10 TV Shows That Kept Going After A Perfect Final Scene (2024)

There are plenty of TV shows which outstay their welcome, even though they sometimes give themselves the perfect finale before officially wrapping things up. A season finale can often act as a great series finale in hindsight, or a random mid-season may just stumble upon a poignant and beautiful final scene which sums up the entire arc of the show. Unfortunately, not many shows tend to quit while they're ahead.

Shows with disappointing finales can frustrate fans, especially when the same show wasted a potentially brilliant ending a few seasons earlier. When writers are free from the pressure of a series finale, they often inadvertently stumble upon the perfect ending. Whenever a show drops off in quality toward the end, it's easy to look back and say that they should have quit earlier, and there are a few cases where it's possible to pinpoint the exact episode that would have been the ideal final chapter.

10 The Office

Season 7, Episode 22, "Goodbye, Michael"

The Office

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Cast

Mindy Kaling , Jenna Fischer , Kate Flannery , Ed Helms , Craig Robinson , Paul Lieberstein , Ellie Kemper , B.J. Novak , Angela Kinsey , Oscar Nunez , Rainn Wilson , Brian Baumgartner , Phyllis Smith , Leslie David Baker , Creed Bratton , Steve Carell , John Krasinski

Release Date

March 24, 2005

Seasons

9

The Office has a great ensemble cast, but Steve Carell was always the star who shone the brightest. The seasons after his departure failed to make up for his absence, and the contrived narrative leaps ruined some characters who previously worked well, like Andy Bernard. Michael isn't exactly the main character of The Office, but the show wasn't the same without him, and it should have ended before it got stale.

What's frustrating is that The Office could have had the perfect finale if it hadn't been trying so desperately to set up a future without Michael Scott at Dunder Mifflin. Deangelo, played by Will Ferrell, is hit-and-miss during his brief tenure as the branch's new boss. Removing him from the end of season 7 and focusing more on Michael's story would have been more appropriate. Despite a few problems, "Goodbye, Michael" gives the character the perfect send-off, as Pam tracks him down in the airport to say one last goodbye. This would have been a poignant final scene for the show.

9 The Walking Dead

Season 9, Episode 5, "What Comes After"

The Walking Dead

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See Also

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Cast

Steven Yeun , Andrew Lincoln , Chandler Riggs , Laurie Holden , Jeffrey DeMunn , Sarah Wayne Callies , Melissa McBride , Norman Reedus , Jon Bernthal , Iron E. Singleton

Release Date

October 31, 2010

Seasons

11

The Walking Dead focuses on Rick Grimes, so many viewers thought that the show would end with him. Instead, "What Comes After" provides him with an ambiguous ending before jumping forward six years in time. It's initially assumed that Rick died in the bridge explosion, but he is later found alive and taken away to an unknown destination by Anne. Rick's death would have been an appropriate ending to the show, but The Walking Dead still could have salvaged a great finale from this fake-out.

The brief scenes that are shown after the jump forward in time would have been a fascinating ending, setting up a whole new world of possibilities for the survivors while honoring some of the show's favorite characters from the past. Ultimately, the show struggled to pay off this tease, partly because nothing could live up to the excitement of seeing Judith Grimes ready to take charge of her destiny in a new era.

8 Black Mirror

Season 4, Episode 6, "Black Museum"

Black Mirror

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Cast

Bryce Dallas Howard , Hayley Atwell , Anthony Mackie

Release Date

December 4, 2011

Seasons

6

As an anthology series, Black Mirror doesn't need to be overly concerned with how it ends. Fans won't be turned off of the show based on the final episode, because it won't impact their ability to rewatch their favorite episodes. However, "Black Museum" clearly shows Black Mirror grappling with its legacy, and the way that its fans have interacted with the show's darkest episodes over the years.

"Black Museum" is an anthology within an anthology. As Nish is guided around the museum, she sees different examples of human suffering, all exploited for profit by the museum's sad*stic owner. This is the show's way of questioning its own popularity, as Black Mirror also thrives off fans who want to witness perverse suffering. In the cathartic final scene, Nish burns the museum to the ground. Black Mirror season 7 is on the way, but it could have ended here in season 4 with the show symbolically self-immolating as penance for its twisted delights.

7 The Simpsons

The Simpsons Movie (2007)

The Simpsons

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Cast

Tress MacNeille , Julie Kavner , Harry Shearer , Pamela Hayden , Nancy Cartwright , Hank Azaria , Dan Castellaneta , Yeardley Smith

Release Date

December 17, 1989

Seasons

35

Although it seems that it will never die, The Simpsons will eventually have to come to an end one day. There will undoubtedly be a lot of interest in how the writers choose to wrap up such a long-running show that has accumulated so many fans over the years, but they may have already missed their best chance. The Simpsons Movie could have been the perfect way to sign off, especially as the show had already left its best years behind it.

The Simpsons Movie ends with Marge and Homer whizzing along on a motorbike, having rekindled their romance and saved Springfield. The genius of this ending is that it simply returns everything to normal, and this feels like a huge victory. Although the impulse could be to provide some grand finale, The Simpsons has always been about the beauty and misery of an ordinary American family. There have been rumors of a Simpsons Movie sequel, and this could be another great opportunity to provide a fitting finale.

6 Money Heist

Season 2, Episode 6, "Bella Ciao"

Money Heist

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Cast

Álvaro Morte , Darko Perić , Fernando Cayo , Maria Pedraza , Paco Tous , Rodrigo De la Serna , Enrique Arce , Belén Cuesta , Pedro Alonso , Hovik Keuchkerian , Jaime Lorente , Esther Acebo

Release Date

May 2, 2017

Seasons

5

Money Heist's first two seasons tell the story of the Professor's daring heist on the Spanish Royal Mint. The show was such a hit that more episodes always seemed inevitable, but it would have been best for the story if the season 2 finale had ended the show. The following three seasons failed to recapture the vitality and high-stakes excitement of the first heist. The show was forced to undo its happy ending just to bring the gang back together for another job.

