Best series finales

[ifilus]

I was probably the biggest Married with Children fan. But it sucked the last 3-4 seasons. I would be cool to have them write a solid reunion show to show what would've become of Al, Peg, Kelly, Bud, Steve, Marcie, et al. The first 6 seasons were top shelf before it faded into badness.

Well, here's what happened to Bud:

May 16, 2007
David Faustino Arrested On Drug Charges

NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Florida -- David Faustino, best known as Bud Bundy on "Married… With Children" has been arrested on charges of marijuana possession and disorderly intoxication, according to police.

Faustino, 33, was arrested in New Smyrna Beach, Florida over the weekend when a police officer reportedly saw him sitting in his car arguing with his estranged wife.

The couple admitted they had been drinking and cops later found a baggie in Faustino's pocket allegedly containing about a gram of marijuana, according to police.

Faustino filed for divorce from Andrea Elmer, his wife of three years, in February 2007.

 

[Sam Mills 51]

1) M*A*S*H ... well-done finale. Hawkeye finally lost it, Charles found a worthy cause and Father Mulcahy suffers hearing loss trying to save camp refugees. All fitting.

2) The Wonder Years ... had enough sense not to make everything overly poetic. Great little touch at the end with Daniel Stern.

3) Cheers ... wasn't 1/10 the fan of this show as I am M*A*S*H. But bringing back Diane and the lucky SOB line from Sam Malone was a nice touch.

 

[Songbird]

I was probably the biggest Married with Children fan. But it sucked the last 3-4 seasons. I would be cool to have them write a solid reunion show to show what would've become of Al, Peg, Kelly, Bud, Steve, Marcie, et al. The first 6 seasons were top shelf before it faded into badness.

Well, here's what happened to Bud:

May 16, 2007
David Faustino Arrested On Drug Charges

NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Florida -- David Faustino, best known as Bud Bundy on "Married… With Children" has been arrested on charges of marijuana possession and disorderly intoxication, according to police.

Faustino, 33, was arrested in New Smyrna Beach, Florida over the weekend when a police officer reportedly saw him sitting in his car arguing with his estranged wife.

The couple admitted they had been drinking and cops later found a baggie in Faustino's pocket allegedly containing about a gram of marijuana, according to police.

Faustino filed for divorce from Andrea Elmer, his wife of three years, in February 2007.

I knew something was bad with him after seeing that McDonald's commercial; "They don't fly first class ... but they sure are fly!" Oy.

 

[Tommy_Dreamer]

1) M*A*S*H ... well-done finale. Hawkeye finally lost it, Charles found a worthy cause and Father Mulcahy suffers hearing loss trying to save camp refugees. All fitting.

2) The Wonder Years ... had enough sense not to make everything overly poetic. Great little touch at the end with Daniel Stern.

3) Cheers ... wasn't 1/10 the fan of this show as I am M*A*S*H. But bringing back Diane and the lucky SOB line from Sam Malone was a nice touch.

Sam ... You're a class act. All three were worthy endings in my book.

The people that didn't like M*A*S*H's finale, well, that's their own thing but damn that was a classic!

 

[Tom Petty]

I was probably the biggest Married with Children fan. But it sucked the last 3-4 seasons. I would be cool to have them write a solid reunion show to show what would've become of Al, Peg, Kelly, Bud, Steve, Marcie, et al. The first 6 seasons were top shelf before it faded into badness.

Well, here's what happened to Bud:

May 16, 2007
David Faustino Arrested On Drug Charges

NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Florida -- David Faustino, best known as Bud Bundy on "Married… With Children" has been arrested on charges of marijuana possession and disorderly intoxication, according to police.

Faustino, 33, was arrested in New Smyrna Beach, Florida over the weekend when a police officer reportedly saw him sitting in his car arguing with his estranged wife.

The couple admitted they had been drinking and cops later found a baggie in Faustino's pocket allegedly containing about a gram of marijuana, according to police.

