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Saying goodbye isn't easy, but these TV shows mastered the art of the perfect farewell! Join us as we count down the greatest television sendoffs of the 21st century. From emotional gut-punches to satisfying conclusions, these finales delivered everything fans could want. Grab some tissues - you'll need them for these unforgettable final episodes!
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00:00No matter who your lawyer is, you are screwed. So I gotta ask, where do you see this ending?
00:09Where do I see it ending? Um, with me on top, like always.
00:15Welcome to WatchMojo. And today, we're counting down our picks for the absolute
00:20greatest television send-offs that aired in the 21st century.
00:24I was under a misapprehension that my accomplishments were mine alone.
00:32Nothing could be further from the truth.
00:34While a few of these shows technically premiered in the 90s, all that matters is that they ended
00:39after the year 2009. Since we're talking about endings, beware of spoilers.
00:45Number 30. May God bless and keep you always. Parenthood.
00:50Hug your family and grab a box of tissues. You're gonna need both to make it through
00:54this one.
00:55I'm sorry. Brothers? I'm sorry. Brothers. Friends.
00:59And even then, it's basically impossible to say goodbye to the Braverman clan
01:04without a few blubbering sobs. Don't worry, though. They're happy tears.
01:09Have I ever told you that you're my favorite?
01:14Dad, come on.
01:16I think instinctively you must know.
01:18I mean, it's my favorite.
01:19Well, you've gotten away with everything.
01:21After six years of seeing this family struggle and grow together, it's a certain kind of relief
01:27to see everyone get their happily ever after. Sarah gets married, familiar faces return,
01:32Max finds a job, Adam discovers his purpose, we could go on. It's an hour of waterworks,
01:38hugs, speeches, and farewells. In other words, it's parenthood at its best.
01:43Forever young
01:47Number 29. The Stockholm Syndrome. The Big Bang Theory.
01:59Take out, a pregnancy, and a pair of Nobel Prizes in physics. What else could you ask for
02:05in an ending to the Big Bang Theory? The Stockholm Syndrome checks every box a fan could possibly want.
02:11You need to focus on the positive. You won a Nobel Prize. I slapped Sheldon. A lot of dreams came
02:18true today. There's big, applause-worthy revelations, happy endings around every corner,
02:24and enough grand gestures to guarantee you leave with a smile on your face.
02:28I was there the moment Leonard and Penny met. He said to me that their babies would be smart and
02:34beautiful. And now that they're expecting, I have no doubt that that will be the case.
02:41Naturally, as the minutes tick by, the cast reunites in apartment 4A, Chinese food at the ready.
02:48Even though this gang of nerds has evolved so much over the years,
02:51the Big Bang Theory makes sure you know that some things never change.
02:55Unraveling the mystery that all started with a Big Bang.
03:04Number 28. Episode 6. Fleabag.
03:07I love you.
03:11Then I don't. No, let's just leave that out there just for a second on its own.
03:17I love you.
03:19At the end of a deeply funny final hour,
03:22Fleabag sits with her sordid lover at a bus station and bids farewell.
03:26I love you too.
03:34Okay.
03:36But then she turns to the camera, addressing the audience who'd followed her all this way,
03:42and says goodbye to us too.
03:44It's a bold and symbolic end to her journey,
03:47one that forgoes a ride off into the sunset for something much more authentic,
03:51and also much more Fleabag. Episode 6 is less of an ending and more of a to-be-continued.
03:57The only difference is now, Fleabag doesn't need us following her around anymore.
04:02As bittersweet as it is, we can't be too mad about that.
04:06Number 27. The Last Day. Brooklyn Nine-Nine.
04:10I wasn't expecting to get this emotional.
04:12It's not bad for an old robot, huh?
04:14You poor. See?
04:16In spirit with all the hijinks they got up to over eight seasons,
04:20ending with a good old-fashioned caper just feels right,
04:23especially since the winner is henceforth crowned the grand champion of the Nine-Nine forevermore.
04:29Yeah, does want to trade? Hitchcock, Scully, and the Donkey.
04:32Three for one. I'll even throw in Cheddar.
04:33Why? So he can spy on me.
04:34Oh, please. Cheddar's not a spy.
04:36Aboard, she's on a horse.
04:37By leaning on one of its best recurring jokes,
04:40Brooklyn Nine-Nine keeps things fast, fresh, and funny to the very end.
