Favorite (or Least Favorite) Series Finale

[Dmitri Karamazov]

I don't watch much TV.

However, the one episode that sticks in my mind is the final episode of Blackadder Goes Forth. Although it is a comedy show, the last five minutes had me in tears. Partly because I did not expect Spoiler Below

everyone to die

, but partly because the tradegy of WW1 really struck me, then.
It is, without a doubt, the most moving thing I've ever seen on Televison. It was very well acted and written, and the sudden switch from comedy to tragedy actually worked.

[koosie]

Originally Posted by Dmitri Karamazov

I don't watch much TV.

However, the one episode that sticks in my mind is the final episode of Blackadder Goes Forth. Although it is a comedy show, the last five minutes had me in tears. Partly because I did not expect Spoiler Below

everyone to die

, but partly because the tradegy of WW1 really struck me, then.
It is, without a doubt, the most moving thing I've ever seen on Televison. It was very well acted and written, and the sudden switch from comedy to tragedy actually worked.

There was documentary on over Christmas that showed the filming of the final sequence of Blackadder Goes Forth. The original scene showed them falling one by one in real time and it looked pretty unconvincing. It was supposedly a complete afterthought to slow it down and fade into another image yet it really is a powerful and memorable peice of television.

[taranchula]

Originally Posted by koosie

There was documentary on over Christmas that showed the filming of the final sequence of Blackadder Goes Forth. The original scene showed them falling one by one in real time and it looked pretty unconvincing. It was supposedly a complete afterthought to slow it down and fade into another image yet it really is a powerful and memorable peice of television.

It's amazing how the least thought of option, turned out to be the best one. And as I've said before made one almost forget they were watching a comedy.

[CrazyPhil]

Well, unfortunately I can't really think of any endings, other than Fosters, that I really liked, but I have a laundry list of endings I hated, namely Sonic SatAM, Inuyasha, Teen Titans, Static Shock and yes, Hellsing original.

Sonic SatAM was, as Mr. Marshmallow stated, cancelled way too soon, same with Static Shock, and I was especially disappointed in Teen Titans, for the same reasons that Mr. Marshmallow stated, but also because I really wanted to know just who Slade really was, unless that's revealed in an episode I haven't seen, but it wasn't mentioned on Wikipedia. And don't even get me started on Inuyahsa; let's just say that the movie "The Castle Beyond The Looking Glass" should have been the ending. And while I didn't exactly hate Hellsing's ending, it was a bit confusing to me as to exactly what happened. But there's good news for all Hellsing fans, as there's been a new series released called Hellsing Ultimate, which is an entirely separate series that follow's the manga's storyline much more closely. While it's only at 4 hour-long episodes now, going up to about manga chapter 30, I don't believe it's been cancelled, just put on hold for now.

Anyway, that's all I can think of right now, but I'm sure I'll come up with more later.

[jekylljuice]

Originally Posted by koosie

There was documentary on over Christmas that showed the filming of the final sequence of Blackadder Goes Forth. The original scene showed them falling one by one in real time and it looked pretty unconvincing. It was supposedly a complete afterthought to slow it down and fade into another image yet it really is a powerful and memorable peice of television.

Originally Posted by taranchula

It's amazing how the least thought of option, turned out to be the best one. And as I've said before made one almost forget they were watching a comedy.

Father Ted is another example in which a quick last minute tweaking went on to produce a much better and more satisfying conclusion than was originally planned. Believe it or not, the final episode, "Going to America", was originally set to end with a despondent Ted rejoining Father Kevin and the two of them jumping from a window ledge, presumably to their deaths. However, the sudden and extremely tragic death of Dermot Morgan a day after the completion of the series' filming prompted them to abandon this ending, and instead we got the classic montage sequence, topped off with one final shot of the parochial house and the overheard sounds of Ted and Dougal wishing one another goodnight. In my opinion, a perfect and really very touching ending to a truly wonderful show. It's just sad that it took the death of the actor in question for it to come about (though the show's writers have stated that they didn't feel happy with the original ending regardless).

Spoiler Below

The writers have pointed out that, for all the warmth and reassurance of those final moments, it remains, from Ted's perspective, a pretty darned bleak conclusion, since he's finally forced to resign himself to the probability that he'll never escape from Craggy Island. But there is nonetheless something beautifully bittersweet about the implication, in the revised ending, that he will tolerate his situation and continue to put up with the frustrating likes of Jack, Dougal and Mrs Doyle (as opposed to the deadening sense of finality which the original would undoubtedly have brought about). Added to which, this ending really successfully managed to emphasise the tragedy of Dermot's death (it still puts a lump in my throat whenever I see it), and provided him with the most beautiful send-off imaginable.

RIP Dermot, you are still very sorely missed.