ABC's political drama "Scandal" has been rumored to make its final run with season 7. Even though the network has not officially confirmed the renewal, a recent report claims that the show has been renewed for 18 brand-new episodes.

The previous season has only 16 episodes after it was scaled back from the original episode count of 22 to accommodate leading lady Kerry Washington's pregnancy. This time, in the seventh installment, ABC exclusively revealed to TV Line that the final installment will consist of two episodes more than season 6, putting its episode count at 18.

"Scandal's" seven season run is considered healthy for a television series as not all even make it that far. There are those who note that one of the reasons why it has stayed this long is because it knows how to pull off surprises. For instance, Elizabeth North's (Portia de Rossi) brutal death has shaken fans so badly that until now, many still could not forget how she was violently beaten.

Having created long-running shows such as "Grey's Anatomy" which aired for 13 episodes, executive producer Shonda Rhimes had already previously predicted that "Scandal" would have a shorter shelf life.

"I feel like there is a finite amount of 'Scandal' to be told," Rhimes told TV Line in a different interview, adding, "So I know what the end of 'Scandal' will be, and I feel really good about that. And I can see where the end point is. And I don't think I'm going to change that."

She also told the same to The Hollywood Reporter. As early as 2014, she already saw "Scandal's" short run coming. Talking to the online publication, Rhimes explained, "The Fitz-Liv thing can only be told so long and in such a way. It's not a 10-season or eight-season show."

No official announcements have been made about "Scandal" season 7's release date, but it is expected to premiere in fall of this year.