What long running series (comedy or drama) got cheated out of a suitable farewell?

Here's a few that I know of

1. Alf
2. Diff'rent Strokes
3. Grace Under Fire
4. The Jeffersons
5. My Wife and Kids

"Sliders" - It ends with Rembrandt (the only original castmember) sliding on his own after a seer had predicted death for the next slide. Then the seer died, so the other sliders don't know if Rembrandt survived or not.

"Taxi" - I don't know what could have happened, but I wish it had an official finale.

"M*A*S*H" - Just Kidding! :)

Moonlighting

"Bonanza"
"Gunsmoke"
"WKRP in Cinncinatti"
"Taxi"
"Alf"-that went off after showing the first part of a cliffhanger that was never resolved
"Caroline in the City"-same as "Alf"
"Get Smart" *
"Bewitched" *
"I Dream of Jeannie" **
"All in the Family"
"Archie Bunkers Place"
"Sanford and Son"
"Threes Company"


*with these, though, producers didn't make finales in the 60s. "The Dick Van Dyke show had one, but that was a rare exeption.

**with this, the episode "Hurricane Jeannie" (the one where Dr. Bellows and Roger are marooned at the Nelsons house during a hurricane) was supposed to be the finale, but NBC preempted it a few times during the 5th season, and that made a 6th season nessecarry, so another episode became the last one. (My master, the chili king" the one where Jeannie puts Tonys picture on a can of Chili)

Dukes of Hazzard

Married with Childern

Sanford and Son.


Knight Rider

Incredible Hulk

1. Major Dad
2. Diff'rent Strokes
3. Spenser: For Hire

Star Trek

Family matters A-Team Wierd Science not sure what else.

Silver Sppons Facts of Life Benson 227.Sanford.Gimmie a Break

Sabrina, the Teenage Witch - the ending was satisfactory, Sabrina and Harvey driving away, but it wasn't intended for a series finale and I would have liked to have seen something more happen with Harvey and Sabrina.

Chico and the Man: When they FINALLY got up the courage to address the real-life death of Freddie Prinze with a 2 part episode filmed on location (the only 2 that were) in Mexico--in which Ed explains to his "new" Chico what happened to the original one--THAT should have ended it. It would have been an acknowledgement that the show was nothing without Freddie!

Full House- the series finale was about Michelle getting amnesia. It should have been about Joey, Jesse, Rebecca, and the twins moving out.

"Three's Company" - The producers spent so much time on the new spinoff "Three's A Crowd" that they spent little time on making the last three episodes really good. Ugh..stupid producers.

Moonlighting
Moonlighting had a series final.

"The Flying Nun" - it should have ended with Sister Bertrille getting pregnant with Carlos Ramirez's baby, meaning she couldn't fly anymore. But then again she was a nun, but thta's never stopped any of those sisters before...

So few series got finales back in the day, I think that kinda started when the 80's came around. I mean, so many shows just got the axe, there weren't that many long running shows that just decided among themselves that it was time to quit while they were ahead... and then again there were shows that went past that point, that a finale should have happened way before the show went off, IMHO.

As far as I know, the first sitcom to have a true series finale was "The Dick Van Dyke Show." And then it didn't happen again until the finale of "Mary Tyler Moore." After that a ton of series had series finales, but they were never EVENTS until the end of "M*A*S*H".

AGREED! :mad: I was also quite upset about the Wonder Years finale.




"Three's Company" - The producers spent so much time on the new spinoff "Three's A Crowd" that they spent little time on making the last three episodes really good. Ugh..stupid producers.

AGREED! :mad: I was also quite upset about the Wonder Years finale.

I agree with you there with The Wonder Years. After building up the Kevin/Winnie relationship for the duration of the series, I was not only disappointed that they didn't end up together, but also because the writers never told us WHY. Because, if I remember correctly, it was also during that episode that they seemed to still be in love and together, so I was very shocked at the end as to what could've happened.

Lois and Clark

Step By Step

8 Simple Rules

My Wife and Kids


and so many more

As far as I know, the first sitcom to have a true series finale was "The Dick Van Dyke Show." And then it didn't happen again until the finale of "Mary Tyler Moore." After that a ton of series had series finales, but they were never EVENTS until the end of "M*A*S*H".

