It's very rare for the best season of a show to happen during its final year (even more so for long-running series), but I can think of a few.

Father Knows Best (season 6)
Gilligan's Island (season 3)
I Dream of Jeannie (season 5)
The Dick Van Dyke Show (season 5, although all the seasons were more-or-less at the same quality)

What shows in your opinion fit this description?

When it comes to a show's final season being the best, some of you will guess The Mary Tyler Moore Show and Barney Miller, especially considering that they won the Outstanding Comedy Series Emmy Award in their last year on the air.

Others might guess Breaking Bad, which won the Outstanding Drama Series Emmy for both halves of its concluding season. Plus, the second half of the fifth season became the most-watched of the entire series.

Anyone else want to offer their opinion on this?

WKRP Season 4 was not only an improvement from 3, but some of their best written came that year (Although 3 wasn't bad)

WKRP Season 4 was not only an improvement from 3, but some of their best written came that year (Although 3 wasn't bad)



Congratulations! You just stole my answer! Yes, you are right. The show was hitting its stride at the time and had a couple more extra seasons going for it.

Police Squad!

That doesn't count since there were only six episodes in the entire series.

WKRP Season 4 was not only an improvement from 3, but some of their best written came that year (Although 3 wasn't bad)
Agreed. WKRP was one of the few shows where each season got better as it went along. I think there should've been at least a 5th season, or premiere The New WKRP in syndication way earlier, say 1985, with more of the original cast.

Agreed. WKRP was one of the few shows where each season got better as it went along. I think there should've been at least a 5th season, or premiere The New WKRP in syndication way earlier, say 1985, with more of the original cast.


I kept saying that several times! Kevin Tannehill who made New WKRP possible, tried to get MTM to revive WKRP in syndication twice when he worked for two different companies in the 80s and both times they said no.

I would say Larry Sanders Sixth season had a lot of black comedy
WKRP 4TH ALL THE WAY.
And its not the best but I think Newhart eighth season had plenty funny episodes