Hey, you may have heard, but Succession is ending this week. (And so are Barry and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, by the way.) To mark the occasion, we’re looking at the very idea of TV finales themselves this week: how to get them right, how to pick the perfect song for them, and why they may matter less in the streaming era. And naturally, we’re ranking them. Check back all week to help us celebrate—we like to think of it more like an Irish wake than a funeral.
You spend entire seasons of TV getting to know them—hours upon hours of your life growing close to fictional people who have won you over, disappointed you, betrayed you, or maybe even taught you a little something about yourself. So when the screen cuts to black and the credits roll for the final time, it’s an emotional experience. This micro-phase of your life is now over, and you have no choice but to move on.
Which is why so much hinges on whether a show can satisfyingly—or even competently—wrap up its story. All finales are inherently somber, but the good ones send you off with a feeling of closure, discovery, or satisfaction from lessons hard learned, while the bad ones have the power to sully even the fondest memories of a TV show—to make you feel like all those hours of watching were wasted.
With the series finales of a handful of impactful shows—Succession, Barry, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, and maybe even Ted Lasso—coming up, The Ringer decided to delve into the fickle world of series finales and determine which ones from the 21st century truly stand above the rest. It wasn’t an easy task. Many bad feelings were dredged up in the process. We all had to recall that Bran was declared the king of Westeros. But after we got past that, we were able to remember the finales that resonated—the ones that left us in tears, in shock, or simply with that somewhat indescribable, somewhat mystical feeling of time well spent.
Before we get to the actual list, there were a few crucial rules we had to settle on—TV is getting closer and closer to erasing the traditional definition of what makes a television series, leaving us to establish the boundaries instead. So, to sum it up:
1. Only series finales that aired in the 21st century were considered. We mean no disrespect to M*A*S*H.
2. The finales of limited series were not eligible. There is, of course, an art to ending a miniseries, but it’s a slightly different one than closing a series that’s run for multiple seasons. [Robert Durst’s burping from The Jinx intensifies.]
2a. That said, limited series that then became regular series were eligible to be included.
2b. As you’ll see, we also let in series that, for whatever reason, aired for only one season. Some shows became spiritual limited series due to market forces (read: bad decision-making by network executives), and we chose not to punish those shows for that.
3. Because of the IP-obsessed world we live in, there are some shows that have more recently risen from the dead, thereby calling into question the finality of their original endings. Arrested Development was resurrected by Netflix; sometime later this year, Justified’s Raylan Givens will return to TV screens. In such situations, we chose to treat the original finales as just that: finales.
4. There are many shows, like Doctor Who, that have been on so long that there are distinct phases within them, with distinct beginnings and endings, and one could argue that those endings could be treated like series finales. We, however, would not argue that. Our apologies to Doctor Who; congratulations on being on TV since the beginning of time.
5. Some shows have had a series finale that stretched over the course of multiple episodes. In those cases, the episodes were considered one big series finale and were judged accordingly.
6. This ranking was made with pure quality in mind rather than more commercial factors like audience size or impact. That’s why you won’t be seeing Dexter or Game of Thrones on this list. Those finales were terrible, and including them would invalidate the entire project.
All right, let’s get to the ra—[screen abruptly cuts to black].
40. “Tell Him Something Pretty,” Deadwood
Why is this one of the best series finales of the 21st century?
Because the show was abruptly canceled after its third season, one of the most compelling aspects of Deadwood’s series finale is how deeply unsatisfying it is. For all the brutality and beauty contained in the final image of Al Swearengen scrubbing the blood of an innocent woman off the floor of his brothel, this episode doesn’t deliver a definitive judgment on the world David Milch created.
What is the most iconic moment/quote of this series finale?
Both the show’s hero, Seth Bullock, and its antagonist, Al Swearengen, were abruptly cut off in the middle of their arcs, and this episode finds Seth, having bloodied his hands and darkened his conscience to protect his closest friend and his town, in the grips of a moral crisis. “I did fucking nothing,” Seth says. “That’s often a tough one, in aid of the larger purpose,” Charlie responds. Seth concludes with, “Which is laying head to pillow, not confusing yourself with a sucker?” before saying he doesn’t think he’ll be able to sleep soundly any time soon.
How did this series finale affect the overall legacy of its show?
Deadwood was never HBO’s most popular show, but its cancellation had everything to do with the behind-the-scenes conflict between the network and the show’s coproducer, Paramount. So perhaps if Milch had crafted a Season 3 finale that felt more dramatically conclusive—like the Season 1 finale, in which Bullock declares, “I’ll be the fuckin’ sheriff”—the show wouldn’t have lingered as stubbornly in the cultural conversation. This frustratingly incomplete finale left a deep itch in the audience that wouldn’t be scratched until HBO gave Deadwood the revival treatment in 2019. —Joanna Robinson
39. “Season 22, Episode 151,” Late Show With David Letterman
Why is this one of the best series finales of the 21st century?
After 22 seasons as the king of late night, David Letterman hanging up his jacket and tie for good became an event. With almost 14 million viewers and a number of A-listers on hand, the Late Show With David Letterman received a fitting send-off.
What is the best needle drop in this series finale?
Foo Fighters hitting the stage to perform Letterman’s favorite song, “Everlong.” Need I say more?
What is the most iconic moment/quote of this series finale?
President Barack Obama saying, “Our long, national nightmare is over; Letterman is retiring.” Obama followed two Bushes and a Clinton (and an archival Ford), and when Letterman actually popped up next to Obama to ask if he was joking, Obama’s shrug said it all. This was how the show started, and in true Letterman fashion, the late-night icon allowed many to throw shots at him, taking it all in stride. —khal
38. “Happy Ending,” Schitt’s Creek
Why is this one of the best series finales of the 21st century?
It’s one of the few happy endings to feature a happy ending. As in, the sensual-massage kind.
What is the most iconic moment/quote of this series finale?
When Moira—wearing a “Viking pope” outfit conceived by Catherine O’Hara and featuring her hair wrapped around the headpiece—proclaims, “Our lives are like little bébé crows, carried upon a curious wind.” Why this was iconic seems self-explanatory.
What is the best behind-the-scenes anecdote about this series finale?
Daniel Levy wrote the finale in “like three hours,” and for the first time in the history of the series, there were “no notes” after the table read. “Nothing had come so easily,” Levy said, which one could also say about David’s massage. —Ben Lindbergh
37. “Goodnight, Seattle,” Frasier
Why is this one of the best series finales of the 21st century?
There’s an awesome sleight of hand with this two-part finale. The story contained in this last Frasier episode gives you all of the chances to say goodbye to these characters while giving you a beautiful twist at the end.
What is the most iconic moment/quote of this series finale?
