The Shield's finale imo. Real gut punch.

I was not aware that BS:G's finale didn't go over well. Definitely had no idea it was up there with something like GOT.

Absolutely but Dexter was another one of those shows that started strong and got progressively worse with each season ultimately ending in a shitshow.

Nobody does this better than Showtime!

Interestingly, upon investigation today on the best finale's ever, Battlestar did get a #1 on one list, and top 10 in others, even if it did not sit well with so many fans!!! The problem with the narrative in Battlestar - and I couldn't care less -, is that they built up expectations so SKY FRACKING HIGH with those dreamy premonition visions, for an epic ending. A bit of a letdown, as even if the ending did turn out in fact to be very good, it just couldn't meet the build up hype for a lot of folks.

That makes sense, thanks for looking it up.

Sopranos ending did make multiple lists as well for best finale ever, so those lists do like polarizing endings!!!

Any long TV series is not going to be planned out from the beginning. Each season will have an arc, sure.

BSG, Lost, And GoT are fantastic series...with some disappointment in the endings. So what? Still great shows.

The Sopranos is a perfect ending.

The Sopranos ending may have been divisive at the time, but I don't think anybody sees it as anything but brilliant nowadays.

Dexter was an entertaining show that was also ridiculous and funny. The ending was so silly that I don't really think about it as part of the show.

The season with John Lithgow was brilliant, tho.

Speaking of Dexter, it looks like the prequel spinoff is in the works, and will take place 15 years before the original.

Patrick Gibson (?) - Dexter
Molly Brown (?) - Deb
Christian Slater - Harry

Really hard for me to imagine anyone other than Michael C. Hall as Dexter, but I'll still give it a try when it comes out. Also not nearly as bad as the ugly Hemsworth replacing Henry Cavill in the Witcher.

Disappointment is an understatement for GOT. So much build up for the night king, 'winter is coming' for 8 seasons / 10 years from the very first episode to end with those stinkers? Ruined the whole show for me. The whole last season was terrible.

Its different with a show like Dexter. Awful series finale ofcourse, but each season has a very contained arc, so i can still enjoy them on a rewatch.

Speaking of series finales, im gonna have to mention Spartacus to. They absolutely nailed that ending

For my money the best series final episodes were The Wire and Six Feet Under. They both nailed it absolutely perfectly. Both series were tired by the end but they hit home runs on the finales.

I think The Sopranos ended perfectly. But after teaching film and literature for a long time, I find students hate open-ended films and stories. They mostly all like City Lights but want to know what happens after the final shot. Same with open-ended short stories.

Chekhov's story "The Lady with the Dog" ends with this:

"And it seemed as though in a little while the solution would be found, and then a new and splendid life would begin; and it was clear to both of them that they had still a long, long road before them, and that the most complicated and difficult part of it was only just beginning."

Students hate that ending. They prefer the happily ever after ending instead of the lady or the tiger kind of story.



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Yeah. Chekov was an absolute master of the short story vignette.

Talking of endings I saw Remains Of The Day for the first time last night, and found it pretty good overall, if a little shaky in places.

John, I'm slowly getting my students to accept more open-ended stories and movies. I think they enjoy discovering new stuff (to them.)

100% agree. And I guestimate that The Sopranos ending actually helped integrate into acceptance with the general audience open-ended finales. And perhaps many that criticized it at the time, have since warmed up to it. It was nonetheless polarizing at the time though.

+1 to the Sopranos ending. Maybe naysayers wanted a more typical gangster shootout scene with a clear conclusion.

The Leftovers is probably my favorite finale.

Mine too.

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Just found out Pat Sajak is retiring from Wheel of Fortune and his last episode will be on June 7th.

End of an era.

And thus will begin the Ryan Seacrest era.

Nooooooooo........

For better or worse, already done. This was all announced at the end of the last season. Old news.

really? Pat Sajek is an "era?"