'Royal Pains' Season 8 will include a musical episode

NEW YORK, March 10 (UPI) -- USA Network says its series "Royal Pains" will feature a trip to Hong Kong and a musical episode with Christine Ebersole and Cloris Leachman in its eighth and final season.

The last eight installments are to begin airing May 18. During the final run, the show about a concierge doctor will reach its 100-episode milestone.

"Under the direction of talented showrunners Michael Rauch and Andrew Lenchewski, our entire ensemble cast led by Mark Feuerstein, and amazing crew, Royal Pains took viewers on a remarkable, unforgettable journey for eight wonderful seasons," remarked Chris McCumber, president of entertainment networks for NBCUniversal. "While summer in The Hamptons may never be the same, this last season promises to be an epic ride."

"It's with great sadness, but even greater thankfulness, that we prepare for our final summer sunsets as Royal Pains comes to an end. We couldn't have imagined a more talented and dedicated writers' room, cast, or crew, and we couldn't have asked for better partners than USA Network and Universal Cable Productions," said creator and executive producer Andrew Lenchewski and executive producer Michael Rauch in a joint statement. "We want to thank Bonnie Hammer, Chris McCumber, Jeff Wachtel and every other member of our network and studio family for tirelessly supporting us over eight magical seasons, and more importantly, for giving us the opportunity to complete this series on our own terms. We'll always have The Hamptons."