Frasier quoting a portion of Alfred, Lord Tennyson’s “Ulysses” was so nice they let him do it twice. He recited it both at his going-away party and as part of his final radio broadcast. The key to the message Frasier takes from it—real living is the opposite of complacency—is that it fits both what he seemingly plans on doing (moving to San Francisco to start a new job) and what he is actually doing (moving to Chicago to be with Charlotte). —khal
36. “Latching,” Girls
Why is this one of the best series finales of the 21st century?
The ending of Girls, really, took place over three episodes—which may be cheating to point out, but series creator Lena Dunham always defiantly did things her way. Audiences first said goodbye to Adam and then Shoshanna and Jessa, which left the true finale as something akin to a four-hander between Hannah, Hannah’s mom, Marnie, and Hannah’s new baby. The show boldly confronted its harshest critics by revealing Hannah’s self-centeredness and immaturity as features, not bugs, in a story about a young woman who finally, finally learns how to grow up.
What is the most iconic moment/quote of this series finale?
It’s perhaps also cheating to pull the most iconic quote of the ending of Girls from its penultimate episode, “Goodbye Tour,” but nothing beats Shoshanna calling out her friends. “We can’t hang out together anymore because we cannot be in the same room without one of us making it completely and entirely about ourselves. In this instance in particular, it happens to be Hannah, who has decided to crash my engagement party by showing up dressed like a member of the Teen Mom cast. … I have come to realize how exhausting and narcissistic and ultimately boring this whole dynamic is. And I finally feel brave enough to create some distance for myself,” she says of what is, essentially, the show’s premise.
Who is the MVP of this series finale?
The MVP of this series finale is Dunham herself. In perhaps her last act as a creator willing to engage meaningfully with critiques of her art, she displayed new depths of self-awareness in focusing the final hour of her show on the limits of Hannah’s millennial brand of narcissism and failure to launch. “I know,” her final episodes seem to say as she turns the show’s greatest weaknesses into masterful storytelling. Real voice-of-a-generation stuff. —Robinson
35. “Episode 6,” Catastrophe
Why is this one of the best series finales of the 21st century?
It perfectly summed up Sharon and Rob’s passionate, volatile, and ultimately loving relationship while sending the couple off in a completely new direction.
What is the most iconic moment/quote of this series finale?
Rob and Sharon, who’ve learned that they’re expecting a third child, ignore riptide warning signs and take a swim deep into the ocean. They kiss and then realize it’s a long way back to the beach. It’s the perfect metaphor for their marriage: a dangerous adventure they can only get through together.
How did this series finale affect the overall legacy of its show?
Catastrophe always toed the line between bleak and uplifting—“Will Rob and Sharon make it?” seemed to be an open question—but the slightly ambiguous ending struck me as optimistic. It made me think that they would be OK. —Alan Siegel
34. “Engram Pattersky,” New Girl
Why is this one of the best series finales of the 21st century?
Y’all ever seen a series finale end with a twist? Prank Sinatra, baby!
How did this series finale affect the overall legacy of its show?
We cannot forget that, at the time, it really seemed like Season 6 would be New Girl’s last. So any moment in Season 7, even if it wasn’t perfect, was a precious gift for the truest loft-heads. The Season 6 finale that finally reunited Nick and Jess romantically could have easily held up as a series finale, but then we never would have had Nick and Jess getting hospital married in Season 7. We wouldn’t have had the three-year time jump that brought us Winston secretly naming his baby boy “Dan Bill Bishop” or Nick’s antagonistic relationship with Schmidt and CeCe’s daughter, Ruth, or Schmidt exclaiming, “A white man! No!” It’s hard to end a 30-minute comedy meaningfully, but New Girl did it in the way that meant the most to its characters: just hanging out in their loft, acting like idiots, playing True American: Moving Edition, and getting pranked (see below).
What is the most iconic moment/quote of this series finale?
It is, of course, the final reveal that Nick and Jess weren’t evicted from the roommates’ iconic loft but had, in fact, been duped by Winnie the Bish himself. King of the C plot, Winston just got weirder and weirder throughout New Girl’s seven-season run, and it was only fitting that the full-circle moment of Jess moving out of the loft that she moved into in the series premiere was spiked with perhaps New Girl’s most consistent source of joy: Winston’s inability to gauge an appropriate prank. He spent six months building the evicting business’s website, had an office space locked down that no one ever bothered to visit, employed multiple favorite recurring guest stars to help him avoid notice by the other loft-mates, and tricked his friends into moving for no real reason. Some may say Prank Sinatra took it too far once again—but I say ending New Girl with a prank, not a group hug, was just right. —Jodi Walker
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33. “Development Arrested,” Arrested Development
Why is this one of the best series finales of the 21st century?
One of the defining sitcoms of the 2000s gets a proper full-circle send-off, with Michael choosing himself over his shipwreck of a family and Lucille hauling ass on the Queen Mary in an attempt to evade SEC boats.
In retrospect, how did this series finale change television as a whole?
The elephant in the room on this entry: Arrested Development was rebooted on Netflix seven years after “Development Arrested,” kicking off a long line of cult-classic do-overs in the streaming era. (You’ll notice Dexter’s original finale is absent from this list. Maybe New Blood’s will crack the next version.) We’re choosing to ignore Arrested Development’s final two seasons—Season 4 was so polarizing it had to be “remixed” in 2018, while 5 was downright sad—but it’s remarkable that a perverse send-up of soap operas could become IP.
Who is the MVP of this series finale?
The answer for any episode of Arrested Development will always be the great Jessica Walters, but here, she gets it for her reading of “You boys know how to shovel coal?” alone, if not for a dozen other moments. —Justin Sayles
32. “May God Bless and Keep You Always,” Parenthood
Why is this one of the best series finales of the 21st century?
It’s not every show that can stay true to itself down to the very end, but the Parenthood finale did what it needed to do: With a wedding, a funeral, a baby, and even more babies, it showcased the Bravermans as the loving, complicated family we’d grown to love over six seasons. And it made me weep so uncontrollably that I thought my tear ducts may never recover—eight years later, I’m not fully confident they have, and even thinking about said finale, I run the risk of further injury.
In retrospect, how did this series finale change television as a whole?
The Parenthood finale showed that if you’ve laid the foundation of your series well enough, you really can just … give the people everything they want. Hell, you can even give it to them in the last five minutes. I simply dare you not to weep in sadness, joy, and gratitude at Bonnie Bedelia’s small gasp when she discovers Zeek has passed away in his favorite chair after spending the episode telling his children how proud he is of them (and that Sarah is his favorite, duh). The subsequent montage features a family baseball game in Zeek’s memory and flash-forwards to each and every Braverman living out their dreams and formerly baby Bravermans having even babier Bravermans. Amber even marries Jason Street, and if you’re a true Jason Katims Head, that one might just make you cry the hardest. It’s sappy, and it’s sweet, but Parenthood was never a show that just made us cry—it was a show that earned our sobs. And this was a finale that knew that the last moments are the ones that truly work overtime.
