Worst Series Finale - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Freakzilla · 06-24-2000, 09:33 AM

What series finale do you consider the worst?

In my opinion, that would be Married...With Children. That episode was made as a season finale. It ended up being the last episode because FOX, in its infinite wisdom, forgot to tell the people involved with the show it was being cancelled before they shot the episode. This for a show that not only was on for 11 years but the first show ever broadcast on FOX!

Ed O'Neill still holds a grudge against because of what they did. A while back, FOX wanted to do a Married...With Children reunion movie. Ed's suggestion for the story was that it start at Al's funeral.

michele · 06-24-2000, 10:49 AM

Seinfeld, by far, was the biggest disappointment for me. I expected so much from such a clever show. It had no structure and was all over the place. It was such a bad attempt at cramming in as many guest stars as possible.

Should have taken some advice from Love Boat...thay always got their guest stars right. Seinfeld just flopped.

Michele

silentbri · 06-24-2000, 11:50 AM

The Brady Bunch had the forst final episode ever. Orange Rabbits, Pubescent Cindy, and no Mike Brady! But at least it had Cousin Oliver in it...

Of course, another reason it was so horrible was because no one knew it was the last episode... it all just kinda fell apart. I guess that any show that didn't really know it was getting cancelled yet had really bad final episodes.

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silentbri · 06-24-2000, 11:53 AM

Oh, hey! What about series that don't even get to have a final episode because they get cancelled mid season? Did anybody get to see the two episodes of Clerks: The Animated Series on ABC? They had a great final episode all lined up, but ABC cancelled it and replaced it wth Spin City reruns after only 2 episodes!

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IGNTBone · 06-24-2000, 11:55 PM

Finally, someone shares my thoughts on "Clerks: TCS" I was looking forward to that show ever since I read an interview with Jason Mewes back in 1998. I promised myself I would catch every episode, but unfortunately, I wouldn't have to worry about missing any. *sigh...*

Also, just a note from an above posting... "Married..." was not technically the first show on FOX. The mid-80's sci-fi kiddie show "Small Wonder", about VICI the girl robot, was around when FOX was just a group of local affiliates called "Metromedia" When FOX bought Metromedia, "Small Wonder" stayed along as its first sitcom. "Married..." then came shortly after.

silentbri · 06-25-2000, 12:22 PM

...So would it be fair to say that, allthough Small Wonder was the first running FOX Network sitcom, Marriaed With Children was the first sitcom aired exclusively on the FOX Network? I think that Small Wonder doesn't really count considering that it started as a syndicated program...

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Freakzilla · 06-25-2000, 07:49 PM

I guess that any show that didn't really know it was getting cancelled yet had really bad final episodes.

[/B][/QUOTE]

For the most part, I agree with you. If you ever watch any of those shows on USA weekday mornings, besides Wings, you know what its like to watch a show just end. But one of my favorite series had an unplanned finale that was good. The show was NewsRadio. Probably the reason why they made that episode so it could work as the finale was that the show had been on the verge of cancellation for 3 years. So they didn't want to tempt fate and leave their fans without closure.

silentbri · 06-26-2000, 03:40 AM

Well from what I had heard, everyone on the News Radio cast & crew pretty much knew they wheren't coming back for another season. After Phil Hartman died, it was all down hill from there. The final episode of News Radio was written specifically as a series finale that they could get out of it they really needed to, and that's what made it great.

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07-18-2000, 07:45 PM

actually the first show broadcast on FOX was the short .lived JOAN RIVERS late night show. Married with children came next then 90210.

The T · 07-18-2000, 10:30 PM

Definately seinfeld! Totally! You're right Michele they tried to cram to many guest stars. Also L&S was pretty ronchy too. Like the Brady bunch it didn't even seem like the end!

see ya~The T.

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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Some people are great lovers, some people are great fighters...I happen to be both.-Fonz
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

silentbri · 07-19-2000, 02:10 PM

Another one that didn't really live up to the hype was the Cheers finale. It could have very easilly been condensed in to a half hour, but they stretched it out too long (was it an hour, or two hours? I forgot...). But does "not living up to the hype" really classify a series finale as being lame?

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D-Dey · 08-15-2000, 01:38 PM

I agree with Freakzilla. The final episode of "Married...with Children" was kind of a dud, although it was kind of interesting to see Medford, Long Island's own Tricia Cast in a comedic role. I think a better idea would've been to have a four-part finale, revolving mainly around an attempt by the Illinois DOT to build a highway through the Bundy's neighborhood, and the futile attempts of their neighborhood to stop it from being built. The neighbors blame the government for slum clearence, and the Bundys for being a blight to the neighborhood. Meanwhile, the rest of the cast has their own plans to move on with their lives, pitting Marcy and Jefferson against one another, but Al wants to be buried under the rubble of his home, convinced that a rest area honoring him for his four touchdowns in high school football will be built over his resting place. Finally, as the bulldozers are ready and the rest of the family leaves, we see an "All In the Family" style zoom away from the stage(similar to when Mike & Gloria left), as Al realizes, he has something to live for after all. So he flees the bulldozer on one side as it crashes throught the house, but on the way out, he sees Peg waiting at the door. Freeze frame on Al, on his knees sobbing, torn between Peg and the dozer. The End.