You're right about "The Dick Van Dyke Show". However the next series finale was "The Odd Couple" in 1975. It had Felix remarry his ex-wife and move out of the apartment. Oscar was finally free, and he wasn't shy about expressing it. One of my favorite finales of all-time.

As bad as a show not having a series finale is. If the final episode is just a regular episode, fine.

I hate shows that end on cliffhangers and they don't get resolves. Mork And Mindy, Alf, Moesha, and now My Wife And Kids. Is it too much to ask for them to open a season with a series finale and resolve the cliffhangers?

Lois and Clark

Step By Step

8 Simple Rules

My Wife and Kids


and so many more

I agree with you on "8 Simple Rules". The show just wasn't the same though without John.

As far as I know, the first sitcom to have a true series finale was "The Dick Van Dyke Show." And then it didn't happen again until the finale of "Mary Tyler Moore." After that a ton of series had series finales, but they were never EVENTS until the end of "M*A*S*H".
and I think the first drama to have a "finale" was "The Fugitive" in 1967. I could be wrong about that, though, but I think I heard or read that once, someplace.

That's still a great, suspensful show, even though you know how it ends.

and I think the first drama to have a "finale" was "The Fugitive" in 1967. I could be wrong about that, though, but I think I heard or read that once, someplace.

That's still a great, suspensful show, even though you know how it ends.
That was the most watched episode in tv history until the who shot JR episode of Dallas came out in 1980.

and I think the first drama to have a "finale" was "The Fugitive" in 1967. I could be wrong about that, though, but I think I heard or read that once, someplace.

That's still a great, suspensful show, even though you know how it ends.

Whether or not that was the first, that was definitely the first series finale that was a big deal.

Gomer Pyle was a show I liked a lot, but I don't think it ever had a finale. I don't think Green Acres did either.

Family matters A-Team Wierd Science not sure what else.

Technically Family Matters Last Episode Was Their Series Final Even Though It Didn't Seem It.

Technically Family Matters Last Episode Was Their Series Final Even Though It Didn't Seem It.

Technically, the last episode of every series is the series' finale. I know for a fact that the FM cast thought they were going to be back for another year.

Technically, the last episode of every series is the series' finale. I know for a fact that the FM cast thought they were going to be back for another year.

Ohh I Thought They Knew It Was The End And That Is Why They Made A Big Spectical About Sending Erkle Into Space

Ohh I Thought They Knew It Was The End And That Is Why They Made A Big Spectical About Sending Erkle Into Space

Not to be mean or anything, but why do you capitalize all the first letters of your words? It's kinda hard on my eyes, lol.

Three's Company
Full House
American Dreams (It shouldn't have ended in the first place! :mad: )
Joan of Arcadia (Again, it shouldn't have ended also!)
Popular
Freaks and Geeks
Jack and Bobby

Really? 'Three's Company' never got a proper finale? I could've sworn I saw the last episode where they're all moving out of the apartment and Jack was off to live with his girlfriend on 'Three's A Crowd'.

Really? 'Three's Company' never got a proper finale? I could've sworn I saw the last episode where they're all moving out of the apartment and Jack was off to live with his girlfriend on 'Three's A Crowd'.


It must have been your imagination. :lol:

It must have been your imagination. :lol:

From http://www.tv.com/threes-company/friends-and-lovers-2/episode/11666/summary.html


Originally aired: Tuesday September 18, 1984 on ABC

Writer: Michael Ross, Bernie West, George Burditt, Martin Rips, Joseph Staretski
Director: Dave Powers
Guest Stars: Mary Cadorette (Vicky Bradford) , Robert Mandan (James Bradford)
Production Code: 0822


When Jack proposes to Vicky, Vicky turns him down cold. The reason is that she's afraid of marriage because it might fail like her father's did. They decide to live together. The trio finally moves out of their apartment and into their new lives: Terri is going to Hawaii to work with poor children, Janet and Philip move into their new place, and Jack moves into the apartment above the restaurant with Vicky. As they begin their new life together, Mr. Bradford comes in and tells him that he is the new landlord! With that, the spin-off series Three's a Crowd begins.

