User blog comment:Elithe2nd/What I exoect (Want) From Season 8/@comment-4080706-20110625121540

This Season will be one of the Hardest for the writers to come up with because unlike the previous seasons (besides season 1) there is not guarenteed to be a following season, Season 9 depends soley on the ratings of Season 8, so the writers have to get the ratings up or at least keep them steady enough to warrant another season. It will be very hard writing a storyline without knowing whether its the final season or not.

The Housewives currently are signed on for Season 8 with the option to renew for one more season after that.

"Depends on the ratings whether we'll actually go two more years or not," Huffman explains. "But we're keeping our fingers crossed. I'd like to go two more years. I love the work, I love working, it's the job of a lifetime, so I hope it goes two more years, but maybe it's just one more year. It depends on how we do."