With the clamor around the controversial finale season and episodes of HBO's Game of Thrones, it seemed like an appropriate time to appreciate the television series that got it right and "stuck the landing." These shows may not necessarily be on our list of all-time favorites, but there is no denying that that they effectively brought their overall stories to a satisfying conclusion. Of course, whenever you are discussing the ending of a show, a strong SPOILER WARNING is the right thing to do as Matt & I will be discussing key plot details. If you don't want these shows to be ruined for you, I suggest you watch them then come back and read.
Jay's Picks
Battlestar Galactica
"Daybreak, Part 1-2"
"Daybreak, Part 1-2"
Ronald D. Moore's reboot/reimagining of the classic 70's cult hit went beyond the typical science fiction tropes and ended up giving us a series that was more drama than action. That doesn't mean that it had some of the most intense action set pieces ever devised for the small screen, but Moore was more concerned with posing some deep questions on the nature of humanity and purpose. He also threw in quite a bit of spiritual/theological overtones to bring the last remaining human fleet's epic quest to find a home to satisfying close. Galactica eschewed flashbacks to develop it characters for most of its run, but instead here in its finale we get some insightful and revelatory backstory for our main characters that adds significantly to the emotional impact to the end of their journey. Especially for Laura Roslin (Mary McDonnell) whose tragic past serves to strengthen her position as one of televisions strongest female leaders. Intertwining the fleets future with our past here on Earth was not necessarily a surprise but really served to hit harder on the show's general goal of connecting us to a futuristic story that has more to say about us today than any other sci-fi series has ever attempted or achieved.
The Americans
"START"
Philip: "They'll remember us. When …. they're not kids anymore. We raised them."
Elizabeth: "Yes."
Philip: "Feels strange."
Elizabeth: [in Russian] "We'll get used to it."
Elizabeth and Philip Jennings's story was never going to have a happy ending. Once you are a good ways in to the show you begin to come to that realization. The married Soviet spies spent season after season balancing their allegiance to their country with the love they have for their kids, each other, and the American way of life they have acclimated to. Special recognition must be given to Keri Russell, who, in the show's final episodes, takes Elizabeth on a painful journey where, for the first time, she questions the orders and motives of her superiors and makes the right choice for her family and her country. She has always been the more multi-faceted character in the show, and this ending peels back the onion of her motivations and allows Russell to really shine. The fact that she lost the Emmy last year to Claire Foy is a travesty. Noah Emmerich and Holly Taylor both have some of their best moments as well. Stan's decision in the episode's climactic moment to not act and apprehend his best friend and neighbors is true to character and it is not an easy choice as Emmerich expertly conveys the betrayal his character feels and the pain of the position he has been put in. While Paige (Taylor) does the only thing that makes sense, choosing to stay behind and salvage some of the devastation of the family life her parents had constructed for the good of her brother, Henry. The final scene of this show is a gut punch as Phillip and Elizabeth return to a country they no longer recognize and are left with only each other and the memories of the lives they destroyed along the way. Heartbreaking and heartfelt, all at once.
The Larry Sanders Show
"Flip"
Arthur: [crying] "Fuck, a bunch of bullshit."
The late Gary Shandling took his satire about a late night talk show to even greater, meta heights in its final season as Larry and his crew prepare for and put on their final show. The parallels are obvious, but in a show that is not heralded enough for how brilliant it was, no one can argue that its final episode was not hysterical, sweet and moving all at once. It's genius lies in that we are witnessing both characters and real-life performers grapple with the finality of ending something that meant something to them all. Filled to the brim with celebrity cameos (also mirroring what a late show finale would look like) like Warren Beatty, Jim Carrey, David Duchovny, Jerry Seinfeld, Sean Penn, Carol Burnett, Ellen DeGeneres and Tom Petty, just to name a few. As Larry resigns himself to losing his show to up-and-comer, Jon Stewart, it is the moments between him, Artie (Rip Torn) and Hank (Jeffrey Tambor) at the end that resonate the most. The Larry Sanders Show was a masterpiece in so many ways. It spearheaded the careers of so many writers, performers and producers and it could not have ended in a better way.
Breaking Bad
"Felina"
Walter: "I did it for me. I liked it. I was good at it. And …. I was really ….. I was alive."
Over five seasons Vince Gilligan's Breaking Bad, would establish itself as a critical and commercial juggernaut to become one of the very best television shows of all time. It is still surprising to me because the story, by the end of it all, leaves very little for the viewer to identify with. Bryan Crangston's Walter White, would go from a tragic chemistry teacher, diagnosed with terminal cancer who turns to cooking meth with a former student to leave his family with enough money to support them, to a ruthless criminal mastermind, determined to make up for the perceived failures in his life. By the time the fifth and final season comes to a close, the man who Walter White has become is nearly unrecognizable to the one we met in 2008 when the show started. He returns from exile in New Hampshire to tie up loose ends and, in his mind, make amends to the family and friends he has betrayed in the only way he knows how. The final scenes of the show see Walter launch a final, desperate attempt to rescue the man he may have wronged the most, Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul) from the hands of the Neo Nazi thugs who are holding him hostage in order to make him cook meth for them. In the end, as Walter lies dying from a gunshot would, he takes some solace from his final stab at redemption. Breaking Bad is one of the only shows that I can say never had a lull in its entire run. It started and finished just as excellent as it always was episode after episode.
