Decker

Man, it's going to be hard to say goodbye to this sometimes frustratingly inconsistent and soapy but often touching and involving series.

I've done one of these threads for every episode since the pilot. It's really kept me wrapped up in the run of this series. I really appreciate the fine work this cast has done. I feel that they did a good job in keeping up the quality of HBO dramas in the post-Sopranos years. The show probably never got the full praise it deserved and was overshadowed by the dramas on AMC and FX, but it'll always hold a special place in my heart. Hope it lives up the the legacy of terrific dramatic series finales on HBO.

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Mike86

I watched the first couple seasons of this show and while I thought it was decent it never compelled me enough to want to keep watching. Plus a lot of the storylines just seemed so stupid and unrealistic it took me out of it, and not to mention I couldn't stand the Nicky character. Not trying to knock the series but I guess I really don't have much interest in checking out the last three seasons.

Coral

Series finale... (we don't have a crying emoticon?)

Amazingly enough, this will be the first series that I've watched to have reached it's series finale since Six Feet Under in 2005. Every show I've watched since then is still on (except for a couple that never had a finale due to cancellation - The Riches and Flight of the Conchords).

First finale in 6 years is gonna feel weird.

Dr. Mantle

I don't have HBO, so I have to watch Big Love on DVD (just about to start SSN 4). I don't want to read any posts in this thread for fear of spoiling anything for the last two seasons.

But having recently read Under the Banner of Heaven, which Big Love seems to be partially based on, I would like to make a prediction about what will happen.



When SSN 5 is on DVD, I'll find out if I was right.

Decker

I don't think it will spoil anything for you, but

I read that book prior to starting this series and there does seem to be a lot inspired by it. Especially Juniper Creek.

BDB

I've loved this show, and had some tears at it. Looking forward to seeing how it goes out.

auto

First three seasons were outstanding. This season has been a return to form of sorts but it still could have used a 13 episode season to tie everything up.

FantasticVSDoom

Really loved the last 10 mins... While last season wasn't great and this season was kind of hot and cold, will definitely miss this show.

mdc3000

Pretty shocking ending - did not think they would go there, and especially not like that! I really appreciated the 11 months later bit and bringing back "God Only Knows". Overall a season that was uneven but the ending nearly made up for all the mistakes over the past 2 seasons.

TripWire

I really disliked this season, I just got tired of every episode being a huge drama. The finale for me went the obvious way I thought, especially with all the emphasis on Barb with the priesthood the whole season. I mean I guess it was a pretty good ending and all, but it sucks cause I compare everything to the Six Feet Under finale and it always falls short.

joefrog91

Somebody guessed the ending a few weeks back. Can't remember who. Anyway, I guess that's where Teenie's been?

Not as satisfying as SFU's series finale, but very good IMHO. Sad to see it go.

funstan

Very good ending, I am going to miss Bill and his fancy wives!

auto

I was thinking towards the end that it was wrapping up too neatly with a happy ending. Boy was I wrong.

Although they didn't show it, I immediately thought what a terrible day for those kids. They lose their dad and grandma simultaneously in different ways.

Odd that last week wrapped up the Albie storyline. Seemed a bit anticlimactic.

funstan

Bill had 3 wives, family on a compound, he was a state senator, 10-11 kids, a church, a father who liked to pee in the sink, the Grants for in-laws, 2 stores, a casino, a really hot daughter, and another that was well on her way to hotness. This family was pre-destined for drama!

Geofferson

Pretty good finale. Was good to see Amanda Seifreid and Aaron Paul show up for a few minutes. Will definitely miss this show despite its ups and downs. Decent 5min featurette on HBO's site.

TripWire

hah well when you put it that way, the drama is inevitable. It's just with previous seasons they mixed in at least some light hearted quirkiness to break it up here and there. I did like how in this season they opened up Nicki a bit emotionally, but it really seemed they just kept piling problem after problem on. I was really surprised they found the time to pretty much wrap it all up, I think my favorite moment this season was the Albie/Nicki confrontation in "the noose tightens".

