# Greatest Final Episode of a Television Series... **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 16, 2002, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-final-episode-of-a-television-series/143128 "2002-12-16T18:28:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![amarone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@amarone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarone)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2002, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-final-episode-of-a-television-series/143128/21 "2002-12-17T04:33:30Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Crusoe \* > \*\*The final episode of the comedy series **Blackadder Goes Forth**. > > As the characters line up to go over the top into the face of the German guns, Baldrick has yet another cunning plan. Only … nothing comes of it, and the characters are mown down in a hail of bullets. The final scene fades away in slow-motion to a shot of a modern-day Belgian poppy field, with no final credits.Absolute genius. I wanted to cry. \*\* That was a great final episode. I offer another series which is probably unheard of by 98% of this board: Blake’s Seven. A low budget sci-fi series where the heroes are fighting the evil empire. In the final episode they finally get locked in combat with the enemy - and are all killed. The shock factor was incredible. ---
**Author:** ![Blackeyes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f6c823/32.png) [@Blackeyes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blackeyes)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2002, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-final-episode-of-a-television-series/143128/22 "2002-12-17T04:34:24Z")
M_A_S\*H ---
**Author:** ![I\_am\_Sparticus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c68b51/32.png) [@I\_am\_Sparticus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_am_Sparticus)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2002, 6:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-final-episode-of-a-television-series/143128/23 "2002-12-17T06:48:57Z")
Another Newhart vote. And I even saw it coming as soon as the scene lighting was all dark. I’d like to say something on behalf of The Prisoner. When they first made it they had no idea that people would read way too much into it, so it really isn’t all that bad. "oh, the leg bone’s connected to the… " ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2002, 7:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-final-episode-of-a-television-series/143128/24 "2002-12-17T07:25:10Z")
1. _Blackadder_ 2. _Newhart_ 3. After hearing about it for years, I recently saw the final episode of _The fugitive_ on Nick at Night or TV land: the narrator always had a very depressing last line in all the episodes, telling the audience that the hero once again was on the run. Then the doctor, in the last episode, encounters the one armed man, and proves his innocence. The depressing narrator at the end says: “August 29th, the day the running stopped.” While the Dr. is **walking** , without fear and at ease, in front of a police car. Perfect! ---
**Author:** ![Santos\_L\_Halper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/santos_l_halper/32/1_2.png) [@Santos\_L\_Halper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Santos_L_Halper)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2002, 8:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-final-episode-of-a-television-series/143128/25 "2002-12-17T08:16:21Z")
The ending of the final **Quantum Leap** was originally much different, but they changed it at the last minute when they learned the show had been cancelled. The intended story had Sam leaping, now under his own control and not limited to travelling within his own lifetime. Al realizes that the only way he’ll find Sam is to leap himself. Read the original scripted ending [here](http://www.sethargabright.com/qleap/mialtend.htm). Eric ---
**Author:** ![Cliffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/59ef9b/32.png) [@Cliffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cliffy)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2002, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-final-episode-of-a-television-series/143128/26 "2002-12-17T14:56:26Z")
**Twin Peaks** is my favorite – every loose end (and there were hundreds) is tied up neatly. –Cliffy ---
**Author:** ![Winston\_Bongo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a9adbd/32.png) [@Winston\_Bongo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Winston_Bongo)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2002, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-final-episode-of-a-television-series/143128/27 "2002-12-17T16:11:18Z")
No question about it: “Newhart” is the all time best AND funniest ending ever. And another vote for ST: TNG. A marvelous finale that was SO much better than any of the lame-ass movies that have followed it. “The Prisoner” is at the top of my list, too. Many people hated it when it originally aired, and some people still regard it as a surrealistic cop-out (including Cecil, I believe), but I for one loved it. No “rational” explanation for the show’s mysteries could have possibly sufficed anyway – the only truly surprising way to end the show would be to consider all its mystery elements symbolically rather than literally. My favorite bit: a vicious machine gun battle set to the tune of the Beatles’ “All You Need Is Love.” THAT was trippin.’ ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2002, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-final-episode-of-a-television-series/143128/28 "2002-12-17T16:13:54Z")
Santos, I’ve never seen that. I love everything but the _very_ last scene. I’ll have to check out the .midi when I get a chance. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2002, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-final-episode-of-a-television-series/143128/29 "2002-12-17T16:38:24Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Fenris \* > **Anyway, Enoch the super-evolved future Sleestack…** Yay, I get to nitpick! Ahem. There was an episode in which Enoch discovered that he was _not_, in fact, a super-evolved future Sleestak. Much to Enoch’s horror, he found that his advanced race of Sleestak were the _ancestors_ of the primitives he encountered in the Land of the Lost. His race didn’t evolve, they _de_volved. But, it was indeed a good finale. Haven’t thought about that for years. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2002, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-final-episode-of-a-television-series/143128/30 "2002-12-17T16:54:36Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Santos L Halper \* > **Read the original scripted ending [here](http://www.sethargabright.com/qleap/mialtend.htm).** That’s the original ending? That was _great_! Why the hell couldn’t they have just cut the “too be continued” and left it at that? ---