What is the best needle drop in this series finale?
Oh, and that last-five-minutes sobfest? It’s set to a folksy cover of “Forever Young,” of course: the series’ theme song that started it all. Parenthood did some of its best work without any dialogue at all because we didn’t always have to know what the Bravermans were saying—we knew what they were thinking because the show let us know them that well. Titling the finale “May God Bless and Keep You Always” and taking its final bow with “Forever Young” was a simple but perfect button on a truly full-circle series. —Walker
31. “An American Girl in Paris,” Sex and the City
Why is this one of the best series finales of the 21st century?
“You’re the loves of her life,” Mr. Johnny Big tells Carrie Bradshaw’s three best friends near the end of the first half of Sex and the City’s globe-trotting two-part finale. Over the course of 94 episodes, including and especially in its last episodes, the show never wavered from that truth.
What is the most iconic moment/quote of this series finale?
The sequence of events in which Carrie straight up ghosts her sweet French fans in order to accompany Aleksandr Petrovsky to a gallery—only for him to immediately ignore her to bask in the praise of fans of his own—was a grueling and clarifying watch.
What is the best behind-the-scenes anecdote about this series finale?
Showrunner Darren Star, who was no longer creatively involved in the writing by the finale, later said that he felt the ending of the show “betrayed what it was about” by not having any of its main characters end up single and lovin’ it. —Katie Baker
30. “Discos and Dragons,” Freaks and Geeks
Why is this one of the best series finales of the 21st century?
The last episode of Freaks and Geeks isn’t that much better than the median episode of Freaks and Geeks—which, given how great the median Freaks and Geeks episode is, makes it a fantastic finale. The fact that Freaks had a heartfelt, fitting ending—and that so many members of the Paul Feig–Judd Apatow production went on to do wonderful work—slightly eases the sting of this series probably being the best ever not to get a second season.
What is the best needle drop in this series finale?
A liberated Lindsay dancing the day away in her bedroom as she listens to American Beauty for the first time isn’t just one of my favorite needle drops ever—it’s one of my favorite TV scenes, period, upstaging the almost-as-memorable use of “Ripple” at the end of the episode. The “Box of Rain” scene in “Discos and Dragons,” along with an earlier episode showing latchkey kid Bill communing with Garry Shandling on TV to the strains of the Who’s “I’m One,” are perceptive, poignant depictions of how art can connect people (and keep them company) even when they’re alone. That’s true of art like American Beauty, but it’s also true of art like Freaks and Geeks—a show that’s all about bridging gaps, as evidenced by Daniel’s triumphant D&D debut as “Carlos the Dwarf” in the finale.
What is the best behind-the-scenes anecdote about this series finale?
Feig and Apatow made “Discos and Dragons” while they were still in the middle of production for the season because they sensed that the show was going to get canceled and wanted to make sure that they had their final statement in the can. Their foresight didn’t save Freaks and Geeks, but it did save the series from ending more abruptly. Because the last few episodes were produced and/or aired out of chronological order, though, they’re still sometimes displayed that way, so make sure you stream responsibly. —Lindbergh
29. “Hello, Elliot,” Mr. Robot
Why is this one of the best series finales of the 21st century?
In its final moments, Mr. Robot delivered one last game-changing twist for the audience, which underlined that the show had much more on its mind than dismantling modern capitalism through nail-biting hacking sequences.
How did this series finale affect the overall legacy of its show?
Well, let’s address that twist: The Elliot we’d seen throughout Mr. Robot, the man whose wardrobe apparently consists of a single black hoodie, wasn’t the “real” Elliot. The protagonist of the series was actually the Mastermind: another persona created from Elliot’s deep-seated trauma. The Mastermind was tasked with fixing society by any means necessary—hence all the hacking—while the real Elliot existed in an illusory world within his own mind. It’s rare that a series throws out a twist in its finale that can make the viewer reconsider everything that preceded it, but if any show could pull it off, it had to be Mr. Robot.
Who is the MVP of this series finale?
Sam Esmail might be the creative mastermind of Mr. Robot—he directed every episode of the second, third, and fourth seasons—but the show’s complex narrative architecture would’ve fallen apart without a compelling actor to anchor it all. In Rami Malek, who would win an Emmy for his work in the first season, Mr. Robot had a performer who could embody the many personas within Elliot’s headspace, up to and including the one in the show’s final reveal. I can’t, in good conscience, defend Malek’s bizarre performance (and prosthetic teeth) as Freddie Mercury in Bohemian Rhapsody, but for anyone who doubts his capabilities as an actor, look no further than his work throughout Mr. Robot, which belongs in the pantheon of great TV performances of this century. —Miles Surrey
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28. “Tomorrow,” The West Wing
Why is this one of the best series finales of the 21st century?
The West Wing finale seemed determined to give viewers one last, perfect moment with all the characters they grew to love over the years, from C.J. to Josh to Charlie to (duh) Jed Bartlet, and to reassure them once again that the American system of governance works because the people in it are fundamentally good and decent and care about the country and its people above all else. The gears of democracy grind on, with new faces taking the places of old ones (figuratively and literally, as the White House staffers remove Bartlet’s portrait and replace it with Matthew Santos’s), but the mission remains the same. And damn it, it worked for me! What’s next?
What is the most iconic moment/quote of this series finale?
I’m tempted to say the shot of Aaron Sorkin, who left the show after Season 4, playing an honored guest on the dais at the inauguration (quite a flex). But instead, I have to give it to the new first lady telling her husband a bawdy story right before he’s sworn in as the next president. Way to keep it real, Mrs. Santos (Teri Polo).
Who is the MVP of this series finale?
Is it too corny to say “democracy”? It is, right? OK, then C.J. She walks out of the White House for the last time, is immediately approached by a couple of tourists who saw her leave and want to know if she works at the White House, and rather than get into “Well, I did …” like many of us might in that situation, she just says, “No. No, I’m sorry, I don’t.” And she goes on with her (new) life. —Jack McCluskey
27. “Ten of Swords,” Halt and Catch Fire
Why is this one of the best series finales of the 21st century?
Halt and Catch Fire began with characters who hoped to find fulfillment in their lives through their work; by the end of the series, what really mattered were the relationships they made along the way.
What is the best needle drop in this series finale?
