Which tv shows had memorable final episodes?

[drwho]

I got inspired by the last episode of Xena. Please post shows name, what happend and why you felt it was memorable? Xena final episode spoilers below.


















Xena discovers that in order to save 40000 souls she must sacrifice herself. There is a real gruesome scene where she gets hit by about 8 arrows and then her head gets lopped off. The whole thing was just that Gabrielle could have brought Xena back to life, but Xena told her not to. This pretty much continued the theme of love between the two characters and pretty much stood for what the Xena show was for all the time it had aired.

[J. Robb]

"Newhart"

'Nuff said. ;)

[Captain Trips]

M*A*S*H's final episode was really, really good. I always liked the show, but it was never the same after Wayne Rogers and McClean Stephenson left. But I can't think of a better final episode to a series that tied up storylines for all its main characters and still added compelling new events for them to deal with.

[Super Samurai]

Angel had a pretty damn good series finale(even though it was a freakin cliffhanger)

Angel and co. taking out the Circle of Black Thorn and facing Wolfram and Hart was badass.

[Buzz Dixon]

THE PRISONER was one of the all time great mind bender TV shows, and the last episode really blew it into the stratosphere. For those unfamiliar with the premise, Patrick McGoohan played a secret agent (John Drake from SECRET AGENT if you look sharp enough at the X-ed out file card in the opening credits) who is kidnapped and awakens in a strange Village where everyone has a number instead of a name and are kept in line by guards and a mysterious object called the rover which scoops up errant Villagers. The question is, who kidnapped No. 6 (McGoohan) and why: Their side to find out what he knows, or our side to keep him from spilling the beans?

Each week a new No. 2 would be in charge of the Village, and each one would be committed to breaking No. 6 and getting him to talk. In the penultimate episode, No. 6 and the only recurring No. 2 face off against each other in a psychological mind game. When No. 6 bests No. 2 and reduces him to a quivering mass of neurotic rubble, he is invited behind the scenes of the Village and a chance to meet No. 1.

What followed in the last episode was one of the most bizarre yet compelling episodes ever put before TV viewers. McGoohan does indeed discover the identity of No. 1, but when it does it's an answer neither he nor the audience expected.

And no, I'm not gonna spoil it for anyone...

[drwho]

THE PRISONER was one of the all time great mind bender TV shows, and the last episode really blew it into the stratosphere. For those unfamiliar with the premise, Patrick McGoohan played a secret agent (John Drake from SECRET AGENT if you look sharp enough at the X-ed out file card in the opening credits) who is kidnapped and awakens in a strange Village where everyone has a number instead of a name and are kept in line by guards and a mysterious object called the rover which scoops up errant Villagers. The question is, who kidnapped No. 6 (McGoohan) and why: Their side to find out what he knows, or our side to keep him from spilling the beans?

Each week a new No. 2 would be in charge of the Village, and each one would be committed to breaking No. 6 and getting him to talk. In the penultimate episode, No. 6 and the only recurring No. 2 face off against each other in a psychological mind game. When No. 6 bests No. 2 and reduces him to a quivering mass of neurotic rubble, he is invited behind the scenes of the Village and a chance to meet No. 1.

What followed in the last episode was one of the most bizarre yet compelling episodes ever put before TV viewers. McGoohan does indeed discover the identity of No. 1, but when it does it's an answer neither he nor the audience expected.

And no, I'm not gonna spoil it for anyone...

Is that a UK show?

[ragnarok_2012]

THE PRISONER was one of the all time great mind bender TV shows, and the last episode really blew it into the stratosphere. For those unfamiliar with the premise, Patrick McGoohan played a secret agent (John Drake from SECRET AGENT if you look sharp enough at the X-ed out file card in the opening credits) who is kidnapped and awakens in a strange Village where everyone has a number instead of a name and are kept in line by guards and a mysterious object called the rover which scoops up errant Villagers. The question is, who kidnapped No. 6 (McGoohan) and why: Their side to find out what he knows, or our side to keep him from spilling the beans?

Each week a new No. 2 would be in charge of the Village, and each one would be committed to breaking No. 6 and getting him to talk. In the penultimate episode, No. 6 and the only recurring No. 2 face off against each other in a psychological mind game. When No. 6 bests No. 2 and reduces him to a quivering mass of neurotic rubble, he is invited behind the scenes of the Village and a chance to meet No. 1.

