# TV shows with final episodes that completed the story line **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** tv-shows-scripted\ **Created:** [March 19, 2022, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-with-final-episodes-that-completed-the-story-line/961361 "2022-03-19T22:31:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**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:** [March 21, 2022, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-with-final-episodes-that-completed-the-story-line/961361/41 "2022-03-21T14:47:42Z")
The OP. What raised the question was all the Blackadders. _Including_ the specials. The final episode of each series completed the main character storylines, some rather terminally. ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUBv.2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanubv.2/32/3260_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUBv.2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUBv.2)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2022, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-with-final-episodes-that-completed-the-story-line/961361/42 "2022-03-21T16:42:32Z")
**The Big Bang Theory** wrapped things up pretty neatly, except I don’t remember if Raj ended up with a girlfriend. To me, the **Friends** finale kind of sucked because it was in large part about Ross and Rachel (bleccccch) but everyone got a happy ending. ---
**Author:** ![opiewan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/opiewan/32/3566_2.png) [@opiewan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/opiewan)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2022, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-with-final-episodes-that-completed-the-story-line/961361/43 "2022-03-21T16:51:59Z")
Lost wrapped things up pretty much in their finale, angering a lot of fans in the process because (spoiler even if it’s been 12 years) after years of the writers telling fans that the island didn’t represent purgatory, the final scene is them all gathering in a church in the afterlife after the main character dies, a reveal that THEY ARE ALL DEAD, and then they all move on together, which is not strictly purgatory but is fairly purgatory-adjacent since it implies they were all waiting in some sort of holding pattern for the main character to join them. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2022, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-with-final-episodes-that-completed-the-story-line/961361/44 "2022-03-21T16:58:49Z")
I thought The Office (U.S. version at least) wrapped it all up over the last few episodes. ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2022, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-with-final-episodes-that-completed-the-story-line/961361/45 "2022-03-21T17:06:09Z")
There was an obscure CBS medical drama [Code Black](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Code_Black_(TV_series)) that ran for three “seasons” form 2015-2018. I suspect CBS had little faith in the series, as none of the three were normal seasons (18, 16, and 13 eps). Anyway, the last ep did tie up all the storylines. (I preferred it over the competing “Chicago Med,” which is still running strong.) ---
**Author:** ![griffin1977](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@griffin1977](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/griffin1977)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2022, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-with-final-episodes-that-completed-the-story-line/961361/46 "2022-03-21T17:15:54Z")
Blackadder Goes Forth, surely the greatest example of a final episode (more so even than MASH, though I’m biased as Blackadder was such a part of my childhood, I can barely remember a time when I didn’t know every joke). [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/vH3-Gt7mgyM/hqdefault.jpg "Good Luck Everyone - Blackadder - BBC") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vH3-Gt7mgyM) There were some pretty mediocre Blackadder specials made after that, but that stands as _the end_ as far as I’m concerned. ---
**Author:** ![griffin1977](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@griffin1977](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/griffin1977)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2022, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-with-final-episodes-that-completed-the-story-line/961361/47 "2022-03-21T17:18:09Z")
There is also the final Young Ones, but that probably counts a mini series by US standards. I still make “look out Cliff” jokes whenever possible: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/i-LBI4wUA8k/maxresdefault.jpg "the young ones look out cliff- last episode") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-LBI4wUA8k) ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2022, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-with-final-episodes-that-completed-the-story-line/961361/48 "2022-03-21T17:21:54Z")
I’m surprised that didn’t lead to 10 more seasons covering their wacky adventures in parenting. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2022, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-with-final-episodes-that-completed-the-story-line/961361/49 "2022-03-21T17:28:03Z")
There was a British comedy called _One Foot in the Grave_ that has a great final episode. There weren’t really any long story arcs to resolve, but it did wrap things up. The main character, Victor, has been killed, and the show alternates between flashbacks of his final days and his widow coping with his death. Ironically, it ends on an ambiguous note about whether the widow has gotten revenge for Victor’s death. ---
**Author:** ![Marvin\_the\_Martian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/marvin_the_martian/32/2898_2.png) [@Marvin\_the\_Martian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marvin_the_Martian)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2022, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-with-final-episodes-that-completed-the-story-line/961361/50 "2022-03-21T17:51:15Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > Breaking Bad But Huell is still in the safe house! ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2022, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-with-final-episodes-that-completed-the-story-line/961361/51 "2022-03-21T18:01:42Z")
> [@opiewan](#): > > Lost wrapped things up pretty much in their finale, angering a lot of fans in the process because (spoiler even if it’s been 12 years) Okay, to be clear because I’m not sure if you’re misinterpreting it but a lot of people have: Only the “flash-sideways” in the final season were the afterlife. They were very much alive on the island. ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2022, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-with-final-episodes-that-completed-the-story-line/961361/52 "2022-03-21T18:03:16Z")
Can I say I’m little confused by the OP? It seems to be implying that shows “completing” the story in the series finale is a rare phenomenon. Really, unless the show is cancelled, it’s assumed the series finale will wrap up the story. It’s not the exception, it’s the rule. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2022, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-with-final-episodes-that-completed-the-story-line/961361/53 "2022-03-21T18:13:42Z")
