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

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?!?!"

Nowadays, that's exactly how the series would end. Florida and Willona hug, James bursts through the door, he hollers, Florida "snaps out of it" and realizes the past several years have been nothing more than a daydream. And there's J.J., sitting at the kitchen table, giving "Thalma" hell for her oatmeal.

DEAD at "Thalma."

It would be "the last three years have been a dream!!" with Penny and Keith chilling in the background.

For me bad series finales also involve TPTB being angry or furious about being canceled, and prioritizing that over the fans.

I already said this but I was enraged over the season 5 finale of St. Elsewhere, when Tom Fontana and John Masius were just about 100% sure the show was canceled. They gave Auschlander dementia and had him trapped in the hospital as it was blown up for demolition by the city.

I didn't even like Aushclander very much, but he was a touchstone for viewers, so to treat him that way and the hospital that way, out of spite, truly hurt me as a fan.

The final season was not perfect, or even close, but it had far more heart and less bitterness and less callous "humor" than most of that fifth season. I'm glad that Fontana and Masius had moved to other projects for most of that last season.

Edited April 3, 201411 yr by DRW50

How did W & G end? I can't imagine it was great as the final seasons were abysmal!

It was one of those fast-foward to the future finales set in 2030, I think. Did definitely not create any lasting memory with me. LOL

It was one of those fast-foward to the future finales set in 2030, I think. Did definitely not create any lasting memory with me. LOL

Yeah, and apparently Will and Grace haven't been talking for years - because that's exactly what every fan that watched the show for 8 years wants to happen.

How about The Colby's and the alien abduction nonsense?

Edited April 3, 201411 yr by Cheap21

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.

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?!?!"

I just HOLLERED at that last sentence about James!

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 recall Will & Grace ended with them reconnecting after 20 years (!!!) apart. Which is insane and I can't imagine any fan of the show was happy with it.

I didn't absolutely hate the finale of Desperate Housewives but the idea that all of them moved off the street depressed me. And Bree became a congresswoman? I'm sorry but no, that is not who she is at all. And she married a guy that we met 3 episodes before the end and that she barely knew? Come on!

And the stupid visual of every dead person ever standing on the street in white while Susan drove away to her uncertain future (after spending the last part of the season mourning her dead husband) should have been scrapped as soon as they knew Nicolette Sheridan was never coming back.

How about The Colby's and the alien abduction nonsense?

Oh, Lord. Didn't DYNASTY attempt to pick up that thread the next season with Fallon attending "UFO Survivor" group therapy sessions? I seriously doubt there was any way to resolve that particular storyline without the whole thing delving into "X-Files" territory.

I didn't absolutely hate the finale of Desperate Housewives but the idea that all of them moved off the street depressed me. And Bree became a congresswoman? I'm sorry but no, that is not who she is at all. And she married a guy that we met 3 episodes before the end and that she barely knew? Come on!

And the stupid visual of every dead person ever standing on the street in white while Susan drove away to her uncertain future (after spending the last part of the season mourning her dead husband) should have been scrapped as soon as they knew Nicolette Sheridan was never coming back.

Funny you brought it up, because earlier I was on the brink of saying that sometimes series which lost all their steam and appeal during later seasons manage to come up with THE most fitting and perfect series finales. Marc Cherry was back for the finale and so was the darker tone and satyre of DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES: The women moved away and overcame suburbia, next to Mary-Alice we had all (well - besides Edie, booo!) the other dead looming over Wysteria Lane and waving them goodbye.

This was closure - and very well done. Not my favorite finale ever but still very good.

iCarly had an absolutely awful finale

Oh, Lord. Didn't DYNASTY attempt to pick up that thread the next season with Fallon attending "UFO Survivor" group therapy sessions? I seriously doubt there was any way to resolve that particular storyline without the whole thing delving into "X-Files" territory.

Yes they did for like 3 episodes and then they dropped it

Speaking of Black TV shows, does New York Undercover's shitatastic final season count as one of the worst series finales of all time? (Or is this my 17 year old bitterness over them killing Torres off talking here?)

Edited April 4, 201411 yr by VirginiaHamilton