What followed in the last episode was one of the most bizarre yet compelling episodes ever put before TV viewers. McGoohan does indeed discover the identity of No. 1, but when it does it's an answer neither he nor the audience expected.

And no, I'm not gonna spoil it for anyone...

I can't wait to see Eccleston as the Prisoner.

[Magneto_X]

M*A*S*H

Angel

The Wonder Years

Seinfeld

Star Trek: The Next Generation

American Gothic

[drwho]

M*A*S*H

Angel

The Wonder Years

Seinfeld

What was so memorable about the Wonder years final episode?

[Deathstroke]

What was so memorable about the Wonder years final episode?

Well it did give us final resolution to the characters.

[Deathstroke]

By the way, didn't we have a thread like this recently?

[Ontir]

Six Feet Under I'm still blown away by it!
Mad About You Unfortuantely, I met Helen Hunt - who's evil - and I can't watch anything she's in, anymore!
Frasier A great send-off, and just about perfect in every way.
Life Goes On I'd forgotten that, but it WAS great! The relationship between Becka and Jesse was one of the best, and at times, the hottest thing on TV!
M*A*S*H It set the standard for sign-offs.

[LordEd1976]

By the way, didn't we have a thread like this recently?

I seem to remember we did.

(shrug) oh well. Once more into the breach.

Star Trek: the Next Generation
Wonder Years
Cheers
Newhart

[drwho]

Can someone tell me what was so memorable about the Wonder Year's final episode? And please pay attention to the title. I'm not asking what are your favorite tv shows, but which tv shows did you think had memorable final episodes.

[Chou Blaster]

American Gothic, lasted only one season. But damn, what a ending.

(Ad dall those mentioned are simplely excellent as well, especialy the Prisoner.)

[Magneto_X]

Can someone tell me what was so memorable about the Wonder Year's final episode? And please pay attention to the title. I'm not asking what are your favorite tv shows, but which tv shows did you think had memorable final episodes.

Basically Kevin graduated high school and either he or his girlfriend moved away
(forget which) so they had to break up.

The narrator revealed that he married someone else and had a son (who wanted to play ball with him IIRC) and as he says "okay son" it fades to black.

This is all done via narration, btw. We never see what Kevin looks like as an adult.

[Ontir]

I'll Fly Away

This show was amazing, and being a white boy from the suburbs, its first episode really nailed me with what racism is: Forest, the most progressive and liberal, in terms of race, man in town, interviews and hires a new cleaning lady, telling her what's expected of her, and when. Informs her of her salary, with no room for discussion. On her way out, after thanking him, she informs him her name is Lilly. It never occurred to him to ask. That was the motivation for pretty much everything Philip K Dick wrote: a man's inability to see the humanity in others.

In the finale, Forest and Lilly are re-united after many years. They reminisce about their lives together, and update each other about their children, with the devestating news that John Morgan has died, and given the time of their reunion, and the way things aren't said, it leads one to believe he died of AIDS, which floored me!

[Buzz Dixon]

DARK SKIES and SAVANNAH were not particularly good shows, nor were their endings particularlly memorable, but props to them for at least making an attempt to tie off their loose plot threads before shutting down shop. In each case it was what was intended as the second half of a season ending cliffhanger which, due to the show getting cancelled, ended up in truncated form as the last act of the show.

[Deathstroke]

Basically Kevin graduated high school and either he or his girlfriend moved away
(forget which) so they had to break up.

The narrator revealed that he married someone else and had a son (who wanted to play ball with him IIRC) and as he says "okay son" it fades to black.

This is all done via narration, btw. We never see what Kevin looks like as an adult.

Actually it was two sons if I remember right.

[Deathstroke]

I'll Fly Away

This show was amazing, and being a white boy from the suburbs, its first episode really nailed me with what racism is: Forest, the most progressive and liberal, in terms of race, man in town, interviews and hires a new cleaning lady, telling her what's expected of her, and when. Informs her of her salary, with no room for discussion. On her way out, after thanking him, she informs him her name is Lilly. It never occurred to him to ask. That was the motivation for pretty much everything Philip K Dick wrote: a man's inability to see the humanity in others.

