All right, let’s get to the ra — [screen abruptly cuts to black]
May 24, 2023 2:34 PM Subscribe
It’s hard to say goodbye. But if there’s a silver lining, it’s that we often get a tremendous hour of television. In honor of ‘Succession’ and ‘Barry’ ending this week, we’re ranking the best series wrap-ups since 2000: The 40 Best TV Finales of the 21st Century, Ranked [The Ringer, as part of "Finale Week"]
"I'll say this to you, my friend, with all the love in my heart and all the wisdom of the universe: take it sleazy."
posted by drewbage1847 at 3:08 PM on May 24, 2023 [42 favorites]
posted by drewbage1847 at 3:08 PM on May 24, 2023 [42 favorites]
If you're more wired toward the worst finales, AV Club and Variety have taken a whack at it in the last year or so.
posted by box at 3:19 PM on May 24, 2023 [2 favorites]
posted by box at 3:19 PM on May 24, 2023 [2 favorites]
Ugh, including BSG on any list of 'best' is a no go for me. It wasn't just the final episode of course, but no show has curdled my own positive feelings towards it as they did. I loved the show and rewatched it a few times during it's fun, but it took such a nose fibe off the cliff.
posted by Carillon at 3:27 PM on May 24, 2023 [36 favorites]
posted by Carillon at 3:27 PM on May 24, 2023 [36 favorites]
I would have to say for me it's a tie between Six Feet Under and Mad Men. But yeah, there is a lot of TV I have not seen, so maybe that will change!
posted by sundrop at 3:32 PM on May 24, 2023 [5 favorites]
posted by sundrop at 3:32 PM on May 24, 2023 [5 favorites]
Ugh, including BSG on any list of 'best' is a no go for me. It wasn't just the final episode of course, but no show has curdled my own positive feelings towards it as they did.
On my first date with my now-wife roughly halfway through the evening she said that before the date went any further she would need to know my feelings about the Battlestar Galactica finale. I answered that it was some A Wizard Did It bullshit.
I am convinced that there would not have been a second date if I had answered that one incorrectly.
posted by Parasite Unseen at 3:36 PM on May 24, 2023 [25 favorites]
On my first date with my now-wife roughly halfway through the evening she said that before the date went any further she would need to know my feelings about the Battlestar Galactica finale. I answered that it was some A Wizard Did It bullshit.
I am convinced that there would not have been a second date if I had answered that one incorrectly.
posted by Parasite Unseen at 3:36 PM on May 24, 2023 [25 favorites]
"The 40 Best American TV Finales of the 21st Century, Ranked"
The Gene Genie has fixed that for you.
posted by ewan at 3:39 PM on May 24, 2023 [13 favorites]
The Gene Genie has fixed that for you.
posted by ewan at 3:39 PM on May 24, 2023 [13 favorites]
I'm half convinced they included BSG in a misguided attempt to spark engagement/reactions to this list. Although, in confirming this just now I found this great little story where a particular line of dialog in the finale was so horrifically awful that Katee Sackhoff and Mary McDonnell couldn't say it without collapsing into giggles, so they cut it entirely.
The Fleabag finale was genius and it succeeded in doing that genius thing where it ended the story exactly in the right place with the characters exactly where they need to be. There's no season three because the story is complete. Also, I sob every time I think about it because it was so balanced and good. I also sob about The Good Place. There's a lot of sobbing about good television here.
I'm kinda miffed about including (and ranking rather highly) the finale of a show that hasn't even ended yet. Beh.
posted by mochapickle at 3:43 PM on May 24, 2023 [8 favorites]
The Fleabag finale was genius and it succeeded in doing that genius thing where it ended the story exactly in the right place with the characters exactly where they need to be. There's no season three because the story is complete. Also, I sob every time I think about it because it was so balanced and good. I also sob about The Good Place. There's a lot of sobbing about good television here.
I'm kinda miffed about including (and ranking rather highly) the finale of a show that hasn't even ended yet. Beh.
posted by mochapickle at 3:43 PM on May 24, 2023 [8 favorites]
Teared up rewatching Fleabag finale, as well as The Americans, which was also perfect.
posted by gwint at 3:53 PM on May 24, 2023 [4 favorites]
posted by gwint at 3:53 PM on May 24, 2023 [4 favorites]
I'm sorry, having BSG on there is one thing, but including LOST on your list is downright incendiary. I saw included literally yesterday on someone else's list of the Top 10 Worst Finales, which is exactly where it belongs.
posted by Zargon X at 3:57 PM on May 24, 2023 [13 favorites]
posted by Zargon X at 3:57 PM on May 24, 2023 [13 favorites]
"The 40 Best American TV Finales of the 21st Century, Ranked"
Thank you, ewan. (I mean, they did include Fleabag, but.)
My dismay is over Detectorists. What a wonderful, perfect finale.