04:44Okay, we admit it.
04:46Watching the elevator close on Jake left us in desperate need of a Kleenex.
04:50But the Last Day deserves praise for going out with more laughs than tears.
04:54Working at the car wash.
04:57No! Number two and five, you're off key.
04:59Number three, you're coming in way too early.
05:01What are we even doing here, guys?
05:03So which one do you think killed your family?
05:05It spent its final minutes underlining why the 99th precinct was,
05:09and always will be, something special.
05:11But I want you to know, if I had had a son, and he had turned out like you,
05:19I would be very proud of him.
05:29Thank you, sir.
05:30Number 26. CI. Samurai Jack.
05:3313 years.
05:35That's how long Samurai Jack fans waited for a proper conclusion to the series.
05:40After all these years, I have captured Samurai Jack and a sword!
05:52So to say expectations were high would be a major understatement.
05:57Thankfully, Jack's climactic swing was well worth the wait.
06:01Patience is a virtue, after all.
06:03And so is slicing shape-shifting demons, apparently.
06:06You might have beaten me now, but I will destroy you in the future.
06:13There is no future for you, Aku.
06:15There's really no way to sum up how cathartic it is to see Aku finally meet his end after so long.
06:22In a way, the decade-spanning wait between seasons helped add to the gravity of this inevitable
06:27confrontation.
06:28While not a totally happy ending, there's no denying Samurai Jack's last episode will stand
06:33the test of time.
06:45Number 25.
06:46A Hard Way To Go.
06:48Ozark.
06:48I believe my sister was behind the attempt on my life.
06:51Historically, linking arms with Mexican drug cartels doesn't end well.
07:05As a result, there's a thick sense of dread hanging over the birds every move.
07:09And it all comes to the head here.
07:12In true Ozark fashion, there's double crosses, murders, dramatic confessions, and pulpy thrills
07:18galore.
07:18I'm not sorry.
07:22Your son was a murdering bitch.
07:30And now I know where he got it from.
07:33But subverting every expectation, our favorite clan of money launderers make it out thick as
07:38thieves.
07:38If anything, their illegal extracurriculars have brought them closer together.
07:42It may not be the most recommended form of family bonding, but we can't argue with the
07:47entertaining results.
07:48After all, who says the bad guys can't win every now and then?
07:52Number 24, Saul Gone.
08:09Better call Saul.
08:10After years of brilliant television and even a sequel film, this spinoff had the Herculean
08:32task of putting an official end to the Breaking Bad universe.
08:35How'd they do it?
08:37By calling Saul, of course.
08:39It's incredibly poetic that Saul's story ends with him back in a courtroom, just on
08:43the wrong side of it.
08:44Mr. Goodman, sit down and stay seated.
08:49The name's McGill.
08:52I'm James McGill.
08:53Add in a gorgeous black and white color palette and some sharp writing, and we're left with a
08:58powerful adieu to better call Saul.
09:00It's not happy exactly, but it's not entirely somber either.
09:05Like the rest of the show, it's perfectly bittersweet, and quite frankly, we couldn't
09:09have asked for anything better.
09:11Shut the hell up!
09:15Call Saul!
09:17Shut the hell up!
09:19Number 23, Hello Elliot, Mr. Robot.
09:23Just who exactly do you think the thief is here?
09:26I'm running late.
09:32I gotta get going.
09:33Whether we knew it or not, every hack, heist, and techno crime had always been building to
09:38one ultimate twist.
09:40The Elliot we know isn't so real after all.
09:42Are you Elliot Alderson?
09:44How do I take off a mask when it stops being a mask?
09:48Is this you?
09:49It's me.
09:49Sometimes my mask takes over.
09:51Once you wrap your head around all the implications, you realize there really wasn't any other
09:56way Mr. Robot could have ended.
09:58Seeing Elliot literally fight himself is a brilliant depiction of the series' themes
10:02of identity and self-autonomy.
10:04In retrospect, we shouldn't be surprised it worked so well.
10:08Series creator Sam Esmail had this ending in mind from the very beginning.
10:12Considering he also wrote and directed the finale, it's no wonder Mr. Robot's last episode
10:17feels perfectly inevitable.
10:21Number 22, Nice While It Lasted, BoJack Horseman.
