Sitting down to record At the Movies in the ABC's Ultimo studios on Tuesday afternoon, Margaret Pomeranz knew things were different.

After 28 years of watching films, then trading opinions with David Stratton, the pair had finally decided to roll credits on their career together and call it a day.

The statement had gone out, a date had been selected; there was a feeling that things were coming to an end.

What she didn't suspect, however, was how Australia would react.

News of the end of their show - which last week attracted just 344,000 viewers, well behind the reality juggernauts that won the week - was treated like a natural disaster.

The pair have been a part of our television landscape for so long, the thought of them not being there was hard for many to believe.

"It's really weird," a stunned Pomeranz said after fielding more than an hour of constant calls from well-wishers, journalists, radio stations and more.

"It's so weird. I can't believe it. I mean we're just two old fuddy duddies talking about movies on television! The reaction has just been quite overwhelming. Really."

What Pomeranz and Stratton came to realise as the afternoon wore on was just how much impact "talking about movies on television" had.

It was, she said, a humbling thought.

"I guess we've been in people's lounge rooms for 28 years and, you know, we'd become [the viewers'] mates," Pomeranz said.

"We're most probably there more often than a lot of their friends and that's the way we're greeted around the country, everyone thinks we're a mate and I think that's lovely."

But in the end, she said, the time had come to say goodbye.

"What do I say? We'd been on air 28 years, there is a point at which you've got to call a halt and we're getting older so it seemed appropriate to go 'well we're still standing upright, let's walk out now'. Don't wheel us out," she said.

And after nearly three decades of crafting a television saga, set against the backdrop of reviewing, Pomeranz is characteristically blunt when asked how she'd rate her own screen story.

"From the first to the last," she laughs, "there was a major improvement.

"I mean I would not like to look back at those early shows now, they were extremely clunky and I was incredibly nervous, but I think there was a point where I really started to enjoy it. I think there was a point where I relaxed and that was a breakthrough and that's where it really started to be a joy."

And her partner through those decades?

"I'd rate David Stratton as a five-star national treasure, he's amazing. I'm the bums on seats reviewer, the one who gets the popcorn - David never eats popcorn! - I'm just there along for the ride."

The ABC has confirmed when At the Movies finishes on December 9, that's it for the show. Despite the fact multiple pairings have been trialled at various times while Margaret and David were on a break, the format will be retired. And as yet, there's been no word on a replacement review program.

Similarly, Margaret said she was happy to leave movie reviewing behind and wouldn't be jumping into another show on another network.

She'll still be at the movies, but from now on it will be just for fun.

"Movies have been work for us," she said, "it's never been a social thing for me, I'm always going because I've got to go. It's going to be nice going with friends and family. It's going to be lovely … movies the way everybody else enjoys them."

It'll also give Pomeranz - someone not noted for her ability to sit still and relax - a chance to try something she's had in the back of her mind for some time.

"I'm moving too fast to really think about it at the moment, but I started in this industry as a writer and I have just got this idea for something I want to write, but you need head space to do that," she said. "This is going to create that space for me.

"I don't know if I can do it … I think it'll be challenging, but a real joy also."

A film script perhaps?

"No! I want to write a novel … but I'm going to sell the film rights for a motza!

"But I've got to write the first page yet and maybe I can't do it, but it's the possibilities of what I can do now, that is quite exciting!"