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Summary
There are plenty of TV shows which outstay their welcome , even though they sometimes give themselves the stark finale before formally wrap affair up . A time of year finale can often act as a great serial publication finis in hindsight , or a random mid - season may just trip upon a poignant and beautiful final conniption which sum up up the total discharge of the show . Unfortunately , not many shows tend to quit while they ’re ahead .
Shows with dissatisfactory coda can rag sports fan , especially when the same show waste a potentially brilliant ending a few seasons earlier . When author are free from the pressure of a series finale , they often unknowingly stumble upon the unadulterated ending . Whenever a show drops off in quality toward the end , it ’s easy to look back and say that they should have quit earlier , and there are a few cases where it ’s potential to pinpoint the exact instalment that would have been the ideal concluding chapter .
Here are the 26 best serial finis of all clock time , let in dissentious endings such as The Sopranos ’ “ Made in America ” and Lost ’s “ The End . ”
10The Office
Season 7, Episode 22, “Goodbye, Michael”
Cast
The Officehas a capital ensemble cast , but Steve Carell was always the star who shone the brightest . The season after his passing failed to make up for his absence seizure , and the stilted narrative leaps ruin some case who previously worked well , like Andy Bernard . Michael is n’t incisively the principal character ofThe Office , but the show was n’t the same without him , and it should have ended before it got stale .
Despite a few problem , " Goodbye , Michael " gives the character the perfect send - off , as Pam tracks him down in the airdrome to say one last bye .
What ’s frustrating is thatThe Officecould have had the perfect finale if it had n’t been trying so urgently to set up a future without Michael Scott at Dunder Mifflin . Deangelo , played by Will Ferrell , is reach - and - miss during his brief term of office as the branch ’s new political boss . Removing him from the terminal of time of year 7 and focusing more on Michael ’s story would have been more appropriate . Despite a few problems , " Goodbye , Michael " gives the character the perfect send - off , as Pam tracks him down in the drome to say one last goodbye . This would have been a poignant last vista for the show .
9The Walking Dead
Season 9, Episode 5, “What Comes After”
The Walking Deadfocuses on Rick Grimes , so many viewers think that the show would end with him . Instead , " What come After " provides him with an equivocal ending before jumping onwards six years in time . It ’s initially assume that Rick died in the bridge explosion , but he is subsequently found live and claim away to an strange terminus by Anne . Rick ’s death would have been an appropriate termination to the show , butThe Walking Deadstill could have relieve a corking finale from this fake - out .
The brief scenes that are shown after the jump forrad in meter would have been a fascinating conclusion , setting up a whole raw world of possibility for the survivors .
The brief tantrum that are show after the jump forward in time would have been a fascinating ending , setting up a whole new world of possible action for the subsister while honoring some of the show ’s favorite characters from the past . Ultimately , the show struggled to pay off this tease , part because nothing could live up to the excitement of ensure Judith grime ready to take charge of her fortune in a new era .
8Black Mirror
Season 4, Episode 6, “Black Museum”
As an anthology serial , Black Mirrordoesn’t need to be overly concerned with how it ends . sports fan wo n’t be turned off of the show base on the final sequence , because it wo n’t impact their ability to rewatch their pet instalment . However,“Black Museum " clearly showsBlack Mirrorgrappling with its legacy , and the agency that its fans have interact with the show ’s dark episodes over the twelvemonth .
Black Mirrorseason 7 is on the way , but it could have end here in season 4 with the show symbolically self - immolate as penance for its twine delights .
" Black Museum " is an anthology within an anthology . As Nish is guided around the museum , she sees different instance of human suffering , all exploited for earnings by the museum ’s sadistic owner . This is the show ’s way of questioning its own popularity , asBlack Mirroralso thrives off fans who want to see perverse excruciation . In the cathartic final scene , Nish cauterize the museum to the footing . Black Mirrorseason 7is on the way , but it could have ended here in season 4 with the show symbolically ego - immolating as self-mortification for its twist delight .
Custom image by Yailin Chacon
7The Simpsons
The Simpsons Movie (2007)
Although it seems that it will never die , The Simpsonswill eventually have to get along to an end one daytime . There will doubtlessly be a lot of interestingness in how the writer choose to wrap up such a long - endure show that has accumulated so many fans over the class , but they may have already missed their best fortune . The Wallis Warfield Simpson Moviecould have been the perfect way to sign off , specially as the show had already left its best yr behind it .
The genius ofThe Simpsons Movie ’s closing is that it simply returns everything to normal , and this feels like a huge triumph .
The Simpsons Movieends with Marge and Homer whizzing along on a minibike , having rekindle their romance and saved Springfield . The superstar of this ending is that it simply returns everything to normal , and this feel like a Brobdingnagian triumph . Although the urge could be to cater some idealistic finale , The Simpsonshas always been about the lulu and misery of an ordinary American family . There have been hearsay of aSimpsons Moviesequel , and this could be another smashing opportunity to provide a meet finale .
6Money Heist
Season 2, Episode 6, “Bella Ciao”
Money Heist ’s first two season tell the account of the Professor ’s daring heist on the Spanish Royal Mint . The show was such a hit that more episodes always seemed inevitable , but it would have been best for the news report if the season 2 stopping point had ended the show . The following three season failed to retake the vitality and high - stake fervor of the first heist . The show was storm to undo its felicitous ending just to bring the gang back together for another business .
time of year 2 stop in striking way , with the thieves break loose from the Royal Mint with their trucks loaded up with cash . The last sequence also gives an unforgettable send - off to Berlin .