Like any portmanteau in a storm, I've barely seen any of these. (Not sure about Letterman; did see Schitt's Creek and loved it utterly; PROBABLY? saw Frasier when it aired but don't actually remember it; saw The Good Place and loved it. Saw the Six Feet Under one and thought it was good but wasn't wowed.)
Very interesting list. I'm actually pretty curious about how many MeFites have seen how many of these entire series. (I'm not sure how much of Freaks and Geeks I've seen, and I bailed on The West Wing shortly after Sorkin left.)
Cool thread, chavenet - thanks for posting this!
posted by kristi at 4:01 PM on May 24, 2023 [2 favorites]
Thank you, ewan. (I mean, they did include Fleabag, but.)
My dismay is over Detectorists. What a wonderful, perfect finale.
Like any portmanteau in a storm, I've barely seen any of these. (Not sure about Letterman; did see Schitt's Creek and loved it utterly; PROBABLY? saw Frasier when it aired but don't actually remember it; saw The Good Place and loved it. Saw the Six Feet Under one and thought it was good but wasn't wowed.)
Very interesting list. I'm actually pretty curious about how many MeFites have seen how many of these entire series. (I'm not sure how much of Freaks and Geeks I've seen, and I bailed on The West Wing shortly after Sorkin left.)
Cool thread, chavenet - thanks for posting this!
posted by kristi at 4:01 PM on May 24, 2023 [2 favorites]
I watched BSG as it aired, and then watched it through again ten years later, and I say to you - the finale (and the last season in general) were fantastic.
posted by kbanas at 4:05 PM on May 24, 2023 [6 favorites]
posted by kbanas at 4:05 PM on May 24, 2023 [6 favorites]
Frasier ended in 2004?
posted by Bulgaroktonos at 4:07 PM on May 24, 2023 [2 favorites]
posted by Bulgaroktonos at 4:07 PM on May 24, 2023 [2 favorites]
Lost! Let's goooooo! (Loved it then, love it now, LOVE that it makes people so mad all these years later!)
4 8 15 16 23 42
posted by BlahLaLa at 4:11 PM on May 24, 2023 [7 favorites]
4 8 15 16 23 42
posted by BlahLaLa at 4:11 PM on May 24, 2023 [7 favorites]
no show has curdled my own positive feelings towards it as [galactica] did
Did you not watch Game of Thrones, or just never had any positive feelings about it?
posted by GCU Sweet and Full of Grace at 4:16 PM on May 24, 2023 [8 favorites]
Did you not watch Game of Thrones, or just never had any positive feelings about it?
posted by GCU Sweet and Full of Grace at 4:16 PM on May 24, 2023 [8 favorites]
I am glad to see Mr. Robot mentioned in there. It's a series finale that truly ties up all the loose ends and it's a wonderful joyous happy ending for literally everyone on the planet in a way that made me feel all floaty the first time I watched through it. Mr. Robot is also a series that gains a lot with repeated viewings, and I should probably buy it before it gets deleted from streaming sometime. A quality four season novel with a satisfying finale.
posted by hippybear at 4:20 PM on May 24, 2023 [8 favorites]
posted by hippybear at 4:20 PM on May 24, 2023 [8 favorites]
Apparently, I didn’t watch the right shows this century.
posted by Thorzdad at 4:26 PM on May 24, 2023 [4 favorites]
posted by Thorzdad at 4:26 PM on May 24, 2023 [4 favorites]
There's a lot of series on there that I noped out on for various reasons. I understand that they are great and iconic, but they just weren't for me. I'm glad they had good endings, though. Enough of the ones I do follow don't that it's maddening.
posted by hippybear at 4:29 PM on May 24, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by hippybear at 4:29 PM on May 24, 2023 [1 favorite]
Did you not watch Game of Thrones, or just never had any positive feelings about it?
I stopped watching like season 3! But I heard it was similar bullshit. Also, apparently thankfully, not in the list.
posted by Carillon at 4:34 PM on May 24, 2023 [1 favorite]
I stopped watching like season 3! But I heard it was similar bullshit. Also, apparently thankfully, not in the list.
posted by Carillon at 4:34 PM on May 24, 2023 [1 favorite]
I'm glad to see they said "since 2000," because otherwise I'd be writing angry screeds about the missing entry for the series finale of Dinosaurs.
posted by atomicstone at 4:42 PM on May 24, 2023 [17 favorites]
posted by atomicstone at 4:42 PM on May 24, 2023 [17 favorites]
less then 5 years from now, computer generated version of Seinfeld will make the original look like a cartoon.
posted by clavdivs at 4:42 PM on May 24, 2023 [2 favorites]
posted by clavdivs at 4:42 PM on May 24, 2023 [2 favorites]
Only series finales that aired in the 21st century were considered. We mean no disrespect to M*A*S*H
Disrespect taken anyway. In my opinion, the best finale of any series. Ever.
posted by dg at 4:51 PM on May 24, 2023 [10 favorites]
Disrespect taken anyway. In my opinion, the best finale of any series. Ever.
