Or did it just end? Was the final episode a true final?
Look what happened to my Good Intention
It just ended. There was an officer involved shooting of an unarmed man that the officer swore was armed and most of the team were stuck in the precinct because a mob had formed outside. After all that, Mac met Christine and asked her to marry him. The End.
sharePretty bad when a show runs for 9 years and doesn't have a conclusion. At least not one that actually pulls all the threads together.
shareWell, what about other shows? Miami didn't have a good conclusion as I'm sure shows that got canceled didn't either. Seems networks no longer tell shows they are ending until the final episode.
shareThe last episode of CSI Miami, the whole lab crew went out for drinks. They had wagered on whether Horatio would make it. He showed up right at the end. I guess that was a way to end the show. It was better than others like CSI NY.
shareIn my oppinion S9E16 (the one before the last) was more of a conclusion, than the last epsiode itself. It showed them all in a very privat (and good) moment. A point in their lifes to "let them go".
shareSeems networks no longer tell shows they are ending until the final episode.
Actually, that has been very common since the early days of television. Besides, networks are generally not responsible for whether or not a series gets an official finale. That responsibility really belongs to the cast and crew. Although it is not impossible for a network to give producers enough notice to let them prepare a series finale, one should never assume that it will happen.
Generally speaking, even when a scripted series has lasted, say, 8 or 10 years, sometimes the cast and/or crew still take for granted that it will be on for many more years. By that point, however, that is typically an unwise assumption for the following reasons:
- Many shows peak by season five or six.
- Rightly or wrongly, it suggests that they are letting their careers depend entirely (or at least primarily) on the show.
- It puts them at greater risk of losing their chance to do an official series finale.
Having said that, it is better to let a series rest on its laurels than overstay its welcome.
I must say 4-kane, your post is one the most confusing comments I have read in some time.
Besides, networks are generally not responsible for whether or not a series gets an official finale. That responsibility really belongs to the cast and crew.
Generally speaking, even when a scripted series has lasted, say, 8 or 10 years, sometimes the cast and/or crew still take for granted that it will be on for many more years.
By that point, however, that [sic] is typically an unwise assumption for the following reasons:
Rightly or wrongly, it suggests that they are letting their careers depend entirely (or at least primarily) on the show.
It puts them at greater risk of losing their chance to do an official series finale.
Having said that, it is better to let a series rest on its laurels than overstay its welcome.
Jazzizhep2 - Television is a very complex business, but I will try to answer some of your questions as best as I can.
How would the cast and crew know to create a finale if they were not told by the network? Surely you do not believe the production crew should try and guess if a show is to be renewed for the following season. It would be rather idiotic to create a series finale only to have the show return. Perhaps you are implying the creator, exec. producer and/or studio should wrap the series before the network cancels it. I suppose such forethought by the show-runners would be ideal, but they rarely choose to walk away from a project making them money (Breaking Bad is an exception, not the rule).
I never said that a cast and crew should try and guess whether a series would be renewed for another year. However, I do suggest that if they see any hints that the show is vulnerable - low ratings, high production costs (or a combination of the two), etc. - then they should consider doing an episode that would work as a series-ender in the event that it was canceled (just like what happened with CSI: NY). It wouldn't have to be an official series finale, just one that could work either as a series ender or a regular season ender. And no, I was not implying that producers should end a series before the network cancels it.
In fact, I never expect a cast and crew to decide early on when to end a series. It's rare anyway. But one exception is the Dick Van Dyke Show, whose producers decided, before the series even aired, that it would not last more than five years. And they kept that pledge, ending the series after five years.
If you are going to do a best option (this or that) comparison, it is customary to include options that are mutually exclusive and accomplish the same goal.
I am going to attempt to rewrite your last sentence so it makes some kind (any kind) of sense.
It is better to let a series rest on its laurels than let it put forth effort.
It is better to let a series leave early than overstay its welcome.
(Although it is a clumsy metaphor, the second sentence at least makes sense.)
Here's a sensible alternate version of the second sentence: It is better to let a series quit while it is ahead than overstay its welcome.
I am referring to the idea of a show ending when it has produced enough episodes for it to be seen in daily syndicated reruns, which, of course, is the goal for successful television shows anyway. The aforementioned Dick Van Dyke Show, which lasted five years on CBS, produced a total of 158 episodes, more than enough for daily second-run syndication. The producers could have continued the series for a few more years, but again they chose to stop at season five.
With both Miami and NY the decision to cancel wasn't made until after the season finale. Both shows were on the brink and I think they knew it, which is why there wasn't a cliffhanger for the finale but rather something that at least felt a bit like an ending.