TV's all time series finales. [Archive]

The Heat

05-14-2006, 02:12 AM

Most of the time, series finale[s] are quite disappointing. They rarely give a plausible explanation as to why the series is ending. And likewise, most explanations given for the show ending are weak.

I have to second the Home Improvement nomination though, it was good :D

Boondock Saint

05-14-2006, 05:00 AM

I loved the Quantum Leap finale.

el fregadero

05-14-2006, 05:04 AM

I forgot, but how did Home Improvement end? Did his show get cancelled or something?

Blitz

05-14-2006, 05:17 AM

Yeah, gonna go with Buffy and Angel.

PapaGeorgio

05-14-2006, 01:56 PM

The Office (BBC) with the Christmas Special to end it all. Was just so good and ended my favorite love story of all time.

ClockShot

05-14-2006, 07:53 PM

Can't forget about Seinfeld.

PapaGeorgio

05-14-2006, 09:44 PM

Can't forget about Seinfeld.
While I personally liked the series finale for Seinfeld it wasn't anything that spectacular. Plus I know there are a lot of people out there who hate the finale. Certainly not one of the bests.

I tried to think of some more that had good finales, only ones I could really think of were X-Files and SportsNight. Thinking back to a lot of my favorite shows, most got cancelled and didn't get a proper send off. Or they got cancelled and were rushed to put together a crappy finale which is a shame. That is part of the reason that made The Office (BBC) Finale so great, they cut it off very early. Hell after 2 series then the special that was is. Total of like 14 episodes I believe, they didn't want to ruin their series by having it drag.

That is part of the problem lately with a lot of show. Seems they are in it for the money then the "art" of it. Just think back what you thought of The Simpsons 5 years ago and what you think of The Simpsons now, big difference I bet.

Gertner

05-14-2006, 09:48 PM

Seventh Heaven :(

YOUR Hero

05-14-2006, 10:00 PM

Someone give me the skinny on Home Improvement's finale.

Bad Company

05-14-2006, 10:14 PM

The series ended in a three-part episode involving Tim being displeased at how Tool Time had been changed into something resembling The Jerry Springer Show, and Jill getting a new job. The problem was that the job was in Indiana, and Tim didn't want to move at first.

Of course, after talking to his neighbor, he agreed to leave Detroit. Tim ended his Tool Time appearances with a final show that garnered huge ratings. However, Jill realized that they would be moving out of the house the family grew up in. The conclusion was somewhat ambiguous, although Jill seemed adamant about them not moving. The last shot was Tim imagining (a thought balloon was used for emphasis) putting the whole house on a flatbed truck and then a superfast tugboat, leaving the viewer to decide for him or herself if they moved or stayed in Detroit.

Stolen from wikipedia

Boondock Saint

05-14-2006, 11:42 PM

Seventh Heaven :(

Actually, the CW network renewed it for an 11th season.

http://www.thefutoncritic.com/newswire.aspx?id=7152

AareDub

05-15-2006, 01:09 AM

3rd Rock from the Sun

D Mac

05-15-2006, 01:15 AM

Newhart where Bob Newhart wakes up and realizes it was all a dream.

D Mac

05-15-2006, 01:17 AM

I loved the Quantum Leap finale.

Yeah but that "Sam never returned home" shit pissed me off though. :mad:

Destor

05-15-2006, 05:06 AM

What a fitting ending though Diesle. Such a fantastic show with a great ending. I am about to mark out so I think I'll stop now, to save you all the read.

Boondock Saint

05-15-2006, 10:21 AM

Yeah, can't wait til that season is out on DVD. Quantum Leap :love:

Supreme Olajuwon

05-15-2006, 10:59 AM

Newhart where Bob Newhart wakes up and realizes it was all a dream.
Count it.

Also I don't know how we could talk about series sendoffs without mentioning the Saved by the Bell wedding.

Pinnacle Charisma

05-15-2006, 11:07 AM

The Office (BBC) with the Christmas Special to end it all. Was just so good and ended my favorite love story of all time.

Oh fuck yer.

I was going to say home improvement but the office finale was awesome.

I swear I went all funny inside when Dawn opened up Tim's present and it was just perfect when you saw Tim talking with the guys and Dawn walked across and embraced him. I felt slightily unmanily at getting so emotional at this moment but fuck it was great.

And I marked out when David Brent told the pervert guy (sorry forgot his name) to fuck off.

If any tv producer needs an example of how to end thier show they should look at this. They gave thier fans everything they wanted Dawn and Tim to get together and they gave David a glimmer of hope for they future. I think every fan walked away from watching that happy

Joey Slugs

05-15-2006, 12:48 PM

Some great series finales...

Cheers: "Sorry, we're closed."
Twin Peaks: Cooper as BOB
Six Feet Under: For the final 6 minutes alone.
X-Files: The return of Krycek, Bitches.
NYPD Blue: "Goodnight, boss"
The Wonder Years: Kev and Winnie - One last time

Another one would be friends. Honorable/dishonorable mention goes to St. Elsewhere.