10:35Thanks for picking me up.
10:36The jury finds you guilty of being a super cool dude, am I right?
10:40You're extremely clever.
10:41Can we go?
10:42I sentence you to life filled with my friendship.
10:47If this is my only other option, I choose prison.
10:49For a finale, this sure feels a lot like a new beginning.
10:52That's the beauty of BoJack Horseman, though.
10:55Despite it starring an anthropomorphic horse, it managed to tap into intrinsically human themes
11:00in a way few shows do.
11:03I'm trying to set little goals for myself.
11:05Like, in a couple months, I'll beat my record for being sober.
11:08Nice.
11:08Yeah, so that's something to aim for.
11:10That's on full display and nice while it lasted.
11:13Expertly towing the line between despair and hilarity, it chronicles BoJack making amends
11:18with just about every character.
11:20Fittingly, it ends with him and Diane on a rooftop as they reminisce over everything.
11:25I think there are people that help you become the person that you end up being, and you can
11:29be grateful for them, even if they were never meant to be in your life forever.
11:35I'm glad I knew you too.
11:36There's no sugarcoating it.
11:38This is the end of their relationship.
11:40But BoJack never lets you forget that this is the start of something new, too.
11:44Know that you're tired.
11:47Know that you're soaring, sick and sad for some reason.
11:53Number 21.
11:54Emotional Consequences of Broadcast Television.
11:57Community.
11:58We just finished year six, and it was hard work.
12:01And I don't want to care about Greendale.
12:03And I don't want to spend my brief moment of humanity doing conceptual riffs, developing
12:08the imaginary TV show of our lives.
12:11As part of a long-running inside joke, fans of Greendale's study group spent years rallying
12:15around one hope, that Community would get the fabled six seasons and a movie.
12:20It's no trip to the big screen, but this finale delivers the other half of that promise
12:25with aplomb.
12:26In addition to the emphatic goodbyes, Community takes the meta route, letting its characters
12:31break the fourth wall and pitch their own version of a seventh season.
12:34How was your day?
12:35Did anything funny happen?
12:37Oh, who cares?
12:39How was your day?
12:40Good.
12:41Sebastian did some drawing.
12:42Sebastian?
12:43Let's look at him.
12:44Sebastian!
12:45Sebastian!
12:47Oh, back to your child area.
12:49Oh.
12:50Yeah!
12:51It's funny, heartfelt, and feels like the perfect conclusion to such an irreverent show.
12:55But that's not to say we don't want more.
12:58We're still waiting for that movie.
13:03This is the show.
13:05Right, it is right.
13:08Number 20.
13:09Goodnight, Seattle.
13:10Frasier.
13:11Between Roz's promotion, Martin's wedding, and Niles and Daphne becoming parents, Goodnight,
13:17Seattle gave each supporting player a touching send-off.
13:21What about Frasier himself, though?
13:23Including his time on Cheers, we followed Frasier for 20 years.
13:28After all that time, what can you possibly say?
13:31Well, having such a way with words, Frasier sums it up in his farewell speech with a little
13:36help from Alfred, Lord Tennyson.
13:38And I think what it says is that while it's tempting to play it safe, the more we're willing
13:43to risk, the more alive we are.
13:46In the end, what we regret most are the chances we never took.
13:52Frasier's commentary on taking risks is only given more weight when we get to the final
13:57scene, which subtly reveals that he chose love over the safer road.
14:02It may not be the last we see of Frasier with a Paramount Plus revival being ordered, but
14:07Goodnight, Seattle will always be a sentimental ending to this chapter.
14:11Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Chicago.
14:14For your safety, the captain is asking you remain to be an agent.
14:17Wish me luck.
14:18Number 19.
14:19Brave New World.
14:20Boy Meets World.
14:21Boy Meets World taught us much about the inevitability of change.
14:25After seven years, though, we couldn't imagine Friday Nights without Corey, Topanga, and
14:30the gang.
14:31The finale softens the blow with plenty of laughs, especially Eric's doll and Corey's meta title
14:37drop.
14:38Boy Meets World.
14:40Now I get it.
14:41However, the time to say goodbye eventually arrives.
14:44The final scene goes back to where it started with the original central characters.
14:49One by one, the four kids we watched mature into adults bid farewell to the teacher who guided
14:54them through it all.