Is that better?

JohnMcMillin · 03-06-2001, 02:50 AM

The Facts Of Life!!!

Mad About You's finale was a shame too, even tho it was nice seeing Cyndi Lauper's character back.

Mossopp · 03-06-2001, 02:15 PM

The worst finale of ANY show, EVER, had to be the last episode of "Ellen". That was my favorite sitcom in the world but watching that last 2-part episode ( "The Hollywood Clip-Show") made me wanna cry - it was sooooo bad! I didn't laugh once. It's a shame that such a consistantly great show should go out with a whimper like that.

Titania · 03-06-2001, 09:31 PM

L&S was pretty bad but the worst was ALF, cause the last ep. was a cliff hanger that never was finished (until that cheesy made for TV movie). Now that was awful!

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Johnny: Don't you people get it? It's the phone cops!!
Andy: There is no such thing as phone cops!
Johnny: Oh sure. Cover for them!

06-24-2000, 09:33 AM	#1
Freakzilla Member Forum Regular Join Date: May 23, 2000 Location: Portage, Michigan, United States Posts: 556	Worst Series Finale What series finale do you consider the worst? In my opinion, that would be Married...With Children. That episode was made as a season finale. It ended up being the last episode because FOX, in its infinite wisdom, forgot to tell the people involved with the show it was being cancelled before they shot the episode. This for a show that not only was on for 11 years but the first show ever broadcast on FOX! Ed O'Neill still holds a grudge against because of what they did. A while back, FOX wanted to do a Married...With Children reunion movie. Ed's suggestion for the story was that it start at Al's funeral.

07-18-2000, 07:45 PM	#9
harrison_john_lover Guest Posts: n/a	actually the first show broadcast on FOX was the short .lived JOAN RIVERS late night show. Married with children came next then 90210.
harrison_john_lover Guest Posts: n/a

06-24-2000, 10:49 AM	#2
michele Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Jun 19, 2000 Location: Midwest-USA Posts: 13	Seinfeld, by far, was the biggest disappointment for me. I expected so much from such a clever show. It had no structure and was all over the place. It was such a bad attempt at cramming in as many guest stars as possible. Should have taken some advice from Love Boat...thay always got their guest stars right. Seinfeld just flopped. Michele

06-24-2000, 11:50 AM	#3
silentbri Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Jun 20, 2000 Location: Lynnwood, WA, in the good ol' US of A Posts: 399	The Brady Bunch had the forst final episode ever. Orange Rabbits, Pubescent Cindy, and no Mike Brady! But at least it had Cousin Oliver in it... Of course, another reason it was so horrible was because no one knew it was the last episode... it all just kinda fell apart. I guess that any show that didn't really know it was getting cancelled yet had really bad final episodes. ------------------ Be sure to click here and check out my web page! What else are you gonna do?

06-24-2000, 11:53 AM	#4
silentbri Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Jun 20, 2000 Location: Lynnwood, WA, in the good ol' US of A Posts: 399	Oh, hey! What about series that don't even get to have a final episode because they get cancelled mid season? Did anybody get to see the two episodes of Clerks: The Animated Series on ABC? They had a great final episode all lined up, but ABC cancelled it and replaced it wth Spin City reruns after only 2 episodes! ------------------ Be sure to click here and check out my web page! What else are you gonna do?

06-24-2000, 11:55 PM	#5
IGNTBone Member Senior Member Join Date: May 03, 2000 Location: Tequesta, FL Posts: 1,201	Finally, someone shares my thoughts on "Clerks: TCS" I was looking forward to that show ever since I read an interview with Jason Mewes back in 1998. I promised myself I would catch every episode, but unfortunately, I wouldn't have to worry about missing any. sigh... Also, just a note from an above posting... "Married..." was not technically the first show on FOX. The mid-80's sci-fi kiddie show "Small Wonder", about VICI the girl robot, was around when FOX was just a group of local affiliates called "Metromedia" When FOX bought Metromedia, "Small Wonder" stayed along as its first sitcom. "Married..." then came shortly after.

