The Best TV Series Finales with Surprise Endings

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in your opinion, what were the best – and worse – series finales of all time? After watching this video, let us know if you disagree with any of the series finales that we included on our list.

▬Contents of this video▬
00:00 - Intro
00:33 - Mad Men
01:28 - Star Trek: The Next Generations
02:32 - Friends
04:34 - St Elsewhere
05:11 - Breaking Bad
06:11 - Cheers
06:53 - The Mary Tyler Moore Show
07:24 - Newhart
08:03 - M*A*S*H*
09:01 - Outro

One of the most challenging jobs in the world has to be being the person that has to come up with the script for the series finale of a popular TV show. Can you imagine how much pressure screenwriters have to face when assigned to that daunting task? Take shows like Lost or the Sopranos, for example. Both series were critically acclaimed and had massive fan bases, but in the end, the writers simply weren't able to meet everyone's exceedingly high expectations. Honestly though, in Lost's case, it just seemed like they gave up on trying to make sense of everything. Was that supposed to be purgatory or what?

If you’re going into television screenwriting, there is one thing that you should know. Everyone is going to hate you no matter how you end a series. Endings are always tricky. After fans have spent years of their time and emotional energy investing in beloved characters, they become almost like family. They expect when the series ends there to be some sort of closure that not lonely wraps things up on a high note but also ties up all of the series’ loose ends, mysteries, and plot arcs.

With so many expectations, it makes sense that a lot of shows would end up feeling remarkably disappointing So when a show ends well, that's really a pretty amazing accomplishment. In this facts-packed video, we’ll be taking a look at a few series that most fans considered to have ended pretty decently.

The Best TV Series Finales with Surprise Endings

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THE ODD COUPLE had a sweet and appropriate ending. Felix re-marries his ex-wife Gloria in Oscar's apartment, and after they leave the apartment Oscar shouts out "I'm free! I'm free!". THE DICK VAN DYKE SHOW ends on a perfect circular note. Carl Reiner (Allan Brady, Dick's boss) agrees to buy Dick's memoir of being a TV comedy writer, and play the role of Robert Petrie himself. Carl, in fact, starred in the pilot episode as Rob Petrie but graciously gave his friend Dick the lead when the series first aired.

angeleverable

In terms of the best, I would add Twin Peaks (both the finale of the original ABC series and the Return on Showtime). And how can you guys forget the finale of The Sopranos?! What an ending!

The worst finale ever, in my opinion, was Quantum Leap’s. What a letdown! Just some words on the screen saying that the protagonist never made it home?! What a F.U. to the fans!

robertlandrum

Personally, I think Bob Newhart was the "best ending" series.

thisisme

The 1960's TV series, The Fugitive.

DS-ggpb

It's "Star Trek: The Next GeneraTION" not "GenerationS"...
GOOD JOB!

DrNothing

I loved M*A*S*H and never missed an episode. My favorite episode is the end of Henry Blake, not because it was funny but because I cried so hard and crying right along with me was Hotlips! I found out she had a heart in there. Of course I cried at the ending too ;-)

pegschwalbach

My favorite show was Mad Men. The show was entertaining and amazing. The finale was a wonderful ending.

josephjohnson

Good times had a good finale when the Evans family finally got out of the ghetto. From Ms. Harper Stacey.

harperstacey

I would have loved the Happy Days ending more if Potsie and Ralph had been at the wedding, making cameo appearances

tjable

I saw the finale of the MTM show and the group hug was both emotional and epic! The Friends ending was satisfying because you knew they'd stay in touch. The Newhart ending was good because it brought back the wife of Newhart's first beloved show. . The most emotional ending was MASH because it was such an intense series with a lot of drama. The ending included Colonel Potter riding off on his horse Sophia to deliver her to an orphanage, and BJ telling Hawkeye he'd be in touch but just in case left a message then ride off a bit wildly on his motorcycle down the hill. Hawkeye was already on the helicopter and didn't quite hear what BJ had told him but upon take off in the helicopter, Hawkeye saw the word GoodBye written out in white rocks below. It was a sad farewell because you hoped the characters would stay in touch regularly, but you couldn't be sure.

davidcarbone