From http://www.tv.com/threes-company/friends-and-lovers-2/episode/11666/summary.html


Originally aired: Tuesday September 18, 1984 on ABC

Writer: Michael Ross, Bernie West, George Burditt, Martin Rips, Joseph Staretski
Director: Dave Powers
Guest Stars: Mary Cadorette (Vicky Bradford) , Robert Mandan (James Bradford)
Production Code: 0822


When Jack proposes to Vicky, Vicky turns him down cold. The reason is that she's afraid of marriage because it might fail like her father's did. They decide to live together. The trio finally moves out of their apartment and into their new lives: Terri is going to Hawaii to work with poor children, Janet and Philip move into their new place, and Jack moves into the apartment above the restaurant with Vicky. As they begin their new life together, Mr. Bradford comes in and tells him that he is the new landlord! With that, the spin-off series Three's a Crowd begins.


I was joking with you. :lol: Of course they had a final episode. I think some people just don't like the final because a) they don't like Vicky or B) Jack and Janet didn't get married.

I was joking with you. :lol: Of course they had a final episode. I think some people just don't like the final because a) they don't like Vicky or B) Jack and Janet didn't get married.

LOL! :lol:

I'm a Three's Company fan, just not a hardcore fan.

Gomer Pyle was a show I liked a lot, but I don't think it ever had a finale. I don't think Green Acres did either.no, "Gomer Pyle U.S.M.C." never had a finale, same with "Green Acres". Back in the 50s and 60s, shows didn't have finales. (two rare exeptions were "The Dick Van Dyke show" and "The Fugitive"). They didn't start making finales until the 70s.

"I Dream of Jeannie" was supposed to have one. It was the episode "Hurricane Jeannie"-the one where Dr. Bellows and Roger are stuck at the Nelsons overnight during a hurricane, and Tony is forced to tell Dr. Bellows everything about him and Jeannie then he wakes up and realizes it's all a dream. But, during the 5th season, NBC had to preempt it a lot, making a 6th season nessacary, and they couldn't show "Hurricane Jeannie" as the finale. So, they changed the ending to where Tony realizes he dreamt the whole thing, and aired it as a "regular" episode.

I was joking with you. :lol: Of course they had a final episode. I think some people just don't like the final because a) they don't like Vicky or B) Jack and Janet didn't get married.

Well, I honestly did not want Jack and Janet married. They look perfect for each other, but it ruins the whole plot of the show. I think the reason people didn't like the finale was because they started bringing in love interests for Jack and Janet and the next episode they fall in love and stuff. I think everything was just too quick.

Well, I honestly did not want Jack and Janet married. They look perfect for each other, but it ruins the whole plot of the show. I think the reason people didn't like the finale was because they started bringing in love interests for Jack and Janet and the next episode they fall in love and stuff. I think everything was just too quick.

I never really wanted them to marry either. I don't know how it should have ended really but what I didn't like about it was that they spent to much time setting up Three's A Crowd and ignored the fact that Three's Company was ending. They didn't go into why Terri was moving to Hawaii and they really ignored Larry and Mr. Furley entirely. It would have been nice to find out what was going to happen to them.

Well, I honestly did not want Jack and Janet married. They look perfect for each other, but it ruins the whole plot of the show. I think the reason people didn't like the finale was because they started bringing in love interests for Jack and Janet and the next episode they fall in love and stuff. I think everything was just too quick.

Exactly what I meant JohnR_Lover!

Phillip was introduced what two episodes before the finale, and Vicky was a couple before that. I thought it was all happening too fast too.

Personally, I would've rather have seen Jack with Janet than with any other random girl he meets in a day. Yes, I am aware they are more like brother and sister in some ways, but the possibility for romance was always there...so, yes, the finale sucked :p

Personally, I would've rather have seen Jack with Janet than with any other random girl he meets in a day. Yes, I am aware they are more like brother and sister in some ways, but the possibility for romance was always there.

I'm with you on that one, retrogirl!

Yay, cool :D :woohoo: I mean, I know a lot of people can't picture them together but I always could....I dunno, maybe it's just me. I could picture it going either way.





I'm with you on that one, retrogirl!

Not to be mean or anything, but why do you capitalize all the first letters of your words? It's kinda hard on my eyes, lol.

