Best TV Series Finales

It’s probably harder to end a series well than it is to begin it, especially if it’s had a long run and a lot of fans. What shows do you think ended well? For example:

Newhart, which ended with Bob waking up in bed next to Mary Frann who’d played his wife in his previous show, The Bob Newhart Show, and realizing that he only dreamed that he’d owned a Vermont Bed & Breakfast for years!

The Sopranos: And then, suddenly, NOTHING, no sound, no picture. They just pulled the plug right out of the outlet.

Mary Tyler Moore. The staff all walk out of the office, but leave the lights on. Thirty seconds later, Mary—always-dependable Mary—opens the door a crack, takes one last look around, smiles a poignant smile, and turns out the lights.

Cheers: Sam has sold the bar. After one last round, The Gang leave. Sam locks the door, walks to the bar to clean up. A hand knocks on the door’s window. Sam replies, sadly, “We’re closed.”

As I typed this, I realized that these series had something in common in addition to a great
finale. They were all class acts from head to toe.