# Least satisfying series finales (spoilers likely) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 25, 2006, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/least-satisfying-series-finales-spoilers-likely/358208 "2006-05-25T17:58:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2006, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/least-satisfying-series-finales-spoilers-likely/358208/41 "2006-05-26T12:51:49Z")
If we’re mentioning anime, the ending of _Evangelion_ has to be included. The _X-Files_ was mentioned earlier. Every once in a while, I think about getting the DVDs up until the movie, but they’re still like $100 a pop. I guarantee that nobody will be happy with the series finale of _The Simpsons_. No, I don’t know anything, I just know the way the Internet works. ---
**Author:** ![D\_Odds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/d_odds/32/2882_2.png) [@D\_Odds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Odds)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2006, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/least-satisfying-series-finales-spoilers-likely/358208/42 "2006-05-26T13:01:43Z")
_Cheers_: OK, it was pretty good, but I was watching in a bar, and all of us wanted one final “NORM!” _Married…with Children_: After 9 seasons, to kill the series after shooting has wrapped and not give them a proper sendoff was just shitty. ---
**Author:** ![Lochdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/edb3f5/32.png) [@Lochdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lochdale)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2006, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/least-satisfying-series-finales-spoilers-likely/358208/43 "2006-05-26T13:58:12Z")
> [@RikWriter](#): > > So YOU’RE the one… I liked it as well. Very loyal fan, saw the very first TV movie/pilot and watched every episode. Good ending. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2006, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/least-satisfying-series-finales-spoilers-likely/358208/44 "2006-05-26T13:58:35Z")
> [@RikWriter](#): > > So YOU’RE the one… No, I like the last episode of Quantum Leap too. I even like the fact that Sam never went home. I didn’t see it as a defeat for him; I saw him as embracing the leaps as something worth committing his life to. ---
**Author:** ![Edward\_The\_Head](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ce73a5/32.png) [@Edward\_The\_Head](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Edward_The_Head)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2006, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/least-satisfying-series-finales-spoilers-likely/358208/45 "2006-05-26T14:19:22Z")
> [@Skald the Rhymer](#): > > No, I like the last episode of Quantum Leap too. I even like the fact that Sam never went home. I didn’t see it as a defeat for him; I saw him as embracing the leaps as something worth committing his life to. I liked the ending as well. I like shows where they end it and it’s either not a happy ending, or totally wrap things up. ---
**Author:** ![ArrMatey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/arrmatey/32/3522_2.png) [@ArrMatey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ArrMatey)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2006, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/least-satisfying-series-finales-spoilers-likely/358208/46 "2006-05-26T14:49:54Z")
Don’t get me wrong, it’s not that Sam going or not going home bothered me. I would’ve been happy with his continuous leaping. What bothered me is, I like shows with bibles; that is to say, internal consistancy. The final episode answered NO questions, and just made the entire leaping thing even MORE confusing. I wanted at least some answers, darnit! ---
**Author:** ![ddgryphon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/8c91f0/32.png) [@ddgryphon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ddgryphon)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2006, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/least-satisfying-series-finales-spoilers-likely/358208/47 "2006-05-26T14:55:55Z")
> [@snooooopy](#): > > I liked the Quantum Leap finale. > [@RikWriter](#): > > So YOU’RE the one… Not really, Mrs. ddgryphon and I liked it as well. ---
**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:** [May 26, 2006, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/least-satisfying-series-finales-spoilers-likely/358208/48 "2006-05-26T15:08:05Z")
> [@ArrMatey!](#): > > Don’t get me wrong, it’s not that Sam going or not going home bothered me. I would’ve been happy with his continuous leaping. > > What bothered me is, I like shows with bibles; that is to say, internal consistancy. The final episode answered NO questions, and just made the entire leaping thing even MORE confusing. I wanted at least some answers, darnit! Somewhere around here is a link to what is supposedly the original script for that episode. See, what went to air wasn’t what was originally planned. The show was cancelled on short notice and, for some reason, the writers decided to scrap the original ending. If what I saw in that link _was_ the original ending, it would have worked much better–it would have left us knowing Sam was still out there somewhere, continuing to jump from problem to problem, instead of simply stating that he didn’t return home and leaving us wonder if he disappeared. ---
