The series finale aired 40 years ago this week

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The final episode of the CBS sitcom "Alice," titled "Th-th-th-that's All, Folks," aired on March 19, 1985, marking the end of the ninth and final season.

This is a promo that aired on CBS for "Th-th-th-that's All, Folks", the 16th-and final-episode (202nd overall) of the ninth and final season that served as the series finale of the hit 1976-85 CBS sitcom "Alice", which was adapted from the 1974 drama feature "Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore". The episode aired on CBS on Tuesday, March 19, 1985.

Good news for all: Vera (Beth Howland) announces she's pregnant as husband Elliot (Charles Levin) gets promoted to police detective, Jolene (Celia Weston) decides to open a beauty shop, Alice (Linda Lavin) sets off to be a singer, this all as Mel (Vic Tayback) is offered a bundle from a land developer to sell the diner, and he decides to jump at the chance even though Mel's Diner will be demolished. Then, in a series of episode flashbacks, the gang reflects on old times after Mel sells the diner to the land developer.

Alice 's ninth and final season serves up the bitter with the sweet alongside Mel's infamous chili as life leads the ladies and gentlemen who frequent the diner to say au revoir to their corner of Phoenix. But there's plenty of laughs to come before the farewells as Mel (Vic Tayback) plays big, balding wolf and threatens to blow down Mother Goose's (special guest Rue McClanahan) daycare over the objections of Alice (Linda Lavin), Jolene (Celia Weston) and Vera (Beth Howland). Elliot (Charles Levin), Vera's new husband, has a crisis of cop-fidence, the entire Hunnicutt clan crashes in Jolene's tiny apartment, Mel becomes yesteryear's space hero Captain Galaxy, and Tommy (Philp McKeon) loses Alice's new boyfriend's fancy sportscar. It all comes to a close with the end of Mel's and a new chapter for Alice as singer in Nashville. This 2-Disc, 16-episode collection contains the entire ninth season.

• Directed By Robert Getchell
• Starring Linda Lavin, Vic Tayback, Beth Howland

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Remembering the emotional finale of 'Alice' on its 1985 air date

The Alice series finale was titled "Th-th-th-that's All Folks." The show was able to write a proper sendoff for everybody, and the last scenes were touching ones.

Mel decided to sell the diner, and both Alice and Jolene had already prepared to leave their jobs for other opportunities. The group shared one last night of telling stories and hugging one another through their tears. Vera revealed she was pregnant and told Mel she planned to name the baby after him.

The television series Alice was based on Martin Scorsese's 1974 movie titled Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore. The series as a whole, and the finale specifically, continue to bring back wonderful memories for fans all these years later.

In a Facebook post about the finale shared in March 2025, one fan commented, "Linda Lavin and cast were fabulous!"

Another fan added, "Love that show back in the day!!!"

On Reddit, someone else gushed, "Love this show so much. Easily one of my top 10s."