Not many shows could justify using a song as iconic (and ubiquitous) as Peter Gabriel’s “Solsbury Hill,” but Halt and Catch Fire makes it count. In the final scene of the series, we see Lee Pace’s Joe MacMillan return to Armonk, New York, and the audience initially assumes he’s back working at IBM. Instead, Joe is teaching humanities, and he repeats his first line from the show’s pilot before the credits roll: “Let me start by asking a question.” The new academic setting, coupled with “Solsbury Hill” playing throughout the scene, underscores that Joe is finally ready to let go of the past and embrace the next chapter of his life. We still need to place a moratorium on shows and movies using “Solsbury Hill,” but it’s a fitting needle drop all the same.
What is the most iconic moment/quote of this series finale?
“I have an idea.”
It’s the last line of dialogue in the series for Donna, who has spent much of Halt and Catch Fire’s final stretch both at odds with her former business partner, Cameron, and disillusioned by the entrepreneurial process in Silicon Valley. The viewer never finds out what Donna’s idea is, because that’s not the point. What really matters is that she’s got the creative spark back in her life and wants to share that experience with Cameron despite the many setbacks they’ve already dealt with. It’s a lovely end for both characters on the show: ambiguous and optimistic in equal measure. —Surrey
26. “The End,” Lost
Why is this one of the best series finales of the 21st century?
“The End” ties everyone together—though, crucially, not everything—in a final chapter that finds beauty at the end of all of Lost’s confounding chaos. The series was a cultural phenomenon in the 2000s, and though its finale leaves a lot of loose ends, the episode gives the show’s beloved characters a proper goodbye while culminating with its main theme of science vs. faith.
What is the most iconic moment/quote of this series finale?
That it ended the way the series began: by focusing on Jack Shephard’s eye as he lies in a bamboo grove, with a Labrador retriever nearby (and a lot of questions for the viewers at home). Except, in this instance, rather than Jack’s eye opening, as it did when he awoke after the plane crash in the pilot, the good doctor’s eye closes in the finale’s final moments as he moves on to the afterlife. Even though things got a little messy for Lost in the seasons between these bookend moments, this closing shot serves as a fitting and poetic conclusion.
How did this series finale affect the overall legacy of its show?
This is a rather loaded question when it comes to Lost, as its series finale was about as divisive as it gets for any show’s conclusion. At the time that “The End” aired in May 2010, many fans were famously baffled by the events that transpired in the 104-minute episode, as an overwhelming number of questions—accumulated over six seasons of mystery—remained unanswered by the end of it. Between all the flashbacks, flash-forwards, and flash-sideways, along with the time travel, the numbers, and the Smoke Monster of it all, Lost bit off more than it could chew.
And yet the series finale still lands on an emotional level as Jack and his fellow survivors of Oceanic Airlines Flight 815 reconnect with one another at the end of their journeys. The show’s questions and the theories those questions generated may have been more interesting than the answers often were, but “The End” succeeds in its ability to remind the audience that the show’s characters were the real reason why so many viewers fell in love with it in the first place. —Daniel Chin
25. “Sozin’s Comet,” Avatar: The Last Airbender
Why is this one of the best series finales of the 21st century?
Because it pulled off the especially unique challenge of satisfying viewers across age ranges. By having pacifist Aang not kill Fire Lord Ozai but instead take away his firebending, the show made an ingenious choice that not only made broadcasting sense, but also, more important, made dramatic sense.
What is the most iconic moment/quote of this series finale?
Aang’s final face-off against Ozai. In a gorgeously rendered scene, Aang uses energybending to rob Ozai of his literal firepower, effectively ending the 100-year war and bringing balance to the four elements at last. It’s a spectacular, colorful use of animation that hammers home how transcendent the series is.
How did this series finale affect the overall legacy of its show?
The epic four-part finale cemented Avatar as not just one of the best animated shows of the 21st century, but also one of the best shows, period. In 92 minutes, just as throughout the whole series, the viewer grapples with themes of war, genocide, totalitarianism, spirituality, and the nature of free will. Hardly stuff you’d describe as “children’s entertainment”! —Aric Jenkins
24. “Hogcock!/Last Lunch,” 30 Rock
Why is this one of the best series finales of the 21st century?
30 Rock thrived on rapid-fire jokes and oddball, barely human characters, and its two-part finale didn’t disappoint in either respect: As Liz says, “This last episode is gonna be a hot mess.” But “Last Lunch,” especially, added a deeply sentimental dimension to its walking caricatures, who found time to acknowledge their love for one another between absurd punch lines and throwaway gags.
What is the most iconic moment/quote of this series finale?
Kenneth spoke for every New Yorker when he wondered where all the baby pigeons are—in their nests, I guess?—but Jenna’s fully committed delivery of a tongue-twisting number from Rural Juror stole the show (and, despite Jane Krakowski’s over-the-top tears-in-her-eyes rendition, didn’t undercut the genuine emotion of Jack and Liz’s last scene).
What is the best behind-the-scenes anecdote about this series finale?
To prepare for the scripting process, Tina Fey and Robert Carlock screened finales from famous sitcoms for the 30 Rock writers room: Cheers, Frasier, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, and … iCarly? Yes, the highly rated 2012 finale of the teen sitcom from Nickelodeon moved Fey to tears, and her admiration for the way it “really let people say goodbye” may have had an influence on “Last Lunch.” Sorry for snubbing you in this ranking, iCarly. —Lindbergh
23. “Nice While It Lasted,” BoJack Horseman
Why is this one of the best series finales of the 21st century?
After the haunting penultimate episode, “The View From Halfway Down,” in which BoJack confronts the key figures in his life who have died as he nears death himself, “Nice While It Lasted” is a quieter, more understated episode to conclude the series. In typical BoJack Horseman style, it subverts the classic Hollywood ending by not giving its self-destructive protagonist either a last chance for redemption or a sympathetic death, but rather an opportunity to move on in life—and that’s more than enough for him.
What is the most iconic moment/quote of this series finale?
“Sometimes life’s a bitch, and then you keep living.” Diane says this to BoJack near the end of a final, poignant conversation that they share while sitting on a roof together in the finale’s last scene. It’s a reply to him casually saying, “Life’s a bitch, and then you die, right?” And her alteration to the adage is a simple yet powerful way to show a distinction in the way they look at life. Diane shares some self-destructive tendencies with BoJack, but she’s learning to change as she works through her own struggles, and maybe BoJack can too.
So much of BoJack’s life throughout the series is a cycle of self-inflicted failures, and many of his friends and loved ones, including Diane, get hurt in the midst of it. But through a sequence of conversations that BoJack shares with the show’s most important supporting characters in “Nice While It Lasted,” we get a chance to see how much they’ve grown—or at least, how much they’re trying to.
What is the best needle drop in this series finale?