In the finale, Forest and Lilly are re-united after many years. They reminisce about their lives together, and update each other about their children, with the devestating news that John Morgan has died, and given the time of their reunion, and the way things aren't said, it leads one to believe he died of AIDS, which floored me!

I remember I'll Fly Away's finale, that was impressive because it was a PBS production since NBC cancelled it. The actors worked for scale, and the London brother who played the older son couldn't do the show, so the other one filled in. If I remember right.

[cactusmaac]

Babylon 5's finale Sleeping In The Light singlehandedly redeemed a very dull fifth series.

[Chiasm]

Does Serenity counts as a season / series finale to Firefly?

If not I'd give Angel the nod simply because no finale has excited me or made me as angry as it did. Those bastards killed Wesley.:mad:

[Ontir]

I remember I'll Fly Away's finale, that was impressive because it was a PBS production since NBC cancelled it. The actors worked for scale, and the London brother who played the older son couldn't do the show, so the other one filled in. If I remember right.


It helps to hire an identical twin! I didn't realise it, but you're right. Jeremy was in the series, but Jason was in the finale.

BUT WAIT!

THERE's MORE!!!

Turns out, Jason was first cast in I'll Fly Away, after co-starring with Sam Waterston in the Man in the Moon, but had to turn it down due to another commitment, so Jeremey replaced him in the series.

[howyadoin]

Definitely Newhart and Cheers - the first because it was completely over-the-top crazy, culminating in one of the funniest reveals ever, and the second because you knew that even though the show was over, the bar was still open and the characters were still going there.

[Evo Schandor]

Agrees with CHEERS and NEWHART for the reasons already given. I'd also say CRIME STORY and MAGNUM (don't know if this counts - the show I'm referring to - where he's shot and eventually dies - was supposed to be the series finale but ended up just being the season finale because they later talked them into one more year. The actual series finale was okay but not as good or memorable IMHO) Another personal favorite that wasn't technically a final episode was the final SPIN CITY that featured Michael J. Fox - that one always gets me.

[SnowTrooper]

The final episode of Roseanne had a very memorable ending for me. Turns out the final season of the show is actually a book Roseanne has been writing and we find out that Dan has been dead for almost a year. I just didnt see that coming.

The final episode of Seinfeld wasnt really very memorable but I still like it. The last clipshow they did was really sad because it played that song "Time of your Life". Thats a tear jerker.

[xtreme680]

I really liked the Arrested Development finale. All the assorted plotlines come to a head (Lindsay's need for a man, Maeby and George Michael's forbidden love, Annyong) and the tie up of George Sr.'s legal troubles, while acknowledging that although this sitcom had continuity and callbacks, it never was about feel good emotions and big wrapping up endings, as all the characters have a new flood of troubles and they're still as screwed up as ever. God I hope a movie comes through.

[Xero Kaiser]

THE PRISONER was one of the all time great mind bender TV shows, and the last episode really blew it into the stratosphere. For those unfamiliar with the premise, Patrick McGoohan played a secret agent (John Drake from SECRET AGENT if you look sharp enough at the X-ed out file card in the opening credits) who is kidnapped and awakens in a strange Village where everyone has a number instead of a name and are kept in line by guards and a mysterious object called the rover which scoops up errant Villagers. The question is, who kidnapped No. 6 (McGoohan) and why: Their side to find out what he knows, or our side to keep him from spilling the beans?

Each week a new No. 2 would be in charge of the Village, and each one would be committed to breaking No. 6 and getting him to talk. In the penultimate episode, No. 6 and the only recurring No. 2 face off against each other in a psychological mind game. When No. 6 bests No. 2 and reduces him to a quivering mass of neurotic rubble, he is invited behind the scenes of the Village and a chance to meet No. 1.

What followed in the last episode was one of the most bizarre yet compelling episodes ever put before TV viewers. McGoohan does indeed discover the identity of No. 1, but when it does it's an answer neither he nor the audience expected.

And no, I'm not gonna spoil it for anyone...

Bah, your feeble attempts at suspense are nothing in the face of wikipedia

*spoils ending for himself*