Faustino filed for divorce from Andrea Elmer, his wife of three years, in February 2007.

a gram of weed? i hope the cop pulled over on the way to the station and beat the hell outta him as well.

 

[DanOregon]

"I Married Dora" was in its first season and was cancelled after about 8 episodes. The final episode featured the dad (played by McCormick from Hardcastle &...) saying in character and to the camera "we've been cancelled" as the screen fades to black. A classic...

 

[sporting_guista]

Great thread...

Hated the MASH finale, primarily because of Alan Alda. MASH died the day Henry went home and his plane crashed into the Sea of Japan -- a great TV moment. Alda just morphed into a cliche-ridden oaf spewing one-liners, God I hate that character--and I'd guess Alda's personality is not too far from that one.

Cheers was OK, great show overall. Seinfeld sucked; just expected more I guess. Newhart a classic.

No one's mentioned XFiles. Loved the early days of that show, and totally had a crush on Gillian Anderson as that show moved along. Granted, that show should have ended two seasons before it did, but the finale wasn't bad and at least it tied up a few loose ends. Some great characters -- and the hottie GA!!

 

[outofplace]

Great thread...

Hated the MASH finale, primarily because of Alan Alda. MASH died the day Henry went home and his plane crashed into the Sea of Japan -- a great TV moment. Alda just morphed into a cliche-ridden oaf spewing one-liners, God I hate that character--and I'd guess Alda's personality is not too far from that one.

Cheers was OK, great show overall. Seinfeld sucked; just expected more I guess. Newhart a classic.

No one's mentioned XFiles. Loved the early days of that show, and totally had a crush on Gillian Anderson as that show moved along. Granted, that show should have ended two seasons before it did, but the finale wasn't bad and at least it tied up a few loose ends. Some great characters -- and the hottie GA!!

People keep mentioning the Cheers finale. I barely remember it. What I do remember is the cast members getting drunk on live TV during the special that followed the finale.

 

[93Devil]

I do not remember them, but didn't Hill Street Blues and Barney Miller have nice send off as well? Mary Tyler Moore had a big one when I was a kid.

 

[D-Backs Hack]

Technically not a finale, but I gotta mention "Homicide: The Movie," which pretty much brought every cast member over the years back to help investigate Giardella's shooting.

After Gee dies, his first moments in the netherworld are in the breakroom at the station, where Crosetti and Felton invite him to sit down at the table to play cards.

Pembleton: "Death just keeps going and going . . ."

 

[Webster]

"I Married Dora" was in its first season and was cancelled after about 8 episodes. The final episode featured the dad (played by McCormick from Hardcastle &...) saying in character and to the camera "we've been cancelled" as the screen fades to black. A classic...

I was trying to think of that one (I think that I mentioned it on a similar thread a while back). I thought that Elizabeth Pena was leaving for another job. She comes back and says "it was cancelled" and the McCormick says "the flight?" and she says "no, the series." Then the camera shows the crew and, I think, the studio audience.

For me, "Newhart" was the funniest.

 

[EStreetJoe]

I was probably the biggest Married with Children fan. But it sucked the last 3-4 seasons. I would be cool to have them write a solid reunion show to show what would've become of Al, Peg, Kelly, Bud, Steve, Marcie, et al. The first 6 seasons were top shelf before it faded into badness.

Did it fade into badness for the same reason Happy Days did -- having Ted McGinley join the cast.

 

[proudpittsburgher]

Actually, not being all that much of a sci-fan, I have to say I rather enjoyed the Quantum Leap series and it's finale, especially since it took place outside of Pittsburgh. A little out there maybe, but a show is only as good as the characters and Sam & Al were good characters.

I'm gonna go ahead and call The Shield's series finale next year one of the best in advance.

 

[audreyld]

As has been mentioned, I think NYPD Blue's finale was one of the finest I've seen, though Cheers probably takes top prize in my view.

