Best & Worst Series Finale's

[JackPeyton]

Dawsons Creeks finale was flawless.

[DRW50]

I've heard that a lot.

Enterprise's finale was...odd. One of the show's actors even panned it before it aired.

[SFK]

Best:

Knots Landing... just like old times...

[quartermainefan]

BSG was brilliant the first three seasons, but then the final year I think a writers strike hit or something and it all went to hell. You can see they were writing things they had no explanation for and just were hoping it would sort itself out. Even the actress in question whose role was the most f-ed up by crazy plot twists could not explain what the deal was. Whoever I have met that has watched the show is unable to answer the same question that everyone who watched it asked. There is a funny clip on YT of Howard Stern's reaction to the finale where he rips into it for the same reasons everyone else does.

[Soaplovers]

I loved that finale with Abby moving back to the cul de sac, Karen being speechless for once, Gary looking tongue tied and Val welcoming Abby home before she walks off with Gary.. and the final shot of Karen thinking 'oh [!@#$%^&*]' before walking off. Subtle, but very effective finale.

Also, I loved Family Ties series finale. It was a 2 part episode where Alex was moving to New York to obtain a new job. He had very in character good-byes with his father, mother, Mallory, Jennifer, and his ex girl friend Lauren. I'd like to believe he was successful in New York and had his sister Jennifer on retained as corporate attorney.. while married to Ellen.. while Mallory is a success in fashion.. her shows being a success at Fashion week every year. Dare to dream

[FrenchFan]

I loved ER finale. Great returns, great opening and the ending was classic.

[I Am A Swede]

Best:

Upstairs, Downstairs (UK, 1971-75).

The show ended with the house at 165 Eaton Place being sold off to pay debts. The final scenes consisted of Rose (played by series co-creator Jean Marsh) wandering through the empty house, remembering events that had transpired and hearing voices of people from the past. She eventually left the house and walked away....

A great ending to a wonderful show.

(I deliberately ignore the re-boot of the show which aired on BBC a few years ago. In my mind that horror never happened)

Prisoner: Cell Block H (Australia 1979-86)

After years of tormenting both prisoners and fellow prison officers, the sadistic and corrupt Joan "The Freak" Ferguson finally got her comeuppance and was carted away to jail, while all the prisoners cheered. The only thing that would have made this ending even better was if it had been Joans arch-enemy Bea Smith who would have finally beaten her. But Rita Connors was a perfectly acceptable alternative.

The Flying Doctors (Australia, 1986-93)

No big splashy ending here. Not even a real ending. The last few scenes were a party of some kind (can't remember exactly what kind) and then an alarm call came, and all the doctors and nurses hurried away. Life in Coopers Crossingjust went on as usual. I like that kind of ending.

Worst:

Heartbeat (UK, 1992-2010)

I do hate shows that end with a cliffhanger, and this show did. The ITV Network cancelled this show rather abruptly, which meant that we (the viewers) never found out if Oscar Blaketon, one of only two original castmembers left, would survive after being impaled on a pitchfork.

The show was long overdue for cancellation, but they could at least have resolved that dangling storyline.

[Gray Bunny]

LOVED Sisters! And a few months ago, I actually watched that final episode for the first time in years! (It's the only episode I ever kept on VHS). I agree that the final episode was perfectly fitting and very bittersweet. Loved that line from Teddy as well.

I SO want this show on DVD, too!!

I think The Nanny's final episode was very funny and sweet with Fran, Mr. Sheffield, Gracie, and the 2 twins moving to L.A. for Maxwell's TV show production while the 2 older kids went off to college. Plus, Niles and CC got married.

[DRW50]

I had forgotten about The Nanny. That was a very good finale (my favorite part was Fran and CC in the elevator). The only downside was no Val.

[dragonflies]

Awww I loved it, the part when Chandler and Monica's apartment is empty of all furnishings and they all give back their keys made me bawl. Then when R&R finally reunited I was dead lol

I like Urkel and Laura together, but I HATE what they did to Myra to make it happen. I thought Myra truly loved Steve as a person, and that it took too much for Laura to get to the point to even remotely love Steve

[allmc2008]

A little off-topic but I wish All in the Family got a final. The way I would have done it is having Maude, since she is Edith's cousin, invite the Bunkers to her house for a party via an invitation and the invite would say "You may bring one friend". Edith would invite The Jefferson's (Including the house keeper) Then Maude would invite the Evan's from Good Times (and they would invite the neighbor since she is considered family).

This would have been nice because it would have been a multi-show crossover plus it would have payed tribute to all the shows that AITF started that dominated TV at the time.

I am aware of Archie Bunkers Place but this is what they should have done IMO if ABP never continued the original series.

If nobody is aware of the connections:

Maude is Edith's Causin

The Jefferson's was the Bunkers Neighbors

Florida was Maude's Housekeeper (granted there were some continuity issues like the setting changed in Good-Times from NY to Chicago and James' name was Henry on Maude).

[Eric83]

I wish The Jeffersons got to have a finale

[BKuzak]

I agree. After all those seasons, it should have! It's nice though that Marla Gibbs went right to 227 and that went till 1990. They really pushed production of 227 because Jeffersons ended in june 1985 and 227's first episode started in september 1985.

[SFK]

227 and The Golden Girls debuted on the same night. The good ol' days.

[Bright Eyes]

Marla Gibbs was great on Passions as Eve and Liz's mother, too.