MovieChat Forums > Spin City (1996) Discussion > Why did they ruin Mike's exit?

Why did they ruin Mike's exit?


As much as I love this show, I gotta say Mike's final curtain episode has got to be the weakest of the first four brilliant seasons. What could have been a touching, bittersweet, yet uplifting ending was unjustly turned into a downright tragedy, an overly sentimental melodrama and that was completely out of style of "Spin City".

They simply did not need to elaborate so much on Mike's leaving, to "explain" his exit. It needed no explanation, everybody knew the real reason behind it. The reason that was tragic enough in itself. So why make it even more depressing than it already was? Why let Mike the character loose and not win at the end? Why not come up with something more ingenious and dramatically solid than letting an innocent guy take the blame, loose the job he loved more than anything, his team that was like a family to him? Did the writers loose their creativity all of a sudden? They should have Mike go in style. Finishing up with his final letter from Washington saying "oh, turns out I love being an environmental lobbist" is not a stylish dramatic ending in my book.

Remember the episode in season 4 (not far from the ending) where Mike teaches the mayor to ride a bike? Well, that's where they should have ended it. In Central Park, when the mayor rides off with a six year old boy. Remember the boy's father comes up to Mike and asks "How old is yours?" And Mike answers, smiling and watching the mayor's ackward ride "Fifty two. But, but he will be fifty three in the fall". What a breathtaking moment! A perfect ending for a movie. Symbolic, profound and touching. Watching the final episode, I was embarrassed for the mayor crying and repeating "You are like a son to me, Mike", "I love you like a father", "I don't want you to go, son" etc... Jesus Christ, what happened to those writers?

Watching Michael J. Fox saying good buy to his co-workers was embarrassing also (particularly the scene at the bar with everybody crying). It was not a film any longer, but a borderline reality show. I understand that he probably felt very emotional and vulnarable at that moment that marked the end of his acting career, and that's exactly the reason why I felt uncomfortable watching it. It seemed more like him having private conversations with his friends than a public performance.

The very last scene is very good though, when Michael takes the final bow in front of the studio audience. But everything that comes before... Did they have to write it in a hurry?

reply

Mike's farewell was IMO one of the best farewells that TV has had for a character.

I can't believe you call the scene where the characters say goodbye 'embarrassing'.

The thing is this - most people watching the show at the time it was on were fans of Michael J Fox and grew up watching him on TV. And the cast of the show were very sad. I found the scene at the bar incredibly touching. Also the scene with the mayor was as well.

I actually think that the writing was great and it made Mike seem like he was doing something good to protect his fellow staff - something he had always done.

I don't know what you mean about that episode - it's one of my favourites because it's real and people were geniuinely sad to see Michael J Fox leave.

He does return in a few episodes later on though.

They didnt end the show, and shouldn't have just because a character left.

Yes, they tried to repleace MJF with Charlie Sheen, but it's over now and done.

The farewell was fitting and bittersweet as was the fact that one of the world's most loved TV personalities was no longer going to be seen very much anymore.

And yes, I think the writing was done quite quickly.

But if you read Michael J Fox's memoirs Lucky Man and Always Looking Up you get a feeling why they wrote that episode the way they did and the feelings that came along with shooting a lot of the scenes.

But my opinion? It was a beauiful ending...to one part of the show.

What You Feel Is What You Are - And What You Are Is Beautiful

reply

The farewell was fitting and bittersweet as was the fact that one of the world's most loved TV personalities was no longer going to be seen very much anymore.


Well, I guess my problem is that I don't see anything sweet in the ending at all. What's sweet about Mike's making a huge sacrifice that's not going to be rewarded in any way? I don't see anything uplifting about it. It's dramatically pointless which is why I call it bad writing.

To sweeten the medicine, they should have had Mike leave on his own accord. For example, he could have outgrown his position as a deputy mayor and decided to move on to something else, I don't know, to travel the world or to get a Ph.D in quantum physics or something. We would see that the character was developing, that he was becoming stronger and moving on towards a new life. That would have made it bittersweet. For me.

I can't believe you call the scene where the characters say goodbye 'embarrassing'.


Perhaps I went too far in calling that scene "embarrassing". I just feel there is too much real life in that episode. Much more than it should have been. But may be it seemed different at the time it was aired for the first time. I only saw it recently.

reply

Well, it is politics. And for all of its sitcom tropes, it tried to stay "believable" as a political show.

And in politics, you always have to have a decoy, someone to take the blame. A scandal like that (beeing too close to a mobster) could only go away with a high end official taking the blame.

in the end, Mike took the blame because he knew that was the only way to save everyone (as everyone had, without realising it, worked with or helped this gangster).

Even the Mayor got implicated. He was the only one high enough to take the blame and leaving the mayor office quite intact.

reply

I agree.

And not all tv shows need to have happy endings. This one was a tragedy, well-written and well-acted. They make one wanting *more*. Even though there won't be any. (apart from one or two special guest star moments, of course...)

reply

[deleted]

It's LOSE, not LOOSE.

And Mike didn't lose, he went on to something different and was happy. His leaving was bitter-sweet.

reply

This is easily one of the best exit episodes for a character in any television show I've ever watched. The emotion from each actor seemed very genuine, and I wouldn't be surprised if some of the tears were actually real.

You need to keep in mind, MJF had to leave the show because of health reasons(Parkinson's Disease). I've watched this episode a few times, and each time I do my eyes begin to water. It's tragic to see such a great actor's career ruined by his health. I grew up watching MJF on Family Ties and the Back to Future movies, and every time I see him on television I feel bad for what he has to go through on a regular basis. He could've done so much more with his career.

After this episode, I refused to watch any other Spin City except for the season 6 episodes with MJF. I feel the show should've ended with season 4, and I HATE how they brought Charlie Sheen in to replace MJF's character. I'm also disappointed half of the cast left the show, but the show still continued. Can you tell the network and the show's producers were greedy for money?

reply

Yes, I completely agree. They should have ended the show after Michael left. I, too, never watched SC past season 4 even though I like Charlie Sheen as an actor. Just not in this show ((

reply

Without a doubt it was the best farewell since All In The Family. Mike sacrificed himself by taking all the blame to save his friends. And how funny it was for him to trash his Alex P. Keaton character.

reply

In a show that is supposed to be about public relations, handling government gaffes, and "spinning" the situation for the best, I would think that Mike's departure is kind of the ultimate spin. He realizes that the scandal needs a fall guy or he will not be able to do damage control so he winds up being that fall guy and the government he has worked for stays standing. It's sort of winning by losing and sometimes the game of politics works that way.

Yeah it might have gotten a little maudlin at moments as Michael J Fox's health issues undertones crept up to the surface but I thought the premise was sound.

The environmental lobbyist thing at the end is designed to show that his move did not end his career. If anything, it opened greater opportunities as he's now working on a national scale rather than municipal - which is a definite step up.

reply

They really created the perfect way to do it;
It would have been too morbid to have something bad happen to Mike (ie the character die or do something terrible) given the real reason MJF left.
He got fired but we all know it was by his own accord and in a way he went out in a heroic manner; he saved the administration and all his employees. In the end I’m sure he got a good payoff and of course took the next step in his career.

reply