Im Sorry I Just Freak Out When The First Letter Is Not Capitalized I Don't Know Why I Just Do, I'll Tyr To Stop But I Think I Have OCD

Diff Caroline in the City, What kinda ending was that.

no, "Gomer Pyle U.S.M.C." never had a finale, same with "Green Acres". Back in the 50s and 60s, shows didn't have finales. (two rare exeptions were "The Dick Van Dyke show" and "The Fugitive"). They didn't start making finales until the 70s.

Didn't The Andy Griffith Show have a finale, which opened the door to Mayberry RFD with Ken (Vinton) Berry?

Didn't The Andy Griffith Show have a finale, which opened the door to Mayberry RFD with Ken (Vinton) Berry?

Ken Berry was in the last 4 episodes of "The Andy Griffith Show." The first episode of "Mayberry R.F.D." had Andy Taylor getting married and Aunt Bee moving in with Sam and Mike.

"Three's Company" - The producers spent so much time on the new spinoff "Three's A Crowd" that they spent little time on making the last three episodes really good. Ugh..stupid producers.i fully agree with you

How has nobody mentioned Gilligan's Island not geting rescued until 11 years later

Lets add JAG to the list. I hated how Bellisarus had to re-write the episode. They wanted him to write a show where Vuckovic was going to spin off into a new series, but they then changed their minds. So the last episode of JAG was 50% vukovic and less than 50% Harm and Mac.

How has nobody mentioned Gilligan's Island not geting rescued until 11 years later

I expect one day to turn on the TV and see the gang still on that island. LOL!

Lets add JAG to the list. I hated how Bellisarus had to re-write the episode. They wanted him to write a show where Vuckovic was going to spin off into a new series, but they then changed their minds. So the last episode of JAG was 50% vukovic and less than 50% Harm and Mac.


Yeah, that was strange... and actually, I didn't even KNOW that it was the last episode until after it was over. When they tossed the coin at the end and the episode ended, I'm thinking, "uh oh, cliffhanger ending... have to watch it next week to see what happens". It was early in May and I figured there'd be at least one more episode this season... I didn't even know the show was officially cancelled at the time, I just knew that if they DID do a 10th season, Harm would not have returned.

Of course, TV Networks being what they are, perhaps in 10 years they can assemble the cast again, put them back in that bar, and show the coin coming down... "JAG: The Reunion "

At any rate, I certainly hope to see Catherine Bell continue in her acting career, and I mean soon :eyes:

Gunsmoke after 20 years on CBS the least they could do is give it a good series finaly

I agree with you there with The Wonder Years. After building up the Kevin/Winnie relationship for the duration of the series, I was not only disappointed that they didn't end up together, but also because the writers never told us WHY. Because, if I remember correctly, it was also during that episode that they seemed to still be in love and together, so I was very shocked at the end as to what could've happened.
Well, as I recall, Winnie left to study /live in France ( Same as Ellen on Family Ties, btw ) and , by the time she came back, Kevin was already married to someone else! < The point being, you never know WHERE life will bring you ;)

I expect one day to turn on the TV and see the gang still on that island. LOL!
:lol: :lol:
Me too!!

Well, as I recall, Winnie left to study /live in France ( Same as Ellen on Family Ties, btw ) and , by the time she came back, Kevin was already married to someone else! < The point being, you never know WHERE life will bring you ;)


That's right, Also didn't Winnie get married also and then either her or Kevin got a divorce? Isn't that what was said at the end?

a lot of people-myself included-were dissatisfied with the finale of "Quantum Leap". That's because, it wasn't intended to be a finale, at first. But, when NBC canncelled it, Don Bellsarius rewrote it as a finale-it was orriginally supposed to be a cliffhanger.

a lot of people-myself included-were dissatisfied with the finale of "Quantum Leap". That's because, it wasn't intended to be a finale, at first. But, when NBC canncelled it, Don Bellsarius rewrote it as a finale-it was orriginally supposed to be a cliffhanger.


To this day I consider that the worst episode of QL. I just never understood it.

Full House- the series finale was about Michelle getting amnesia. It should have been about Joey, Jesse, Rebecca, and the twins moving out.