posted by dg at 4:51 PM on May 24, 2023 [10 favorites]
Just chiming in with some Freaks & Geeks love.
posted by whatevernot at 5:10 PM on May 24, 2023 [5 favorites]
posted by whatevernot at 5:10 PM on May 24, 2023 [5 favorites]
I started to read this, then realized just how few of the shows on the list I've managed to see. I did a lot of quick scrolling, but read enough to register at least one hill to die on: the original, sudden ending of Deadwood, being forced to wrap up mid-story line, with Swearengen on his knees scrubbing the bloodstain, and while I can't find the exact monologue, the last line: "wants me to tell him something pretty" works on nearly every possible level. In character, it's Al's exhaustion at needing, in his eyes, to still need to coddle Johnny, who he thinks should be inured to all of this by now, but also I'd argue it's Al's admission to himself of his own failure to protect those who rely on him, that he himself is realizing he'd believed something pretty, that he'd be able to prevail against Hearst, and instead had to commit an act even he can't abide.
Past that, it's the writer chiding the audience for wanting some kind of ending that ties everything up, hoping for satisfaction we're neither guaranteed nor necessarily deserving of. He's berating us for our naivete, our hope that all of the ones we love will somehow live happily ever after, a quiet "what the fuck show did you think you were watching?" as a parting gift.
Even further, it's Milch speaking through Swearengen, the author thwarted, unable to give his story a proper ending, HBO as Hearst foiling his plans, requiring him to accept defeat.
It's not just a fantastic closing line, it's a memorial to the unfilmed seasons 4 and 5, to all the stories left untold. Like Deadwood itself, it should be more widely known, more highly thought of.
posted by Ghidorah at 5:19 PM on May 24, 2023 [10 favorites]
Past that, it's the writer chiding the audience for wanting some kind of ending that ties everything up, hoping for satisfaction we're neither guaranteed nor necessarily deserving of. He's berating us for our naivete, our hope that all of the ones we love will somehow live happily ever after, a quiet "what the fuck show did you think you were watching?" as a parting gift.
Even further, it's Milch speaking through Swearengen, the author thwarted, unable to give his story a proper ending, HBO as Hearst foiling his plans, requiring him to accept defeat.
It's not just a fantastic closing line, it's a memorial to the unfilmed seasons 4 and 5, to all the stories left untold. Like Deadwood itself, it should be more widely known, more highly thought of.
posted by Ghidorah at 5:19 PM on May 24, 2023 [10 favorites]
They made a television show from Game of Thrones? How's that possible? He's still writing the books.
posted by DeepSeaHaggis at 5:53 PM on May 24, 2023 [7 favorites]
posted by DeepSeaHaggis at 5:53 PM on May 24, 2023 [7 favorites]
The finale for Sherlock was so awful that some fans got into a conspiracy theory that it wasn't the real finale. Honestly, after sitting through that last episode of Sherlock, I am pretty easygoing about other finales that people didn't like. As long as dogs don't turn out to be secretly human, I'm good.
I didn't mind the Game of Thrones ending. Not the best episode of the series, but Sansa got the North, Arya got a boat, and Bran got Waystar Royco.
posted by betweenthebars at 6:26 PM on May 24, 2023 [4 favorites]
I didn't mind the Game of Thrones ending. Not the best episode of the series, but Sansa got the North, Arya got a boat, and Bran got Waystar Royco.
posted by betweenthebars at 6:26 PM on May 24, 2023 [4 favorites]
I say we take off and nuke that list from orbit, it’s the only way to be sure.
Seriously, BSG… WORST LIST EVER!
I hate the end of that show with a passion that I can’t explain, it started so good and it devolved into that mess…. Ugh…
I’m ok with Lost, at point if you were still watching you accepted it would be weird and would not bring closure to the puzzles and mysteries, but it gave closure to the characters.
Not including shows from other eras is also not a good call IMHO.
posted by WaterAndPixels at 6:26 PM on May 24, 2023 [1 favorite]
Seriously, BSG… WORST LIST EVER!
I hate the end of that show with a passion that I can’t explain, it started so good and it devolved into that mess…. Ugh…
I’m ok with Lost, at point if you were still watching you accepted it would be weird and would not bring closure to the puzzles and mysteries, but it gave closure to the characters.
Not including shows from other eras is also not a good call IMHO.
posted by WaterAndPixels at 6:26 PM on May 24, 2023 [1 favorite]
I haven't seen most of these. I don't remember all the ones I've seen. But among the ones I've seen and remember, almost none of them deserve special praise.
The ending of Battlestar was bad like everyone is saying (though, as others have said, my experience of the finale was certainly poisoned by the fact that I hated the whole direction of the show leading up to it). The ending of Mad Men didn't do much for me. The ending of Breaking Bad was dumb. The best thing you can say about the ending of The Wire is that Season 5 really needed ending.
The ending of The Sopranos was good, and obviously it had a big cultural impact. But I don't know if it was great, particularly. The Sopranos as a whole was great, and the ending was a good way to cap it off. But let's not go crazy.