Six Feet Under
"Everyone's Waiting"
Nate: "Claire, you wanna know a secret? I spent my whole life being scared. Scared of not being ready, of not being right, of not being who I should be. And where did it get me?"
For me, Six Feet Under's finale was the perfect summation of all of the theme's the show did such a great job of exploring. For a show that was primarily about death and the impact it has on family, it was obvious the show would have something deeper to say in its last episodes. Prior to the finale, we get the sudden and unexpected death of Nate Fisher (Peter Krause), a man who had kind of become the glue of the Fisher clan. His demise and how the family responds to it and carries forward is the main drive of the finale. In the final moments of "Everyone's Waiting," we see Claire Fisher (Lauren Ambrose) leave the family house to start a long trip to her new life. As she drives, we get a series of flash forwards that show us how each of the main characters will ultimately die. Each episode of Six Feet Under always began by showing us a random death of a character who was not part of the main ensemble. The decision to give us a montage similar to these was brilliant, and very moving. These are characters we had come to know and love and since death was always looming over this show, it was a kind of poetry to show us this glimpse into how they all ultimately will end.
Matt's Picks
Scrubs
"My Finale"
"My Finale"
This pick is a little controversial for this list as this episode was meant to be Scrubs' finale; however, it surprisingly came back for one more unsuccessful season which saw other, fresher faces as the new main series regulars. That's why I count this season -- season 8 -- and its final two-episode finale, as THE finale to the show. This episode perfectly gave closure to the series run as main character J.D. (Zach Braff) leaves Sacred Heart Hospital to move closer to his son. Not only does the episode mark the return of many memorable guest stars and recurring characters to say their farewells, but it also includes the side plot of J.D. having to break the news to a young man that his mother has Huntington's Disease, an incurable and genetic brain disease, and also informs him that he is at risk for the disease. This story correlates with J.D.'s fear of what his future will hold, and when the young man decides he doesn't want to know whether he'll get the disease because he'd rather live on his own terms, it gives J.D. the insight he needs to move forward in life. A wonderful episode with one of the most perfect uses of a great song in TV history, for it's closing scene, "My Finale" is a touching, heartwarming, funny end to a wonderful series!
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
"Chosen"
Buffy: "So here’s the part where you make a choice. What if you could have that power, now? In every generation, one Slayer is born, because a bunch of men who died thousands of years ago made up that rule. They were powerful men. This woman is more powerful than all of them combined. So I say we change the rule. I say my power should be our power."
Bar none -- one of the best TV series of all time! And because it is, at the time of its finale, there was a lot of pressure for creator Joss Whedon to deliver on a solid ending. And they certainly did deliver! Even though Buffy (the wonderful Sarah Michelle Gellar, who perfectly balanced strength and vulnerability) and company's story would continue in comic book format, this finale was it for the TV fans and it was jam-packed with everything you'd hope from a Buffy episode: action, drama, romance, laughter, death, and the true empowerment which permeated the series throughout its entire 7-season run. The final season sees the biggest bad of them all: the First -- as in, the first evil! It's not some corporeal enemy Buffy can run a sword through or behead, but a representative of all evil in existence, taking shape of only those who've passed away. In her final battle with the First's army of sycophant followers and ancient true-blood, nearly invulnerable vampires, Buffy obtains an object to help fight the First as well as having a "Eureka moment" in how to fight an army of evil. Her answer? Make her own army … of Slayers! Buffy realizes that what's most important is sharing her power, not hoarding it. She realizes it's not just up to her to fight back evil, it's a job for all! But don't go thinking this is some "Hollywood-type ending." There are unfortunate, sad deaths and a bit of ambiguity to the final scene. But it's those aspects which keep the story real, and, in my mind, that closing scene silently showcases what Buffy has sort of wanted all along: a choice. It's the type of ending that The Sopranos tried so desperately hard to echo -- only to fail miserably!
Lost
"The End"
Christian Shephard: "This is a place that you ... that you all made together so that you could find one another. The most important part of your life was the time that you spent with these people on that island. That's why all of you are here. Nobody does it alone, Jack. You needed all of them, and they needed you."
