LOS ANGELES (thefutoncritic.com) -- Syfy has pulled the plug on its veteran drama "Eureka" after five seasons.

"After painstaking consideration, we have had to make the difficult business decision to not order a season six of Eureka," the network said in a statement released to EW.com. "But Eureka is not over yet. There is a new holiday episode this December and 12 stellar episodes set to debut next year, marking its fifth season and six memorable years on Syfy.

The 2012 episodes are some of the best we've seen, and will bring this great series to a satisfying end. We are very grateful to Bruce Miller and Jaime Paglia, their team of incredible writers, and an amazing cast and crew who have consistently delivered a series we continue to be very proud of. We thank the fans for their support of this show and know they will enjoy its final season in 2012."

The news comes despite word from the network itself last week a six-episode sixth season was on the table. "Although we do not have a commitment beyond six episodes for the sixth season, we are hopeful that this will not be the end of the franchise," the channel said on Thursday. No reason for the change was given.

"Eureka" currently ranks as the least-watched member of Syfy's Monday block, averaging 2.020 million viewers and a 0.7 rating among adults 18-49, behind "Warehouse 13" (2.272 million, 0.8 adults 18-49 rating) and "Alphas" (2.181 million, 0.8 adults 18-49 rating). The series wraps its fourth season on Monday, September 19.

[UPDATED! 08/10/11] Executive producer Amy Berg subsequently posted to her Twitter account that Syfy and Universal Media Studios have come to terms on an additional episode to wrap up the series. "Rumors are true," she wrote. "Syfy and Universal are giving us one additional episode so we can end the series on our terms. Working on it now!"

Adding, "There are still 5 episodes left to air this summer, a holiday spectacular in December, and 13 awesome episodes next year!!"