Twin Peaks "Part 18" was amazing, I think I can accept that one.
The other thing on this list that I think was pretty brilliant is the ending of The Shield. It's miserable, it's a terrible ending. It provides no satisfaction, or just the lightest shadow of catharsis. It's just really unpleasant. But that's what the show called for. Even more than The Sopranos, it commits to its thesis and says to hell with all the storytelling clichés, and it works.
posted by grobstein at 7:04 PM on May 24, 2023 [7 favorites]
The ending of Battlestar was bad like everyone is saying (though, as others have said, my experience of the finale was certainly poisoned by the fact that I hated the whole direction of the show leading up to it). The ending of Mad Men didn't do much for me. The ending of Breaking Bad was dumb. The best thing you can say about the ending of The Wire is that Season 5 really needed ending.
The ending of The Sopranos was good, and obviously it had a big cultural impact. But I don't know if it was great, particularly. The Sopranos as a whole was great, and the ending was a good way to cap it off. But let's not go crazy.
Twin Peaks "Part 18" was amazing, I think I can accept that one.
The other thing on this list that I think was pretty brilliant is the ending of The Shield. It's miserable, it's a terrible ending. It provides no satisfaction, or just the lightest shadow of catharsis. It's just really unpleasant. But that's what the show called for. Even more than The Sopranos, it commits to its thesis and says to hell with all the storytelling clichés, and it works.
posted by grobstein at 7:04 PM on May 24, 2023 [7 favorites]
Breaking Bad and The Shield had endings that were absolutely pitch perfect for the characters portrayed. I don't think Succession could possibly have as satisfying an end as those two shows, because it has too many players whose stories need resolution.
BSG failed for a different reason, namely that the writers kept going long past the show's expiration date and simply made up narrative conflict from whole cloth to keep the episodes coming. Though I will say that the episode with Madame Airlocke promising to come for the insurrectionists still leaves a chill down my spine.
posted by They sucked his brains out! at 7:47 PM on May 24, 2023 [1 favorite]
BSG failed for a different reason, namely that the writers kept going long past the show's expiration date and simply made up narrative conflict from whole cloth to keep the episodes coming. Though I will say that the episode with Madame Airlocke promising to come for the insurrectionists still leaves a chill down my spine.
posted by They sucked his brains out! at 7:47 PM on May 24, 2023 [1 favorite]
Reading through this whole list, which admittedly was mostly stuff I haven't seen, but there were finales I hated (Lost) and finales I loved (Mr. Robot, Deadwood)...but only The Americans gave me a full-body shiver just from remembering that finale. What a show that was.
I'm also sad that Black Sails doesn't get more recognition. That was a great show with a great finale.
posted by mstokes650 at 7:50 PM on May 24, 2023 [5 favorites]
I'm also sad that Black Sails doesn't get more recognition. That was a great show with a great finale.
posted by mstokes650 at 7:50 PM on May 24, 2023 [5 favorites]
Wow. I've only watched 3 of the shows in that list, and somehow I missed the finale of one of them. The rest I never even started.
This isn't some sort of snobby "Is this something I need a TV" type of comment, it's just that this post is bringing home to me how out of the loop I am on most mainstream culture. I don't know why that is and I don't know how I feel about it.
posted by Greg_Ace at 7:55 PM on May 24, 2023 [3 favorites]
This isn't some sort of snobby "Is this something I need a TV" type of comment, it's just that this post is bringing home to me how out of the loop I am on most mainstream culture. I don't know why that is and I don't know how I feel about it.
posted by Greg_Ace at 7:55 PM on May 24, 2023 [3 favorites]
The ending of the Shield is perfect, and the linked article in the list is pretty spot on. It’s kind of in opposition to the ending of Deadwood, in a way. In the end, all the terrible people in the Shield get, essentially, what’s coming to them, if not in a legal sense of justice, they are each left in their own hell, which is, to the viewer, something of a traditionally “good” ending: the bad guys don’t win, where in Deadwood, life continues until the beatings stop, as the other, perfect Swearengen quote goes.
As far as Sherlock, I think it made the same mistake that 24 made. Had 24 only one run season, it would still be remembered as an interesting experiment in television, instead of the utter absurdity it devolved into. Had Sherlock ended with Bandersnatch Cumberband falling from the roof, defeated by Moriarty, those two seasons would sit there, perfect (well, apart from the filler episodes in the middle of each season) for all time.
posted by Ghidorah at 7:58 PM on May 24, 2023 [3 favorites]
As far as Sherlock, I think it made the same mistake that 24 made. Had 24 only one run season, it would still be remembered as an interesting experiment in television, instead of the utter absurdity it devolved into. Had Sherlock ended with Bandersnatch Cumberband falling from the roof, defeated by Moriarty, those two seasons would sit there, perfect (well, apart from the filler episodes in the middle of each season) for all time.
