When you think Showtime, the first thing that might come to mind is "Dexter."

But while Michael C. Hall dark comedy about a serial killer who takes out only other killers who slipped through the claws of the law may have helped bring Showtime into prominence, that series got a lot of help from an oft-forgotten but highly popular comedy, "Weeds."

That series, starring Mary-Louise Parker, featured a suburban single mom who tries to make ends meet by dealing marijuana. And sadly, that show will end after eight solid seasons.

"There were two shows, 'Weeds' and 'Dexter,' that really got Showtime taken seriously for cutting-edge original programming," cable channel entertainment president David Nevins said in a release. "How they get brought home is really important. In this case, both for the sake of the two women behind the show and an audience that's really invested in the show. TV fans love nothing better than to complain about how shows end, and we really want to end this one the right way."

The two women Nevins is referring to, of course, are Parker and creator Jenji Kohan. She told Entertainment Weekly that while she is sad to see the show go, she wouldn't take back a single day she spent bringing the series to Showtime's audience, especially with the help of Parker in the lead role.

"I'm so proud of what we do here and that it's about a strong woman lead who's really flawed," Kohan said. "We get to do comedy right up against drama, which a lot of shows don't get the opportunity to do."

"Weeds" premiered in 2005 with Parker, Hunter Parrish, Alexander Gould and Kevin Nealon, and soon after add Justin Kirk to the main cast.

It has been nominated for 20 Emmys over the years, winning two in 2009 and 2010 in technical categories. It's also been nominated for nine Golden Globes, getting a win in 2006 for Parker for Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series - Movie or Comedy.

Before "Weeds," probably the best-known original show on the channel was "Queer as Folk," the American version of the British miniseries created by later "Doctor Who" showrunner and "Torchwood" creator Russell T. Davies. That show would receive some criticism about how it stereotyped gay people in the community, with even some pointing that Hall's portrayal of a gay character in HBO's "Six Feet Under" was much more realistic. Hall would later come to Showtime to take on "Dexter," which has earned him four Emmy nominations to add to his single "Six Feet Under" nod.

The final season of "Weeds" premieres July 1 on Showtime.