As a companion piece to the various threads about the end of Lost, and other shows.
What TV series had the most perfect ending? Explain, please. I’m not making this a poll because it would have too many choices to be meaningful.
My choice:
A toss-up between The Mary Tyler Moore Show and Angel. Both were tonally perfect, and did the players proud.
This ain’t even a contest–NEWHART
Yeah, in these threads, *Newhart *wins hands down.
I was impressed by the way Six Feet Under was concluded. It seemed respectful of the faithful viewers and didn’t try to be cute or silly. I suppose knowing well enough in advance that the plug is being pulled on the show helps the writers and creators get things organized for a meaningful exit.
If Grey’s Anatomy can end its series run the way this season was concluded, there’ll be no worry about a sequel! You just have to wonder if those actors bitched about their contracts or something.
There must be others that were done so well that I can’t remember how they went out.
I’d say these are the perfect endings I can recall.
Battlestar Galactica - I do not get the hate for the ending. I thought it was absolutely perfect.
Newhart - Obviously
Babylon 5 - See the quote below.
John Sheridan: Goodnight, my love… the brightest star in my sky.
Delenn: Goodnight, you, who were my sky, and my sun, and my moon.
Angel - A great finale to both this show and in a way, to the Buffyverse. “Let’s go to work!”
MASH - Goodbye
Even though I had mixed feelings about the show (it was superbly written, but most of the time it was a downer), the ending was fantastic.
Newhart for sure; it was not only unexpected, but funny as well, all being part of a dream.
Worst series ending: St. Elsewhere – I kind of felt like I had wasted my time watching the whole series after seeing that ending, although the premise was somewhat similar to Newhart in that it had all been imagined.
Six Feet Under for the win. The last few seasons had gotten, you know, a bit meh, but that last episode made up for it entirely. I had to delete that song from my iPod because I can’t bear to listen to it.
I just don’t think anyone’s ever gonna top that.
Besides those mentioned:
The Fugitive – really did end the series the way you’d want – Richard Kimble got the one-armed man and was exonerated.
Barney Miller – Each member of the squad goes off on his or her own way, and they remember those who were gone.
Hank – virtually forgotten 1960s TV show about a college “drop in”, trying to surreptitiously get his degree by attending classes without officially registering (I think he couldn’t afford it. I have no idea how he thought he’d get credit for it) In the last episode, Hank graduated.
Cheers – The bar finally closes for good, and doesn’t open the door to a knock. Gives new meaning to “closure”
Six Feet Under, Angel, Cheers, and King of the Hill, all for different reasons, though they all made me cry.
I think you missed the point. The bar wasn’t closing for good. Sam just closed up for the night. The point was that unlike most show finales, the story was not ending. Sam, Woody, Carla, Norm, and Cliff would all be back the next day just like routine. It was an anti-finale.
Exactly. It was an excellent way to end the show, too. Sam straightens the picture that used to be in Nicholas Colasanto’s dressing room. He just walks down the hall and that’s it.
Very well handled.
I only caught the end – evidently I completely missed it.
Apart from finales already mentioned here, I’ll add two:
"The Shield" and “Will & Grace” (could those shows be more different?)
“Six Feet Under” was my absolute favorite though.
I actually thought the season 4 final episode was a better series finale than the actual finale (“Sleeping in Light”).
I must have missed the MTM one. How did that end?
From wiki:
After their final news broadcast together, the WJM staff, along with Georgette, gather in the newsroom to say goodbye to each other. The memorable and oft parodied scene culminates in an emotional huddle, during which nobody wants to let go, and, needing some tissues, the group shuffles en masse toward a box on Mary’s desk. After final goodbyes, everyone exits the newsroom singing “It’s a Long Way to Tipperary.” Finally, a very emotional Mary looks back, then bucks up and smiles before turning off the lights and closing the door.
For a show that only went one season, the end of Wonderfalls was very, very satisfying. Of course, you had to buy the DVD to see it…
Blackadder Goes Fourth - Blackadder’s squad goes over the top. We’re meant to assume they’re all mowed down, but we don’t see it - instead, the scene morphs to a field of flowers.