Swamp People Season Seven: Is History renewing the show after all?

Swamp People Season Seven is currently scheduled to be the show’s last, but recent social media updates from star Jacob Landry have given fans an unexpected shotgun blast of hope. Is there a chance that the still-popular Swamp People could be renewed after all? According to Jacob, everything comes down to ratings–which might be a hard pill for devout Swamp People fans to swallow, given the controversy that erupted when new production company Original Media fired eight cast members without warning last summer.

Indeed, it was a boatload of fan favorites–chief among them Gator Queen Liz Chevalier and both Jeromy Pruitt and David LaDart–who got the axe before Swamp People Season Seven could begin filming. And, according to all eight fired cast members, there was neither a reason for their dismissals nor much warning beforehand.

At the time, Liz took to Facebook with the surprise news: “Due to unknown reasons by the production company ‘Original Media’,” she wrote, “my family and myself, along with other original cast members, besides Jeromy and David, will no longer be participating in the Swamp People series, starting with [Swamp People Season Seven].”

And Junior and Willie Edwards responded to the speculation that the cast had been demanding more money with a forceful denial: “To clear up gossip and BS,” they said, “we never asked for anything. Only communication we had with the production company was when we were told that we would not be on the show any more. We have made our living off the bayou all our lives. We don’t need a camera stuck in our faces to do that like some people.”

But will Swamp People Season Seven actually be the show’s final bow? Devoteés are wild with the possibility of a Season Eight renewal, thanks to current star Jacob Landry’s most recent Facebook update–which he shared just hours ago:

 

That Swamp People Season Seven update is even more specific than the one Jacob laid down last week, in which he raised for the first time the possibility that above-average ratings could save the show from cancelation:

Troy Landry got in on the speculation, too–though, given the tone of his Facebook update, it sounds like the possibility of a Swamp People Season Eight might be little more than a million-to-one shot:

Of course, not everyone associated with Swamp People Season Seven–and especially not the fired cast–is so optimistic. Liz seemed to both preface and undercut Jacob and Troy’s comments with her own Facebook update last week:

 

In either case, if History’s synopsis for “High Water Hell,” the Swamp People Season Seven premiere episode, is any indication, Swamp People‘s final season won’t lack for good, old-fashioned tomfoolery:

As the season opens, the King of the Swamp, Troy Landry, finds himself going head-to-head with Mother Nature. The water in the basin is higher than it’s ever been, pushing the monsters into inaccessible back ponds and woods. On top of that, a cold front has moved into Louisiana making conditions even worse. As he and his family brace for what could be their worse [sic] season ever, the King discovers more bad news; R.J. and Jay Paul have invaded his area, using their airboat to get to the gators that are out of his reach. Over in Hammond, Bruce Mitchell prepares to start his second season without his beloved hunting dog Tyler. His partner, Ron Methvin thinks he has a great surprise for Bruce, but when they meet up, the plan blows up and puts their partnership to the test. And, at the end of the first day of gator hunting, Troy makes an announcement that rattles his family to the bone.

 

Here’s the final trailer for Swamp People Season Seven:

Plus, just to get you good and amped up for tonight’s Swamp People Season Seven premiere, here’s a basket of Season Six highlights, courtesy of History:

And, in case you’d forgotten, here’s a couple of throwback Swamp People articles that are still relevant as Swamp People Season Seven begins:

Alligator Price Chart: How much money do you get for an alligator?
How much money does an alligator hunter make?

Soon enough, all the Swamp People Season Seven spoilers and speculation will start to work itself out: the final season of Swamp People premieres tonight, at 9 PM EST, on History.

 

(Photo credits: Swamp People Season Seven spoilers via History)