Grace" producer Fox TV Studios a full-blown fourth-season pickup, but the studio declined to accept it for financial reasons.

Fronted by A-list talent, "Grace" is an expensive production.

Faced with the possibility of an abrupt end to the show, known for its woven story lines, TNT decided to order the extra episodes that would tie up all the loose ends. The network also opted to give the show a proper send-off in the summer, when cable series draw larger audiences.

TNT programing chief Michael Wright said he was sad to see "Grace" go.

"It's been a fantastic beacon for the network which has both challenged and entertained viewers in ways few other shows on television ever dare," he said.

Wright said the network was more than happy with the show's ratings performance this summer. The third season of the series, slated to wrap Tuesday, has averaged more than 3.5 million viewers.

(Editing by SheriLinden at Reuters)