posted by Ghidorah at 7:58 PM on May 24, 2023 [3 favorites]
They fail to mention what I consider my favorite moment in the 30 Rock finale where they fast forward to Kenny running the network in a nod to Alec Baldwin's line in an earlier episode where he prophesizes that within ten years everyone will be working for the page or be "dead by his hand."
posted by dances with hamsters at 7:58 PM on May 24, 2023 [6 favorites]
posted by dances with hamsters at 7:58 PM on May 24, 2023 [6 favorites]
it's just that this post is bringing home to me how out of the loop I am on most mainstream culture
Daily life online is a reminder to me about how much popular culture I have tried to give a shit about and couldn't for various reasons, or simply didn't give enough of a shit about to even try. The rare times when my interests and the listicles overlap I feel a tiny bit of victory, but mostly I sort of feel bad both for myself for not being able to engage with the things everyone else likes, with a tiny bit of feeling sorry for all those people for thinking that thing is of quality when I know it isn't. I know one of those emotions are more significant than the other.
posted by hippybear at 7:59 PM on May 24, 2023 [2 favorites]
Daily life online is a reminder to me about how much popular culture I have tried to give a shit about and couldn't for various reasons, or simply didn't give enough of a shit about to even try. The rare times when my interests and the listicles overlap I feel a tiny bit of victory, but mostly I sort of feel bad both for myself for not being able to engage with the things everyone else likes, with a tiny bit of feeling sorry for all those people for thinking that thing is of quality when I know it isn't. I know one of those emotions are more significant than the other.
posted by hippybear at 7:59 PM on May 24, 2023 [2 favorites]
moment in the 30 Rock finale where they fast forward to Kenny running the network in a nod to Alec Baldwin's line in an earlier episode where he prophesizes that within ten years everyone will be working for the page or be "dead by his hand."
You realize that Kenny is an alien, right? At the very least, he's immortal.
posted by hippybear at 8:00 PM on May 24, 2023 [3 favorites]
You realize that Kenny is an alien, right? At the very least, he's immortal.
posted by hippybear at 8:00 PM on May 24, 2023 [3 favorites]
Came for The Americans and The Leftovers, was not disappointed.
Pretty sure BSG and The Sopranos were just in there to be provocative.
posted by panama joe at 8:03 PM on May 24, 2023 [3 favorites]
Pretty sure BSG and The Sopranos were just in there to be provocative.
posted by panama joe at 8:03 PM on May 24, 2023 [3 favorites]
METAFILTER: I didn’t watch the right shows this century.
posted by philip-random at 8:27 PM on May 24, 2023 [3 favorites]
posted by philip-random at 8:27 PM on May 24, 2023 [3 favorites]
Probably for reasons of not being "prestige" TV, this is missing the original Leverage. Not only was the Season 5 / series finale a wonder of fakeouts and pilot callbacks, but honourable mention for the fact every other season finale was set up as a potential series finale just in case the studio and channel pulled the plug in the off season. Season 5 in particular the writing was on the wall and the finale is a perfect bookend, taking Parker from loner to team leader.
posted by I claim sanctuary at 3:22 AM on May 25, 2023 [5 favorites]
posted by I claim sanctuary at 3:22 AM on May 25, 2023 [5 favorites]
I can not believe The (US) Office's "Finale" did not make this list.
posted by timdiggerm at 5:21 AM on May 25, 2023 [3 favorites]
posted by timdiggerm at 5:21 AM on May 25, 2023 [3 favorites]
Anyone who didn't hate the LOST finale, or who wants to not hate it, we are doing a rewatch in Fanfare! We had a deal, Kyle is running it and has found some great resources to add to the threads to help provide some context and accompaniment for the episodes.
posted by Night_owl at 5:28 AM on May 25, 2023 [4 favorites]
posted by Night_owl at 5:28 AM on May 25, 2023 [4 favorites]
No She Ra?
Avatar's position as the lone animated series on the list really shows the age of those who compiled it. We all know you were middle school watching Nickelodeon in late 2000s. And then there's this
I'm not saying Avatar doesn't deserve to be on that list, but singling out Avatar for those reasons and saying it's not like other cartoons reminds me of when I was an edgy thirteen year-old recommending Gargoyles to other kids at school because "it's not like other cartoons--people actually die!". And if Avatar only makes the cut because it's more violent than a typical children's show, it just shows how biased so-called "prestige" television is in favor of graphic violence for the sake of graphic violence.
And goddamnit, the finale of She Ra was good.
posted by RonButNotStupid at 5:56 AM on May 25, 2023 [6 favorites]
Avatar's position as the lone animated series on the list really shows the age of those who compiled it. We all know you were middle school watching Nickelodeon in late 2000s. And then there's this
In 92 minutes, just as throughout the whole series, the viewer grapples with themes of war, genocide, totalitarianism, spirituality, and the nature of free will. Hardly stuff you’d describe as “children’s entertainment”!Aren't we well past the era of dismissing "children's entertainment" as culturally inferior? Since 2000 there have been lots of series--written specifically for children--that have been every bit as thematically complex and profound as any of the adult shows on that list. Going back further, there's an entire cohort of forty-something males who will take to any internet forum with dubious arguments that their favorite 1980s half-hour toy commercial was so much deeper and meaningful than it would appear.