Not implying that at all, just interested in how shows that got the opportunity to do so wrapped up their story lines. ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2022, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-with-final-episodes-that-completed-the-story-line/961361/54 "2022-03-21T18:14:46Z")
Another one I just thought of - [The Shield](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0286486/). The main character/bad guy gets a one-time, get-out-of-jail-free plea deal, that requires him to confess every single crime he’d committed during the course of the show. He then gets stuck in a mindless, meaningless desk job until the day he retires. > **[Family Meeting](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Family_Meeting)** > > "Family Meeting" is the 13th (and in subsequent broadcasts, the 14th, as it was split in a two-part episode because of its length following the original broadcast) and final episode of the seventh season and the series finale of The Shield. The episode aired on FX on November 25, 2008, and was written by Shawn Ryan and directed by Clark Johnson. The title comes from a line Shane Vendrell (Walton Goggins) calls to his family during the episode. > The episode starts with Vic Mackey meeting Ronnie ... > [@](#): > > The next morning, Vic reports to his new job at ICE. He asks Olivia where his family is, but she refuses to tell him. She then breaks the news that he won’t be working the streets for ICE. Rather, his job for the next three years is to produce daily reports about gang-related activity, and will involve no active investigation on his part; crime data will be provided to him, and he will be required to analyze it and write analysis reports about what the crimes reveal about gangland politics. Vic says this desk job is not what he signed on for, but Olivia warns him he will be prosecuted for all his confessed crimes if he does not comply. Likewise, he’ll be prosecuted if he breaches any of the restrictive terms of his employment: notably, Vic must wear a suit and tie, is not allowed to possess any type of weapon within the facility (even his own), and is not to have any direct role in police work, and must submit five typed, 10-page, single-spaced reports per week. ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2022, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-with-final-episodes-that-completed-the-story-line/961361/55 "2022-03-21T18:21:30Z")
> [@XOldiesJock](#): > > ABC had a series a few years back titled **“Life On Mars,”** an adaptation of a British series. The premise was that a present-day police officer is hit by a car and wakes up in 1973. I never found _Life on Mars_, but I watched the kinda-sorta sequel _Ashes to Ashes_. Same premise but with a woman police officer. I really liked it, and it ended with a happyish ending, but parts of it were very creepy in a good way. ---
**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:** [March 21, 2022, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-with-final-episodes-that-completed-the-story-line/961361/56 "2022-03-21T18:23:15Z")
I suspect it’s more common now than it used to be. I have a hard time thinking of any shows I watched growing up that filmed a farewell episode. Many of them would have wrapped before finding out if they’d even be renewed for another season. ---
**Author:** ![griffin1977](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@griffin1977](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/griffin1977)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2022, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-with-final-episodes-that-completed-the-story-line/961361/57 "2022-03-21T18:24:24Z")
> [@AlsoNamedBort](#): > > Can I say I’m little confused by the OP? It seems to be implying that shows “completing” the story in the series finale is a rare phenomenon. Really, unless the show is cancelled, it’s assumed the series finale will wrap up the story. It’s not the exception, it’s the rule. It seems its actually quite hard to wrap up “the storyline” as for any sufficiently long running show there isn’t really “a storyline” there is just a bunch of stuff writers wrote to get a show out of the door, without paying to much attention to an over-arching story arc. That doesn’t matter so much for a sitcom where the whole point is there is _a_ situation that has to be the same at the beginning of the episode and at the end. But for dramas it makes having a satisfying conclusion that feels like the end of a movie pretty tricky (X files is the classic example of this IMO. Where it became clear way before the end of the show that the writers were just making it up as they went along rather than there being some over arching plot behind it all). ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2022, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-with-final-episodes-that-completed-the-story-line/961361/58 "2022-03-21T19:26:36Z")
A weird counterpoint to this question: Shows which had one episode that could have been a satisfying final episode that wraps everything up, but then the show continues. A recent example is the current show _Legends of Tomorrow_. Their penultimate episode this season was (in-universe) supposed to be the end of the team, with all of them retiring to live out the rest of their lives as not-superheroes. Watching it, it would have been a perfectly satisfactory wrap-up. But then it all falls apart in the last minute, and the show continues the next week! Another is the last episode of Season 5 of _Buffy the Vampire Slayer_. The show was supposed to end that season, but was then renewed. They had a complete ending for Buffy’s character arc, which they had to completely undo at the start of the next season. ---
**Author:** ![SmartAleq](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smartaleq/32/163_2.png) [@SmartAleq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmartAleq)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2022, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-with-final-episodes-that-completed-the-story-line/961361/59 "2022-03-21T20:00:39Z")
Just finished a rewatch of all 15 seasons of _ER_ and I’d say they did a good job wrapping it up, although technically the farewell took 3-5 episodes depending on how you look at it. The final ep brought in a sizable percentage of the original cast, wrapped it all up nicely and gave a very sweet goodbye to a very good series. Classy ending to a classy show. ---
**Author:** ![CaptMurdock](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/captmurdock/32/11736_2.png) [@CaptMurdock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaptMurdock)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2022, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-with-final-episodes-that-completed-the-story-line/961361/60 "2022-03-21T20:10:40Z")
Yes. Gloria takes Felix back, and he moves out of the apartment to go back home. After Felix says goodbye and leaves, Oscar looks around the pristine apartment…and promptly goes on a messy spree. He’s king of the castle once again. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-with-final-episodes-that-completed-the-story-line/961361.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-with-final-episodes-that-completed-the-story-line/961361.md?page=4)