“Mr. Blue,” by Catherine Feeny. After BoJack and Diane’s conversation ends, the episode lingers for an almost uncomfortably long time as an awkward silence between them is filled only by the sounds of crickets chirping and the intrusion of this song. “Mr. Blue” starts off with a fittingly somber tone, in both its sound and its lyrics, as BoJack and Diane sit together for what might be the last time before they go their separate ways. As the credits begin to roll, the song livens up with the addition of some drums and a trumpet, potentially signifying the possibility of their relationship healing over time—just as the end of their conversation did. It isn’t clear what the future holds for either of them, and the beauty is in that ambiguity. —Chin
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22. “The Promise,” Justified
Why is this one of the best series finales of the 21st century?
“We dug coal together.”
What is the most iconic moment/quote of this series finale?
Yeah, I’m gonna level with you: I only vaguely remember the other elements of the Justified finale. No idea how that final season’s Sam Elliott villain arc got resolved, no idea how Boyd wound up in prison, no idea what the Gun Hipster’s deal was, no idea what happened to really anyone else. But I remember “We dug coal together” because it’s the best line on any TV show ever made. So there’s that.
How did this series finale affect the overall legacy of its show?
Justified ran six seasons, and the quality famously varied: Season 2 (with Margo Martindale) is generally considered the best, Season 5 (with Michael Rapaport) is universally considered the worst, and the concluding Season 6 is, with apologies to Sam Elliott, nobody’s favorite. But my sense is that “We dug coal together” wipes out all of it; the show jumped, like, 25 spots on the all-time list with that line alone. The finale really matters, man. Four words in the finale can be all that matters. —Rob Harvilla
21. “The Last One,” Friends
Why is this one of the best series finales of the 21st century?
“The Last One” is proof that there’s no sense in messing with a good thing. It hands us heartwarming resolutions on a platter with all the ease and charm that made the show so beloved—saving Ross and Rachel’s dramatic reunion (and a “We were on a break” joke) for the very last beat.
What is the best behind-the-scenes anecdote about this series finale?
In the two weeks it took to film the show’s one-hour finale, Matt LeBlanc was so heartbroken by the prospect of leaving the show that he took up smoking again. “We were so aware that our time together was coming to an end,” he told Vanity Fair in 2012.
Who is the MVP of this series finale?
That would be Phoebe, who managed to haul ass to both JFK and Newark in one night in time for Ross to tell Rachel he loves her. —Alyssa Bereznak
20. “One Last Ride,” Parks and Recreation
Why is this one of the best series finales of the 21st century?
A lot of finales leave viewers wondering what happened to the characters they cared about after the on-screen story stopped (especially when a series ends too soon). “One Last Ride,” which flashes forward to follow almost everyone well beyond Season 7’s time jump, leaves little to the imagination—and although those (admittedly gooey) glimpses of the future satisfied fans’ curiosity, they may have also made them miss the Pawnee Parks and Rec crew even more.
Who is the MVP of this series finale?
Leslie is the one who initiates the flash-forwards by physically touching each character (as her friendship touched them throughout the series). She’s also the one with the scrapbook labeled “Thanks Form the Memories!” But I’ve got to give the honors to Adam Scott’s Ben Wyatt. Maybe I’m just a sucker for Cones of Dunshire content, but Ben dressing up as the Lamplighter from the “punishingly intricate” sequel to Cones—which was, of course, the ninth-highest-selling multiplayer figurine-based strategy fantasy sequel game in history—sticks with me. Ben also puts his political ambitions on the back burner so that Leslie can run for governor of Indiana—and, possibly, use that office as a stepping stone to the White House. And on top of being a brilliant game designer, a congressman, and a selfless, supportive spouse, Ben also has a tight, compact little body like an Italian sports car.
What is the best behind-the-scenes anecdote about this series finale?
It’s tough to imagine two endings more different in tone than the finales of Parks and Recreation and The Sopranos, but the ambiguity about whether Leslie or Ben becomes president in the “One Last Ride” flash-forward was, per series cocreator and finale cowriter Michael Schur, a “direct line” to the ambiguity of the ending of “Made in America.” —Lindbergh
19. “Daybreak,” Battlestar Galactica
Why is this one of the best series finales of the 21st century?
It’s hard to land a plane that’s been flying for 73 episodes—especially when that plane is a full fleet of the Twelve Colonies’ last human survivors, who are desperately searching for a new home. Somehow, the three-part “Daybreak” pulls it off, wrapping up our heroes’ quest and providing the central cast with emotional closure, all while underscoring the complex spirituality that took Battlestar Galactica from a science fiction rollick to a drama about the nature of humanity.
What is the best needle drop in this series finale?
The closing minutes of “Daybreak” take us 150,000 years into the future. Gaius Baltar and Caprica-Six stroll through modern Manhattan—our Manhattan, here on our Earth. Hera, we learn—the half-human, half-Cylon little girl whom Galactica’s crew spent most of the first two parts of the episode rescuing—is “mitochondrial Eve”: modern mankind’s universal common ancestor. This seems, at first, like the final big reveal, and Baltar and Caprica-Six debate whether this planet’s humans are doomed to recreate the mistakes of their predecessors, which led to the war with the Cylons. Surprisingly, Caprica-Six voices optimism about humanity’s fate this time around: “Law of averages,” she says. “Let a complex system repeat itself long enough, eventually, something surprising might occur.”
A lovely thought and a bow on the finale’s hopeful outlook, and then … Jimi Hendrix’s opening riff in “All Along the Watchtower.” There on a storefront TV that Baltar and Caprica-Six just passed, above the heads of people huddled on the sidewalk who are ignored as they beg for change, is a newscast of a humanoid robot and a chyron reading “advances in robotics.” What follows is a supercut of 2009’s latest and greatest renditions of man-like machines—a stark confirmation that this Earth’s residents are bound to the very same path as the refugees who first colonized the planet. The inequities and cruelties that sealed that society’s destruction are already here. Cylons are coming, too, along with the inevitable abuse, revolt, and war. If they’re very lucky, maybe some earthlings will find themselves off planet when it all kicks off, and they too can band together in a ragtag fleet as they search for a new home—where they will rebuild along the same inexorable fault lines. “None will level on the line,” Hendrix sings. “Nobody offered his word.”
Who is the MVP of this series finale?
How could it be anyone but Kara “Starbuck” Thrace? It’s Starbuck, after all, who guides the fleet to Earth, finally providing the group with its long-sought-after new home and bringing peace to mankind and Cylon-kind at last. Her presence represents the final piece in Battlestar Galactica’s spiritual mythology: She died late in Season 3, only to return, resurrected. Is she an angel sent by the series’ god (as the Cylons believe) or gods (as the humans do)? A group delusion? A Cylon creation? Whatever your interpretation is, she at last finds closure: As Lee gushes about his plan to explore this new home world, she vanishes into thin air—for good. Admiral Adama, at least, wasn’t too concerned with the specifics: “You’re my daughter,” he tells Starbuck when she has a moment of panic about what she is. “Don’t forget it.” —Claire McNear
18. “Whenever You’re Ready,” The Good Place
Why is this one of the best series finales of the 21st century?