14:55The final moments propel Brave New World from a solid finale to one of the greats.
15:01Not every TGIF sitcom ended with a true sense of finality, but Mr. Feeney's closing remark
15:07continues to pull at our heartstrings.
15:09I love you all.
15:17Class dismissed.
15:19Number 18.
15:20The Wrath of the Lamb.
15:21Hannibal.
15:22Throughout its tragically short run, Hannibal had a way of topping itself with each season
15:27finale.
15:27Wrath of the Lamb was every bit as bloody, intense, and atmospheric as we could have hoped
15:33for, complete with a pulse-pounding confrontation between Lecter and Graham.
15:38See, this is all I ever wanted for you, Will.
15:48For both of us.
15:49From the beginning, these two kept us guessing in different ways.
15:53We always knew that the unhinged Lecter would go out a monster, but Graham emerged as an
15:59unlikely wild card.
16:01By the conclusion, it's debatable if Graham is closer to a hero or villain.
16:05All we know is that he can't live with or without Lecter, leading to a beautifully ambiguous
16:10ending.
16:11Of course, if season four ever got the green light, we'd gladly gather around the dinner
16:16table for another meal.
16:18Number 17.
16:19Graduation.
16:20Malcolm in the Middle.
16:21Taking a cynical approach to the coming-of-age sitcom, Malcolm in the Middle endowed a sad
16:26but true lesson.
16:28Life is unfair.
16:29Just because you're the smartest person in the room doesn't mean things will ever come
16:33easy.
16:34In many cases, though, those who suffer the most go on to change the world.
16:38It's not the road that Malcolm would have chosen, but it's the one that might lead him
16:42to the presidency someday.
16:44This is unbelievable.
16:46You actually expect me to be president.
16:49No, no, I'm sorry.
16:51You expect me to be one of the greatest presidents in the history of the United States.
16:55You look me in the eye and you tell me you can't do it.
16:58Malcolm also finds that even when childhood ends, the bonds of family endure, for better
17:04or worse.
17:05While maintaining the show's signature edge, Graduation still manages to be a sincere ending
17:10with emotional growth for every member of the No Last Name family.
17:14At least, we think that's their surname.
17:16It's hilariously never said aloud.
17:18And now, with her valedictory speech, please welcome Malcolm.
17:25Number 16.
17:26And in the end.
17:28ER.
17:28Of all the shows on this list, ER had the lengthiest run of 15 seasons.
17:33During that time, the medical drama saw various ups and downs.
17:37Thankfully, the finale wasn't just a high point for the series.
17:41It was an Emmy-winning event that recaptured the stimulating sensation we experienced when
17:45the show first aired.
17:47I think I am.
17:48You want to be an ER doc?
17:49This is the fun part.
17:50Both the pilot and finale sum up a typical day at County General Hospital.
17:55A new trial awaits around every corner, and just when things start settling down, matters
18:00get more chaotic than ever.
18:02Unlike the pilot, though, the ER finale had to deliver on a decade and a half of storytelling.
18:08The finale is full of memorable character moments, and even those who don't play a significant
18:13role are still felt in spirit.
18:15Dr. Green, you coming?
18:22Number 15.
18:24One Last Ride.
18:25Parks and Recreation.
18:26When Parks and Rec premiered, it seemed like an exaggeration of government incompetence.
18:31Not long after the series ended, its portrayal of politics started to feel much closer to the
18:36real deal.
18:37One Last Ride leaves us with a hopeful reminder, however.
18:40No matter how bad things get, there will always be people like Leslie Knope trying to make
18:45the world better.
18:46There you have it, sir.
18:48Another problem solved by the hard work of dedicated public servants.
18:53Okay, great.
18:54Bye.
18:56Yeah, that's about right.
18:57Even a simple gesture like fixing a swing can go a long way.
19:01The finale looks to an optimistic future where April and Andy become parents, Leslie and Ben
19:07become even stronger as a couple, and virtually everyone has achieved their career goals.
19:12The people of Pawnee still struggle to remember Gary, Jerry, Larry, Terry, Barry's name,
19:18but we'll never forget this farewell.
19:19They spelled his name wrong on the tombstone.
19:25Eh, close enough.
19:27Number 14.
19:28I Say a Little Prayer.
19:30Nurse Jackie.
19:31Throughout its seven-season run, people often debated whether Nurse Jackie was more of a
19:36comedy or a drama.
