I haven't seen the Facts of Life finale in a long time, but I thought it was decent.

But it's another one of those "in-through-the-out-door" pilots that stood in place of an actual finale. Blair hears about Eastland's financial troubles and buys the school, becoming headmistress at the now-co-ed academy. Which would have been fine for a spin-off, don't get me wrong, but I also wanted a true ending. One where, perhaps, the girls (and Beverly Ann, Andy and that Pippa girl) say goodbye to each other and promise to keep in touch as they leave the now-empty house for the last time. Heck, they could have thrown in a cameo appearance from Charlotte Rae for good measure as well.

Edited April 3, 201411 yr by Khan

I think Facts of life should have ended the moment Charlotte Rae wanted to leave. Having Mrs. Garrett marrying while having a moment with each of the girls was wonderful and would have been a great ending. The show started with Mrs. Garrett arriving to help guide the girls and now the girls were helping to move Mrs. G onto her next part of her journey.

I think Facts of life should have ended the moment Charlotte Rae wanted to leave.

ICAM. Besides, the girls were old enough. They didn't need a mother figure anymore.

ICAM. Besides, the girls were old enough. They didn't need a mother figure anymore.

I still can't believe Kim Field's airtime didn't suffer the minute her bosom took on a life of its own.

Another so-so series finale: the last episode of "Who's the Boss?". According to an E! "True Hollywood Story" interview with one of the show's co-creators, the plan had been to tie up all loose ends and have Tony and Angela marry. However, the production company (Sony, I think) prevailed upon them, explaining that such a move might hurt syndication sales (or something to that effect). Subsequently, Blake Hunter, Martin Cohan and the rest of the team altered their plans to what became the final product.

If you ask me, though, it was a bit of a cheat to have Tony and Angela go through some contrived conflict (he graduated from college and accepted a teaching position out of town; the long distance put a strain on their romance) but reunite at the end without actually tying the knot. Even if the final scene -- Angela, clad in a bathrobe with a towel wrapped around her head, opens the front door to Tony, dressed in a tuxedo and inquiring about a job as her housekeeper -- was a callback to their initial meeting.

I must be an easy mark because that ending tugged at my heart (having actually grown up watching the show in real time).

I will always remember that final scene on WTB - "you got the job." I wasn't watching the show at that point, really, but I remembered it from when I was little and I was happy to see it get a happy ending.

I was under the impression Tony Danza also asked that they not do the wedding, because of syndie value or something. I think it was a mistake, but they did at least keep them together. As it is I didn't see much wrong with how that show ended.

Edited April 3, 201411 yr by Vee

I must be an easy mark because that ending tugged at my heart (having actually grown up watching the show in real time).

Not necessarily. I admit I can be overly critical about a great many things, series finales included. When I watched the WTB? finale, I was 13 or 14 and therefore, I was watching it from the viewpoint of a cynical teenager. If I were to watch it today (and mind you, I might have seen it maybe one more time since the show went off the air), I'd probably feel more glad that, at the very least, Tony and Angela were together at the end and happy. Nevertheless, I feel as if the whole point of the series was to follow these two, very different people on the oft-rocky road to romance and, ultimately, to the altar. I mean, it's a conceit (of romantic comedies) that goes back to Shakespeare, and maybe even beyond. To give anything short of that, IMO...well, it just feels a little...unfinished.

Boy, if you think I'm being too hard on WTB?, just imagine how I feel about Sam and Diane and the end of "Cheers," lol.

Edited April 3, 201411 yr by Khan

I still can't believe Kim Field's airtime didn't suffer the minute her bosom took on a life of its own.

I'm surprised they didn't take advantage of the fact by having her design a bra line. Imagine: "Tootie's Tooties! Only at Over Our Heads!"

Edited April 3, 201411 yr by Khan

I'm not a huge fan of the Roseanne finale. It was just too depressing and very creepy to basically be told that everything was a lie while we have the character we've come to know and love laughing in a darkened room. And then that scary Phoebe Snow version of the vocal theme song...just creepy all around! I wish they would have stuck with the original premise of the show, because I feel like an ending for that type of show would have been phenomenal.

One of the best series finales of all time, IMO, was actually for Sanford and Son. The bulk of the episode dealt with Fred graduating from night school and finally getting his high school diploma, but that final scene is so understated but packs an enormous punch. Fred and Lamont are in the living room, and Lamont's telling Fred how proud he is. He asks if it would be okay to tell him that he loves him, but Fred says that adults shouldn't be so mushy. They each sneak the phrase into the conversation before agreeing that they'll never say it. It's getting me emotional just thinking about it.

