Greatest Series Finale! (Use Spoiler Tags Where Appropriate)

[TylerDurden]

The title says it all. However something to ponder before posting. Just because an episode happens to be the last one of a series doesn't make that a finale. For instance Knight Rider never had a series finale and is not qualified for this thread. Magnum P.I. on the other hand did have a series finale that wrapped up the show and character of the series.

I have not finished watching Lost as I'm sure it would get my vote. One of my personal faves was BTVS.

[Show spoiler]They finally destroyed the hellmouth

and wrapped up the series perfectly IMO. Although I know there is a season 8 arc never committed to TV but I haven't seen it.

USE SPOILER TAGS!!!!!!

[Walts Ghost]

My picks, in no particular order:
M*A*S*H - "Goodbye, Farwell, Amen"
Friends - "Finale"
Scrubs - "My Finale" (End of Season 8 is where I believe the show ended. The cast and crew didn't even think it was coming back so they did a series finale and got picked up for another season. For all intents and purposes, 8 is the ending.)
Lost - "The End"
Boy Meets World - "Brave New World"
Monk - "Mr. Monk and the End"
Life on Mars (UK)
Ashes to Ashes (UK)

[Elandyll]

I thought "All Good Things" was a very touching wrap up for ST:TNG.
Also, BSG and Quantum Leap had pretty satisfying finales (although I was mad about QL back at the time because he never made it back home).

In the history of terrible endings because there was none produced due to cancellation, I would like to nominate Space: Above and Beyond and Reaper, along with Firefly - although I've never seen this one).

[TylerDurden]

BSG is also one that I enjoyed the ending to. I felt it resolved alot of issues. I also thought the Family Ties finale was very touching along with Cheers.

[biglou114]

Six Feet Under.

[Secretagentnumber6]

Originally Posted by biglou114

Six Feet Under.

This, no ending to a series will ever top this one for me. It is the greatest closing to a show that exceeds all expectations without departing from the feel of the show. Six Feet Under's ending was perfect.

Originally Posted by WyldeMan45

The Shield, there is no competition in the best series finale category for me.

Falls short of Six Feet Under, but also near perfect ending. Loved

[Show spoiler]seeing Vic taking the Eagle out his desk and walking out of the office to raise some hell (at least that is what I thought he was going to do others may disagree.)

[The Apocalypse]

ER - Favourite series of all time - Those last poignant moments, with the camera showing the full exterior of the hospital, alongside the old theme music. Reminded me of 15 great years of ER, (got the complete boxset to watch earlier seasons).

[iam1bearcat]

1. LOST - of course, a lot of people will b*tch about it because they expected the entire world handed over on a silver platter, but this was the greatest series finale i have ever seen. of all the build up, characters, stories and emotions i felt during the entire series, the finale encapsulated that beautifully.

2. Dawson's Creek i'm a sucker for the "five years later..." type ending to a show / story, and that's what DC had (i think it was 7 years if i recall correctly). not the best episode, not even close, but a damn good finale with a great closing scene that spoke volumes about the entire series. love it.

3. Scrubs - like others, i look at season 8 as the actual final season of Scrubs. season 9 barely exists, if at all. a touching, wonderful finale, even though i'm not a huge fan of the whole

[Show spoiler]"have everyone who was ever on the show come back for one second"

type tear-jerker move, but Scrubs made it work.
_______________________-

now, not to hijack the thread, but let's look at some of the worst. or actually, one in particular...

The X-Files







if EVER there was a show that left viewers wondering, raised questions, had a series long connection of story lines, villains, heroes and characters, it was The X-Files. and after 9 seasons (all but one of which was absolutely awesome) i was sooo excited to sit down and watch the finale. and then i did...



what a load of awfulness. easily the worst episode of the entire series. i don't think there is a single redeeming quality in the episode. sooooo much crap. such a massive letdown

[Tom Hiddleston]

I've always loved the finale of M*A*S*H.

[Monolithium]

Originally Posted by iam1bearcat

but let's look at some of the worst. or actually, one in particular...

The X-Files

what a load of awfulness. easily the worst episode of the entire series. i don't think there is a single redeeming quality in the episode. sooooo much crap. such a massive letdown

[Show spoiler]The Helicopter Assault was cool.

Other than that, I agree 100% that "The Truth" was a bad end to a great show.

As for the actual topic...

Angel - Not Fade Away
Six Feet Under - Everyone's Waiting
LOST - The End
Deep Space Nine - What You Leave Behind

[Al_The_Strange]

Originally Posted by Elandyll

I thought "All Good Things" was a very touching wrap up for ST:TNG.

Yep, that was the first one that came to mind.

I also enjoyed the finale for "Star Trek: Voyager" and the new "Battlestar Galactica."

If there are any others, they'd probably be anime shows. "The Cowboy Bebop," "Berserk" (even if it is just a small part of the original story, it did end logically enough for me), "Samurai Champloo," "Samurai 7," "Noir," "Fullmetal Alchemist," etc etc. They usually don't dissapoint since these stories are designed with an actual beginning, middle, and end. I think only "Neon Genesis Evangelion" dissapoints me, but thankfully there's always "The End of Evangelion" movie.

[de Rookie]

Spartacus: Blood and Sand was a great season finale and my pick because the main guy is not coming back

[jvince]

Lost, the most beautifully touching finale of all-time.

[WyldeMan45]

The Shield, there is no competition in the best series finale category for me.

[Alpha]

Lost

[Septimus Prime]

Justice League Unlimited - "Destroyer" - It was a fitting, emotional fight against a worthy "final boss." Plus, we finally get to see Superman cut loose and try to hurt someone.

[ForEver Blu]

The Shield

Six Feet Under

Miami Vice

Angel

NYPD Blue



See that some have posted their picks for worst series finale.

St. Elsewhere

X-Files

The Sopranos

Married With Children

Nip/Tuck

[LordCrumb]

Terminator: Sarah Connor Chronicles (Season 2).

[hardtosayx]

I'm really looking forward to watching Six Feet Under and The Shield because of how many times I've read how great the finale's were. I already know a little bit about what happened in SFU

[bootsy]

It is very close between Six Feet Under and The Shield. I give the slight edge to SFU only because the Shield's finale was really 2-3 episodes of a continuous wrap-up. Tough choice.