I'm not saying Avatar doesn't deserve to be on that list, but singling out Avatar for those reasons and saying it's not like other cartoons reminds me of when I was an edgy thirteen year-old recommending Gargoyles to other kids at school because "it's not like other cartoons--people actually die!". And if Avatar only makes the cut because it's more violent than a typical children's show, it just shows how biased so-called "prestige" television is in favor of graphic violence for the sake of graphic violence.
And goddamnit, the finale of She Ra was good.
posted by RonButNotStupid at 5:56 AM on May 25, 2023 [6 favorites]
The one problem I have with the Parks and Recreation series finale was that it didn't lead to Ben Schwartz cameoing in a bunch of other series as an on-the-run Jean Ralphio.
It would have been awesome if Jean Ralphio became a character that would just invade other shows. Maybe he shows up in a legal show as a criminal defendant charged with running a fake investment firm, or maybe he's the house-sitter that a wacky neighbor in a sitcom has hired while away on vacation.
posted by RonButNotStupid at 6:10 AM on May 25, 2023 [4 favorites]
It would have been awesome if Jean Ralphio became a character that would just invade other shows. Maybe he shows up in a legal show as a criminal defendant charged with running a fake investment firm, or maybe he's the house-sitter that a wacky neighbor in a sitcom has hired while away on vacation.
posted by RonButNotStupid at 6:10 AM on May 25, 2023 [4 favorites]
I don't know what you guys are talking about with BSG. That last episode, "Revelations"? When they finally reach Earth and it's already been destroyed? The bitterness that Roslin puts into the word "Earth"? My God that was an all-time downer ending!
Surely no-one would try dumping in a bunch of confusing lore to try end extend the story for another half season, would they?
posted by whuppy at 6:11 AM on May 25, 2023 [10 favorites]
Surely no-one would try dumping in a bunch of confusing lore to try end extend the story for another half season, would they?
posted by whuppy at 6:11 AM on May 25, 2023 [10 favorites]
Wow, that is the first time I've ever heard that joke. Other attempts at that joke don't exist. I don't know what you guys are talking about, saying that's an over-done joke!
posted by timdiggerm at 6:16 AM on May 25, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by timdiggerm at 6:16 AM on May 25, 2023 [1 favorite]
I've only seen four of these (Good Place, Avatar, Six Feet Under, and Schitt's Creek), but the finale of Good Place was a near-perfect episode of television, and the perfect capper to a wonderful series.
I'm a little surprised Buffy the Vampire Slayer isn't on the list. I didn't see the finale (noped out during the abysmal 6th season), but I understand that the show righted itself in Season 7 and most fans liked the ending.
Avatar's position as the lone animated series on the list really shows the age of those who compiled it.
Bojack Horseman is at #23. In any event, the finale of Avatar is incredible because it perfectly ties up a deliberate three-season arc -- unlike a lot of multi-season shows, Avatar is able to tell one congruent story start to finish.
For any other animated series, I'd be inclined to include Steven Universe, although they followed up the official finale with a "movie" and another ancillary season that I never watched.
posted by Ben Trismegistus at 8:21 AM on May 25, 2023 [1 favorite]
I'm a little surprised Buffy the Vampire Slayer isn't on the list. I didn't see the finale (noped out during the abysmal 6th season), but I understand that the show righted itself in Season 7 and most fans liked the ending.
Avatar's position as the lone animated series on the list really shows the age of those who compiled it.
Bojack Horseman is at #23. In any event, the finale of Avatar is incredible because it perfectly ties up a deliberate three-season arc -- unlike a lot of multi-season shows, Avatar is able to tell one congruent story start to finish.
For any other animated series, I'd be inclined to include Steven Universe, although they followed up the official finale with a "movie" and another ancillary season that I never watched.
posted by Ben Trismegistus at 8:21 AM on May 25, 2023 [1 favorite]
I did miss Bojack Horseman and I should have been clearer about "children's shows".
unlike a lot of multi-season shows, Avatar is able to tell one congruent story start to finish.
But so did She Ra. And Gravity Falls. And the Legend of Korra. And Over the Garden Wall. And Scooby Doo Mystery Incorporated. And The Owl House. And so many others.
Not every one of them is list-worthy, but including only Avatar on the basis of how much it isn't like other children's entertainment just reeks of ignorance.
posted by RonButNotStupid at 8:56 AM on May 25, 2023 [1 favorite]
unlike a lot of multi-season shows, Avatar is able to tell one congruent story start to finish.
But so did She Ra. And Gravity Falls. And the Legend of Korra. And Over the Garden Wall. And Scooby Doo Mystery Incorporated. And The Owl House. And so many others.