One of the best series finales of all time, IMO, was actually for Sanford and Son. The bulk of the episode dealt with Fred graduating from night school and finally getting his high school diploma, but that final scene is so understated but packs an enormous punch. Fred and Lamont are in the living room, and Lamont's telling Fred how proud he is. He asks if it would be okay to tell him that he loves him, but Fred says that adults shouldn't be so mushy. They each sneak the phrase into the conversation before agreeing that they'll never say it. It's getting me emotional just thinking about it.

You're right, that IS a nice way to end a series. No major shakeups (Fred and Donna get married! Lamont and Janet announce they're back together! They're selling the junkyard and moving to Kansas City (with everyone in the cast singing "Kansas City" as they march out and Fred turns out the lights in the living room)!), and no flashy concepts (It was all a dream! It's the future and Fred is dead!). Just father and son sharing a tender, understated moment of affection.

Edited April 3, 201411 yr by Khan

Speaking of Black-coms: I'm sure plenty will disagree, but I feel as if the last episode of "Good Times" was a case of piling on too many happy endings. Don't get me wrong, I feel it was important to show the Evanses finally "movin' on up" out of the ghetto. You wouldn't want to send away fans for the last time with the feeling that these people will keep "scratchin' and survivin'" until they're all dead. But -- BOOM! -- Willona is made head buyer at the boutique (something that already happened once on the series, but anyways) -- BOOM! -- J.J. lands a deal for his own comic book -- BOOM! -- Keith is back with the Chicago Bears -- BOOM! -- Thelma announces she's pregnant -- BOOM! -- Keith and Thelma are moving into an expensive condo -- BOOM! -- Florida is going with them -- BOOM! -- The new condo is actually above Willona and Penny's new condo -- BOOM! -- Florida and Willona trample over the rest of the clan to give each other a "Girlfriend, we's gonna be neighbors again!" hug -- BOOM! -- Thanks for watching! One good fortune after another, all within 22 minutes, leaving little time for anyone to catch their breath. God is good, y'all, but....

I think the happiest ending would have been if they'd let poor Michael shave that mustache.

You're right, that IS a nice way to end a series. No major shakeups (Fred and Donna get married! Lamont and Janet announce they're back together! They're selling the junkyard and moving to Kansas City (with everyone in the cast singing "Kansas City" as they march out and Fred turns out the lights in the living room)!), and no flashy concepts (It was all a dream! It's the future and Fred is dead!). Just father and son sharing a tender, understated moment of affection.

Yes, it really was the perfect ending for the show (I think I might have said that before in a previous thread lol). The best thing about it was that it wasn't even an "ending." It was a finale in every sense of the word, but life went on, and you could believe that Fred'n'Lamont, Esther'n'Woody, etc. were still cutting up the next day. This was after the era where shows just ended without any fanfare whatsoever and before the era of "OMG we have to do a shocking finale with surprises and shocks and surprises!!!!!!!!" Just genuine endcaps.

Speaking of Black-coms: I'm sure plenty will disagree, but I feel as if the last episode of "Good Times" was a case of piling on too many happy endings. Don't get me wrong, I feel it was important to show the Evanses finally "movin' on up" out of the ghetto. You wouldn't want to send away fans for the last time with the feeling that these people will keep "scratchin' and survivin'" until they're all dead. But -- BOOM! -- Willona is made head buyer at the boutique (something that already happened once on the series, but anyways) -- BOOM! -- J.J. lands a deal for his own comic book -- BOOM! -- Keith is back with the Chicago Bears -- BOOM! -- Thelma announces she's pregnant -- BOOM! -- Keith and Thelma are moving into an expensive condo -- BOOM! -- Florida is going with them -- BOOM! -- The new condo is actually above Willona and Penny's new condo -- BOOM! -- Florida and Willona trample over the rest of the clan to give each other a "Girlfriend, we's gonna be neighbors again!" hug -- BOOM! -- Thanks for watching! One good fortune after another, all within 22 minutes, leaving little time for anyone to catch their breath. God is good, y'all, but....

I love the GT finale, but I totally agree. Flo and Willona still being neighbors was the tipping point for me. Of course, you want them to still be together, but damn! Everything was just too perfect. The first time I saw it, I almost expected James to burst through the door with a "Now, what's all this damn screamin' about?!?!"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LbkT_H9Yss8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UTnZV5nZ-6Y