Julianna Margulies

LOS ANGELES — “The Good Wife” creators Robert and Michelle King say they welcomed CBS’ decision to end the series, allowing them to write its final chapter.

The Kings already had decided to exit as executive producers after this season, the seventh, leaving CBS to weigh whether to keep the critically acclaimed show without them.

On Sunday, the network used its Super Bowl telecast to announce that “The Good Wife” was heading into its final nine episodes, with the series finale to air May 8.

The Kings had just learned of the decision in the past week, they told reporters Monday.

“We felt very fortunate and flattered that we’re being allowed to end the show ... the way we hoped it would end,” Michelle King said.

CBS may have faced the loss of series star Julianna Margulies as well. At an event last month honoring the Kings, Margulies joked in her speech she’d only shown up because she would soon be out of work and needed the exposure.

The actress “was kind of up in the air” about returning as lawyer Alicia Florick, Michael King said. Margulies has won two Emmys for the role.

But after conversations in recent days involving her, CBS, the studio and the Kings, the conclusion was that everybody “really wanted to go all together,” Michelle King said.

The couple, who are moving on to a new series for CBS, the comic political thriller “BrainDead,” said they had long envisioned “Good Wife” as lasting seven years.