Not every one of them is list-worthy, but including only Avatar on the basis of how much it isn't like other children's entertainment just reeks of ignorance.
posted by RonButNotStupid at 8:56 AM on May 25, 2023 [1 favorite]
They made a television show from Game of Thrones? How's that possible? He's still writing the books.
By extrapolating from the existing books while radically misunderstanding and then entirely ignoring everything about the source material that makes it interesting, which required burning through all the cred and goodwill the show had built up by then, and then some.
posted by obliterati at 9:07 AM on May 25, 2023 [2 favorites]
By extrapolating from the existing books while radically misunderstanding and then entirely ignoring everything about the source material that makes it interesting, which required burning through all the cred and goodwill the show had built up by then, and then some.
posted by obliterati at 9:07 AM on May 25, 2023 [2 favorites]
Lost is probably always going to appear in both all best-finale and all worst-finale lists. But look: that final season is wobbly as hell -- the whole goes-nowhere Temple business? -- but the finale does successfully pull everything together into a YMMV-satisfying conclusion. It's worth it just for the Jack/not-Locke showdown.
we are doing a rewatch in Fanfare!
We are indeed; cruising towards the S1 finale at the moment.
posted by We had a deal, Kyle at 9:14 AM on May 25, 2023 [2 favorites]
we are doing a rewatch in Fanfare!
We are indeed; cruising towards the S1 finale at the moment.
posted by We had a deal, Kyle at 9:14 AM on May 25, 2023 [2 favorites]
This list does not include the finales for either Grimm or Supernatural. Thus it is invalid. And seriously, BSG. I cannot think of a genre show that shot itself in the foot more thoroughly except for Game of Thrones.
posted by Ber at 10:13 AM on May 25, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by Ber at 10:13 AM on May 25, 2023 [1 favorite]
I dunno, Lost and HIMYM are also pretty notorious.
posted by jenfullmoon at 10:57 AM on May 25, 2023 [2 favorites]
posted by jenfullmoon at 10:57 AM on May 25, 2023 [2 favorites]
I was more than a little disappointed by the ending to The Good Place.
For a show that placed so much value and emphasis on continual growth and bettering yourself to suddenly do a 180 and declare that stagnation is inevitable without there being some kind of limit to the human experience seemed kind of....jarring.
At least Tahani knew what she wanted to do next. But the show kind of brushed her decision off as eccentric and weird while emphasizing what everyone else chose to do as an inevitable outcome.
posted by RonButNotStupid at 11:22 AM on May 25, 2023 [2 favorites]
For a show that placed so much value and emphasis on continual growth and bettering yourself to suddenly do a 180 and declare that stagnation is inevitable without there being some kind of limit to the human experience seemed kind of....jarring.
At least Tahani knew what she wanted to do next. But the show kind of brushed her decision off as eccentric and weird while emphasizing what everyone else chose to do as an inevitable outcome.
posted by RonButNotStupid at 11:22 AM on May 25, 2023 [2 favorites]
For a show that placed so much value and emphasis on continual growth and bettering yourself to suddenly do a 180 and declare that stagnation is inevitable without there being some kind of limit to the human experience seemed kind of....jarring.
Interesting. I understand your point but I loved the finale. I resonated with the idea that closure is really important. There's something really beautiful about realizing that you've done all you can with your current incarnation and being ready to move on to something else (whatever that may be).
The only thing that would have made it better for me would be to play the whole thing forward to the end of the universe, when Janet invites the last person through the arch, smiles sadly, and then flicks off the lights.
posted by Ben Trismegistus at 11:47 AM on May 25, 2023 [2 favorites]
Interesting. I understand your point but I loved the finale. I resonated with the idea that closure is really important. There's something really beautiful about realizing that you've done all you can with your current incarnation and being ready to move on to something else (whatever that may be).
The only thing that would have made it better for me would be to play the whole thing forward to the end of the universe, when Janet invites the last person through the arch, smiles sadly, and then flicks off the lights.
posted by Ben Trismegistus at 11:47 AM on May 25, 2023 [2 favorites]
Lost is probably always going to appear in both all best-finale and all worst-finale lists. But look: that final season is wobbly as hell -- the whole goes-nowhere Temple business? -- but the finale does successfully pull everything together into a YMMV-satisfying conclusion.
My favorite individual part of Lost is that weird ancient-rivals thing they develop in the last season. Idk what it has to do with Lost particularly but it's just my jam.
posted by grobstein at 12:32 PM on May 25, 2023 [1 favorite]
My favorite individual part of Lost is that weird ancient-rivals thing they develop in the last season. Idk what it has to do with Lost particularly but it's just my jam.
posted by grobstein at 12:32 PM on May 25, 2023 [1 favorite]
I'm actually pretty curious about how many MeFites have seen how many of these entire series.
