Best / Worst Series Finale?
02-09-07 | 02:01 PM
#26
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From: Waco, TX
Originally Posted by rfduncan
Bad - Buffy the Vampire Slayer - very lame
Bad - That 70's Show
Good - Angel - very cool
Good - Freaks & Geeks
Good - Cheers
Excellent - Newhart
Excellent - M*A*S*H
Excellent - Six Feet Under
Bad - That 70's Show
Good - Angel - very cool
Good - Freaks & Geeks
Good - Cheers
Excellent - Newhart
Excellent - M*A*S*H
Excellent - Six Feet Under
02-09-07 | 05:35 PM
#34
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From: Socal
Worts Finale - Buffy & X-Files
Just Okay - Sex and the City, Party of Five, Voyager
Good - Roswell and another vote for 'Serenity' as 'Fireflys' Finale, Everwood, Roswell (Graduation was amazing, and the final 5 minutes make me tear-up every time).
Amazing - Dawson's Creek & Six Feet Under (arguably the single-best episode of television I have ever seen).
Just Okay - Sex and the City, Party of Five, Voyager
Good - Roswell and another vote for 'Serenity' as 'Fireflys' Finale, Everwood, Roswell (Graduation was amazing, and the final 5 minutes make me tear-up every time).
Amazing - Dawson's Creek & Six Feet Under (arguably the single-best episode of television I have ever seen).
02-09-07 | 05:38 PM
#35
DVD Talk Limited Edition
BEST:
I'll 2nd The Office U.K version as having one of the best finales ever, if not the best ever. It was so unexpected, yet so perfect.
WORST:
And I'll nth Seinfeld and The X-Files in a tie for having the worst. (I love both shows but the only way I would ever watch those finales again is if someone straps me down and forces me to watch them "Clockwork Orange"-style!)
BTW, the Seinfeld and X-Files finales have some other things in common besides totally sucking:
(1) Both featured trial scenes as a major part of the episode (which is just a very bad idea for non-lawyer shows)
(2) Both featured the return of a crucial figure in each show after a long absence - Larry David (Seinfeld co-creator after a 2-year absence) and David Duchovny (X-Files star after a 1-year absence). Both returns were eagerly looked-forward to and then surprisingly disastrous in the final results.
I'll 2nd The Office U.K version as having one of the best finales ever, if not the best ever. It was so unexpected, yet so perfect.
WORST:
And I'll nth Seinfeld and The X-Files in a tie for having the worst. (I love both shows but the only way I would ever watch those finales again is if someone straps me down and forces me to watch them "Clockwork Orange"-style!)
BTW, the Seinfeld and X-Files finales have some other things in common besides totally sucking:
(1) Both featured trial scenes as a major part of the episode (which is just a very bad idea for non-lawyer shows)
(2) Both featured the return of a crucial figure in each show after a long absence - Larry David (Seinfeld co-creator after a 2-year absence) and David Duchovny (X-Files star after a 1-year absence). Both returns were eagerly looked-forward to and then surprisingly disastrous in the final results.
02-09-07 | 06:01 PM
#36
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From: Virginia
My least favorite Season Finale ever is definitely St. Elmos Fire. They really shad on anyone who had ever watched that show going up into the finale. In that way, it was the Terminator 3 of TV finales.
02-09-07 | 06:44 PM
#37
Though I don't think it's the best finale ever, I have to say that the finale for Seinfeld is grossly underrated and I wonder if the people hating it were ever truly fans of the show?
One think I loved about the show is that they would set up jokes several episodes in advance. They often did this, and one of the jokes they kept on setting up was that the group of them should be thrown in jail. It was the best way to end that series, and the best way to resolve the arcs of those characters. The only way it would have been better is if they somehow managed to make it work where George was institutionalized, because all through the series people kept on telling him he should be in an institution, but the way they worked it out was classic Seinfeld all the way.
One think I loved about the show is that they would set up jokes several episodes in advance. They often did this, and one of the jokes they kept on setting up was that the group of them should be thrown in jail. It was the best way to end that series, and the best way to resolve the arcs of those characters. The only way it would have been better is if they somehow managed to make it work where George was institutionalized, because all through the series people kept on telling him he should be in an institution, but the way they worked it out was classic Seinfeld all the way.
02-09-07 | 06:57 PM
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Originally Posted by calhoun07
Though I don't think it's the best finale ever, I have to say that the finale for Seinfeld is grossly underrated and I wonder if the people hating it were ever truly fans of the show?
One think I loved about the show is that they would set up jokes several episodes in advance. They often did this, and one of the jokes they kept on setting up was that the group of them should be thrown in jail. It was the best way to end that series, and the best way to resolve the arcs of those characters. The only way it would have been better is if they somehow managed to make it work where George was institutionalized, because all through the series people kept on telling him he should be in an institution, but the way they worked it out was classic Seinfeld all the way.
One think I loved about the show is that they would set up jokes several episodes in advance. They often did this, and one of the jokes they kept on setting up was that the group of them should be thrown in jail. It was the best way to end that series, and the best way to resolve the arcs of those characters. The only way it would have been better is if they somehow managed to make it work where George was institutionalized, because all through the series people kept on telling him he should be in an institution, but the way they worked it out was classic Seinfeld all the way.