**Author:** ![Push\_You\_Down](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/push_you_down/32/9095_2.png) [@Push\_You\_Down](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Push_You_Down)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2006, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/least-satisfying-series-finales-spoilers-likely/358208/49 "2006-05-26T15:20:55Z")
> [@Cliffy](#): > > Angel;s S4 was probably its strongest season, although it certainly wasn’t new-viewer friendly. But for those of us who had followed the show from the beginning, it was wonderful. I agree that the series finale was also excellent. > > –Cliffy Well… I will say I started watching Angel early season 3. I thought it was pretty good. (Although the Connor plot being ripped off almost entirely from the X-men comics did bug me). Between season 3 and 4 I caught a lot of season 1 and season 2 episodes… I thought Season 1 sucked. They were barely above syndication quality. Season 2 was much better. So what was so great about Season 4? There were a few DECENT episodes, a few good ones… but over all… once the Jasmine plot got started I honestly did not care about anything going on. Season 5 only bad episode I think was the Halloween episode where Lorne Hulks out. ---
**Author:** ![Elza\_B](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Elza\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elza_B)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2006, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/least-satisfying-series-finales-spoilers-likely/358208/50 "2006-05-26T15:34:28Z")
> [@H3Knuckles](#): > > And one more non-anime one: > _Farscape_ > > Okay, so this one I have to cut slack, it wasn’t meant to be the end of the series, and I never did see the whole miniseries wrap up. But the cliffhanger they ended on was stupid, if for no other reason than that it would be what? the **second time** each of them died and was brought back to life? And what I did see of the miniseries follow-up was **terrible**. but frankly, I most liked the earlier parts of the series, the exploration/journey home stuff. By that last season, with all the bullshit Aren pulled on John about the baby, and the badly bungled Scorpius is a bad guy/now he’s not, the Peace Keepers are the real enemy/Now it’s the Scarans (sp?) attempt at a major plot, I was generally kind of disappointed. I was just coming in here to mention this one. [spoiler]Technically, though, when they came back in PKW, they hadn’t actually died. They’d just been crystallized and needed to be put back together. And Aeryn’s the only one who ever actually died and came back - one of the third season Johns died - the one on Talyn, but he wasn’t brought back to life, we still had the John on Moya. I was horribly shattered when the series ended, simply because that wasn’t SUPPOSED to be the series finale, and at the time, we didn’t know we were getting the miniseries. As far as the fourth season, there were individual episodes that I was unimpressed with, and I’m STILL not happy with the way Aeryn became a blubbering mess at times, but I don’t think Scorpius was ever bungled that badly. He was never meant to be a good guy, but after being totally screwed over by Grayza, he was sort of in limbo. Of course, when we did get the miniseries, I felt much more cheerful about things. I think it ended on a high note. [/spoiler] E. ---
**Author:** ![Homebrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@Homebrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Homebrew)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2006, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/least-satisfying-series-finales-spoilers-likely/358208/51 "2006-05-26T15:43:33Z")
> [@Dubious Weasle](#): > > Put another vote in for Angel’s Season 4 and both of the six and seventh Buffy season finales as well as the series finale. > > Just painfull to watch. They had some good ideas and they just pissed all over them. You have _got_ to be kidding. The end of Buffy S6 had me in tears. S6 was tremendous, dark and edgy; and I loved it. It beat the heck out of S4, even considering the astounding, mind-blowing _Hush_. Riley, the Initiative and Adam were sufficient to bring down the whole season despite the brilliant individual episodes it contained. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Rieux](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@Dr.Rieux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Rieux)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2006, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/least-satisfying-series-finales-spoilers-likely/358208/52 "2006-05-26T21:20:12Z")
