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What series finale still stands the test of time?


UN Spacy

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Nowadays when we're treated to a Series Finale it usually turns into one lame ass clip show (Seinfeld anyone). But, there are some Series Finale's that stand the test of time (Macross of course). For example........just look at my signature. Hearing Picard give his final farewell to the crew (it'd be MUCH sweeter if there weren't FOUR TNG movies ahead of them) still tugs at my heartstrings.

Well? What series finale still stands the test of time? B)

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Edited by UN Spacy
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I don't really watch many scifi shows, but of the animes ive watched i really liked the endings of Trigun, Battle Athletes Victory, Cowboy Bebop, a few others i cant tihnk of off the top of my head, on a semi related matter i loved the ending to starcraft, the pc game

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Add another vote to Babylon 5.

"Its a Sunday, and I'm going for a drive."

Also Blakes 7 - there haven't been many SF shows that have had endings like that.

Anime-wise, Gainax do good endings. Nadia made me so happy I wanted to cry, and of course, Gunbuster.

Kimagure Orange Roads first movie conclusion to the love triangle actually hurts.

And also Maison Ikkoku the manga, because I never ever thought I'd see Rumiko Takahashi do that...! :blink:

Edit: moved KOR a little so people don't think I think its a Gainax show...

Edited by F-ZeroOne
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I think both the original MSG series and Char's Counterattack ended well (technically CC wasn't a series, but it was the final part of a large story arc).

Howabout Calvin & Hobbes? Not a TV series, but that was a really good ending I thought. Still have it cut out and mounted under my clear plastic cutting/spill cover on my hobby desk.

Don't forget to do the followup thread: "What series finale doesn't stand the test of time?"

Answer: Bubblegum Crisis. Such... a let down. Premature cancellations suck.

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Ok, first of all; I'm not interested in anyone else's opinion on this.

But I personally liked the ending to Neon Genesis Evangelion(Both the series and the movies).

Couldn't have said it better myself. I also liked the ending of Area 88, as they all met certain doom. Doom is good, especially when it's for the good guys.....

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the prisoner :blink:

I watched every episode in order over a two day stretch in sarisbury UK and was more confused when it was done than when it started :blink::blink: Damn rover and damned #2 :lol:

glad you liked it SkullLeaderVF-X, did I send you fritz as well? I forget. That was a good one though, but not a series.

Maybe buffy?

Voyager was a pretty interesting, though sooooooooo filled with temporal anomalies :blink: . Still nice to see the borg get it proper :rolleyes:

I rarely get to see series finalies, and when I do I am usualy in a mental state the precludes remembering them :rolleyes:

drunken master 2 was better than 1, does that count?

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Well.. the original Macross was nice.

Gunbuster! that was a great ending... a real tearjerker for me...

I thought the end of the 3rd season of Buffy was good, when Angel just walks away, to me that was the end of the show, and it was a real sad ending.

but tops was definitely Gunbuster

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Series? Macross of course.

SDF Macross

DYRL?

Macross Plus

Macross 7

All of those had endings that just worked. Can't wait to see where Macross Zero goes.

Gao Gai Gar had a great ending, and definitely fit the show perfectly. I can't wait to see GGG:Final.

The Night the Earth Stood Still: Giant Robo had an excellent ending.

I did enjoy the Evangelion tv series ending. To be honest, I liked it a lot better than the movie ending. I prefere endings that make you think, and require you to follow clues provided along the way to put together an accurate idea of how things end, and why. I though End of Evangelion just spelled things out too simply, especially for such a complex series.

Slighty off topic, Final Fantasy VII still holds as one of my favourite videogame endings, for much the same reason that I actually liked the Eva tv series. I find it rewarding to piece together endings from clues picked up during the story.

Each of the Dune books had excellent endings. They tied together enough strings so as not to make a sequel neccessary, yet left enough open to make sequels possible without being contrived or contradicting.

Hard to determine which of those is my favourite. Out of just series, probably I'd say the Macross 7 ending, though I know many would disagree. I do think that it's one of the better endings in anime, bringing the story and developement of the series to a perfect conclusion. Sure, it's hardly a complicated ending, but it carries a very strong, uplifting message that appeals to the artist and idealist in me.

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Macross, both TV and DYRL.

Star Trek TNG's final poker game.

Crest/Banner of the Stars.

Escaflowne.

Babylon 5.

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The ending of Babylon 5 is one of my favorites. Deep Space 9 had a similar ending if you compare Sisko and Sheriden.

