# 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:** 4
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2013, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-have-satisfying-final-episodes-and-shows-that-didnt/669440/61 "2013-09-23T19:56:17Z")
Someone mentioned _King of Queens_. How did that finally end? ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2013, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-have-satisfying-final-episodes-and-shows-that-didnt/669440/62 "2013-09-23T20:15:32Z")
I liked the finale of Fringe. Satisfying. I felt complete. ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2013, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-have-satisfying-final-episodes-and-shows-that-didnt/669440/63 "2013-09-25T23:10:07Z")
> [@etv78](#): > > Someone mentioned _King of Queens_. How did that finally end? They adopt a Chinese girl and the wife gets pregnant. The father-in-law I think gets married. Flash forward 2 years later, and they are busy parents, and the father-in-law comes back to live with them as his marriage didn’t work out. I liked the Seinfeld ending. I think that plane they were in crashed, and the courtroom scenes and their all being in jail together (talking about nothing) indicates the four of them are in purgatory. ---
**Author:** ![JustinC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justinc/32/8083_2.png) [@JustinC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JustinC)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2013, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-have-satisfying-final-episodes-and-shows-that-didnt/669440/64 "2013-09-25T23:59:07Z")
> [@MyFootsZZZ](#): > > I liked The Sopranos ending too. Me too. The bit where the car when it was above the leaves caught fire and was just gone. ---
**Author:** ![Kansas\_Beekeeper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c37758/32.png) [@Kansas\_Beekeeper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kansas_Beekeeper)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2013, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-have-satisfying-final-episodes-and-shows-that-didnt/669440/65 "2013-09-26T00:01:32Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > . . . > > DEADWOOD deserved a much better finale than it got. Agreed. That was a brilliant show that just sort of stopped, at least as I remember it. ---
**Author:** ![ruh-roh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ruh-roh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ruh-roh)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2013, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-have-satisfying-final-episodes-and-shows-that-didnt/669440/66 "2013-09-26T00:25:08Z")
As a sideline to all of the above… what was the first show anyone can remember that had a “final” episode? I seem to remember (or not remember) that the shows I watched growing up in the 60’s & 70’s didn’t have a finale, they just didn’t show up on the lineup the following season. Obviously now the reason for a goodbye show is hoping to attract a lot of attention (and sell more expensive adverts) on that final night. ---
**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 26, 2013, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-have-satisfying-final-episodes-and-shows-that-didnt/669440/67 "2013-09-26T01:06:06Z")
> [@ruh-roh](#): > > As a sideline to all of the above… what was the first show anyone can remember that had a “final” episode? I seem to remember (or not remember) that the shows I watched growing up in the 60’s & 70’s didn’t have a finale, they just didn’t show up on the lineup the following season. That’s a good question. Looking through the list at [TVTropes](http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/GrandFinale), it looks like the earliest may be _The Fugitive_. (“This was almost unheard of for a show in the 1960s, and it only came about because David Janssen wanted to quit.”) ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2013, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-have-satisfying-final-episodes-and-shows-that-didnt/669440/68 "2013-09-26T01:06:13Z")
> [@ruh-roh](#): > > As a sideline to all of the above… what was the first show anyone can remember that had a “final” episode? There were a few. \*Hennesey \*ran three seasons and ended with the title character and his love interest getting married, _Leave It to Beaver_ ended with a look back (actually a clip show), _The Phil Silvers Show_ (noted upthread) ended with self-referential wink to the audience. The first show I can remember with a finale that actually and officially wrapped up a story arc was _The Fugitive_. ---
**Author:** ![Boulter\_s\_Canary](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e79b87/32.png) [@Boulter\_s\_Canary](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boulter_s_Canary)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2013, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-have-satisfying-final-episodes-and-shows-that-didnt/669440/69 "2013-09-26T01:14:28Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > Another British show, **One Foot in the Grave** had one of the best final episodes I’ve ever seen. And then a great postscript made for Comic Relief featuring Victor’s ghost. Considering that it wasn’t the intended finish, the end of Deadwood was pretty good. Oh, and Blackadder Goes Forth’s ending was _brilliant_. ---
**Author:** ![Boulter\_s\_Canary](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e79b87/32.png) [@Boulter\_s\_Canary](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boulter_s_Canary)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2013, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-have-satisfying-final-episodes-and-shows-that-didnt/669440/70 "2013-09-26T01:22:14Z")
Just thought of another one - Great _or_ lousy, depending on your PoV - the original Prisoner (\*not \*the rubbishy remake) ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2013, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-have-satisfying-final-episodes-and-shows-that-didnt/669440/71 "2013-09-26T04:38:56Z")
> [@salinqmind](#): > > They adopt a Chinese girl and the wife gets pregnant. The father-in-law I think gets married. Flash forward 2 years later, and they are busy parents, and the father-in-law comes back to live with them as his marriage didn’t work out. > > I liked the Seinfeld ending. I think that plane they were in crashed, and the courtroom scenes and their all being in jail together (talking about nothing) indicates the four of them are in purgatory. Thanks for the recap! That sounds like a pretty silly ending. (was never a regular viewer) ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2013, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-have-satisfying-final-episodes-and-shows-that-didnt/669440/72 "2013-09-26T15:16:45Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > I liked the finale of “Barney Miller.” The precinct building had been designated by the city as an historical monument and the officers of the 12th precinct were being dispersed to other precincts. Inspector Luger was handing out the detectives’ new assignments. As he came to Levitt he called him “Levine” as he always did. Levitt said, “For probably the last time, it’s Levitt, Sir. Officer Carl Levitt.” Luger replied, “Correction. It’s _Sergeant_ Carl Levitt. Congratulations.” You forgot the part where Barney got promoted to Deputy Inspector. 🙂 ---