MrX

I was pissed when the screen went to white, I thought that was where it was going to end.

@ Teenie, they won't even give her screen time in the finale.

I thought it was a pretty good ending overall. Some nice moments throughout.

Unless I missed it, can't believe they didn't even mention Joey.

superfro

I wanted the show to have all been Teenie's dream.

BDB

Loved the 3 wives in the Mini. That was a perfect Scene.

Glad they offed Bill, glad it was Carl, that was coming for sure. I'm thinking they got some insurance money for Bill, as with Home Plus gone, they have no income, except maybe the tithing now that Barb's running the church.

the barb bailing on the baptism was too clean.. I didn't like that at all.

Happy for Lois to go out like she did, and agree with above that it's bizarro how they ended the Albie storyline.

Nice to see Amanda show up, and obviously Ben and whatsherface are now married.

Decker

I said that neighbor story line would end bad, but I didn't see that coming, exactly.
I agree that it was so great that they didn't end with a fade to white (or, ahem, with a silent black screen 30 seconds earlier), but rather to give the 11 months later. Yeah, it wasnt 6FU finale, but since that's often sited as the best ever, it's too high a bar to set. This finale felt really right to me. I think they tied everything up pretty well (though it did suck they didn't even mention Joey all season --c'mon Frank, couldn't you have talked faster so you could remind Lois of Joey before she passed?).
Really liked the finale and feel very satisfied.

Here's the After The Finale Featurette. Obviously, contains spoilers.
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Decker

Oh, and in case you missed it on HBO, here's the End Of Days show that provides a nice retrospective of the series' five-season run.

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outcastja

Speaking of the SFU ending, did anybody else think of it during the mini-cooper scene, it felt like a homage to it. Overall I enjoyed the ending and will miss the sister wives.

coladar

I was shocked it was Carl that did the deed. I wouldn't have been shocked if Bill died, although I would have preferred it not go that way. So Barbara took over as the head pastor of the polygamy church? Poor Don gets screwed every way he turns. I was thinking when they showed all the people at the Easter service, without even thinking about them killing off Bill, that hey, at least something finally went Don's way. He's the second in command of *the* polygamy church now. Poor, poor Don. I am glad they satisfied my thoughts early in the season when Barbara was pursuing the Priesthood. I thought for sure that Bill would accept it early as part of his church, and show how much more tolerant toward women his church is than the Mormon church at large. Then they took that and went the total other way, so I'm glad in the end it proved my thinking/wishing correct.

But my god this show sucks for writing off Joey. Hell, they didn't even write him off. They just let him as a huge dangling plot never to be answered. Would not the second Henrickson make perfect sense to take over in Bill's death? Never mind the confrontation with Albie all season and Lois. As much as I liked the finale, and thought the season was fine overall, them screwing over the Joey plot will forever taint this show in my eyes. It really, really damaged any conclusion the show reached. They made a huge, huge, huge mistake, huge. So has any word been posted if the actor didn't want to come back? If that's the case, you can begrudgingly accept it. But even so, not even a mention of him? Come on, this show has always been better than that. I can't say enough just how big of a mistake it was not to include so much as a mention of Joey this entire season, never mind having him an integral part of the season's plot as the Henrickson's finally get theirs.

Decker

I don't feel it was as big a deal as you do. He and Wanda fled the country to avoid a presumed murder rap. I would have liked some closure for the character, especially with the folks who were blackmailing him burned to a crisp, but maybe the writers felt it was too big a storyline to have to incorporate into this final season with the other stories they wanted to tell. Still a cameo or at least a freaking mention would have been nice.

The actor is starring in a new show in Canada, playing a Russian. I guess he's been busy, but come on, not busier than Amanda Sefried, right?

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Tom Creo

My wife would get so upset when every Sunday night I would ask "Where's Joey?"