 

[outofplace]

Actually, not being all that much of a sci-fan, I have to say I rather enjoyed the Quantum Leap series and it's finale, especially since it took place outside of Pittsburgh. A little out there maybe, but a show is only as good as the characters and Sam & Al were good characters.

I'm gonna go ahead and call The Shield's series finale next year one of the best in advance.

I forget...didn't Quantam Leap end with him getting lost in the timestream again?

 

[Tommy_Dreamer]

Great thread...

Hated the MASH finale, primarily because of Alan Alda. MASH died the day Henry went home and his plane crashed into the Sea of Japan -- a great TV moment. Alda just morphed into a cliche-ridden oaf spewing one-liners, God I hate that character--and I'd guess Alda's personality is not too far from that one.

Cheers was OK, great show overall. Seinfeld sucked; just expected more I guess. Newhart a classic.

No one's mentioned XFiles. Loved the early days of that show, and totally had a crush on Gillian Anderson as that show moved along. Granted, that show should have ended two seasons before it did, but the finale wasn't bad and at least it tied up a few loose ends. Some great characters -- and the hottie GA!!

Actually if you ever hear Alda speak in person, he is quite funny and genuine. I agree that the show "jumped the shark" after Radar left, but there were still some great moments left in the series after that.

Yeah, it turned more into melodrama than comedy late, but it still had one of the best endings ever in TV history.

 

[Jim Rockford]

Newhart. Once had a job that now seems like a faraway bad dream and now I'm back living where I did before I took the bad job...some mornings I wake up and think, "Did I really live in that place, did that really happen or ..."

 

[Double J]

"I Married Dora" was in its first season and was cancelled after about 8 episodes. The final episode featured the dad (played by McCormick from Hardcastle &...) saying in character and to the camera "we've been cancelled" as the screen fades to black. A classic...

When the soap opera "Santa Barbara" ended, the final shot was of the executive producer crushing a cigarette with his shoe, then walking off the stage. I don't know if it was ever explained why he did that - whether it was a protest against the network, or what.

 

[Simon_Cowbell]

Great thread...

Hated the MASH finale, primarily because of Alan Alda. MASH died the day Henry went home and his plane crashed into the Sea of Japan -- a great TV moment. Alda just morphed into a cliche-ridden oaf spewing one-liners, God I hate that character--and I'd guess Alda's personality is not too far from that one.

Cheers was OK, great show overall. Seinfeld sucked; just expected more I guess. Newhart a classic.

No one's mentioned XFiles. Loved the early days of that show, and totally had a crush on Gillian Anderson as that show moved along. Granted, that show should have ended two seasons before it did, but the finale wasn't bad and at least it tied up a few loose ends. Some great characters -- and the hottie GA!!

People keep mentioning the Cheers finale. I barely remember it. What I do remember is the cast members getting drunk on live TV during the special that followed the finale.

With Boggs and a bunch of other Red Sox....

 

[suburbanite]

Actually, not being all that much of a sci-fan, I have to say I rather enjoyed the Quantum Leap series and it's finale, especially since it took place outside of Pittsburgh. A little out there maybe, but a show is only as good as the characters and Sam & Al were good characters.

I'm gonna go ahead and call The Shield's series finale next year one of the best in advance.

I forget...didn't Quantam Leap end with him getting lost in the timestream again?

I liked Quantum Leap and its finale, too.

Briefly, Sam wanted to stop leaping but he was convinced not to because of all the good work he had done. And for the first time in the show, IIRC, he controlled his own leap and materialized as himself to Al's first wife, and told her that Al [a POW in Vietnam] was alive. And then they faded to black and it said on the screen that she never remarried, and she and Al had now been married for 40 years. It also said that Sam never came home, i.e., he kept quantum leaping. It was very poignant.

Trivia add: Another TV drama at the same time [late 1980s, early 1990s] had a character named Sam Beckett. That was the name of the morgue attendant at China Beach played by Michael Boatman. China Beach had an interesting, though kind of uneven finale with all the characters getting together for a reunion and going to the Vietnam Memorial in D.C.