Best ever "final episode"

[Shrek]

The imminent demise of Friends got me to thinking about the finales to some great television shows.

M*A*S*H made me cry uncontrollably.

St. Elsewhere gave us a creatively wonderful surprise.

But I'd have to say that Newhart is my favorite just for the sheer genius of it.

What was your favorite "final episode" and why?

[Spider Jerusalem]

1. "Blackadder Goes Forth"...

the final episode of the final Blackadder series, set in the trenches in WWI. Rowan Atkinson's Blackadder and company go over the top to certain death; the last shot is of them charging across no-man's land toward German machine-gun emplacements, fade out to the same field covered with poppies...very moving, and the only television series I can think of that ended its run with the death of all the major characters.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

9. Rowan Atkinson did a serious series? Wow. (nt)

[Spider Jerusalem]

15. No, it was a comedy...

the humour being set against the backdrop of British history, following successive incarnations of one Edmund Blackadder over many generations, from the Wars of the Roses to the Elizabethan era to the Regency to WWI.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

20. So there would be no problem resuming the series if they felt like it...

...correct?

[Spider Jerusalem]

23. Except that the final episode of the fourth series was 15 years ago...

and I'd be extremely surprised were Mr. Atkinson or any of the other actors to express interest in renewing it at this late date...and considering they'd already gotten to the 20th century, there doesn't seem anywhere to go after WWI but WWII, and that would get to be rather stale, I should think.

[Jeff in Cincinnati]

35. Edmund Blackadder during the Thatcher Years

Could be wicked!

Edmund Blackadder as an aide to Tony Blair. Wickeder? Sure. Why not.

[Bridget Burke]

21. No, it was comedy--wicked & naughty--

However, the end of each Blackadder series involved the simultaneous deaths of all the characters. The first & second were (in part) Shakespeare rip-offs, so the Shakespearean tragedies were emulated, with bodies littering the stage.

For Blackadder Goes Forth, set in the Great War, there was no need for the writers to invent some unlikely scenario in which all the characters would be killed. The greatest military minds of that age had done quite well. As the characters realized they were going to go "over the top" they each had a moment to wish for some other fate. Silly, in some cases, but touching.

Then the order came, they went over the top, and faded away into the fog of battle. The War is not ancient history--even moreso in Britain. Faded photographs, grandfathers & great uncles who died, great aunts who never married--they were remembered.

[everythingsxen]

2. You put up Voyager!!!??

Why not Next Gen or DS9? Both had infinitely better endings.

All good things was one of the best.. as was DS9's finale (I can't recall the name, but I remember the episode with crystal clarity)

[Whitacre D_WI]

6. The end of "Voyager" was wonderful...

...because it was the end of "Voyager." :puke:

[everythingsxen]

10. OK.. true..

However I thought we were voting on quality not relief...

That honor will go to Enterprise when they end that floating pile of drek.

[AngryYoungMan]

13. I ACTUALLY liked the end of Voyager.

But then, Voyager is my favorite post-TOS Trek.

[everythingsxen]

16. Sorry, as a person who..

might not quite be a Trekkie but who has seen every episode of every Trek and knows them by heart. (Granted the same is true of most sci-fi..) I hated Voyager.

It did have it's moments I will give it that; however during Voyager's reign was about the point where Trek went off the deep end.

Honestly it was First Contact where it really started to get nutty. For me anyway. I mean a Borg Queen? Wtf? What's next? Worf on the Defiant, using a space ramp to "leap" the ship over the back of a giant space monster that strongly resembles a shark?

[Shrek]

11. Sorry, I never watched "DS9"

And I found the ending to ST:TNG to be rather unsatisfying.

But my whole family watched Voyager together and we all loved the finale.

