Television Best TV Finales of All Time?

Wibble

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Yeah, a lot of folks who didn't like that ending likely didn't pay attention during Tony's fishing excursion with Bobby Baccalieri and missed the foreshadowing altogether.
I disagree. The last episode was the worst episode cop-out of all time.
 

11101

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Blackadder. Easy. For a light hearted comedy like that to completely transform in the last 30 seconds or so on such a powerful topic.

The Wire was also very good at highlighting that for everything that went on, nothing ever really changes.
 

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I disagree. The last episode was the worst episode cop-out of all time.
It was foreshadowed half a season prior. Both Sammy the Bull Gravano and Michael Francese both said that the idiom of "You don't see or feel anything coming. It just goes black" is the more accurate mob view on the threat of death. In that respect, David Chase wrote the most mob legitimate ending.

That you don't know if Tony was whacked is the point. It parallels the reality that being whacked in the mob doesn't give you the right to know you've been killed......... It just goes black.

Art doesn't need to provide you an ending. That's why Mona Lisa is on a wall to herself.
 
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I'll reopen the thread just to say ....

The Shield. We've just finished it again. Still amazing after all these years.
just coming into say this. Please there’s loads of love. Watched it all the way through 3 times. Will do so again I’m a few years. Brilliant show.

along with having one of the best endings…

The pilot was phenomenal. Everything in between was also mostly brilliant. Such a high quality show.
 

macheda14

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Defo.

Also The Americans and The Leftovers were pretty much perfect.
Yes yes yes to this. The leftovers was a beautiful beautiful ending. Balled my bloody eyes out. The Americans use of perhaps one of the most cliché songs towards the end was absolutely perfect.
 

Wibble

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It was foreshadowed half a season prior. Both Sammy the Bull Gravano and Michael Francese both said that the idiom of "You don't see or feel anything coming. It just goes black" is the more accurate mob view on the threat of death. In that respect, David Chase wrote the most mob legitimate ending.

That you don't know if Tony was whacked is the point. It parallels the reality that being whacked in the mob doesn't give you the right to know you've been killed......... It just goes black.

Art doesn't need to provide you an ending. That's why Mona Lisa is on a wall to herself.
It was totally out of character for the whole series. I have no problem with an enigmatic end in general but it was jarringly annoying in this context as it felt like they just had no idea how to end it.
 

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this thread is just reminding me how many shows I've been too lazy to bother finishing

Black Adder probably my fave

I have a soft spot for the Seinfeld ending too and I thought BB was satisfying

the thing with Sopranos one is that although I like the ending in retrospect now that I've understood it better, at the time it felt like a let down
 

Wibble

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the thing with Sopranos one is that although I like the ending in retrospect now that I've understood it better, at the time it felt like a let down
I know the explanations but it does nothing to reduce my very low opinion of the ending. The last series wasn't anywhere near the quality of what came before but the finale fell off a cliff for me.
 

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Sopranos ending was perfect, I knew @Wibble would be in here criticising it :lol:

Also agree with The Wire and Mr. Robot. The final season of The Wire was a level down from the previous four (although still better than 99% of other tv) but the finale was brilliant.

I’m rewatching Mr. Robot at the moment, it’s such a great show.
 

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The Wire and The Leftovers were great though I understand if you dislike the latter.
 

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It’s The Sopranos and it isn’t even a contest.
 

Rooney in Paris

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The Wire
The West Wing (last 2 seasons were a great build up towards a very good finale)
The Shield (that final shot...)
The Leftovers
Veep
The Thick of it
Mad Men

I thought Schitt's Creek hit the spot well, and Friends was also good for what it was.

I actually didn't like Parks & Rec's finale (lazy cop out writing for me), and while The Office final episode was ok, it was bogged down by 2 seasons of mediocrity and poor plot points.
 

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The Good Place totally nailed the perfect finale
 

Giggsy PO

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I'll reopen the thread just to say ....

The Shield. We've just finished it again. Still amazing after all these years.
Mate, that is good news. I have always planned to rewatch it "someday". But at the same time I was worried that it aged badly and my memories will suffer :).

I will definitely give it go soon.
 

Wibble

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Time - only a 3 episode mini-series but excellent performances and very well ended. Sean Bean is utterly brilliant and Stephen Graham not far behind.
 

Paxi

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The Wire - ended great imo, a lot of closure for characters.
Took 49 replies. Was about to tag @Rado_N about nae cnut saying it.

Seriously, The Wire ending was perfect, just like the beginning.
The Sopranos is good and by God I love it but there has not been a masterpiece like the wire. It is simply amazing.
 

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Mate, that is good news. I have always planned to rewatch it "someday". But at the same time I was worried that it aged badly and my memories will suffer :).

I will definitely give it go soon.
The production has maybe aged a little but the excellence of the character and writing, coupled with the sheer pace the show keeps up over 7 series meant I enjoyed it just as much. Mrs Volumiza had never seen it but she now rates it as one of her all time favourites so get on it, you wont regret it.
 

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I did and loved it, apart from season 3 with THE WORST IRISH ACCENTS in tv or movie history, why they couldnt just cast irish actors Ill never know.
Ironically I think the worst offender on that show was the fella that actually was irish, he was so bad I looked him up I couldn't believe it, I can only assume the director made them ham it up more for an American audience.

On the original question;

I think Fringe is probably the ending I liked the most, usually hate them (endings) to some degree, The Leftovers was good but mad me feel sad, but then so did 90% of the that show.

Other than that endings are usually disappointing as there is no more story and it's all over, I prefer to quit the show by losing interest on where it's going, rather than still wanting to know what happens next.
 
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Havak

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After looking at this thread a few weeks back, I watched Mr. Robot and my missus has been leaving The Big Bang Theory on in the background whilst she/we did other things.

Can now confirm that both of these shows finales are very satisfying and well done. I also think the Big Bang Theory isn't as bad as I remembered it being (I liked it when it first aired for a while but felt it got weak as time went by). Having seen a large majority of it again and the ending, I think it's good and the ending in particular is close to perfect (I also assume it was a little rushed due to contract disputes, but maybe this helped as they'd have dragged it on for years more otherwise).

Breaking Bad is still the king, though.