# Best ending to a TV series ever. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 8, 2010, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-ending-to-a-tv-series-ever/524120 "2010-01-08T02:26:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2010, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-ending-to-a-tv-series-ever/524120/1 "2010-01-08T02:26:52Z")
Apologies if this has been done to death. My vote… Battlestar Galactica (the newest version) I well up every time I see it. I have watched key parts of it many many times just to experience the emotion again. ---
**Author:** ![Duke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e8c25b/32.png) [@Duke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2010, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-ending-to-a-tv-series-ever/524120/2 "2010-01-08T02:27:58Z")
I was sure the spoiler was going to be Blackadder ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2010, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-ending-to-a-tv-series-ever/524120/3 "2010-01-08T02:38:20Z")
Gotta go with Duke, but I’ve long been impressed and depressed by the waste of WWI. ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2010, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-ending-to-a-tv-series-ever/524120/4 "2010-01-08T02:38:31Z")
> [@Duke](#): > > I was sure the spoiler was going to be > > Blackadder Do you mean The bit where they went over the top? i.e. left the trenches? It was certainly an emotional ending, but it didn’t inspire in me the same feelings than the one I mentioned did. ---
**Author:** ![FordTaurusSHO94](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f07891/32.png) [@FordTaurusSHO94](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FordTaurusSHO94)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2010, 6:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-ending-to-a-tv-series-ever/524120/5 "2010-01-08T06:32:54Z")
I enjoyed the endings to both TNG and VOY. ---
**Author:** ![Jim\_s\_Son](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19adc/32.png) [@Jim\_s\_Son](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_s_Son)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2010, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-ending-to-a-tv-series-ever/524120/6 "2010-01-08T06:34:34Z")
Newhart and Suzanne Pleshette. ---
**Author:** ![Lethal\_Babydoll](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3be4f8/32.png) [@Lethal\_Babydoll](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lethal_Babydoll)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2010, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-ending-to-a-tv-series-ever/524120/7 "2010-01-08T12:18:54Z")
The Shield. So much karma in Vic’s “punishment.” And the final days of Shane. Tense, moving and all perfect in character and fitting themes of the show. I watched the show from Ep. 1 and was so happy with how they brought it to an end. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2010, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-ending-to-a-tv-series-ever/524120/8 "2010-01-08T12:44:35Z")
Another vote for Blackadder I’ll give an honourable mention to the end of Yes, Minister (‘Party Games’) because it then changed to Yes, Prime Minister ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2010, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-ending-to-a-tv-series-ever/524120/9 "2010-01-08T12:51:38Z")
We _did_ just do this, a month or so ago. My quick search didn’t turn it up, though. ---
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2010, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-ending-to-a-tv-series-ever/524120/10 "2010-01-08T12:53:43Z")
> [@Lethal\_Babydoll](#): > > The Shield. > > So much karma in Vic’s “punishment.” And the final days of Shane. Tense, moving and all perfect in character and fitting themes of the show. This is what I was going to say. In interviews, Shawn Ryan has said something like he didn’t have the ending mapped out in advance, and nobody, including himself, knew what was going to happen until at least halfway through the last season. For my money, the second-to-last episode contains one of the most powerful segments I’ve ever seen on a TV show:Vic’s confession. ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2010, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-ending-to-a-tv-series-ever/524120/11 "2010-01-08T12:57:55Z")
The correct answer has already been given blackadder Though honourable mention to The Office (UK version) the second Christmas special where Tim and Dawn get together and Brent has a moment of clarity ---
**Author:** ![lost4life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c4cdca/32.png) [@lost4life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lost4life)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2010, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-ending-to-a-tv-series-ever/524120/12 "2010-01-08T13:53:07Z")
Just did it [here](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=544571), and a few times before that. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2010, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-ending-to-a-tv-series-ever/524120/13 "2010-01-08T14:18:23Z")
**Newhart**. Game over. ---
**Author:** ![caligulathegod](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/caligulathegod/32/9685_2.png) [@caligulathegod](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/caligulathegod)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2010, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-ending-to-a-tv-series-ever/524120/14 "2010-01-08T14:30:34Z")
I don’t understand why people are putting the names of the shows in spoiler tags. How are we supposed to know what you are spoiling? You are supposed to name the show then put the ending in spoiler tags. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2010, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-ending-to-a-tv-series-ever/524120/15 "2010-01-08T14:32:14Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > **Newhart**. Game over. I think we should retire that episode of **Newhart** into the Last Episode Hall Of Fame. ---
**Author:** ![Keweenaw](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/da6949/32.png) [@Keweenaw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Keweenaw)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2010, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-ending-to-a-tv-series-ever/524120/16 "2010-01-08T14:50:24Z")
Excellent choices all. Although I don’t think this was the best of all time, it’s the best I could come up with that hasn’t already been mentioned. Six Feet Under. I’ve never seen a series wrap up so eloquently. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2010, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-ending-to-a-tv-series-ever/524120/17 "2010-01-08T15:12:11Z")
All I can say is, six months from now I hope the winner of this thread is “Lost”, otherwise I will be sorely disappointed. ---
**Author:** ![One\_And\_Only\_Wanderers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/838e76/32.png) [@One\_And\_Only\_Wanderers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/One_And_Only_Wanderers)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2010, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-ending-to-a-tv-series-ever/524120/18 "2010-01-08T15:13:07Z")
How about **Life on Mars** The fact the main character actually chose to commit suicide to return to his fantasy was very unexpected (at least by me). ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2010, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-ending-to-a-tv-series-ever/524120/19 "2010-01-08T15:23:05Z")
I didn’t see it at the time, but the end of **Only Fools & Horses** is awesome. One of their bits of junk turns out to be worth a very large amount of money indeed. ---
**Author:** ![One\_And\_Only\_Wanderers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/838e76/32.png) [@One\_And\_Only\_Wanderers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/One_And_Only_Wanderers)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2010, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-ending-to-a-tv-series-ever/524120/20 "2010-01-08T15:54:00Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > I didn’t see it at the time, but the end of **Only Fools & Horses** is awesome. > > One of their bits of junk turns out to be worth a very large amount of money indeed. If only that had been the end. The episodes following that one I could have done without. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-ending-to-a-tv-series-ever/524120.md?page=2)