“Whenever You’re Ready” did what many people think good series finales should do: give closure to the main characters while putting a proper bow on the story as a whole, delivering exactly what it set out to do from the onset.
How did this series finale affect the overall legacy of its show?
A hallmark of any quality series is knowing how to end. Given the subject matter, The Good Place didn’t cheat its audience. Each character was given closure after their four-season journey without overindulging in corny finale tropes. The Good Place ended as it began.
What is the best behind-the-scenes anecdote about this series finale?
Ted Danson introducing himself to one of the philosophers on set because Danson didn’t recognize him. —khal
17. “All Good Things …,” The Hills
Why is this one of the best series finales of the 21st century?
Going back to the beginning of The Hills’ predecessor, Laguna Beach, MTV had been dogged by accusations that there wasn’t much reality to its reality TV—which is why the final moments of The Hills’ last episode, in which it’s revealed that a tearful goodbye between Kristin Cavallari and Brody Jenner was shot on a Hollywood lot with a full-fledged film crew, was so brilliant. It’s a whip-smart meta moment that lets the audience know that the show was always in on the joke, but it also raises surprisingly heady questions about reality TV in general, especially in an era when the genre was still in a phase of self-discovery.
What is the best needle drop in this series finale?
Busting out an acoustic version of Natasha Bedingfield’s “Unwritten”—The Hills’ theme song—is so obvious, but god damn it, it works. You gotta respect how skilfully manipulative this show was.
What is the best behind-the-scenes anecdote about this series finale?
There was an alternate ending to The Hills, in which the show never lifted the veil and Brody returned to his apartment to find Lauren Conrad waiting for him. With all due respect, fuck that Grey’s Anatomy nonsense. —Andrew Gruttadaro
16. “Finding Frances,” Nathan for You
Why is this one of the best series finales of the 21st century?
Before “Finding Frances,” Nathan Fielder was just a weirdo Canadian who proved he could make a great bizarro prank show. But with that episode, he became a weirdo Canadian who proved he could make a great prestige bizarro prank show.
Who is the MVP of this series finale?
With all due respect to the person who drew the “Have you seen this woman?” sketch, it’s Maci, the sex worker who got stuck in an “I love you” vortex with Nathan.
What is the most iconic moment/quote of this series finale?
“Doesn’t my voice sound familiar to you?” Only way that phone call could’ve been more terrifying is if Bill asked Frances what her favorite scary movie is. —Sayles
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15. “It Was All a Dream,” Atlanta
Why is this one of the best series finales of the 21st century?
It’s Atlanta at its finest—a wacky, surreal episode of television with some very real commentary on the state of our society sprinkled in. It’s “Robbin’ Season” Atlanta made by filmmakers who have matured and progressed even further after four years.
What is the best needle drop in this series finale?
“Liberty” by Amnesty, at the very beginning of the episode. Great song; great direction. The camera cuts to Alfred and Earn as the singer croons, “It isn’t hard to see the hang-ups we have today.” As he moves on to the next lyric—“We need to strive for more liberty”—Darius glances over at a Popeye’s chicken sandwich commercial on the TV. Make of that what you will.
Who is the MVP of this series finale?
Darius, surprisingly—not because he’s incapable, but it’s just funny that a character first introduced as oddball comic relief is tasked with carrying the very last episode of the series. That’s the absurdity of Atlanta for you. But it’s Darius’s eccentricity that provides the platform for the sensory deprivation plot device and the “hallucinations” that have both him and the viewer questioning reality. —Jenkins
14. “Episode 6,” Fleabag
Why is this one of the best series finales of the 21st century?
Fleabag’s acid wit finally cracked open to show its heart in an exploration of what love—for family, for partners, for [gulp] God—can be.
What is the most iconic moment/quote of this series finale?
“It’s God, isn’t it?” Somewhere in the midst of the wedding homily delivered by Andrew Scott’s Hot Priest, Fleabag—the eponymous character played by Phoebe Waller-Bridge—seems to begin to suspect that his musings on love are aimed less at the woman he broke his vows to spend the night before with and more at the guy upstairs. “Love is awful,” he says. “It’s awful. It’s painful. It’s frightening.” In the final scene of the series, the priest joins her at a bus stop, and her smile as she looks at him cracks—awfully, painfully, frighteningly. It’s God.
Who is the MVP of this series finale?
Martin, Claire’s soon-to-be ex-husband, is a dirtbag—and he knows it. “I am not a bad guy!” he wails in a, shockingly, completely unsuccessful attempt to convince his wife to stay with him. “I just have a bad personality. It’s not my fault. Some people are born with fucked personalities.” (Runner-up: the fox in apparent pursuit of Andrew Scott’s Hot Priest, which the just-dumped Waller-Bridge points in his direction.) —McNear
13. “Family Meeting,” The Shield
Why is this one of the best series finales of the 21st century?
I wrote 202 sentences about this last year, so it’s tough to boil it down to just two. How about this: No finale ever followed through on the promise of a pilot in a more harrowing, well-earned, and faithful fashion than The Shield’s.
What is the most iconic moment/quote of this series finale?
The most memorable moments from The Shield’s denouement don’t include quotes. In the penultimate episode, Vic Mackey signs an immunity deal and then unleashes a long confession to the crimes that he’s been committing and covering up for seven seasons. It’s not the matter-of-fact way he cops to cop killing that stands out; it’s the 43 seconds of agonizing silence that precedes the recitation of his litany of sins. Mackey’s mute soul-searching in that scene foreshadows the much more protracted silence of the finale’s unforgettable ending, in which Mackey, a bull caged in a cubicle, contemplates the prison he’s made of his life.
What is the best behind-the-scenes anecdote about this series finale?
“Best” may be the wrong word, but the episode’s most shocking development—Shane killing his family, and then himself—wasn’t in the original road map. According to creator Shawn Ryan, Shane was initially slated to get caught. That plan changed because of wrestler Chris Benoit’s murder-suicide—a real-life tragedy that inspired a fictional one. —Lindbergh
12. “With Open Eyes,” Succession
OK, sure, it hasn’t aired yet. But come on, you know it’s gonna be awesome. —Gruttadaro
11. “Saul Gone,” Better Call Saul
Why is this one of the best series finales of the 21st century?
After years of corroding his soul while practicing law under the name of Saul Goodman, Jimmy McGill finally musters the courage to get off the bad-choice road and accept the consequences of his actions—even if it means spending the rest of his life in prison. That Jimmy is driven to do the right thing because of his undying affection for Kim Wexler proves that Better Call Saul was always, at its core, a love story between star-crossed lawyers.
Who is the MVP of this series finale?