Fun game! Most of my favorite shows are on this list so I counted:
Watched All, Finale Included
Schitt’s Creek
Girls
New Girl
Arrested Development (as with this list, not counting the reboot)
Parenthood
Sex and the City
Freaks and Geeks
30 Rock
Parks & Rec
Battlestar Gallactica
The Good Place
Fleabag
Succession (pending finale on Sunday)
Better Call Saul
Veep
Six Feet Under
The Wire
Mad Men
Friday Night Lights
The Sopranos
Watched Some, Quit Before Finale
Catastrophe
The West Wing
Lost
Atlanta (still watching, not to finale yet)
The Americans
Twin Peaks
Watched None, or Only a Few Eps
Deadwood
David Letterman
Frasier
Mr. Robot
Halt and Catch Fire
Avatar
BoJack Horseman
Justified
Friends
The Hills
Nathan For You
The Shield
The Leftovers
Breaking Bad (couldn’t stomach the violence after a few episodes, but Better Call Saul was good!)
posted by rabbitbookworm at 12:52 PM on May 25, 2023 [1 favorite]
Fun game! Most of my favorite shows are on this list so I counted:
Watched All, Finale Included
Schitt’s Creek
Girls
New Girl
Arrested Development (as with this list, not counting the reboot)
Parenthood
Sex and the City
Freaks and Geeks
30 Rock
Parks & Rec
Battlestar Gallactica
The Good Place
Fleabag
Succession (pending finale on Sunday)
Better Call Saul
Veep
Six Feet Under
The Wire
Mad Men
Friday Night Lights
The Sopranos
Watched Some, Quit Before Finale
Catastrophe
The West Wing
Lost
Atlanta (still watching, not to finale yet)
The Americans
Twin Peaks
Watched None, or Only a Few Eps
Deadwood
David Letterman
Frasier
Mr. Robot
Halt and Catch Fire
Avatar
BoJack Horseman
Justified
Friends
The Hills
Nathan For You
The Shield
The Leftovers
Breaking Bad (couldn’t stomach the violence after a few episodes, but Better Call Saul was good!)
posted by rabbitbookworm at 12:52 PM on May 25, 2023 [1 favorite]
Can't believe MILF Island didn't make the list
posted by Ray Walston, Luck Dragon at 4:14 PM on May 25, 2023 [3 favorites]
posted by Ray Walston, Luck Dragon at 4:14 PM on May 25, 2023 [3 favorites]
I'm sure Newhart didn't make the list because it was from a different century.
posted by hippybear at 4:42 PM on May 25, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by hippybear at 4:42 PM on May 25, 2023 [1 favorite]
This isn't some sort of snobby "Is this something I need a TV" type of comment, it's just that this post is bringing home to me how out of the loop I am on most mainstream culture. I don't know why that is and I don't know how I feel about it.
I feel the same way - like I have fallen off the zeitgeist and I'm just sitting on the side of the road confused. People talk about things and I just don't know what it is. It's true that I don't own a TV, except that I have a TV in my pocket and I seem to watch plenty of TV. But just not the TV that seems to be popular.
Except "The Good Place" - my family ordered me to watch this so that they could talk to me about it. I have been similarly instructed that I must watch "Parks and Rec".
posted by jb at 10:51 PM on May 25, 2023 [1 favorite]
I feel the same way - like I have fallen off the zeitgeist and I'm just sitting on the side of the road confused. People talk about things and I just don't know what it is. It's true that I don't own a TV, except that I have a TV in my pocket and I seem to watch plenty of TV. But just not the TV that seems to be popular.
Except "The Good Place" - my family ordered me to watch this so that they could talk to me about it. I have been similarly instructed that I must watch "Parks and Rec".
posted by jb at 10:51 PM on May 25, 2023 [1 favorite]
This list does not include the finales for either Grimm or Supernatural.
Supernatural had a fantastic finale and then for some reason it went another ten seasons.
For me the egregious omission is Angel, with a finale that perfectly summed up the show's ethos: fighting evil never ends, because evil never ends really, so why not end the show mid-fight?
posted by mightygodking at 8:12 AM on May 26, 2023 [5 favorites]
Supernatural had a fantastic finale and then for some reason it went another ten seasons.
For me the egregious omission is Angel, with a finale that perfectly summed up the show's ethos: fighting evil never ends, because evil never ends really, so why not end the show mid-fight?
posted by mightygodking at 8:12 AM on May 26, 2023 [5 favorites]
My favorite individual part of Lost is that weird ancient-rivals thing they develop in the last season. Idk what it has to do with Lost particularly
"Two players. Two sides. One is light. One is dark."
posted by We had a deal, Kyle at 11:51 AM on May 26, 2023 [1 favorite]
"Two players. Two sides. One is light. One is dark."
posted by We had a deal, Kyle at 11:51 AM on May 26, 2023 [1 favorite]
The Ringer moved the Succession finale up into 10th place after seeing it.
posted by chavenet at 3:55 AM on May 30, 2023
posted by chavenet at 3:55 AM on May 30, 2023
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