HAHA. The Snow Globe.

I tried to think of some more that had good finales, only ones I could really think of were X-Files and SportsNight. Thinking back to a lot of my favorite shows, most got cancelled and didn't get a proper send off. Or they got cancelled and were rushed to put together a crappy finale which is a shame.

SportsNight didn't have a true series finale either. It was canceled before they could film an ending.

Joey Slugs

05-15-2006, 12:50 PM

And last night's West Wing:

Abby: "What's on your mind?"
Jeb: "Tomorrow."

ClockShot

05-15-2006, 04:43 PM

That was a good send off of West Wing. Got a little teary at the end.:'(

FakeLaser

05-15-2006, 06:33 PM

I get teary at basically every series finale. It's like saying goodbye to an old friend.

loopydate

05-15-2006, 10:38 PM

SportsNight didn't have a true series finale either. It was canceled before they could film an ending.

I actually love the Sports Night finisher. They knew they weren't going to get picked up for a third season, so the entire second half of that second season was about the show preparing for cancellation. Quo Vadimus swooping in at the last second to save the show was a nice way to resolve the series, even if it was bittersweet for those of us who knew that the "real" Sports Night wasn't going to be saved.

YOUR Hero

05-15-2006, 11:08 PM

In the Newhart one, didn't one of the non speaking Daryl's actually speak? Like he said to his new fiancée "Quiet"

D Mac

05-16-2006, 02:35 AM

In the Newhart one, didn't one of the non speaking Daryl's actually speak? Like he said to his new fiancée "Quiet"

Both of them screamed "SHUT UP!"

I think.

D Mac

05-16-2006, 02:36 AM

Any one remember the Night Court finale?

Didn't Bull get beamed up by aliens or some shit? Also, what happened to Dan Fielding? I forget. Dan was the man on that show.

ct2k

05-16-2006, 08:40 AM

The Six Feet Under one was pretty cool, showing how all the main characters die:'(

Avenger

05-16-2006, 08:51 AM

What about Frasier.

2 partere where in the first part he lets a girl that could have been the "one" get away as she moves back to Chicago.

His Dad and Ronnie get married, Niles and Daphne have a baby and Roz is the new station manager.

Eventually Frasier takes a job offer in San Francisco and heads off on the plane.

The last scene shows Frasier talking to a woman one the plane. He says thanks to her for talking to him and she says something along the lines of "I wish you the best of luck".

Frasier then says "well I just knew if I didn't take the chance I would regret it forever." Then over the PA in the plane the stewardess announces "We have now landed in Chicago."

Great ending.

Has anyone seen the Mad About You finale? Brilliant two parter! TV magic.

Spin City whenever MJF left was also brilliant and very emotional.

And of course we cannot forget Blackadder now can we?

wwe2222

05-16-2006, 11:31 AM

I loved the Quantum Leap finale.

I still have that on tape....probably my favorite finale ever...I was quite sad though when it said Sam never returned home.

Arent they working on a QL tv movie or something though?

wwe2222

05-16-2006, 11:34 AM

and like mentioned already...

the Cheers finale and the Six Feet Under finale I both enjoyed.

Seinfeld finale I didnt like at the time, but now when I go back and watch it I like the fact they brought back all the minor characters.

It is sad btw that Married with Children never got a proper finale.

D Mac

05-16-2006, 03:58 PM

I still have that on tape....probably my favorite finale ever...I was quite sad though when it said Sam never returned home.

Arent they working on a QL tv movie or something though?

Surely if they were planning a movie or something it would have happened by now.

D Mac

05-16-2006, 03:59 PM

Anyone here even heard of Night Court? Eh?

Blitz

05-16-2006, 05:37 PM

God forgot about Six Feet Under. I must have watched that final montage 10 times in a row.

Boondock Saint

05-16-2006, 07:40 PM

Yeah, there have been reports of a QL movie and/or a new series with Sam's daughter going back to find him or something. Haven't heard anything about them in years though.

D Mac

05-17-2006, 02:00 AM

So no one has ever heard of Night Court. WTF

Boondock Saint

05-17-2006, 05:29 AM

Of course I've heard of Night Court. I think Bull was abducted by aliens in the finale.

Skippord

05-17-2006, 06:22 AM

Boy Meets World

loopydate

05-17-2006, 11:38 AM

And last night's West Wing:

Abby: "What's on your mind?"
Jeb: "Tomorrow."

And Santos' last line "What's next?" was Bartlet's last line in the pilot (and one that was repeated several times during the course of the series, most notably (imo) after Josh was shot).

wwe2222

05-17-2006, 11:48 AM

did anyone mention the wonder years??

you find out that kevin and winny dont get married, the father ends up dying, etc...

also the roseanne finale was kind of wacky if anyone remembers that

D Mac

05-17-2006, 02:15 PM

On the Roseanne one didn't Dan die or something?

