Some shows go out with a whimper, whether it’s due to poor writing, sudden cancellations, or just plain bad direction. Others, however, absolutely stick the landing and propel themselves into TV greatness. Here are ten shows with truly excellent endings.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Buffy ended the only way it could: with Sunnydale finally sinking below the earth into a crater. Fan-favorite redeemed vampire Spike paid for his past misdeeds by dying to protect his friends, but the core Scooby Gang lived on to keep battling the forces of evil. After all, the real battle never ends.
Friends
It’s hard to top Friends when it comes to perfect sitcom endings. Ross and Rachel finally end up together, Phoebe finds herself happily married to Mike, and Monica and Chandler have twins. Joey even gets a girlfriend and a duck!
The Good Place
How can you end a show about the infinite afterlife? The Good Place ends in such a profound, emotionally satisfying way that it’s hard to have any issue with it. Our protagonists get to enjoy eternity together and then they get to step beyond our concept of time and see whatever’s next. It’s truly moving stuff!
Seinfeld
A group of the worst people imaginable stand trial for their misdeeds. No, this isn’t some downer finale of a crime drama—it’s the way Seinfeld ends. The gang stands trial for being just the worst, with fan favorite characters returning to rake them over the coals for all their awful conduct over nine seasons.
Avatar: The Last Airbender
Avatar punches way above its weight class for a kid’s animated show. The show’s final confrontation between Aang and Ozai sees the young Avatar tested like never before, and he unleashes the Avatar State. Aang finding a nonviolent way to defeat Ozai also allows him to break a cycle of violence that could have led to further strife—though the sequel series, The Legend of Korra, does explore what conflict awaits this setting decades later.
The Sopranos
People may have hated it at the time, but there’s no better way for The Sopranos to end than by cutting to black after Tony finally thinks he’s found peace. A life of crime is dangerous, and, as The Sopranos itself taught us, you never hear the bullet that kills you.
Star Trek: The Next Generation
What better way to conclude The Next Generation than closing on “All Good Things…”? Captain Picard goes through a journey through time to see his crew at the outset of their journey as well as one final mission together. While the films that followed the series took the story to new places, the show’s original ending will always be a touching final word for the iconic series.
Parks & Rec
Parks & Rec had a stellar six-year run as one of the funniest shows on TV and ended with a finale that spanned throughout the futures of each of the major characters. By jumping ahead years into the future and showing what would become of each character, the series offered plenty of closure for fans and gave them way to move on.
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Breaking Bad
The ending to Breaking Bad is perfect. Walter White doesn’t get away with his crimes and pays for his misdeeds with his life, but he tidies up the loose ends by securing a future for his kids and by saving Jesse Pinkman from the clutches of Jack’s murderous band of neo-Nazis. Ending the show on a shot of the protagonist bleeding out is a bold call but it worked for this seedy, brutal crime drama.
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Better Call Saul
Just like its predecessor, prequel Better Call Saul ends in a stunning fashion. It actually overtakes it predecessor show’s timeline eventually, moving past Breaking Bad to show what happens to “Saul Goodman,” the once-upstanding lawyer Jimmy McGill, after Walt’s demise. Jimmy’s choice to abandon his life of crime and to finally face justice might end with him behind bars, but his soul is finally free.
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