I think there are only two kinds of people who hated the series finale of Lost: either those who were so emotionally invested in the series to the point of unrealistic expectations that anything other than what they imagined would've not been good enough; or those whose ending in their head was the only acceptable one and just jumped on the finale-hating bandwagon. Or maybe some people simply didn't like it. No matter the reason, I loved it. I've loved the finale since its original airing on May 23, 2010. I won't go into the depths of why Lost was so wonderful; you can read that by clicking here. But I will say I find it a great case of irony as I remember when the Lost finale aired and someone interviewed Game of Thrones author George R.R. Martin, who said what a disappointment the Lost finale was. Fast forward nine years later and a majority of people are shouting how disappointing Martin's HBO series finale was. That's satisfactory karma. This finale answered what the final season was all about, and addressed an issue we all must face. The ending scenes were masterfully edited, acted and the musical score by Michael Giacchino is simply beautiful (to this day, I listen to it and tear up)! Lost was full of Easter eggs, homages, major continuity storylines, and some of the best drama on TV! Ultimately, it addresses death and what it means to make true connections with others; and its ending portrayal of an afterlife may not be what happens when we really shuffle off this mortal coil … but I sure hope it is.
Quantum Leap
"Mirror Image - August 8, 1953"
Al, the bartender: "At the risk of over inflating your ego, Sam, you've done more. The lives you've touched, touched others. And those lives, others! You've done a lot of good Sam Beckett. And you can do a lot more."
Scott Bakula's character, Dr. Sam Beckett, may be one of my most favorite characters of all time -- even one of my all-time favorite heroes in any medium! The prologue is famous: "Theorizing that one could time travel within his own lifetime, Dr. Sam Beckett led an elite group of scientists into the desert to develop a top secret project, known as 'Quantum Leap.' Pressured to prove his theories or lose funding, Dr. Beckett prematurely stepped into the Project Accelerator--and vanished. He awoke to find himself in the past, suffering from partial amnesia and facing a mirror image that was not his own. Fortunately, contact with his own time was maintained through brainwave transmissions with Al (Dean Stockwell), the Project Observer, who appeared in the form of a hologram that only Dr. Beckett could see and hear. Trapped in the past, Dr. Beckett finds himself leaping from life to life, putting things right that once went wrong and hoping each time that his next leap … will be the leap home." In the finale, like every time before Sam leaps somewhere unknown -- this time a bar with a mysterious bartender named Al (Bruce McGill) -- until he finds out he leaped into a body with his own reflection, in a coal-mining Pennsylvania town, and on the day he was born. He also finds that some of the locals have the same faces of those he has helped in past leaps, and some of the locals have the same names of his science team back in the future. What starts off as a simple saving a pair of brothers trapped in a mine soon gets turned on its head when Sam notices one of the local men helping him soon leaps after helping save the brothers. When Sam confronts the bartender about the mysterious event, the bartender goes philosophical and says, "That's the way it is. It's the best explanation." Sam pushes more about it to which the bartender asks, "Can you accept reality the way it appears?" Sam guesses the bartender is the one who's been leaping Sam through time and picked the particular points in time, but the bartender says Sam himself is the one who's been leaping through time. The bartender explains how many countless lives Sam has made better from all of his leaping in the past five seasons, and Sam has the power to leap home any time he wants. When the real Al (Stockwell) finally locates Sam and shows up, Sam tries to explain to a concerned, confused Al. The bartender explains to Sam he can take a "sabbatical" before carrying on his work, he can choose where he goes next. Sam chooses to leap back to April 1969 and explain to Al's wife, Beth, that he is still alive and a POW, and to wait for him (so she won't remarry like she did in the original timeline). This changes Al's life for the better, as Beth waits for him, he gets home, and they have four children. Sadly, Sam never returned home -- continuing his leaping to "put things right that once went wrong" for others. The ending is bittersweet but is a testament to Sam's heroism of choosing to improve the life of his best friend. One of the best shows and a touching, philosophical end reminding us of the power in helping others.
M*A*S*H
"Goodbye, Farewell, and Amen"
Col. Potter: "Listen, when you're in love, you're always in trouble. There's only two things you can do about it -- either stop loving them, or love them a whole lot more."
This 2-hour finale is probably my favorite of all time! M*A*S*H (Mobile Army Surgical Hospital), based on the 1970 Robert Altman film, which was based on the 1968 Richard Hooker novel, ran for 11 seasons and saw a lot of comedy and drama! It definitely was reminiscent of Joseph Heller's novel, Catch-22, but focused more on the doctors rather than soldiers or airmen. In this finale co-written and directed by star Alan Alda, each character's future is addressed as well as a spread of the usual humor which M*A*S*H was known for, and heartwrenching realities of war. But what is almost equally emotional is the goodbyes said by the cast. Of course, the episode features the end of the Korean War, but the many side plots (Hawkeye's PTSD via a slow build-up toward a tragic event; Klinger's accidentally falling in love; Hunnicut's yearning to go home; Winchester's discovery of humbleness and appreciation; Father Mulcahy's questioning of his faith guiding him; and Houlihan's difficult decision on where to take her career next) are what take center stage and keep the episode running smoothly. The writing and acting are top notch -- the goodbye scenes with Harry Morgan's Colonel Potter are some of the best I've ever seen. There's really not more I can say about this episode; you just have to watch it. Ultimately, M*A*S*H perfectly balanced drama and humor in touching, moving ways that continue to inspire dramedies to this day -- and the finale is no different! If you don't tear up at least once during this finale, there may be something wrong with you!