**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 26, 2013, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-have-satisfying-final-episodes-and-shows-that-didnt/669440/73 "2013-09-26T15:49:18Z")
How many cartoons had a “final episode”? Most just seem to just end. Did \*\*King of the Hill \*\*have a good ending? **Beavis and Butt-head** had a “final” episode, (before they started making new ones), where everyone thought B&B died. I can’t remember if it was any good, since I’ve only seen it once when it first aired. Did **Inspector Gadget** ever catch The Claw? Speaking of Inspector Gadget, Did \*\*Get Smart \*\*have a “final episode”? Did Max ever do away with KAOS? I think I read that they gave Agent 99 a real name, was that in the final? ---
**Author:** ![Miss\_Mapp](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miss_mapp/32/369_2.png) [@Miss\_Mapp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miss_Mapp)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2013, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-have-satisfying-final-episodes-and-shows-that-didnt/669440/74 "2013-09-26T15:51:51Z")
> [@kunilou](#): > > _Leave It to Beaver_ ended with a look back (actually a clip show)… The _Dick van Dyke_ show also ended with a clip show. While it’s not an actual ending to the series, it does provides some of kind of closure regarding that book Rob Petrie was writing about his life in the Army, courtship of Laura, and so on–the clips are all from those flashback sequences in earlier episodes. ---
**Author:** ![zamboniracer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e9a140/32.png) [@zamboniracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zamboniracer)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2013, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-have-satisfying-final-episodes-and-shows-that-didnt/669440/75 "2013-09-26T17:12:17Z")
_The Mary Tyler Moore Show_ had a good finale, with the WJM team all having a group hug and having a good-bye-cry while singing “It’s a long way to Tipperary.” It was very funny having the new station owner firing them all except Ted Baxter. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![fiddlesticks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddlesticks/32/18129_2.png) [@fiddlesticks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fiddlesticks)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2013, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-have-satisfying-final-episodes-and-shows-that-didnt/669440/76 "2013-09-26T18:01:43Z")
> [@MyFootsZZZ](#): > > Did \*\*King of the Hill \*\*have a good ending? Yes, _To Sirloin With Love_ was a nice little bow on the series… However, Fox ended up not airing four other episodes from the final season, so there were four “unaired episodes” that debuted in syndication and/or Adult Swim after the finale so those were the actual last episodes so appear. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2013, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-have-satisfying-final-episodes-and-shows-that-didnt/669440/77 "2013-09-26T18:10:41Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > **Blackadder Goes Forth** , in the “good” category, of course. Oh yes. Heartbreaking. It reminded me of how I felt when I read Robert Graves’ _Goodbye to All That_, also about WWI. _Blackadder Goes Forth_- and the punchline is death. > [@Jadzia\_Dax](#): > > Never liked how Mary and Dick’s relationship ended on the finale of 3rd Rock from the Sun, either. I disagree with this - I thought the ending of _3rd Rock_ was near-perfect. “Blah blah blah blah - spaceship.” Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2013, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-have-satisfying-final-episodes-and-shows-that-didnt/669440/78 "2013-09-26T18:12:36Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > DEADWOOD deserved a much better finale than it got. I might be mistaken, but I think they were hoping Deadwood would continue for another season or two, but the plug was pulled before they had a chance to write a real series finale. I was upset at the time, but since then Timothy Olyphant went on to do “Justified” and, well, if they have to shut down one good show, at least he went on to do another GREAT show, so I guess it was a wash. ---
**Author:** ![fiddlesticks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddlesticks/32/18129_2.png) [@fiddlesticks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fiddlesticks)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2013, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-have-satisfying-final-episodes-and-shows-that-didnt/669440/79 "2013-09-26T18:23:27Z")
> [@DMark](#): > > I might be mistaken, but I think they were hoping Deadwood would continue for another season or two, but the plug was pulled before they had a chance to write a real series finale. There was a pissing match between HBO & David Milch about a 4th season. HBO only wanted to commit to a partial 4th season (cost, probably?)… Milch eventually agreed to do two Deadwood movies instead, but obviously they never happened. Milch moved on to that awful _John from Cincinnati_ project and that was that. Apparently the Deadwood set is still in place, so the window isn’t closed on those two films getting made, but it’ll probably never happen. After _Luck_, I see Milch has yet another project in development with HBO called _The Money_… maybe this one will work out okay… ---
**Author:** ![DonLogan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/51bf81/32.png) [@DonLogan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DonLogan)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2013, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-have-satisfying-final-episodes-and-shows-that-didnt/669440/80 "2013-09-26T19:54:18Z")
A few weeks after it was announced that the third season would be the last, Milch and the then-prez of HBO, Chris Albrecht, made a handshake deal to do two Deadwood movies. They really needed to be done right away, because most of the major cast members were already getting gigs. The following spring, Albrecht punched out his girlfriend in Vegas after a boxing match and got shitcanned. The new HBO execs wanted no part of the Deadwood movies, and Milch had lost interest by then anyway. The exteriors were done at the Melody Ranch in CA, but the Deadwood-specific parts of it were dismantled years ago. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-have-satisfying-final-episodes-and-shows-that-didnt/669440.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-have-satisfying-final-episodes-and-shows-that-didnt/669440.md?page=5)