The entirety of Better Call Saul is a tremendous acting showcase for Bob Odenkirk, who can make the audience love and loathe Jimmy in the span of a single scene. He’s in top form throughout “Saul Gone,” conveying the emotional toll of his character’s choices through subtle changes in expression that stand out more than the typical Jimmy-cum-Saul bluster that turned him into New Mexico’s greatest “criminal” lawyer. The Television Academy has one more chance to reward Odenkirk for his career-best work on Better Call Saul later this year; it would be downright libelous if he was denied an Emmy.
How did this series finale affect the overall legacy of its show?
Based on their track record, there was little reason to worry that Better Call Saul cocreators Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould wouldn’t stick the landing. Nevertheless, “Saul Gone” wasn’t just tasked with closing the book on Better Call Saul, but also the Breaking Bad universe as a whole: an era-defining cultural phenomenon that spanned 11 seasons of television plus a movie. With “Saul Gone,” not only did Better Call Saul deliver an all-time great finale, but it also cemented the series as arguably the best prequel ever made. In short: This show was so good, man. —Surrey
10. “Veep,” Veep
Why is this one of the best series finales of the 21st century?
The series’ outrageous cynicism reaches an elegant high point as Selina is forced to make Jonah vice president. Plus, it’s just stuffed to the brim with the signature outrageous one-liners that always made the series sing.
Who is the MVP of this series finale?
As she transforms into a fun-house mirror Kellyanne Conway, Amy Brookheimer is pitchy, unhinged, and secretly terrified of what she’s capable of: the embodiment of the American political process in a tight sheath dress.
What is the most iconic moment/quote of this series finale?
When Selina tells Tom James’s chief of staff (Rhea Seehorn!) “He will never see you as anything other than the TGI Fridays waitress on Proactiv who lets him bend you over his desk while you close your eyes to avoid coming face-to-face with that framed photo of his family’s trip to Aspen while he drowns your Little Mermaid back tat in a pool of jizz and admires his own reflection” in one breath, that really embodied the unrivaled poetry of the series for me. —Bereznak
9. “START,” The Americans
Why is this one of the best series finales of the 21st century?
It manages to wrap up a spy drama with big stakes in the most shockingly intimate way possible. “Perfectly fitting,” Margo Martindale, who plays KGB handler Claudia in The Americans, told The Ringer, “and truly surprising.”
What is the best needle drop in this series finale?
The emotional “With or Without You,” one of the biggest hits of the late ’80s, felt fresh and took on a new meaning while carrying the climactic scene. “The sequence goes on for 14 or 15 minutes without dialogue,” director Chris Long says. “We run out of song; we restart the song.”
What is the best behind-the-scenes anecdote about this series finale?
The production team had one day on a moving commuter railcar to shoot the climax. Star Keri Russell nailed Elizabeth Jennings’s horrified expression—a reaction to seeing that her daughter, Paige, had gotten off the train—in a single take. —Siegel
8. “Part 18,” Twin Peaks: The Return
Why is this one of the best series finales of the 21st century?
“Part 18” wrapped up one of the most compelling American TV sagas of the past four decades, 25 years after the original Twin Peaks went off the air. The Return as a whole is a masterpiece—one that snuck onto the Sight and Sound poll as an 18-hour movie—but its finale will stick with you for a long time after the lights in the Palmer house go out.
Who is the MVP of this series finale?
Sheryl Lee returns to the role she made iconic through nothing more than a homecoming photo in the early ’90s, delivering a bloodcurdling shriek that cuts through the pie and hot coffee and makes it clear that this campy story was always about the nature of trauma.
What is the most iconic moment/quote of this series finale?
“What year is this?” The final scene of The Return gets us so close to a revelation, only for it to slip away like Laura slipped from Cooper’s hand in the woods. Lynch’s finest moment, which is saying something. —Sayles
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7. “Everyone’s Waiting,” Six Feet Under
Why is this one of the best series finales of the 21st century?
Six Feet Under took a recognizable finale trope—a montage of where everyone winds up in the future—and put its own morbid spin on the form, treating viewers to a parade of death that somehow feels satisfying and wholesome and, dare I say, lively.
What is the best needle drop in this series finale?
You say “needle drop,” I say “Ted’s Deeply Unhip Mix CD being loaded into the stereo of a blue Prius.” Sia’s “Breathe Me,” which plays as Claire Fisher begins driving away toward the rest of her life at the end of the show, is a perfect finale song, searching and recursive and impossible to forget.
Who is the MVP of this series finale?
Family matriarch Ruth Fisher is an emotional powerhouse in this episode, particularly in scenes with her daughter, Claire, and her daughter-in-law, Brenda. She encourages Claire to leave, she promises to help Brenda live, and she wraps up an incomparable five-season performance that’s all her own. —Baker
6. “-30-,” The Wire
Why is this one of the best series finales of the 21st century?
If the last quarter century of prestige TV has obsessed over anything, it’s humankind’s remarkable inability to change. Fifteen years after its finale, The Wire still belongs to a rare echelon of programming that contends with something even darker—that while we may be incapable of change, so too are the systems that oppress us.
What is the best needle drop in this series finale?
For The Wire to end, it had to return to the beginning. As McNulty and the viewer look over the Baltimore skyline, the Blind Boys of Alabama’s cover of Tom Waits’s “Way Down in the Hole” plays one last time. The iconic theme music that introduced millions of viewers to the atrocities of Baltimore in the show’s first season punctuates the same somber reality in its finale. As we watch the final montage of Baltimore life continuing amid this strife, we’re reminded that while this particular story may be over, the devils “way down in the hole” still persist.
What is the most iconic moment/quote of this series finale?
Right before a bullet flies through the cranium of Method Man (a.k.a. Cheese), courtesy of Slim Charles, Cheese yells the central theme of The Wire just in case it wasn’t clear over the preceding 60 episodes. “There ain’t no back in the day, nigga,” he says. “Ain’t no nostalgia to this shit here. There’s just the street and the game and what happened here today.”
A season before killing Cheese, Slim Charles expressed a similar sentiment to a young Bodie—“The thing about the old days, they the old days.”
Sentimentality has no place in David Simon’s Baltimore. Michael becomes the new Omar. Avon begets Marlo, who fails at legitimacy like Stringer Bell before him. Bubbles reclaims a life taken by addiction only for Duquan to succumb to one. The Black residents betrayed by the city, its government, and its police force cycle in and out of the few roles afforded to them, while the people that uphold that status quo are rewarded for their complicity. For five seasons, The Wire picked apart every aspect of an ecosystem so choked by corruption that the only way to enact change was “juking stats.” No amount of nostalgia can overcome that reality. —Charles Holmes
5. “The Book of Nora,” The Leftovers
Why is this one of the best series finales of the 21st century?