I used to say "You just don't get it" to someone who didn't like it. I don't do that anymore because I hate when people say that to me about a show I don't like. I get it - it's just stupid. Seinfeld ended the way it should have.
02-09-07 | 07:08 PM
#39
DVD Talk Hero
Originally Posted by calhoun07
The only way it would have been better is if they somehow managed to make it work where George was institutionalized, because all through the series people kept on telling him he should be in an institution, but the way they worked it out was classic Seinfeld all the way.
I loved the Quantum Leap finale in that it recalled information from all the way back in the first episode. But,
Spoiler:
The Roseanne Finale was good in that it
Spoiler:
02-09-07 | 07:17 PM
#40
Moderator
Originally Posted by xVladx
Either you are remembering it wrong, your you missed a lot of the show. The Shadow War ended in the beginning of the fourth season, and the (absolutely awesome) series finale was the last episode of the fifth season.
Maybe I'm misremembering then... was the series finale the
Spoiler:
If the former, then yes one of the best, if the latter I didn't really care for it.
02-09-07 | 07:24 PM
#42
Originally Posted by nemein
WRT bad endings I have to say The Prisoner ranks right up there. Although it's been awhile since I've seen it but I seem to recall they left a lot of questions unanswered.
One of the best: The Dick Van Dyke Show. One, if not the first planned finale of a show voluntarily going off the air while at the top.
Spoiler:
02-09-07 | 09:12 PM
#44
DVD Talk Legend
Originally Posted by rfduncan
Good - Freaks & Geeks
Same thing happened with Married with Children, but that didn't turn out quite as well.
02-09-07 | 09:22 PM
#45
DVD Talk Special Edition
Originally Posted by calhoun07
Though I don't think it's the best finale ever, I have to say that the finale for Seinfeld is grossly underrated and I wonder if the people hating it were ever truly fans of the show?
One think I loved about the show is that they would set up jokes several episodes in advance. They often did this, and one of the jokes they kept on setting up was that the group of them should be thrown in jail. It was the best way to end that series, and the best way to resolve the arcs of those characters. The only way it would have been better is if they somehow managed to make it work where George was institutionalized, because all through the series people kept on telling him he should be in an institution, but the way they worked it out was classic Seinfeld all the way.
One think I loved about the show is that they would set up jokes several episodes in advance. They often did this, and one of the jokes they kept on setting up was that the group of them should be thrown in jail. It was the best way to end that series, and the best way to resolve the arcs of those characters. The only way it would have been better is if they somehow managed to make it work where George was institutionalized, because all through the series people kept on telling him he should be in an institution, but the way they worked it out was classic Seinfeld all the way.
I also agree with you 100% This is the perfect ending with a show like Sinfeld. It just fits the shows style so well. Im sure the could have some how executed this ending better but what actually happens just fits.
02-09-07 | 09:35 PM
#46
DVD Talk Godfather
Originally Posted by GoldenJCJ
I loved the Quantum Leap finale in that it recalled information from all the way back in the first episode. But,
Spoiler:
Wonder Years - falls into the same category as Quantum Leap and MASH for me. Average episode, but the epilogue at the end is what brings it home. Ironically, this is the only other time I remember shedding a tear at a tv show. Very emotional ending. IIRC, it wasn't supposed to be a finale. They got the shaft after filming the season finale and had to tack that on the end.
I will stand up with my bretheren, Seinfeld had the perfect ending. Greatest? No, but it suited the series perfectly. Worst? Far from it.
02-09-07 | 09:51 PM
#47
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Best: Arrested Development and Newhart. I also really enjoyed the finale to Dawson's Creek.
Worst: Seinfeld by far. I loved the show right from the start, but that ending sure was awful. I like to try and pretend it just never ever happened.
Worst: Seinfeld by far. I loved the show right from the start, but that ending sure was awful. I like to try and pretend it just never ever happened.
02-09-07 | 09:55 PM
#48
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Best: M.A.S.H., Mary Tyler Moore,Newhart (cannot be topped in the comedy category),Friends,West Wing, Howdy Doody (Clarabelle!)
Worst: Seinfeld, Boston Public (as was previously noted, NO ending!), Will & Grace, Everybody Loves Raymond (that eppy could have happened at any point during the series run)
Worst: Seinfeld, Boston Public (as was previously noted, NO ending!), Will & Grace, Everybody Loves Raymond (that eppy could have happened at any point during the series run)
02-09-07 | 09:56 PM
#49
DVD Talk Gold Edition
"Sanford and Son" ended on a very mediocre note, although by then, the show had run its course with a fairly weak season, if not the weakest.
I liked the finale of "Futurama" as it more or less resolved the relationship between Fry and Leela.
I liked the finale of "Futurama" as it more or less resolved the relationship between Fry and Leela.
02-09-07 | 10:13 PM
#50
Guest
Best: Futurama (although the show's coming back so technically it will no longer be a finale).
Worst: Family Ties - If I remember correctly it had Alex dressed up in a giant tooth costume at one point. Although, their curtain call at the end to the audience was very touching. And of course the XFiles.
Worst: Family Ties - If I remember correctly it had Alex dressed up in a giant tooth costume at one point. Although, their curtain call at the end to the audience was very touching. And of course the XFiles.