Jesus Shuttlesworth

05-17-2006, 02:45 PM

did anyone mention the wonder years??

you find out that kevin and winny dont get married, the father ends up dying, etc...
Yeahhh The Wonder Years - that ending was pretty sad but it was the best season finale I've seen. Great way to end a great show

Boondock Saint

05-17-2006, 02:51 PM

On the Roseanne one didn't Dan die or something?

Yeah, kinda. From what I remember the entire last season was a dream/fantasy. Dan did indeed die from his heart attack (although he survives it during the last season), Jackie was actually a lesbian, Darlene didn't marry the wuss dude but instead the pale freaky guy that died a few years ago.

They never won the lottery etc. We see her writing a book/diary or something at the end, revealing it was all a dream.

Yashamaga

05-17-2006, 09:29 PM

No one mentions the Fresh Prince of Bel Air?

that was a big thing around my neighborhood at the time.

ClockShot

05-17-2006, 09:54 PM

Boy Meets World

God that a was a great show to grow up with. They could have easily squeezed another season or two out of it. Bummer the gang all moved to New York.

Loose Cannon

05-17-2006, 11:03 PM

Wonder Years is the best ending I've ever seen. I loved the last quote from adult Kevin

"I remember a place... a town... a house like a lot of houses... a yard like a lot of other yards... on a street like a lot of other streets. And the thing is, after all these years, I sill look back... with wonder."

Growing Pains was a good one.

Draven

05-21-2006, 10:29 AM

That 70s Show ending at the stroke of midnight New Years Eve 1980 was cool. They didnt take it a second into the 80s.

The last 10 minutes of the finale were great. IMO.

Pinnacle Charisma

05-21-2006, 11:25 AM

That 70s Show ending at the stroke of midnight New Years Eve 1980 was cool. They didnt take it a second into the 80s.

The last 10 minutes of the finale were great. IMO.

Really I thought I heard it was one of the worst finales ever. I didnt watch it btw just intrested in the difference of opinion.

Could someone please remind me of what happened on the Fresh Prince of Bel Air finale.

I remember Giles went to england to be with his newly discovered son but I cant remember what else happend to the rest of the family.

I remember the family where moving without Will and Will was keeping something a secret from his Uncle.

Rammsteinmad

05-21-2006, 07:16 PM

Home Improvement

Anyone know what time it is?

Skippord

05-22-2006, 01:39 AM

MOTHERFUCKING TOOL TIME

D Mac

05-22-2006, 01:41 AM

Anyone know what time it is?

It's drool over the Tool Time Girl time. :yes:

D Mac

05-22-2006, 01:42 AM

Could someone please remind me of what happened on the Fresh Prince of Bel Air finale.

I remember Giles went to england to be with his newly discovered son but I cant remember what else happend to the rest of the family.

I remember the family where moving without Will and Will was keeping something a secret from his Uncle.

From what I remember they were selling the house and Will tried to stop them. But they sold it and that was about it.

D Mac

05-22-2006, 01:43 AM

Also it was Jeffery not Giles. :p

Azriel

05-22-2006, 01:54 AM

What happened with Will and Grace?

Pinnacle Charisma

05-22-2006, 11:28 AM

Also it was Jeffery not Giles. :p

Lol

I knew Giles wasnt his name but it was the first thing that came to mind.

McLegend

05-22-2006, 03:11 PM

Actually it's Geoffrey. Thats why Will always called him G.

FakeLaser

05-22-2006, 07:05 PM

Can't believe I forgot about the Wonder Years. Probably my favorite.

ClockShot

05-22-2006, 07:50 PM

What happened with Will and Grace?

Apparently from what my mother told me, they jumped into the future, Jack and Karen stayed together forever and Jack got his buddy's life insurance money or something. Will and Grace both have kids and end up going to the same college, where Will and Grace eventually bump into each other again.

D Mac

05-23-2006, 01:55 AM

I thought Will and Jack were queer?

Lara Emily

05-23-2006, 02:04 AM

That 70s Show ending at the stroke of midnight New Years Eve 1980 was cool. They didnt take it a second into the 80s.

The last 10 minutes of the finale were great. IMO.

I didn't see it but nice to know I totally called how the series would end years before it did.

Draven

05-23-2006, 10:49 AM

Really I thought I heard it was one of the worst finales ever. I didnt watch it btw just intrested in the difference of opinion.

They only thing that bugged me about it is that as they were counting down they just showed the empty basement. Then when it became 1980 they just showed the Vista Cruiser liscense plate with the sticker changed from 79 to 80. I think they should have showed the cast one last time as they counted down, but thats my opinion.

They also left alot of things open for you to determine yourself. Which im not sure if I like.