I actually liked that Series Finale, myself. Sad in ways, but good.

"Frasier" kinda ended on a cliffhanger... he was to move away to San Francisco from Seattle, but then in the end we hear a flight attendant annouce they are in Chicago where is girlfriend, Charolette had moved. So we don't know exactly what Frasier was there for? Maybe to be with her... or to tell her he's moved to San Fran.? Etc.

Also "Family Matters" was to have another Season, but when the cast returned they found out that the set had been burned. On purpose too.
HOW SAD. :( And Dumb.

I never really wanted them to marry either. I don't know how it should have ended really but what I didn't like about it was that they spent to much time setting up Three's A Crowd and ignored the fact that Three's Company was ending. They didn't go into why Terri was moving to Hawaii and they really ignored Larry and Mr. Furley entirely. It would have been nice to find out what was going to happen to them.

Yeah that's pretty much what the producers did, which makes me really mad. I would have loved to see what everyone was going to do since the trio was leaving.

Yay, cool :D :woohoo: I mean, I know a lot of people can't picture them together but I always could....I dunno, maybe it's just me. I could picture it going either way.

I could picture them together too a little. They do look cute together, but with the whole 'platonically' thing it would sort of be weird.

Also "Family Matters" was to have another Season, but when the cast returned they found out that the set had been burned. On purpose too.
HOW SAD. :( And Dumb.

Wait, you mean that the producers or whatever burned the set on purpose? Why would they even do that? That's just wasting their money really.

Wait, you mean that the producers or whatever burned the set on purpose? Why would they even do that? That's just wasting their money really.

It wasn't burned down. It was torn down. All the furniture and props are in some Warner Bros. warehouse, somewhere.

It wasn't burned down. It was torn down. All the furniture and props are in some Warner Bros. warehouse, somewhere.

Wow, and the cast didn't even know it. That's really sad.

the outdoor set of "MASH" burned down, while they were filming the finale. So they wrote the fire into the show.

the outdoor set of "MASH" burned down, while they were filming the finale. So they wrote the fire into the show.

Really?! That's insane. Perfect timing though.

yes, it was good timing. Although; if you've ever seen the finale, they could have done a better job writing it in, because it seems to be just "tacked on".

Originally Posted by Maroon5'd
Full House- the series finale was about Michelle getting amnesia. It should have been about Joey, Jesse, Rebecca, and the twins moving out.

No, it's the audience who needed amnesia, to forget this terrible sitcom! :lol:

[QUOTE=ClassicTVGal]"Frasier" kinda ended on a cliffhanger... he was to move away to San Francisco from Seattle, but then in the end we hear a flight attendant annouce they are in Chicago where is girlfriend, Charolette had moved. So we don't know exactly what Frasier was there for? Maybe to be with her... or to tell her he's moved to San Fran.? Etc.

Hmmmm.... so THAT's how it ended, i lost interest once Niles married whats her name....Frazier and Roz SHOULD have ended up together

the outdoor set of "MASH" burned down, while they were filming the finale. So they wrote the fire into the show.
Hmmmm the same thing happened to the set of Cheers, they did a show about it...Rebecca's cigarette was the culprit.....another good reason not to smoke! ;)

Frazier and Roz SHOULD have ended up together

AGREED! :mad:

Thx Emma ! ;)

AGREED! :mad:
no, they shouldn't have! :mad: :mad: That would have sucked, bad enough that Niles & Daphne got together!

Full House- the series finale was about Michelle getting amnesia. It should have been about Joey, Jesse, Rebecca, and the twins moving out.

I agree! another sitcom that didn't receive a prpoer finale was "Gilligan's Island." The last one ever was good, but the show was cancelled before a true series finale could've been made.

All the Threes Company fans are SO wrong, Jack didnt belong with Janet, he and Furley were MADE for each other ! :lol: ( Now you can decide whether I was kidding, or not ) :p

It wasn't burned down. It was torn down. All the furniture and props are in some Warner Bros. warehouse, somewhere.

Well no, I read it was burned down. Not real sure exactly where. Think it was a "FM" Site.


Hmmmm.... so THAT's how it ended, i lost interest once Niles married whats her name....Frazier and Roz SHOULD have ended up together

Her name was Daphne Moon

*******

I'm shocked and surprised NO ONE has mentioned, "Night Court"! Wow. I mean come on! The ending was to be in Season 8 and having Judge (Harry) Stone and Public Defense Attorney, Christine get married and Dan becoming a Priest!! But nooooo the company just HAD to re-new the show and start all over with a new script and "scratch" the idea!! *Bleh!*

The ending is Harry deciding to stay in NY as a Judge, Bull gets abducted by Aliens, Christine leaves for Washington, D.C. for Congress, Mac stays but then says he's dropping out of Law school to do film and Dan leaving to pursue "his true love"..... Christine!!

And I also read that they weren't to be picked up again (10th Season).

I'm shocked and surprised NO ONE has mentioned, "Night Court"! Wow. I mean come on! The ending was to be in Season 8 and having Judge (Harry) Stone and Public Defense Attorney, Christine get married and Dan becoming a Priest!! But nooooo the company just HAD to re-new the show and start all over with a new script and "scratch" the idea!! *Bleh!*

The ending is Harry deciding to stay in NY as a Judge, Bull gets abducted by Aliens, Christine leaves for Washington, D.C. for Congress, Mac stays but then says he's dropping out of Law school to do film and Dan leaving to pursue "his true love"..... Christine!!

And I also read that they weren't to be picked up again (10th Season).

Yeah, I agree with you on "Night Court". I would have preferred it if they would have not renewed the last season. The last season of that show was horrible in my opinion. None of the characters were like themselves and it was just not funny at all. They should have ended it at 8 seasons.

All the Threes Company fans are SO wrong, Jack didnt belong with Janet, he and Furley were MADE for each other ! :lol: ( Now you can decide whether I was kidding, or not ) :p

Noo way. You got it all wrong. Jack didn't belong with Janet, or Mr. Furley.

He belonged with Mr. Roper. ;)

everybody loves raymond...i never understood it

I agree! another sitcom that didn't receive a prpoer finale was "Gilligan's Island." The last one ever was good, but the show was cancelled before a true series finale could've been made.

Here's more on the Gilligan situation from tv.com:

"This was the final episode before the show got cancelled. The reason the show got cancelled was because they had to let some shows go and the wife of the CBS president loved Gunsmoke, so he renewed Gunsmoke and got rid of Gilligan's Island. The popularity of the series called for 3 reunion movies "Rescue from Gilligan's Island," "The Castaways From Gilligan's Island," and "The Harlem Globetrotters on Gilligan's Island." Also the surviving members made a guest appearance on "ALF" reprising their roles in a dream sequence. "


My vote goes for The Jeffersons. The show lasted 11 seasons. Night Court and Family Matters are other good examples.

Any show that lasts long enough and/or has started a decent fanbase should have some type of closure.

Judging Amy

The Wayans Bros.

I didn't like the way that they ended Spin City. It wasn't an ending episode. The one that I thought was a good ending episode is the one where Michael J. Fox leaves.

The following shows should have gotten a proper finale. They've been mentioned on this thread once, but I'll echo them:

Family Matters
Joan of Arcadia
The Wonder Years

I didn't like the way that they ended Spin City. It wasn't an ending episode. The one that I thought was a good ending episode is the one where Michael J. Fox leaves.
As far as I'm concerned that is the final episode. I didn't like the show after MJF left.

Well, as I recall, Winnie left to study /live in France ( Same as Ellen on Family Ties, btw ) and , by the time she came back, Kevin was already married to someone else! < The point being, you never know WHERE life will bring you ;)

The following shows should have gotten a proper finale. They've been mentioned on this thread once, but I'll echo them:

Family Matters
Joan of Arcadia
The Wonder Years



I agree with Mikado that "The Wonder Years" did in fact have a 'proper' finale. It might not have been what a lot of people wanted, or expected, but it was probably much more realistic than if Kevin and Winnie would have ended up together...

Most people do not end up marrying their high school sweethearts (although I admit that there are a lot of great stories out there of people who do/did), let alone their best friend from Jr. High... it's much more likely that they would grow up, meet other people, and marry someone that they met in college, or while in their 20s or 30s...that's what happened in Kevin and Winnie's case.