06-25-2000, 12:22 PM	#6
silentbri Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Jun 20, 2000 Location: Lynnwood, WA, in the good ol' US of A Posts: 399	...So would it be fair to say that, allthough Small Wonder was the first running FOX Network sitcom, Marriaed With Children was the first sitcom aired exclusively on the FOX Network? I think that Small Wonder doesn't really count considering that it started as a syndicated program... ------------------ Be sure to click here and check out my web page! What else are you gonna do?

06-25-2000, 07:49 PM	#7
Freakzilla Member Forum Regular Join Date: May 23, 2000 Location: Portage, Michigan, United States Posts: 556	I guess that any show that didn't really know it was getting cancelled yet had really bad final episodes. [/B][/QUOTE] For the most part, I agree with you. If you ever watch any of those shows on USA weekday mornings, besides Wings, you know what its like to watch a show just end. But one of my favorite series had an unplanned finale that was good. The show was NewsRadio. Probably the reason why they made that episode so it could work as the finale was that the show had been on the verge of cancellation for 3 years. So they didn't want to tempt fate and leave their fans without closure.

06-26-2000, 03:40 AM	#8
silentbri Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Jun 20, 2000 Location: Lynnwood, WA, in the good ol' US of A Posts: 399	Well from what I had heard, everyone on the News Radio cast & crew pretty much knew they wheren't coming back for another season. After Phil Hartman died, it was all down hill from there. The final episode of News Radio was written specifically as a series finale that they could get out of it they really needed to, and that's what made it great. ------------------ Be sure to click here and check out my web page! What else are you gonna do?

07-18-2000, 10:30 PM	#10
The T Member Senior Member Join Date: Jun 22, 2000 Location: Baraboo, WI US Posts: 1,108	Definately seinfeld! Totally! You're right Michele they tried to cram to many guest stars. Also L&S was pretty ronchy too. Like the Brady bunch it didn't even seem like the end! see ya~The T. ------------------ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Some people are great lovers, some people are great fighters...I happen to be both.-Fonz ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

07-19-2000, 02:10 PM	#11
silentbri Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Jun 20, 2000 Location: Lynnwood, WA, in the good ol' US of A Posts: 399	Another one that didn't really live up to the hype was the Cheers finale. It could have very easilly been condensed in to a half hour, but they stretched it out too long (was it an hour, or two hours? I forgot...). But does "not living up to the hype" really classify a series finale as being lame? ------------------ Be sure to click here and check out my web page! What else are you gonna do?

08-15-2000, 01:38 PM	#12
D-Dey Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Feb 11, 2000 Location: Long Island, New York, USA Posts: 5,510	I agree with Freakzilla. The final episode of "Married...with Children" was kind of a dud, although it was kind of interesting to see Medford, Long Island's own Tricia Cast in a comedic role. I think a better idea would've been to have a four-part finale, revolving mainly around an attempt by the Illinois DOT to build a highway through the Bundy's neighborhood, and the futile attempts of their neighborhood to stop it from being built. The neighbors blame the government for slum clearence, and the Bundys for being a blight to the neighborhood. Meanwhile, the rest of the cast has their own plans to move on with their lives, pitting Marcy and Jefferson against one another, but Al wants to be buried under the rubble of his home, convinced that a rest area honoring him for his four touchdowns in high school football will be built over his resting place. Finally, as the bulldozers are ready and the rest of the family leaves, we see an "All In the Family" style zoom away from the stage(similar to when Mike & Gloria left), as Al realizes, he has something to live for after all. So he flees the bulldozer on one side as it crashes throught the house, but on the way out, he sees Peg waiting at the door. Freeze frame on Al, on his knees sobbing, torn between Peg and the dozer. The End. Is that better?

03-06-2001, 02:50 AM	#13
JohnMcMillin Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Aug 29, 2000 Location: louisville, ky, USA Posts: 380	The Facts Of Life!!! Mad About You's finale was a shame too, even tho it was nice seeing Cyndi Lauper's character back.

03-06-2001, 02:15 PM	#14
Mossopp asleep at the wheel Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Sep 30, 2000 Location: Helensburgh, Scotland Posts: 3,726	The worst finale of ANY show, EVER, had to be the last episode of "Ellen". That was my favorite sitcom in the world but watching that last 2-part episode ( "The Hollywood Clip-Show") made me wanna cry - it was sooooo bad! I didn't laugh once. It's a shame that such a consistantly great show should go out with a whimper like that.

03-06-2001, 09:31 PM	#15
Titania a part of that Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Sep 04, 2000 Posts: 3,694	L&S was pretty bad but the worst was ALF, cause the last ep. was a cliff hanger that never was finished (until that cheesy made for TV movie). Now that was awful! ------------------ Johnny: Don't you people get it? It's the phone cops!! Andy: There is no such thing as phone cops! Johnny: Oh sure. Cover for them!