Just wondering if Sanford and Son ever got a series finale? If so, how did it end?

I don't think the ending was planned. It just happened. In the last show he went to night school.

I think the decision by Redd Foxx and Demond Wilson to leave Sanford and Son after its sixth season was probably made at the last minute, since S&S never had a real series finale produced, unlike The Mary Tyler Moore Show during that same season.

I know he went to night school and I think graduated. In the final scene I think it's between him and Lamont, if I remember correctly and Lamont is proud Fred graduated and he says "I love you, son." Pretty sure it's something along those lines, but I could be wrong. It was not closure enough. Fred needed to marry Donna, his girlfriend. Wasn't he still dating her by the time the show ended?

It did not really get a series finale, but a lot of the shows from the same time period did not. It does not really matter that The Mary Tyler Moore Show got a ¨real¨ finale and Sanford & Son didn´t.

It did not really get a series finale, but a lot of the shows from the same time period did not. It does not really matter that The Mary Tyler Moore Show got a ¨real¨ finale and Sanford & Son didn´t.

MTM and the Bob Newhart show were really the exception at the time; as you said, most shows up to that point did not get a "closing" episode that concluded the plots.

Honestly, the only other one I can think of that did get a conclusion during the 70's was The Odd Couple.

But...I wish more would have. It's nice to think that the characters got some sort of resolution to their conflicts, particularly those like S and S that never had any kind of reunion wrap up show.

P.S. I just remembered that Good Times did do a closing episode.

I may be wrong but I think it was the network's decision to cancel Sanford and Son. I haven't seen the final broadcast episode (or if I have it was a really long time ago) so I can't tell if the writers were aware of the cancellation and made the script reflect it somehow.

The only time you can get a true finale out of a show is if the cast/crew decides to end it or if the network gives you advance notice of the cancellation. IMO networks are really stupid and inconsiderate to cancel a show without even giving them a chance to make a decent finale. That happened a lot in '60s and '70s, which is probably the case here.

Donna was the long-time fiancee.

Donna and Fred had first
been dating before meeting Lamont.

Fred, who hastily had plans to get married
to her at one time,had to settle on an engagement from her.

He was making payments on an engagement ring for her.

Fred and Donna WERE to be married on a Sunday,in The Engagement Episode.

One episode Donna pops the question,told Fred to Marry her or she'd move on

I may be wrong but I think it was the network's decision to cancel Sanford and Son. I haven't seen the final broadcast episode (or if I have it was a really long time ago) so I can't tell if the writers were aware of the cancellation and made the script reflect it somehow.


Redd Foxx quit Sanford & Son to do a variety show.

Sanford and Son limped along with the supporting cast trying to be stars until the plug was finally pulled. It was embarrassing.

it deserved a series final really did

You are correct, it was an unusual scene in that they showed their love for one another out loud. Was that their way of wrapping up the show? Did they know at the time it was the show's finale? Guess we'll never know, but it was kind of sweet that's how it all ended. Fred cheated on Donna a lot, lol, but he was still with her at the end. She was actually in the finale. But they never married. Lamont however did officially break up with Janet at the end of the last season. She went back to her ex-husband.

I know he went to night school and I think graduated. In the final scene I think it's between him and Lamont, if I remember correctly and Lamont is proud Fred graduated and he says "I love you, son." Pretty sure it's something along those lines, but I could be wrong. It was not closure enough. Fred needed to marry Donna, his girlfriend. Wasn't he still dating her by the time the show ended?

should of ended with a double wedding and both move out n retire from the junkyard just my thought

should of ended with a double wedding and both move out n retire from the junkyard just my thought
I agree!

I'm reading his book now. I'm not surprised that the show sort of limped along.

Sadly, "Sanford and Son" did not receive a proper series finale...since Redd Foxx was departing from "Sanford and Son" for his own comedy-variety series on ABC (the short-lived "Redd Foxx Hour") and Demond Wilson had received a lucrative offer from CBS to headline his own series (the infamous "Baby, I'm Back"), there was no time to write a series finale. Thus, "School Daze" served as a de facto series finale, with Fred and Bubba attending night school to obtain their diplomas. It's not a terrible episode, but I would've expected something more memorable.

If a series finale had been scripted, I assumed that a double wedding would've occurred, with Fred and Donna (Lynn Hamilton), along with Lamont and Janet (Marlene Clark), finally tying the knot. Grady, Bubba, and Rollo would've served as best men, while Aunt Esther would've been the maid of honor. The series finale would've been either a sixty- or ninety-minute extravaganza, with Fred and Lamont reminiscing about their past misadventures (similar to season five's "The Camping Trip") prior to the big day.