Next Generation's ending in the series was good. A complete circle with Q. The ending of Escaflowne is nice as well. The ending for DUAL! is one of my favorites as well. Not talking about the episode 14 which is a special but the way episode 13 ends. With the characters on the bridge over the street talking about who really was responsible for how the world ended up being the way it was. B)

Edited by Effect
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M.A.S.H. - not anime (actually a 70's sitcom - for all you kiddies out there), but widely regarded as one of the best series finale's of all time.

Newhart - See above explanation

Neon Genesis Evangelion

Macross

Cowboy Bebop

Escaflowne (TV version, of course)

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Best ending for a TV series? The final episode of M*A*S*H, "Goodbye, Farewell, and Amen." A two-hour long extravaganza (it was the price CBS paid to keep the show on for one more year), it was sentimental without being manipulative, it tied up almost all of the loose ends from the series, and left people with a sense of closure. The last bit is still one of the best sendoffs on TV. It begins with Hawkeye and BJ talking as they're about to leave Uijongbu, and Hawkeye talks about how when "Trapper" John McIntyre left the 4077th Hawk had no chance to see him off properly (Wayne Rogers left the show in 1975 out of fear of typecasting, and the next season opened with Hawk coming off of R&R to learn that Trapper had left for Seoul to go back to the US). He had become as close friends with BJ as he had with Trapper, and wants to say goodbye to BJ. BJ, zooming off the compound on a captured Chinese motorcycle, tells Hawk that he left him a note. As Hawkeye flies off in one of the unit's choppers, he sees the note BJ left: The white stones that marked the choppers' landing rings have been rearranged to say "Goodbye." End of show, end of series.

Another good one is Seinfeld: You can't get more in tune with the series' spirit than a ending that's a non-ending. After a trial that brings out everyone Jerry and co. had inconvinienced or pranked during the series run, the foursome get thrown into the clink, where it's business as usual, just in a different locale.

Edit in: Dammit, Blaine, ya beat me to it! :p :P :p :P

Edited by Pat Payne
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I really like the ending to Rock & Rule (thank you again kanata67!!!! :):) ).

Hell yeah. Rock and Rule, the unappreciated Canadian answer to Heavy Metal...

I still sing "Ohm sweet Ohm" by Ohmar and the Daycares at the office to annoy people... I like that movie so much I had to track down the original LP! :p

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Here are a few I like:

M*A*S*H*

Star Trek TNG A little too much focus on Picard but more enjoyable than the last two Star Trek TNG movies

anime series:

Devil Lady

***SPOILER****

Jun Fudo envisioing a world where both beasts and human existing together right before she dies. Keep in mind she sees herself walking down the street meanwhile she has no arms lol They were ripped off in the final battle...

Giant Robo

Macross Plus

Berserk not really an ending since the manga continues with the story.

The abruptness of the ending of the anime series after all of what's happened in the last episode is cruel. lol But then you rememeber that the first episode takes place after the last...

Edited by dejr8bud
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My all time favourites are (in order of prefference):

Voltes V

Now and then, here and there,

Macross 7

Macross Plus

Escaflowne TV

DYRL

SDF Macross

Cowboy Bebop

8th Mobile Suit Team (Gundam OVA)

Argento Soma

Evangelion (both endings)

Tenchi in Tokyo

Joe P.

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Mary Tyler Moore. I won't spoil the plot, but when Lou Grant struggles for words and then says "I treasure you people", it's a very emotional moment. And yet, the last scene manages to end on a high note.

I don't know if MTM is still cycling on TV Land, but if you've never seen the show, or haven't seen it since you were a kid, check it out. Some of the best writing and acting of all time.

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...but tops was definitely Gunbuster

Oh looky, someone beat me to the punch! I think Gunbuster has one of the most bittersweet endings in any anime or sci-fi series I have seen.

As for the past reply as to the ending to Blake's 7, I'd have to agree. Blake and Avon face to face at the end and the way Blake's innards exploded all over the place after Avon shot him was great. Here were two men who were thrown together by fate, who obviously didn't like each other, but eventually gained each others' trust, only to have Blake end up dead because Avon felt he betrayed him.

God, I hope that Blake's 7 sequel gets made...

Edit* Oh yeah, speaking of comedies like MTM, remember the ending to Newhart, where he wakes up with Suzanne Pleshette from the old Bob Newhart Show and tells her that he just had the strangest dream?

Edited by Noriko Takaya
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