The perfect ending to the X-files would have been the last episode of season seven. You can tell that they were intending it to be the last episode, and the fact that the programme was forced to go on for two more seasons was therefore a complete travesty.
But that episode was great. During the season, all the loose ends about Samantha Mulder had been cleared up. The Smoking Man is dead. (Well, that’s what we thought at the time.) Mulder and Scully go back to the town they visited in the very first episode. Mulder finally gets what he’s always wanted – he’s abducted. All the hints during all seven seasons about Scully being on a mission from God (or somesuch) are fulfilled and she becomes pregnant, presumably with the new Messiah, who will replace Mulder. And that’s it – end of the X-files.
For me, that actually is the X-files. I refuse to believe seasons eight or nine ever happened.
the same final episode- they’re on trial for breaking the Good Samaritan law, everyone they’ve crossed shows up to testify
against them, the jury finds them guilty, the judge is about to
pass sentence, Newman is giggling & stuffing his face with snacks…
THEN Newman starts choking!
Close-up of Kramer- Voice Over- “Oh no! I gotta help my friend!”
K runs over to help N.
Close-up of Elaine- VO- “Oh no! Newman’s…sooo… cute! I’m coming to save you, my Love!”
E runs over to help N.
Close-up of George- VO- “Hey! If I help Newman, maybe the Judge’ll go easy on me!”
G runs over to help N.
Close-up of Jerry- arms crossed, looking askance at all of them
surrounding Newman, muttering out loud- “Let the fat bastard
choke, fer Chrissakes!”
Then he turns to Bob Newhart & Suzanne Pleshette who nod in approval to him. G
I suppose I understood the reasoning behind Hill Street Blues’ “just another day” finale, but I always thought they should have gone for something more dramatic…
World War III begins, and worsening news from Europe (this was the late '80s) is followed by reports of nuclear weapons striking some American cities. The cops of the Hill Street precinct struggle to keep order in the face of what looks like the approach of Armageddon.
In other words, the perfect culmination of a fairly relentlessly and wonderfully depressing show.
Buffy ends with the Gift. The horrors which was UPN never happens.
B5 ends with Sleeping in Light, the horror that is Season 5 never happens.
Seinfeld ends with the final season “reverse episode” where they went to India for the wedding and went back in time (in reverse) all the way back to when Jerry met Kramer. Then play the clip show.
X-files ends when the alien plotline was resolved with the alien rebel attack at the big hanger (I just realized how crazy that sounds. . . .)
elfkin: I wanted to read your alternate ending to The X-Files, but the link was dead.
No one has mentioned Xena yet. The ending appalled me because
Xena died! Yes, she died honorably to save innocent souls, but Rob Tapert promised it wouldn’t happen. That scene where Gabrielle is on the boat talking to her ghost was so corny and contrived that I threw something at the TV. Argh! This was not the ending I (and fellow Xena fans) craved.
If I got to write the ending, I’d have had Xena and Gabrielle wrapped in each others’ arms, engaged in a deep soul kiss while the sun set behind them. Call me a romantic.
Twin Peaks: Donna & James get back together. Nadine dies so her husband can marry his true love. Cooper overcomes Bob & the powers of the Black Lodge, says the hell with middle-class morality, and rides off in the sunset with Audrey Van Horne.
I’d have gone through with the Twlight of the Gods/Coming of the One True God of Love theme- concluding with X & G at the Nativity, and then, the Kiss!
And I’ll be chasing you from thread to thread carrying the message: That would suck!
Rubystreak:
[SPOILER]Yeah, that last conversation on the boat was kind of lame, but I liked the rest of the last episode. Xena had to die; it was the only resolution we could get. Even if Xena and Gabrielle got to walk off into the sunset together, we’d all know it wasn’t for real. Xena would go on to be haunted by her past and never be able to settle down. Her death was the only release for her.
But I would have loved a final romantic embrace and kiss as the sun sets.[/SPOILER]