The Leftovers caps a thought-provoking series with an emotional finale that answers everything while answering nothing at all. Sticking the landing is tough for any show, and this series makes a number of daring choices in its approach, including the decision to cast aside the majority of its regular characters to narrow its focus on one who played a minor role in the pilot—and it pays off in a big way.
Who is the MVP of this series finale?
Carrie Coon’s Nora Durst. (After all, the episode is called “The Book of Nora”—could it really be anyone else?) Coon is fantastic throughout the entire series, and here she carries the show across the finish line as we follow her character across two distant timelines. Coon masterfully flickers among a wide range of emotions as Nora takes a leap of faith to try to reunite with her departed children in the present and as she navigates life many years later, after she’s (allegedly) returned from the other side. The show’s biggest mystery is never even revealed on-screen, just through Nora’s words and her facial expressions. And the story is all the more captivating for it.
How did this series finale affect the overall legacy of its show?
Cocreator Damon Lindeloff learned a few lessons from his previous experience on Lost and the divisive response its finale got from its fan base, and The Leftovers shows it. Lost failed in the eyes of many because it didn’t provide satisfying answers to some of the biggest questions it asked over six seasons, but The Leftovers was never designed to be a show about solving its greatest mystery.
Although the hook for the series is the supernatural event when 2 percent of the global population vanished in an instant, The Leftovers evolves into a profound show about loss, grief, belief, and healing. By the end of it, we never get to see what happened to those lost in the so-called Sudden Departure, and it isn’t clear whether the story that Nora tells Kevin about traveling to their other world is real or not. It’s up to the viewer to decide whether Nora is telling the truth and, ultimately, whether it even matters. —Chin
4. “Felina,” Breaking Bad
Why is this one of the best series finales of the 21st century?
It’s chock-full of the thing that made Breaking Bad so fun to watch: Heisenberg firing on all cylinders, using ingenuity, observation, and chemistry in equal parts to outsmart his foes and earn back a sliver of redemption.
What is the best behind-the-scenes anecdote about this series finale?
The final scene, in which Walt rescues Jesse from meth-making captivity, was inspired by the 1956 Western The Searchers. The film follows a Civil War veteran (John Wayne) as he hunts for his niece (Natalie Wood), who has been taken captive and raised by Native Americans. “The whole movie, John Wayne says, ‘I need to put her out of her misery,’” Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan told Entertainment Weekly in 2013. “And you’re like, ‘Oh my god, John Wayne is a monster, and he’s going to do it.’ You know for the whole movie that this is the major drama between these two characters looking for Natalie Wood. And then at the end of the movie, on impulse, you think he’s riding toward her to shoot her, and instead, he sweeps her up off her feet, and he carries her away, and he says, ‘Let’s go home.’”
What is the most iconic moment/quote of this series finale?
Walt surveying the beauty of the meth lab he taught Jesse how to build and run just before he bleeds out. —Bereznak
3. “Person to Person,” Mad Men
Why is this one of the best series finales of the 21st century?
“Person to Person” has funny (Roger’s stache!), cynical (Don finally finding peace via megacorp advertising inspo), depressing (a dying Betty ripping a cig at the kitchen table), and satisfying (Joan starting a production company) moments all woven together and tied up in a bright-red bow. It’s an ad campaign for the show itself, and I, for one, am sold.
What is the most iconic moment/quote of this series finale?
A wayward Don Draper blissing the heck out in the closing scene and (we think!) coming up with an all-timer of a real-life ad campaign.
How did this series finale affect the overall legacy of its show?
Mad Men’s finest legacy is the way each of its episodes was a springboard, launching viewers into the depths of mid-century culture research. As ever, this was true after the finale, too: Don’s Coca-Cola brainstorm was just the beginning. —Baker
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2. “Always,” Friday Night Lights
Why is this one of the best series finales of the 21st century?
“Always” proves that Friday Night Lights was never really a Texas story, or even a football story—it was a love story.
What is the most iconic moment/quote of this series finale?
Eric Taylor’s “Will you take me to Philadelphia with you, please?”
There’s a lot going on in “Always,” including one last trip to state and a surprise marriage proposal. But what’s really on the line here isn’t a trophy or even an engagement ring. The episode’s central tension is whether Coach Taylor will sign a generous five-year contract to lead Dillon’s new high school superteam or if he’ll scrap it so Tami Taylor can take a job as the dean of admissions at Braemore College in Philadelphia. In the end, Coach Taylor gets advice, well, from himself: In one last inspirational speech—this one delivered to his daughter Julie and Matt Saracen in a bid to convince them not to marry—he talks about how much marriage demands. “Marriage requires maturity,” he says. “Marriage requires two people who, for the rest of their lives, are willing to listen, to really listen, to each other. And that marriage requires the greatest of all things, which is compromise.”
At the last line, Tammy walks out, and Coach eventually hears his own wisdom (even if his lovestruck daughter and soon-to-be son-in-law don’t). “It’s your turn,” he tells his wife, along with the news that he turned Dillon down.
Who is the MVP of this series finale?
Tim Riggins gets in one last “Texas forever” on his way out—and caps his own love story with proof of how far he’s come. Tyra Collette stops by, now midway through college and with her sights set on a career in politics. “Tim, I’ve been in love with you since I was 5 years old,” Tyra says. “And being here with you, it’s the greatest feeling I’ve had in a really long time. It scares the hell out of me.” She tells him she has dreams—but it seems like with the right words, or maybe just a kiss, Riggins might be able to talk her into sticking around and leaving those dreams behind.
Instead, he says he has dreams of his own. “Maybe one day, our dreams can merge together,” he tells her—a new Riggins with an eye on the future and a commitment to everyone, himself included, doing what’s best for them. —McNear
1. “Made in America,” The Sopranos
Why is this one of the best series finales of the 21st century?
Whether the final scene, which abruptly cuts to black, ends with Tony dead or alive, one thing is for sure: No piece of pop culture in the last 20 years, maybe ever, has done a better job of building anticipation in—and toying with—its audience.
What is the best needle drop in this series finale?
Before The Sopranos ended, “Don’t Stop Believin’” was a sappy classic rock radio staple. The way David Chase used the song in the last scene of “Made in America” temporarily transformed it into an epic.
In retrospect, how did this series finale change television as a whole?
It gave a generation of creators permission to embrace ambiguity and stop worrying about wrapping up their shows neatly. “David Chase actually used to say, ‘The function of network TV is to make people feel that everything is OK, and they should buy the product that we’re selling during the commercials,’” Sopranos writer Terence Winter said in 2021. “Very often on The Sopranos, things were not OK in the end, and then there was nothing to sell.” —Siegel
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The 40 Best TV Finales of the 21st Century, Ranked - The Ringer
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