19:37I Say a Little Prayer seems to solidify the show as a tragedy, amounting to an appropriately
19:42bleak exit.
19:43The finale presents Jackie Payton with an opportunity to turn over a new leaf, leaving All Saints
19:49Hospital behind.
19:50Alas, old habits die hard, and Jackie ultimately succumbs to her addiction.
19:55Jackie's overdose might have resulted in her death, but even if she survived, there's
19:59little chance that she'll ever change.
20:02And speaking of virtuous cycles, Zoe's final line brings things full circle with Jackie
20:07finally hearing the words,
20:08It's a haunting ending, but given Jackie's story, it's not an unearned one.
20:19Number 13.
20:21Whenever You're Ready.
20:22The Good Place.
20:23In a show known for its bonkers plot twists, the biggest shock of all is how they managed
20:28to absolutely nail their finale.
20:30We don't throw around the word perfect lightly, but seriously, The Good Place's final episode
20:36is perfect.
20:37I know what you mean.
20:38Once I smoked salvia and saw the past and the future at the same time, then I tried to
20:44brush my teeth with my cat.
20:46With time, care, and humor, we get to see each of our favorite characters find fulfillment
20:51and, eventually, pass on to whatever comes next.
20:54There's no other way to put it.
20:56It's simply beautiful.
20:57Michael is the last to go, and true to form, he chooses to live out his days as a human,
21:17but not before giving us one final piece of advice.
21:20Take it, sleazy.
21:28Number 12.
21:2930.
21:30The Wire.
21:31This finale's title alludes to a journalistic phrase used to mark the end of a story.
21:35It's fitting, seeing how the final season revolved around the media's role in law enforcement.
21:40What's more, 30 effectively wraps up several story arcs, most of which we see through a
21:45bittersweet closing montage.
21:47While it may be the end for this large cast of characters, the issues they've encountered
21:51are far from over.
21:53If anything, very little has changed.
21:55Even when an addict like Bubbles turns his life around, another is inclined to take his
22:00place.
22:00Scoring an Emmy nomination for writing, the finale remains faithful to the uncompromising
22:06realism that David Simon has always been known for, while still providing closure across
22:10the board.
22:11Let's go home.
22:17Number 11.
22:19Chosen.
22:19Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
22:21The Buffy finale took several chances that paid off in rousing fashion.
22:25Multiple main characters die, some of which eventually come back, while others aren't as lucky.
22:31Sunnydale is obliterated, saying goodbye to one of TV's most iconic small towns.
22:36For all the sacrifice, Chosen is also packed with game-changing triumphs.
22:40Buffy may be a badass, but she couldn't have saved the world on a regular basis without
22:44her fellow Scoobies.
22:46In their last stand against the first evil, Buffy receives more support than ever, as every
22:51potential slayer unlocks the power inside.
22:54From now on, every girl in the world who might be a slayer, will be a slayer.
23:01Every girl who could have the power, will have the power.
23:06Can stand up, will stand up.
23:09With a mix of action, tragedy, and pop culture references, Chosen delivered everything we
23:14could want from a Buffy finale, while leaving the door open for further adventures in the
23:18comics.
23:28Number 10.
23:29Happy Ending.
23:30Schitt's Creek.
23:31A lot of fans didn't discover Schitt's Creek until later in its run.
23:35Given the show's growing popularity, it would have been tempting for Dan Levy and company
23:39to keep it going several more years.
23:41Instead, Levy decided to go out on top after six seasons.
23:45Although not everyone was ready to say goodbye to the Rose family, we couldn't have asked
23:49for a more satisfying ending.
23:51Speaking of being satisfied, David gets two happy endings, one with Patrick and another
23:56with a masseur.
23:57I've always heard about things like that, but I've never actually gotten one.
24:00Did you have to pay extra for that?
24:03I didn't pay for a happy ending, I paid for a massage.
24:06He gave you a happy ending?
24:07On our wedding day?
24:08Johnny, Moira, and Alexis also learn that happiness doesn't necessarily come from wealth.
24:14It comes from friends, family, and finding the best version of yourself.
24:18As far as sitcom finales go, happy ending is simply one of the best.
24:22What is it?
24:26Just wanted one last look.
24:32Driver, we're ready.
24:33Number 9.
