# TV shows that have satisfying final episodes, and shows that didn't. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 22, 2013, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-have-satisfying-final-episodes-and-shows-that-didnt/669440 "2013-09-22T13:06:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![MyFootsZZZ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/myfootszzz/32/12580_2.png) [@MyFootsZZZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MyFootsZZZ)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2013, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-have-satisfying-final-episodes-and-shows-that-didnt/669440/1 "2013-09-22T13:06:56Z")
So **The Office** has ended and whatever one might think about the past few seasons; even I was wondering if they could pull off a satisfying conclusion to the show. Fortunately, I found the final episode to be pretty damn great. Maybe some of you have a different opinion. I take it **M_A_S\*H** will be listed, unfortunately I never really watched it. **Cheers** is another one… I watched the show occasionally, but never saw the final episode. I DID see all of **The Larry Sanders Show** , and I LOVED it’s final episode. \*\*The X-Files \*\*had a crappy final episode. My brother and I watched\*\* LOST \*\*together. Being a fan of the show The X-Files, I was always less optimistic about it’s ending than my brother. Unfortunately, I didn’t like the ending, nor did my brother. **Roseanne** ’s ending was just weird. I could list a lot more, but I would rather hear from other Dopers. ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2013, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-have-satisfying-final-episodes-and-shows-that-didnt/669440/2 "2013-09-22T13:25:01Z")
I really thought the ending for _Babylon 5_ was good. I could never figure out what happened on _Quantam Leap_ though. ---
**Author:** ![simple\_homer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@simple\_homer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/simple_homer)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2013, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-have-satisfying-final-episodes-and-shows-that-didnt/669440/3 "2013-09-22T13:26:04Z")
Newhart was satisfying. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2013, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-have-satisfying-final-episodes-and-shows-that-didnt/669440/4 "2013-09-22T13:28:16Z")
_ **Frasier** _. _ **Mary Tyler Moore** _. _ **ST: TNG** _. ---
**Author:** ![campp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@campp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/campp)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2013, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-have-satisfying-final-episodes-and-shows-that-didnt/669440/5 "2013-09-22T13:29:29Z")
_ **St. Elsewhere** _ had an unexpected and great ending ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2013, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-have-satisfying-final-episodes-and-shows-that-didnt/669440/6 "2013-09-22T13:33:32Z")
Two of my favorite TV shows ever: Northern Exposure - in spite of an awful last season, the closing scene of the residents of Cicely, paired up or not, tucking up for the night with “Our Town” by Iris Dement playing, and the final shot of the young moose walking the darkened streets - OMG I cried buckets. I wanted to stand up and applaud. The Wonder Years - voiceover by adult Kevin as he told what happened with his family and Winnie Cooper - same thing. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2013, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-have-satisfying-final-episodes-and-shows-that-didnt/669440/7 "2013-09-22T13:40:11Z")
They knew it wasn’t going to get a second season, and under the circumstances, I’m happy with the way Aaron Sorkin & co ended _Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip_. ---
**Author:** ![MyFootsZZZ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/myfootszzz/32/12580_2.png) [@MyFootsZZZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MyFootsZZZ)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2013, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-have-satisfying-final-episodes-and-shows-that-didnt/669440/8 "2013-09-22T13:41:39Z")
> [@simple\_homer](#): > > Newhart was satisfying. I knew this would be one that someone would bring up… too bad it was before my time. ---
**Author:** ![Accidental\_Martyr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ce7236/32.png) [@Accidental\_Martyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Accidental_Martyr)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2013, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-have-satisfying-final-episodes-and-shows-that-didnt/669440/9 "2013-09-22T14:16:43Z")
_Six Feet Under_ had a great final episode. ---
**Author:** ![MyFootsZZZ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/myfootszzz/32/12580_2.png) [@MyFootsZZZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MyFootsZZZ)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2013, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-have-satisfying-final-episodes-and-shows-that-didnt/669440/10 "2013-09-22T14:17:51Z")
> [@Accidental\_Martyr](#): > > _Six Feet Under_ I agree… if you’re saying it was a satisfying ending. ---
**Author:** ![Dendarii\_Dame](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bbce88/32.png) [@Dendarii\_Dame](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dendarii_Dame)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2013, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-have-satisfying-final-episodes-and-shows-that-didnt/669440/11 "2013-09-22T14:56:13Z")
_Numb3rs_ ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2013, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-have-satisfying-final-episodes-and-shows-that-didnt/669440/12 "2013-09-22T15:16:14Z")
_Buffy_ and _Angel_ both had satisfying endings. In fact both of _Buffy_’s endings were excellent. _Battlestar Galactica_ had an ending that, while true to the show, was complete shit. ---
**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:** [September 22, 2013, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-have-satisfying-final-episodes-and-shows-that-didnt/669440/13 "2013-09-22T15:34:29Z")
I haven’t seen it, but from what I heard, the ending of the US version of **Life on Earth** was about as bad as you can get. Considering how the cancellation was handled, the final episode of **Pushing Daisies** was extremely good. The two scenes were clearly tacked on, but the worked wonderfully. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2013, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-have-satisfying-final-episodes-and-shows-that-didnt/669440/14 "2013-09-22T15:41:41Z")
> [@MyFootsZZZ](#): > > **Cheers** is another one… I watched the show occasionally, but never saw the final episode. The thing about the _Cheers_ finale wasn’t they didn’t really end the show. Most shows which have “final episodes” basically close down the show. The final shot of _Cheers_ was Sam closing the bar and turning off the lights - but it was just for the night. While the show was over, the characters were all still there and would be back at the bar the next day. ---
**Author:** ![Flywheel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Flywheel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flywheel)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2013, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-have-satisfying-final-episodes-and-shows-that-didnt/669440/15 "2013-09-22T15:42:10Z")
> [@campp](#): > > _ **St. Elsewhere** _ had an unexpected and great ending As did **30 Rock** , whose ending was also a sly tribute to **St. Elsewhere** ’s. ---
**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:** [September 22, 2013, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-have-satisfying-final-episodes-and-shows-that-didnt/669440/16 "2013-09-22T15:45:34Z")
Life on Mars (only seen UK version) ended well ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2013, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-have-satisfying-final-episodes-and-shows-that-didnt/669440/17 "2013-09-22T15:47:38Z")
> [@simple\_homer](#): > > Newhart was satisfying. best ending ever. ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2013, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-have-satisfying-final-episodes-and-shows-that-didnt/669440/18 "2013-09-22T16:55:42Z")
I liked the ending of Monk. Monk isn’t completely sane, or normal, he’s still obsessive, but he’s happy again. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2013, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-have-satisfying-final-episodes-and-shows-that-didnt/669440/19 "2013-09-22T16:57:04Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > Considering how the cancellation was handled, the final episode of **Pushing Daisies** was extremely good. The two scenes were clearly tacked on, but the worked wonderfully. As I recall, there’s still a lot of loose ends and we’re waiting for a comic book (or a movie! or a mini-series! or a musical!) to clean it up. I think a few panels of the comic were released a few years ago but I’d be surprised if anything else ever happens. ---
**Author:** ![Patch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a183cd/32.png) [@Patch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patch)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2013, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-have-satisfying-final-episodes-and-shows-that-didnt/669440/20 "2013-09-22T17:26:38Z")
_Night Court_. The show had been going downhill for a while, and the last episode was crap. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-have-satisfying-final-episodes-and-shows-that-didnt/669440.md?page=2)