**Author:** ![Amp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Amp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amp)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2002, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-final-episode-of-a-television-series/143128/31 "2002-12-17T16:58:57Z")
Seinfeld Just Kidding 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2002, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-final-episode-of-a-television-series/143128/32 "2002-12-17T17:03:08Z")
Didn’t _Little House on the Prairie_ end with the entire town blowing their own houses up, just to spite a greedy speculator? Now **that’s** entertainment to a ten-year-old! [sub]okay, my mom didn’t let me watch violent TV, so I was reduced to Little House on the Freakin Prairie. Not my fault![/sub] Daniel ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2002, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-final-episode-of-a-television-series/143128/33 "2002-12-17T17:05:58Z")
Babylon 5 has the single greatest ending(with Kudos even being given to their alternate last episode, "Deconstruction of Falling Stars, which aired when they didn’t think they’d be back for Season 5). Newhart, of course. M_A_S\*H ---
**Author:** ![Gorgon\_Heap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f475e1/32.png) [@Gorgon\_Heap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorgon_Heap)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2002, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-final-episode-of-a-television-series/143128/34 "2002-12-17T17:12:02Z")
M_A_S_H_ and _Cheers_. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2002, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-final-episode-of-a-television-series/143128/35 "2002-12-17T17:17:42Z")
Home Improvement! Driving down the highway with their house in tow! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2002, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-final-episode-of-a-television-series/143128/36 "2002-12-17T21:23:51Z")
This probably doesn’t really count, but just after the final episode of _Cheers_ when there was a LIVE farewell special and they had all the cast at the real bar that was the model for the t.v. bar. Someone (one of the major newscasters, I can’t remember who) was trying to interview them, but pretty much all of them were DRUNK OFF THEIR ASSES! They just kept giggling and throwing teasing barbs at each other. It was pretty funny–though a little undignified. ---
**Author:** ![Don\_Draper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Don\_Draper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_Draper)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2002, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-final-episode-of-a-television-series/143128/37 "2002-12-17T21:30:01Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Cliffy \* > \*\ ***Twin Peaks** is my favorite – every loose end (and there were hundreds) is tied up neatly. \*\* How did “Twin Peaks” end? I never saw the final episode. IIRC, towards the end, Leo was the mindless patsy of an evil madman who hated Agent Cooper; Shelley, Audrey & Donna were all entered in a Miss Twin Peaks pageant (and the evil madman planned to kill one of them); Ben Horne turned out to be Donna’s biological father; Major Briggs was kidnapped; there was a lot of talk about the Black Lodge; and everyone was having muscle spasms in their hands. After that, the network switched the show’s timeslot around so fast, I couldn’t keep up with it. ---
**Author:** ![Cliffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/59ef9b/32.png) [@Cliffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cliffy)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2002, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-final-episode-of-a-television-series/143128/38 "2002-12-17T22:10:34Z")
You need to watch it, and not to have some geek like me spoil it for you on a message board. I believe Bravo is currently rerunning the series, if you get that channel. –Cliffy ---
**Author:** ![SuperNelson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7feea3/32.png) [@SuperNelson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuperNelson)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2002, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-final-episode-of-a-television-series/143128/39 "2002-12-17T22:13:25Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Tangent \* > \*\*This probably doesn’t really count, but just after the final episode of _Cheers_ when there was a LIVE farewell special and they had all the cast at the real bar that was the model for the t.v. bar. Someone (one of the major newscasters, I can’t remember who) was trying to interview them, but pretty much all of them were DRUNK OFF THEIR ASSES! They just kept giggling and throwing teasing barbs at each other. It was pretty funny–though a little undignified. \*\* Jay Leno, wasn’t it? Seems to me NBC went straight from Cheers to the Tonight Show, live from Boston. ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2002, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-final-episode-of-a-television-series/143128/40 "2002-12-17T23:11:30Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Max Torque \* > \*\*Yay, I get to nitpick! > > Ahem. There was an episode in which Enoch discovered that he was _not_, in fact, a super-evolved future Sleestak. Much to Enoch’s horror, he found that his advanced race of Sleestak were the _ancestors_ of the primitives he encountered in the Land of the Lost. His race didn’t evolve, they _de_volved. > > But, it was indeed a good finale. Haven’t thought about that for years. \*\* Yep Enoch “This is not the past. It is the future. The sleestak are not what my people were. They are what my people will become.” Shocking and rather depressing. In a later episode, Marshall is captured by the sleestak and thrown into a pit for sacrifice to a big monster thingy. He is somewhat surprised to see a sleestak already in the pit. He’s floored when it talks to him. The sleestak explains that he is a throwback. Though he looks like an average sleestak, he has the mental development of Enoch’s people. Every now and then, a throwback is produced. The sleestak always kill them. BTW-In a very smart decision, we never see the big monster. My WAG is that they knew they had the budget to build a big monster. But not the budget for one that didn’t look really cheesy. The monster is just off camera roaring. Great finale. The effects, makeup, etc were bad. But sometimes the writing and acting were incredible Quantum Leap-There’ve been threads in this forum in which the finale was discussed and disected. The bartender is NOT God. He says “I’m not God Sam.” Mad About You-I didn’t really watch the show. But, the finale was on the tape after the program I wanted to watch. The final episode covered some 20 or 30 years. Major events happened. Some characters died. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-final-episode-of-a-television-series/143128.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-final-episode-of-a-television-series/143128.md?page=3)