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May 22, 2023 · We asked ourselves the question, “What are the best TV series finales of all time?” and we ended up with was a list that includes a few agreed-upon classics, but some surprises as well.
- Sam Barsanti
- Friends (2004) Think of how many nights we spent vicariously sitting around Central Perk listening to Joey’s tales of botched auditions, Ross and Rachel’s dating dilemmas, and Chandler’s sarcastic quips.
- The Wire (2008) The Wire wasn’t always the easiest watch, but David Simon’s inner-city anthology was certainly one of the creative high points of the Golden Age of Prestige TV in the 2000s.
- Mad Men (2015) By the time Mad Men wrapped, the show’s America was in a very different place from where it was when the series began. And so was its so-called hero — Jon Hamm’s self-invented adman, Don Draper.
- The Sopranos (2007) Sometimes Big Idea finales work ... and sometimes they don’t. The controversial last episode of HBO’s sensational mob drama (or, rather, the controversial last scene of the last episode) certainly was a swing for the fences, as creator David Chase brought Tony and his family together in a New Jersey diner for one last family dinner, only to have it end with Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’ ” on the jukebox and a mysterious slam to black.
- Parks and Recreation - “One Last Ride”
- Mad Men - “Person to Person”
- Seinfeld - “The Finale”
- The Larry Sanders Show - “Flip”
- Angel - “Not Fade Away”
- Friends - “The Last One”
- Battlestar Galactica - “Daybreak”
- The Mary Tyler Moore Show - “The Last Show”
- Star Trek: The Next Generation - “All Good Things…”
- Friday Night Lights - “Always”
The final season of Parks and Recreation pulled a gutsy move leading into the last days of Pawnee. Following a three year flash-forward at the end of season six, the show found Leslie balancing her life as a mother with her job as the Midwest Regional Parks Director. It was a bittersweet moment as audiences were finally rewarded in seeing Leslie ac...
After seven smoke-filled seasons, Don Draper’s journey atop the world of advertising came to a close with a smile and a cut to McCann Erickson’s 1971 “Hilltop” Coca-Cola ad. It was a finale as fitting as viewers could have hoped for a series that had racked up so much acclaim. While Matthew Weiner ultimately left Mad Men's series-ending episode ope...
Depending on your stance, the final episode of Seinfeld is either another stroke of genius from Larry David or an absolute travesty that doesn’t deserve any recognition on this list. While we understand that “The Finale” still manages to fall miraculously short of the series’ many highlights, we’re also inclined to agree that it’s among the best co...
Arriving before HBO became a household name in original content, The Larry Sanders Show provided the first satirical critique of Hollywood. Headed by creator and star Garry Shandling, the series focused on talk show host Larry Sanders as he ran his production from behind the scenes. Alongside his producer and mentor Artie and his announcer sidekick...
Although Angel occasionally gets a bad rap as the spin-off series to Buffy the Vampire Slayer, it was every bit as creative and had its fair share of defining moments to separate it from its predecessor. Unlike its sister show, however, Angel went out with an intentionally ambiguous ending that left fans itching for more. Following the events of th...
The heartache of saying goodbye to the cast of Friends can only be measured by the numerous moments of laughter the series gave its fans over the year. From Ross and Rachel’s breakups (They were on a break!) to Monica in a fat suit, each moment invited viewers to become part of the group. That’s why this last sit down at the Central Perk cafe felt ...
Before the three hour conclusion of Battlestar Galacticaaired, creator Ron Moore knew there would be a fair share of disappointment. His assumption was spot on as many viewers felt the politically charged sci-fi series ended on a baffling note, but Moore was never shy about infusing his series with rich symbolism. That’s why “Daybreak,” no matter w...
With enough spunk, charisma and endurance to go around, Mary Richards did something uncommon for '70s sitcoms: she made it in a world full of men. The Mary Tyler Moore Show was more than a source of constant laughs, it was an indelible fighting spirit for strong-willed women in the workplace and it couldn’t have happened without its leading lady. A...
It took seven seasons, a number of accolades and an admirable performance from Patrick Stewart as the mature Captain Jean-Luc Picard, but the crew of the starship USS Enterprise finally gained enough recognition among television audiences to go toe-to-toe with Kirk, Spock, and the rest of the original series for the best Star Trek show to date. Whi...
“Clear eyes, full hearts” may have been the words Coach Taylor spoke before each game, but there wasn’t a dry eye watching the finale. Going into the episode, Taylor had once again coached a winning team to the state championship, but this time the outcome wasn’t important. Friday Night Lights had always been more about the charactersand it was nev...
- Turner Minton
Aug 24, 2022 · TV’s 30 Best Series Finales, Ranked — Now Including, Yes, Lost. By Team TVLine. August 24, 2022 8:00 am. Best TV Series Finales. Courtesy of NBC, HBO, Everett Collection, AMC screenshot, ABC...
- Kelly Lawler
- TV Critic
- "Six Feet Under" (HBO) "Six Feet Under" was always about facing our own mortality (it was, after all, set at a family-run funeral-home business), and the near-perfect finale faced the great beyond head-on in its excruciatingly beautiful last sequence, which jumped ahead to the deaths of all the main characters, whether predictable, tragic or absurd.
- "Newhart" (CBS) As self-referential as modern TV has become, no show could possibly pull off a twist as shocking and on point as the finale of "Newhart."
- "M*A*S*H" (CBS) In a poignant, emotional and still top-rated finale, the 11-year run of M*A*S*H (eight years longer than the Korean War it depicted) came to an end as Hawkeye Pierce (Alan Alda) and (most of) the rest finally went home.
- "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" (CBS) "Moore" never shied away from the world, and the series ended in the sad, inescapable way many jobs in corporate life do.
May 22, 2023 · From ‘Deadwood’ to ‘Succession’ to ‘The Sopranos,’ these are the best from the past few decades. By The Ringer Staff Updated May 29, 2023, 1:02pm EDT. Ringer illustration. Last week, ahead...
Mar 10, 2020 · The 25 Best TV Series Finales of All Time. From M*A*S*H to Breaking Bad, these are the all-time greatest series finales. By Andrew Trahan. March 10, 2020. SFM Entertainment. All good things must come to an end, and that applies to the TV shows we love, too.