24:34The Book of Nora.
24:35The Leftovers.
24:36When The Leftovers premiered, Carrie Coon's Nora was essentially a supporting player.
24:41Nora quickly stole the show with the finale even being named after her.
24:45The Book of Nora builds to a riveting monologue detailing what could have happened to The Departed.
24:50The writing and Coon's delivery paint such a vivid picture that we feel like we're there
24:55with Nora.
24:55Of course, we never learn if Nora was telling the truth about this alternate reality.
25:11Unlike another supernatural series co-created by Damon Lindelof, though,
25:15The Leftovers was never about getting concrete answers.
25:18It was about dealing with grief and the unexplainable,
25:20which The Book of Nora brilliantly conveys.
25:23The finale lets the mystery be, and embraces The Leftovers for what it truly was,
25:28a love story.
25:29I'm here.
25:35Number 8.
25:36Person to Person.
25:37Mad Men.
25:38I have a person to person call for Peggy Olsen from Donald Draper.
25:42This is Peggy Olsen, I accept.
25:43Where the hell are you?
25:46Don Draper slash Dick Whitman spent most of his life trying to figure out who he is.
25:51In the episode that finally won Jon Hamm an overdue Emmy, Don seemingly has an epiphany.
25:56Some assume that he left it all behind and became a hippie,
25:59but we like to think that Don realized what's been in front of him this whole time.
26:02He's an ad man.
26:04Don will never be the traditional husband or father we often see in commercials.
26:08However, Don knows how to sell that idealized lifestyle.
26:11In the end, none of the Mad Men characters are like the people depicted in ads,
26:16but they all show some maturity as the 70s usher in a new era of peace,
26:21love, war, and Coca-Cola.
26:23I'd like to buy the world a home and furnish it with love.
26:30Grow apple trees and honeybees and snow white turtledoves.
26:37Number 7.
26:38Start.
26:39The Americans.
26:39Despite not being especially action-heavy,
26:43Start is one of the most intense finales we've ever seen.
26:46The whole episode is like watching a bomb defuse with a crucial wire being cut in a parking garage.
26:51We had a job to do.
26:58We had a job to do.
27:00With their cover blown,
27:01Philip appeals to FBI agent Stan as a friend and neighbor.
27:05Being a Soviet spy, though, it's hard to say how sincere Philip's words are.
27:10In any case, everyone is forced to be true to themselves in the end.
27:14While Philip and Elizabeth have always been loyal to their homeland,
27:17Paige is an American and can't follow the same path as her parents.
27:20Winning Emmys for writing and Matthew Rhys' captivating performance,
27:30Start saw family and country collide in heartbreaking ways.
27:33I feel strange.
27:35I feel strange.
27:48Perfect meal.
27:50Number 6.
27:51Always.
27:52Friday Night Lights.
27:53Like the Season 1 finale,
27:55Always once again finds Coach Taylor at the state championship.
27:58The difference this time is that the game's outcome doesn't really matter.
28:02We don't even see the entire final play that wins the Lions the championship.
28:16Even if East Dillon had lost, they still would have played their best,
28:20which is what's most important.
28:23While football drew us to this series, the game of life kept us coming back.
28:27Everyone wins in that respect, with Matt and Julie getting engaged,
28:30Tim and Tyra returning, and Tammy and Eric settling in Philadelphia.
28:35Always also proved victorious at the Emmys,
28:38winning for Jason Kadam's teleplay and Kyle Chandler's performance.
28:42In reality and fiction, it was a fairytale ending to a genuine underdog story.
28:46You ready to go home?
28:51Yeah, let's go.
28:58Number 5.
29:00The last one.
29:01Friends.
29:01Being the definitive comfort food show,
29:04it's only appropriate that the Friends finale gave fans exactly what they wanted.
29:08At the same time, the creators threw several curveballs,
29:11with Monica and Chandler becoming parents to two children,
29:14Gunther making an unexpected confession,
29:16and a suspenseful race to the airport that had us holding our breath until the last second.
29:21Oh my god, did you get off the plane?
29:23Did you get off the plane?
29:27I got off the plane.
29:31Attracting 52.5 million viewers,
29:34the last one remains the century's most watched series finale.
29:38Granted, the ratings game has significantly changed with the rise of DVR in streaming.
29:42Even with those innovations, few finales have come close to matching the impact of Friends.