Season 2 ends in spectacular way , with the thieves escaping from the Royal Mint with their trucks load up with cash . The final episode give an unforgettable send - off to Berlin , the group ’s loss leader on the inside , who grows progressively fickle as the realism of his terminal diagnosing morning on him . The last scene also envelop up the other important narrative of the show , the relationship between the Professor and Racquel . By subtly divulge his location to her , he set his heart above his head . By get together him , she does the same .
5Scrubs
Season 8, Episodes 18 & 19, “My Finale”
Scrubsgave itself the perfect closing curtain at the end of time of year 8 , but the show was reanimate for a disappointing 9th season which focused on a new mathematical group of aesculapian bookman and pass on some of the best character to supporting roles . Season 9 was theworst season ofScrubsby far , and it entirely butchered some of the show ’s good dynamics . It also undid some of the brilliance of the season 8 finale .
" My Finale " is about J.D. coming to terms with the fact that he has to move on , but finding comfort in the fact that he can shape his own lot , no matter how chaotic life can be .
" My Finale " is about J.D. coming to terminus with the fact that he has to move on , but chance comfort in the fact that he can shape his own lot , no matter how helter-skelter living can be . In the last prospect , he control his pipe dream future wager out in front of his eyes , including having a small fry with Elliot and sharing family Christmases with his friends . Season 9 whips away some of the magic of this end , as J.D. ’s dateless hypothesis are replace by lame gags and a slew of uninteresting characters for him to mentor .
4Supernatural
Season 5, Episode 22, “Swan Song”
Although it would go on to produce a sum of 15 seasons , Supernaturalfound it severely to top time of year 5 , installment 22 , " Swan Song " . Not only is " Swan Song " one of the show ’s estimable episodes , it also envelop up the main story attractively . God Almighty and showrunner Eric Kripke leftSupernaturalafter time of year 5 , and although the show had plenty of cracking moments across the following ten season , the quality dropped off toward the oddment .
" Swan Song " provide a square payoff to the first five season , not just with the Winchester ’s battle against Lucifer , but also with their complex family relationship with one another .
Supernatural ’s honorable seasonsmostly make out betimes on in the show ’s ravel , and season 5 was the best of the crew . " Swan Song " provides a comforting wages to the first five season , not just with the Winchester ’s battle against Lucifer , but also with their complex family relationship with one another . in the end , Sam sacrifices his body to Lucifer and Dean finds some semblance of peace treaty as he settles down .
3Curb Your Enthusiasm
Season 5, Episode 10, “The End”
Larry David publish " The remainder " as a likely finale forCurb Your Enthusiasm , hence the title . The episode stop with Larry concisely dying in infirmary and go up to heaven , where he has a full oral sex of tomentum . He waken up , as irritated as ever , totally unfazed by his close - death experience and his apparitional journeying . The actualCurb Your Enthusiasmfinalealso ends with Larry discover nothing and being just as grouchy as ever .
Curb Your Enthusiasmis a uncommon example of a show that kept going after a potentially utter finis and did n’t suffer for it .
Curb Your Enthusiasmis a rare representative of a show that hold on run after a potentially perfect finale and did n’t digest for it . Larry David was able-bodied to reinvent the show multiple time to keep it brisk , and the series close was just as substantial as " The ending " . As a character , Larry never really changes in any meaningful direction , even when everything around him is in a permanent state of flux density , so terminate his storey could have been hard .
2Futurama
Season 4, Episode 18, “The Devil’s Hands Are Idle Playthings”
Futuramahas been canceled and resuscitate so many times that the writer have start out plenitude of practice session with crafting emotional serial conclusion . Season 7 ’s " Meanwhile " gives Fry and Leela a happy conclusion after a time anomaly rent them spend their full life together without anyone else , but time of year 4 ’s " The Devil ’s Hands Are Idle Playthings " is even sweeter and much simpler .
Although he does n’t have the dickens ’s hands and his innate attainment , Fry has enough mettle to paint a gross image of him and Leela walk deal - in - hand .
Fry make a Faustian steal with the fiend so that he can master the holophonor , a melodic pawn that produces images as well as reasoned . The last scene shows Fry and Leela alone in an empty auditorium after Fry ’s audience desolate him . Although he does n’t have the hellion ’s script and his inborn skills , Fry has enough ticker to paint a crude image of him and Leela walk hand - in - hand .
1Sherlock
Season 2, Episode 3, “The Sign of Three”
Sherlockcould have made the sheer determination of end after its season 2 cliffhanger , with Sherlock bull his own death and appearing at his own tombstone with the glint of a smiling across his face . This would have been controversial , but it would n’t have been any more controversial than the means the show really ended after four time of year , with a relatively weak finis that did n’t fiddle to the show ’s strength .
As Sherlock walk away from John and Mary ’s wedding reception , he knows that his relationship with John will never be the same , but this is n’t a sad ending .
Season 3 , episode 2 , " The Sign of Three " would have been an even better serial finis . This would have allowedSherlockto provide an answer to its big closed book in the anterior episode and terminate with John and Mary ’s nuptials . ' The Sign of Three " ends with Sherlock infer that Mary is pregnant , before playing the fiddle for her first dance with John . As he walks away from the reception , he knows that his human relationship with John will never be the same , but this is n’t a sad ending .