Season 2 ends in spectacular fashion, with the thieves escaping from the Royal Mint with their trucks loaded up with cash. The final episode gives an unforgettable send-off to Berlin, the group's leader on the inside, who grows increasingly volatile as the reality of his terminal diagnosis dawns on him. The last scene also wraps up the other important narrative of the show, the relationship between the Professor and Racquel. By subtly exposing his location to her, he puts his heart above his head. By joining him, she does the same.

5 Scrubs

Season 8, Episodes 18 & 19, "My Finale"

Scrubs

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Cast

John C. McGinley , Robert Maschio , Donald Faison , Christa Miller , Neil Flynn , Judy Reyes , Aloma Wright , Zach Braff , Sarah Chalke , Sam Lloyd , Ken Jenkins

Release Date

October 1, 2001

Seasons

9

Scrubs gave itself the perfect finale at the end of season 8, but the show was revived for a disappointing ninth season which focused on a new group of medical students and relegated some of the best characters to supporting roles. Season 9 was the worst season of Scrubs by far, and it completely butchered some of the show's best dynamics. It also undid some of the brilliance of the season 8 finale.

"My Finale" is about J.D. coming to terms with the fact that he has to move on, but finding comfort in the fact that he can shape his own destiny, no matter how chaotic life can be. In the last scene, he sees his dream future playing out in front of his eyes, including having a child with Elliot and sharing family Christmases with his friends. Season 9 whips away some of the magic of this ending, as J.D.'s endless possibilities are replaced by lame gags and a slew of uninteresting characters for him to mentor.

4 Supernatural

Season 5, Episode 22, "Swan Song"

Supernatural

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Cast

Jensen Ackles , Misha Collins , Jim Beaver , Jared Padalecki , Katie Cassidy , Lauren Cohan , Mark A. Sheppard , Mark Pellegrino , Alexander Calvert

Release Date

September 13, 2005

Seasons

15

Although it would go on to produce a total of 15 seasons, Supernatural found it hard to top season 5, episode 22, "Swan Song". Not only is "Swan Song" one of the show's best episodes, it also wraps up the main story beautifully. Creator and showrunner Eric Kripke left Supernatural after season 5, and although the show had plenty of great moments across the following ten seasons, the quality dropped off toward the end.

Supernatural's best seasons mostly came early on in the show's run, and season 5 was the best of the bunch. "Swan Song" provides a satisfying payoff to the first five seasons, not just with the Winchester's battle against Lucifer, but also with their complex relationship with one another. Ultimately, Sam sacrifices his body to Lucifer and Dean finds some semblance of peace as he settles down.

3 Curb Your Enthusiasm

Season 5, Episode 10, "The End"

Curb Your Enthusiasm

Comedy

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Cast

Larry David , Jeff Garlin , Cheryl Hines , Susie Essman , J.B. Smoove

Seasons

12

Larry David wrote "The End" as a potential finale for Curb Your Enthusiasm, hence the title. The episode ends with Larry briefly dying in hospital and ascending to heaven, where he has a full head of hair. He wakes up, as irritated as ever, totally unfazed by his near-death experience and his spiritual journey. The actual Curb Your Enthusiasm finale also ends with Larry learning nothing and being just as grumpy as ever.

Curb Your Enthusiasm is a rare example of a show that kept going after a potentially perfect finale and didn't suffer for it. Larry David was able to reinvent the show multiple times to keep it fresh, and the series finale was just as satisfying as "The End". As a character, Larry never really changes in any meaningful way, even when everything around him is in a permanent state of flux, so ending his story could have been difficult.

2 Futurama

Season 4, Episode 18, "The Devil's Hands Are Idle Playthings"

Futurama

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Cast

Katey Sagal , Billy West , Lauren Tom , Maurice LaMarche , David Herman , Tress MacNeille , John DiMaggio , Phil LaMarr

Release Date

March 28, 1999

Seasons

11

Futurama has been canceled and revived so many times that the writers have gotten plenty of practice with crafting emotional series finales. Season 7's "Meanwhile" gives Fry and Leela a happy ending after a time anomaly lets them spend their entire lives together without anyone else, but season 4's "The Devil's Hands Are Idle Playthings" is even sweeter and much simpler.

Fry makes a Faustian bargain with the devil so that he can master the holophonor, a musical instrument that produces images as well as sound. The final scene shows Fry and Leela alone in an empty auditorium after Fry's audience deserted him. Although he doesn't have the devil's hands and his innate skills, Fry has enough heart to paint a crude image of him and Leela walking hand-in-hand.

1 Sherlock

Season 2, Episode 3, "The Sign of Three"

Sherlock

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Cast

Martin Freeman , Benedict Cumberbatch , Rupert Graves

Release Date

August 8, 2010

Seasons

4

Sherlock could have made the bold decision of ending after its season 2 cliffhanger, with Sherlock faking his own death and appearing at his own gravestone with the flicker of a smile across his face. This would have been controversial, but it wouldn't have been any more controversial than the way the show really ended after four seasons, with a relatively weak finale that didn't play to the show's strengths.

Season 3, episode 2, "The Sign of Three" would have been an even better series finale. This would have allowed Sherlock to provide an answer to its biggest mystery in the prior episode and ended with John and Mary's wedding. 'The Sign of Three" ends with Sherlock deducing that Mary is pregnant, before playing the violin for her first dance with John. As he walks away from the reception, he knows that his relationship with John will never be the same, but this isn't a sad ending.