29:48It was the kind of television event that we honestly rarely see anymore,
29:52uniting audiences for a night of laughs, tears, and goodbyes.
29:55Okay, should we get some coffee?
29:58Sure.
30:00Where?
30:01Number 4.
30:02Made in America.
30:03The Sopranos.
30:04When we made our list of the top 10 disappointing TV show finales,
30:08Made in America was generally seen as the most infamous in HBO history.
30:12Much has changed since then.
30:14For starters, another HBO finale has claimed that dubious throne.
30:19More importantly, many have come to recognize the genius of the Sopranos finale,
30:23us included.
30:24At the time, everyone dwelled on Tony's cut to black exit,
30:28writing it off as abrupt and unfulfilling.
30:30Re-watching the series, though,
30:32David Chase clearly planted seeds for this ending,
30:35which is far more thematically satisfying than we initially gave it credit.
30:38I mean, yeah, our line of work, it's always out there.
30:43You probably don't even hear it when it happens, right?
30:45The fact that fans are still analyzing the finale over a decade later
30:49is a testament to its staying power,
30:51solidifying Made in America as one of the best.
30:54When we think of epic finales that fire on all cylinders,
31:07Sozin's Comet immediately comes to mind.
31:14From the animation to the action,
31:17this four-parter is a spectacle in every sense.
31:19The epic scope applies to the emotional stakes,
31:22with every major character receiving a heartfelt exit.
31:25Even several supporting characters we hadn't seen in a while
31:29return for a proper goodbye.
31:31Virtually, no stone is left unturned,
31:33showing just how dedicated and passionate these artists were.
31:37Apparently, the crew was willing to pay out of their own pockets
31:40to guarantee that the finale went above and beyond.
31:43Thankfully, Nickelodeon gave them the budget
31:44to fulfill their cinematic vision.
31:46Thrilling, tear-jerking, and even quite funny at times,
31:50Sozin's Comet is one for the ages.
32:01Number 2. Everyone's Waiting, Six Feet Under
32:05Even the most well-received finales
32:07are usually bound to have a few cynics.
32:10However, we've yet to find someone
32:11who wasn't deeply touched by everyone's waiting.
32:14Going against the show's convention,
32:16the episode commences with a birth.
32:18It wouldn't be Six Feet Under without death, though,
32:21and the ending unleashes a tidal wave of emotions.
32:24Oh, I want to take a picture of everyone.
32:29You can't take a picture of this. It's already gone.
32:31As Claire drives off to her new life,
32:34we're given a glimpse of what the future holds
32:36and how each character will go.
32:38Some die peacefully, others are taken too soon,
32:41and each death hits us hard.
32:42A finale can easily destroy a show's legacy,
32:46but everyone's waiting has only helped Six Feet Under
32:48to stand the test of time.
32:50If we're alive in 2085,
32:52we're definitely re-watching this one.
32:55Before we continue,
32:56be sure to subscribe to our channel
32:58and ring the bell to get notified about our latest videos.
33:01You have the option to be notified
33:03for occasional videos or all of them.
33:05If you're on your phone,
33:06make sure you go into your settings
33:08and switch on notifications.
33:11Number 1.
33:11Felina.
33:12Breaking Bad.
33:13Going into the series finale,
33:15Breaking Bad still had so many balls in the air.
33:18How could Walt possibly get his money to his family?
33:21Would Jesse escape from captivity?
33:23What about the ricin?
33:24Vince Gilligan managed to wrap up everything
33:26in a tidy bow, however.
33:28Well, tidy might not be the right word,
33:30as Walter White's journey naturally ends
33:33in blood and mayhem.
33:34Yet it also ends with redemption,
33:37reconciliation,
33:38and sweet, sweet revenge against Todd.
33:41Mr. White.
33:46We can't imagine Heisenberg's story ending any other way,
33:50living up to the increasingly high standards
33:52that the series kept finding new ways to surpass.
33:55Where so many other shows overstay their welcome
33:57or end on a rushed note,
33:59Felina knew precisely how to stick the landing.
34:03Which TV series do you think has a perfect finale?
34:15Let us know if it made our list in the comments below.
34:18Uncle Nate?
34:19Yeah.
34:21It's Uncle Nate.
34:24Can you say to daddy?
34:26To daddy.
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