[Kolesar]

3. "Spock's Brain"

[Kamika]

34. spocks brain wasnt a finale

think it was episode 3 or so in season 3

[Kolesar]

36. yeah, I know

I just threw it in for a campy laugh. You could tell the series was falling apart by the third season. The directing was certainly weak. Spock, er, I mean Leonard Nimoy explained it well when they remastered the series for the SciFi network in 1998. Budgets had been cut, they were not rehearsing and they arrived at the set without any good direction of what the writer was trying to do with the episode. The actors acted it out and when edited together the results just "did not work". What a shame. They still had two years on their voyage to go. ;(

Gotta get going, Vaul needs us.

[SmileyBoy]

4. Cheers.

It just about made me cry. And I was only 11 at the time, but I had been watching the show since I was a little boy.

[NightTrain]

5. I went with M*A*S*H, but could just as easily have voted for "Newhart."

And as much as I liked "Cheers," I found the last episode anti-climactic. In fact, I pretty much felt that way about its entire last season. :(

[NightTrain]

7. If only the last episode of "All in the Family" had been...

...when the Stivics moved to California, it would easily have gotten my vote. Unfortunately, CBS kept the show on against Norman Lear's wishes for five additional, and painful, years! What a shame.

[SmileyBoy]

12. The show really sucked when it had that stupid little girl on.

I agree, 1977 should've been the last year.

[mac56]

8. I went with "Newhart" -

but both "Mad About You" and "Ellen" had great final episodes.

[Westegg]

14. I gotta give a shout-out to Star Trek: TNG

Yeah, Newhart was genius, MASH touched our tear-ducts, etc. BUT: TNG finale was a great double-episode, extremely imaginative and well-written, that tied things up, referred back to the beginning of the series, and time-tripped through the 4th dimension as giddily and smartly as the best SF. I've watched it half a dozen times---and I'm no Trekker---and I've enjoyed its grace, style, drama and emotional content each time.

[coloradodem2005]

24. That was awesome.

TNG was genious. While I don't care much for Voyager, their last episode was good. As was DS9. TNG was the best. That one or Cheers.

[trotsky]

17. Newhart can't be topped.

It was original, totally unexpected, and absolutely hilarious.

[tinrobot]

31. I totally agree...

Plus, I'm a HUGE fan of Bob. He's a comic genius.

Most last episodes are totally sappy and stupid. His was sheer brilliance.

[Deja Q]

18. "The Caves of Androzani" - 5th Doctor series finale

Voyager was okay, but it had too many plot holes and gaffes... even the paradox was far more annoying than the one in the Star Trek TNG finale (which was a whole lot better overall as well...)

I can see why they'd want Voyager to finish by saving the universe of the Borg for all time... but they've broken continuity before and, because TNG strived to create continuity and also add that Dr Who was never given any until the 1980s...

[gyopsy]

19. Cheers

Might not have been hilarious or unexpected but it was classy just like the series.

[Vittorio]

22. "Buffy: The Vampire Slayer."

[BearFlagDemocrat]

25. Totally agree.

Actually, both the endings (the one where they left the WB and the one where the series itself ended) kicked ass.

[TXlib]

32. Didn't really like the way Buffy ended.

With all the Potentials becoming Slayers, it doesn't really leave room for a movie.

[Bucky]

26. "Gimme a Break" (Nell accidently adopts a live ostrich; hijinx ensue)

That was a corker! "Gimme a Break," indeed!

[joeybee12]

27. Where the hell is Mary Tyler Moore!??!!??!!??

Don't care for any of the ones you've mentioned--MTM's had heart!

[Kolesar]

28. that episode had the greatest story

How could they have missed MTM?

[LynneSin]

29. Where is Sex and the City

I loved that final episode - it ROCKED!!!

[Mobius]

30. Voyager

they got home and messed up the Borg, big time. :shrug:

[Kamika]

33. lol .. why voyager? Best finale "the undiscovered country"

Ds9 had a MUCH more interesting.. "happening" conclusive finale.

Voyager was pretty crappy imo, even tng was better.


Best finale must been undiscovered country for the Tos guys

[mvd]

37. The Fugitive

Most exciting.