'Spartacus' to end after three

"Spartacus” -- by far the biggest hit in Starz history and no slouch as far as any TV network would be concerned -- will end after the third season, the network announced today.

Reasons? Always look to the money -- always -- but Steven S. DeKnight, series, creator, certainly doesn't indicate that in his answer to the “why” question (see below) to the Hollywood Reporter, which first broke this.

The numbers seem fine -- believe it has been tracked around 6 million viewers on Fridays, though uncertain of how the second has ended up. The show lost its dynamic lead, Andy Whitfield, to cancer, and he was replaced by Liam McIntyre and whether hard core show fans ever full accepted McIntyre is a question only they know.

Nevertheless, this is big. The third season is in production now, and then it's all over. 

Here are the key paragraphs from the news release, just out now, and DeKnight's comments to THR below. Reasons cited -- creative. 

Here's DeKnight, to THR: