What are some of the earliest shows(or first one ever) you can think of that had a series finale? What I mean is a show like M*A*S*H* which consciously made the decision to kind of say "this is it and goodbye" as opposed to just some random episode that was the last episode of a series like Dennis the Menace.

I think The Fugitive was the first drama to have a concluding final episode, and that aired in 1967.

As for the first sitcom to have such an episode, I'm not positive but I'm going to say Leave it To Beaver, whose last episode was a kind of retrospective, and aired in 1963. The next one I can think of would be The Odd Couple, whose last ep aired in 1975!

Hank - 1965-66

The Dick Van Dyke Show possibly... the last show was a clip show as Laura read Rob's book about his life experiences. Alan Brady got a hold of it and wanted to turn it into a sitcom. (Would the first episode have been similar to the unsold DVDS pilot "Head of the Family"?)

I think perhaps The Ann Sothern Show qualifies, the dynamic of the power struggle between the leads suddenly (at least hopefully) lost as they headed off on their honeymoon at the final fadeout.

I think The Fugitive was the first drama to have a concluding final episode, and that aired in 1967.

As for the first sitcom to have such an episode, I'm not positive but I'm going to say Leave it To Beaver, whose last episode was a kind of retrospective, and aired in 1963. The next one I can think of would be The Odd Couple, whose last ep aired in 1975!

Yes the Fugitive would be a good example. The one armed man was finally seen. As for Beaver, I don't know. I always thought they were planning on another year.

I think there should be a spinoff thread titled: "What if a TV series that did not have a concluding series finale episode did have a concluding series finale episode?".

Um, I LOVE LUCY!

Um, THAT WASN'T A FINALE! They were back in the same place having the same adventures with the same people the next fall on the Lucille Ball-Desi Arnaz specials.