> [@RikWriter](#): > > So YOU’RE the one… I’m another. ---
**Author:** ![Dubious\_Weasle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b782af/32.png) [@Dubious\_Weasle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dubious_Weasle)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2006, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/least-satisfying-series-finales-spoilers-likely/358208/53 "2006-05-27T06:22:07Z")
> [@Homebrew](#): > > You have _got_ to be kidding. The end of Buffy S6 had me in tears. S6 was tremendous, dark and edgy; and I loved it. It beat the heck out of S4, even considering the astounding, mind-blowing _Hush_. Riley, the Initiative and Adam were sufficient to bring down the whole season despite the brilliant individual episodes it contained. Willow as the big bad would have worked. Willow getting addicted to power would have worked… if they had strung it out over 4 or 5 episodes. Willow being “addicted” to magic when they’ve never ever even brought up the concept before… not so much. Then, they whole “end of the world scenario” is spung out in the end with no build up and is un-sprung by a very touching, but 'this episode was written so I could say this" speech. This is what I’m talking about when I say they had good ideas and pissed all over them. The whole idea of Willow slowly slipping as she realizes she can take the easy way and use magic to solve her problems is a good one. Willow getting addicted to magic is just stupid. ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2006, 7:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/least-satisfying-series-finales-spoilers-likely/358208/54 "2006-05-27T07:25:51Z")
> [@H3Knuckles](#): > > _Full Metal Alchemist_ > > Even so, the thing that sets me off is the end. I’m sorry, but this is one anime that really **needed** a happy ending, after all the shit the Elric’s live through. Well, it’s continued in a movie…which also, I understand, has the God of Anime kicking the viewers in the face a few times. I mean, it’s probably a great story and well made, but you’ll probably still want to count all your teeth, afterwards. Speaking of which, remember Evangelion? There was the series finale, and a movie which was kind of a continuation/remake of the finale episodes. The general impression by fans sees said movie as being somewhere between the creator’s saying “this is the ending I had planned, but we ran out of money, so I couldn’t film it before” and “oh yeah? You didn’t like the first finale? You say you didn’t understand it? Well see if you can understand THIS! [cue boot to the head]” Anime is kinda like a housecat that shows it’s affection by biting you, purring. ---
**Author:** ![Snooooopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2006, 7:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/least-satisfying-series-finales-spoilers-likely/358208/55 "2006-05-27T07:51:55Z")
> [@Lute Skywatcher](#): > > Somewhere around here is a link to what is supposedly the original script for that episode. See, what went to air wasn’t what was originally planned. The show was cancelled on short notice and, for some reason, the writers decided to scrap the original ending. If what I saw in that link _was_ the original ending, it would have worked much better–it would have left us knowing Sam was still out there somewhere, continuing to jump from problem to problem, instead of simply stating that he didn’t return home and leaving us wonder if he disappeared. Interesting. I naturally assumed that he didn’t return home because he chose to continue leaping. It was such a sentimental ending that the notion of having him go _POOF_ never entered my mind. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2006, 11:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/least-satisfying-series-finales-spoilers-likely/358208/56 "2006-05-27T11:16:36Z")
I liked the _Quantum Leap_ finale. It made perfect sense. Speaking of Quantum, I’ll be the one to give the _Enterprise_ send off a real post. No use trying to pretend it didn’t exist. It did. And it perfectly showed the contempt that the Bergama held Trekkers (and Trekkies) in. It wasn’t a slap in the face as much as it was a red hot fire place poker up the ass, perforating our colons, causing massive hemmoraging and major infection, leading to a painful, yet somehow silly, death. Gods, I hate those bastards for that. Would’ve been more satisfying if they had just left it without a finale. I’m cereal! ---
