Which shows got their finale right, and which didn't?

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

A data-driven attempt to classify TV series finales as “transcendent,” “satisfying,” “disappointing,” or “disaster” prompts wide-ranging debate over which shows stuck the landing and which ones retroactively soured the entire run. Commenters cite examples from prestige dramas and sitcoms alike—Game of Thrones, Lost, The Sopranos, Six Feet Under, MASH, Scrubs, The Expanse, Breaking Bad/Better Call Saul, and others—arguing over how much weight to give closure, character arcs, and narrative coherence. A recurring theme is that weak final seasons and rushed endings can overshadow years of strong storytelling, while a well-judged finale can elevate even uneven series runs.

Overall reaction & classification

  • Many like the four-way classification (Transcendent / Satisfying / Disappointing / Disaster finales), though some note spelling errors in the piece.
  • Several commenters feel the analysis underweights shows that declined for multiple seasons before the finale (e.g., Westworld), so the “delta vs. average” metric can mislead.

Shows broadly praised as having great finales

  • M*A*S*H is repeatedly cited as a gold standard, with its finale remembered as emotional and culturally huge.
  • Six Feet Under is often called one of the greatest finales ever and some are surprised it wasn’t analyzed.
  • Other finales singled out as excellent or near-perfect:
    • Person of Interest, The Leftovers, The Americans, Justified, Parks and Recreation, The Office (US), Letterkenny, Top Boy, The Prisoner, Better Call Saul, Babylon 5’s “Sleeping in Light”.
  • Comedy finales are generally seen as less risky because they’re character-driven, but examples like How I Met Your Mother show they can still damage a show.

Shows with divisive or disliked finales

  • Game of Thrones is the consensus “disaster finale” reference point; many say it ruins rewatchability and suffered from rushed plotting, shortened seasons, and lack of nuance, despite strong production and acting.
  • Lost is highly polarizing: some think the finale is terrible and fraudulent; others defend it as character-focused, thematically coherent, and often misunderstood.
  • The Sopranos is also divisive: some see it as transcendent and thematically perfect; others call the cut-to-black a cop-out.
  • Other finales criticized or called disastrous: Dexter, Battlestar Galactica, The Blacklist, Stargate Atlantis (for a cliffhanger), Ozark (some disappointed, others satisfied), The Expanse (accused of ending mid-plot).

Specific show debates

  • Scrubs: many insist season 8 is the “real” ending; season 9 is effectively a spin-off.
  • Breaking Bad: some love the cathartic, tightly wrapped ending; others wish it ended with the penultimate “cabin” episode. Workarounds (stopping at “Granite State”) are suggested.
  • The Expanse: some feel the TV ending is abrupt but defensible given constraints; others argue the books provide the true closure and should be read before finishing the show.

Broader themes

  • Reboots and continuations: Futurama and Sabrina are cited as rare quality reboots; debate on whether Star Trek: TNG and The Office (US) count as reboots.
  • Several note how a bad finale can retroactively sour an otherwise great series, while a strong one (Better Call Saul, The Shield, etc.) becomes a benchmark for the entire genre.