I just saw the Spin City where Michael J. Fox leaves the show. The scene in the bar still makes me weepy. I’m guessing it is because the actors’ tears are real. It is IMO, the best character send-off I can recall.
Which do you still enjoy?
Still Enjoy? Can’t really think of any. But there are two that are memorable to me.
[ul][li]Henry Blake’s departure from MASH*[/li]Trevor Goddard’s return to Australia in Jag where everyone sang Waltzing Matilda to him.[/ul]
[quote=“Johnny_L.A, post:2, topic:501253”]
Still Enjoy? Can’t really think of any. But there are two that are memorable to me.
[ul][li]Henry Blake’s departure from MASH*[/li][li]Trevor Goddard’s return to Australia in Jag where everyone sang Waltzing Matilda to him.[/ul][/li][/QUOTE]
In the same vein, the cast of Barney Miller did a retrospective of Jack Soo after he died. At the end they all toasted his memory with coffee cups.
I wish I remembered that. I loved Barney Miller when I was a kid.
Though I havent seen it since it originally aired, I thought the way that Diane left “Cheers” was very well done—In a series not generally noted for strong acting, this was actually a great chance for Ted Danson, Shelly Long and Christopher Lloyd (guest spot) to show thier chops…
Altho’ the later seasons got a lot of stick for OTT story lines I’d like to put in a word for “ER”, the first episode of the final season when Dr Pratt … dies. Especially when Neela’s explaining something to him and unable to speak he nods his assent but a tear rolls down his cheek and you KNOW he’s scared. Then at the end of the episode when they’re all in the bar for a drink but and it’s awkward as those things are until Morris gets them to raise not a glass but a mozzarella cheese stick to his memory.
Poochie from The Simpsons.
“I have to go now. My planet needs me.”
Great stuff!
I hated this in reruns 'cause the reruns I saw they changed it. They removed the part about never showing Poochie again. He obviously came back.
The best departure I saw on TV was my favourite soap opera from Australia called *Prisoner *(Prisoner: Cell Block H outside of Aussie)
Top Dog - Myra left the show and it was the best I’ve ever seen
Myra who was the sole main character left at the time, was shot to death. IT was very unusual for a main character to get killed. Especially since they shot an extra just before her. That’s how it usually was the minor character was killed and the main one lived. I remember thinking, “Wow I can’t believe they killed her off.”
Donna’s departure from Doctor Who was surprisingly effective, coming at the end of an hour of campy space opera.
Many of the Doctor’s companions had effective farewells (as did the Doctors). I’d include
Jo Grant (especially the final shot)
Sarah Jane Smith
Adric
Ian and Barbara
Rose
Donna
Romana and K9
As for the Doctors, the loss of the first, fourth, and ninth were all pretty effective.
I can’t figure out the darn spoiler box thing, so I’ll keep it a bit ‘vague’.
The departure of Det Bobby Simone in NYPD Blue. That scene still brings a tear to my eye 11 years later…
The first episode of “Newsradio” after **Phil Hartman’s **death was rather poignant.
Ditto Leo’s departure from West Wing. Presumably it’s easier to write a moving send-off if you can play off the fact that the audience knows the actor is recently deceased IRL.
Also, Omar Epps’s character (Dr Gant).
As I remember the episode, he left the hospital after being yelled at. Later, a severely injured patient was brought in who was struck by an El train. One of the doctors was annoyed at Dr Gant’s absence so he ordered a nurse to page him. When the pager worn by the unrecognizable patient started to beep, all the characters suddenly realized who they were treating.