**Author:** ![MidnightRadio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecd19e/32.png) [@MidnightRadio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MidnightRadio)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2006, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/least-satisfying-series-finales-spoilers-likely/358208/57 "2006-05-27T13:09:17Z")
> [@pinkfreud](#): > > I don’t know a single fan of **Carnivàle** who wasn’t outraged by the ending. This was much, much worse than the many TV series that just stop with a lot of loose ends dangling. This made people angry. Well, that wasn’t supposed to be the last episode. There were supposed to be three two-season story arcs for a total of six seasons. The last episode was the end of the first arc and resolved all of the issues dealt with up to that point, but brought up a bunch of new ones for the next arc. But then HBO cancelled it. Actually, I see **ArrMatey!** beat me to this. Ah, well. > [@StGermain](#): > > I have to wholeheartedly agree with **ArrMatey**. _Quantum Leap_ just spit in the loyal viewers’ faces. I don’t kow why Donald Belisario hated the fans, but that’s the only explanation I can think of for why they’d do that. Refresh my memory, how did it end? ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2006, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/least-satisfying-series-finales-spoilers-likely/358208/58 "2006-05-27T15:45:16Z")
> [@Dubious Weasle](#): > > Willow as the big bad would have worked. Willow getting addicted to power would have worked… if they had strung it out over 4 or 5 episodes. They did string it out over 4 or 5 episodes. About six, actually, from “all the Way” through “Wrecked,” with consequences popping up in eps through the remainder of the season. Unless I’m not understanding the criticism. > [@DW](#): > > Willow being “addicted” to magic when they’ve never ever even brought up the concept before… not so much. Not sure this is a fair criticism. No concept is ever brought up until it is. It’s almost like you’re slamming them for doing something new. ---
**Author:** ![Monstre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e274bd/32.png) [@Monstre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monstre)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2006, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/least-satisfying-series-finales-spoilers-likely/358208/59 "2006-05-27T16:56:21Z")
I liked the _Quantum Leap_ finale, also. On less-than-satisfying finales, let me chime in with _Star Trek: Deep Space 9_. I liked the series just fine, but the finale was weak, IMHO. [spoiler]What with the overly quick / neat / painless Dominion War wrap-up, coming out of basically nowhere. _Especially_ after the previous episode where Bashir and his little gang of genetically engineered socially-inept geniuses had studied “all the possible scenarios”, and they had come to the conclusion that there was no way the Federation could win the war without the loss of way too many lives, and it would takes decades, if not centuries. That was the episode in which Bashir was recommending to Sisko that they surrender to the Dominion. Ooops! Guess Bashir’s little case studies forgot to include the one in which they convince the Cardassians to switch sides… weak. And that little plot hole wasn’t even the most annoying thing – there’s always the necessary suspension of disbelief when those are encountered. The main “unsatisfying” aspect was that the End-The-War plot was pretty much done in the first hour, and the second hour was just a bunch of dragged-out teary goodbyes. Snore.[/spoiler] ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2006, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/least-satisfying-series-finales-spoilers-likely/358208/60 "2006-05-27T23:02:27Z")
> [@Monstre](#): > > What with the overly quick / neat / painless Dominion War wrap-up, coming out of basically nowhere. _Especially_ after the previous episode where Bashir and his little gang of genetically engineered socially-inept geniuses had studied “all the possible scenarios”, and they had come to the conclusion that there was no way the Federation could win the war without the loss of way too many lives, and it would takes decades, if not centuries. That was the episode in which Bashir was recommending to Sisko that they surrender to the Dominion. I thought it was made pretty clear in the context of that episode itself that the freaks couldn’t account for all of the vageries of human(oid) behaviour. > [@Monstre](#): > > The main “unsatisfying” aspect was that the End-The-War plot was pretty much done in the first hour, and the second hour was just a bunch of dragged-out teary goodbyes. Snore. Wasn’t a good deal of hour two spent in wrapping up the Prophets/P’ah Wraith story arc? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/least-satisfying-series-finales-spoilers-likely/358208.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/least-satisfying-series-finales-spoilers-likely/358208.md?page=4)