Winnie going off to France was definitely out there as far as 'plots' go, but I think that the whole point was, as Mikado said, that you never know where life is going to take you. I can think back to Jr. High, early '70s, in New Jersey... two girls in particular I went 'steady' with (not at the same time, of course) and we remained friends even all through high school... but today, one lives in Iowa, one in Kansas, and all three of us are happily married to people we didn't know existed when we hung out in Study Hall...we never thought there was any other world out there, other than the one we wlived in...and we most certainly did imagine being married to each other (not at the same time of course) and living right there in our town...that's the way life is....you just never know!

Dharma & Greg
Adventures of Superman(cause George Reeves died)
Adventures of Superboy
The Hogan Family

The Hogan Family

That upset me too to find out the last episode made was a Christmas themed one. I love holiday eps, but if I were them, chances are in that last season I'd have been trying to find ways to close that series.

Here's more on the Gilligan situation from tv.com:

"This was the final episode before the show got cancelled. The reason the show got cancelled was because they had to let some shows go and the wife of the CBS president loved Gunsmoke, so he renewed Gunsmoke and got rid of Gilligan's Island. The popularity of the series called for 3 reunion movies "Rescue from Gilligan's Island," "The Castaways From Gilligan's Island," and "The Harlem Globetrotters on Gilligan's Island." Also the surviving members made a guest appearance on "ALF" reprising their roles in a dream sequence. "


My vote goes for The Jeffersons. The show lasted 11 seasons. Night Court and Family Matters are other good examples.

Any show that lasts long enough and/or has started a decent fanbase should have some type of closure.in the 5os, 60s, and 70s, shows hardly ever had finales. "The Dick Van Dyke show" and "The Fugitive" had one, and "I Dream of Jeannie" was going to, but it's a long story as to why it didn't.
Anyway, the shows I mentioned are extremely rare exeptions.

Gilligan's Island

Gilligans Island
The Beverly Hillbillies-and that HORRIBLE reunion movie in 1980 doesn't count!
The Brady Bunch
Green Acres
Quantum Leap (because that final episode wasn't intended to be the end. It was going to be the first part of a season-ending cliffhanger, but after they filmed it, NBC cannceled the series, so they reedited it and made it the final episode
Star Trek(T.O.S.-The Original Series)

Full House because the ending episode wasn't really goiong to be the finale, the 1st part was the finale of season 8 and the 2nd part would the the opening to season 9, but because of the budget they had to cancel on short notice, so they had to make it a finale.

I Dream of Jeannie-the episode "Hurricane Jeannie" -the one where Roger and Dr. Bellows are stuck at the Nelsons overnight because of a hurricane-was going to be the finale, but NBC preemted the show a lot during the 5th season for Apollo 13 coverage, and that made a 6th season nessecary, so they filmed another ending to "Hurricane Jeannie" and made it the last show of the 5th season.

Ironnically, the episode mentioned 2 astronauts named "Ford" & "Mattingly" who Tony had to talk down from their mission. Ford & Mattingly were the last names of 2 of the Apollo 13 astronats.

Taxi-because NBC canncelled it, and they didn't have time to make a finale, so they just had an hour long retrospective show instead.

All In The Family (and no the follow-up show does not excuse it!)

Although it was not the last episode, nor the finale, I've always thought of the 1978 season finale where Mike and Gloria leave to go to California as the final episode.

I almost wonder in a way if it was done as a final episode, in case Carroll O' Connor and Jean Stapleton decided enough was enough and didn't want to continue.

At any rate, it really does play like a final episode. You see George Jefferson in a cameo and the show ends as it began, with Mike and Gloria and Edith and Archie all living under one roof...until the kids depart, of course.

Although I agree that some series finales were not the best, in my humble opinion I would still say that a proper series finale of any kind is still better than no series finale at all. Therefore, I'm grateful that Three's Company and The Wonder Years did indeed have a series finale, as sub-par as they were, than none.

I would say that Wikipedia has an excellent article on series finales. This article provides descriptions on what happened in many series finales. It also mentions some long-running series that never had an official finale.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Series_finale

"Just Shoot Me" (although it's kindof a grey area)
I think they deserved (at list) an one-hour finale.