Listopolis: Top 10 Series Finales
8. The Kids in the Hall – In this final episode, some of the recurring sketch characters wrap up their 
own adventures. AT&Love gets bought out, Buddy closes the bar, and Satan finally gets his props. There’s a hilarious segment about the sketches they weren’t allowed to do, and at the end, the Kids are buried alive. Yep, the final credits play out over a long scene of the guys lying in a grave as the crew throws dirt on their faces. And then, after years of being a visual gag, Paul Bellini speaks his only line in the entire run: “Thank God that’s over.”
own adventures. AT&Love gets bought out, Buddy closes the bar, and Satan finally gets his props. There’s a hilarious segment about the sketches they weren’t allowed to do, and at the end, the Kids are buried alive. Yep, the final credits play out over a long scene of the guys lying in a grave as the crew throws dirt on their faces. And then, after years of being a visual gag, Paul Bellini speaks his only line in the entire run: “Thank God that’s over.”7. Homicide: Life on the Street – Amazingly, the finale manages to salvage the worst episode of the series. When the Internet Killer (Come on, it was the late 90’s…) goes free on a technicality, the usually gentle Detective Bayliss lashes out violently. In fact, he takes justice into his own hand and guns the man down on the street. And with that, he leaves the Homicide unit and disappears. Since the series began with Bayliss’ first day on the squad, it’s appropriate but incredibly depressing. There’s a beautiful montage near the end, and the series ends with Detective Lewis looking for something, using the exact same words he used when he was looking for something in the first scene of the first episode, seven years ago.
6. Alias – Now, this is an episode where JJ Abrams created an Arctic set with cardboard boxes and 
white butcher’s paper, but that wasn’t his fault. ABC cut the purse strings at the last minute, leaving them to struggle through a few scenes. The important thing is that the rest of the episode was awesome. Sydney vs. Irina Derevko to the death! Jack Bristow vs. Arvin Sloane to the death! Family drama crossed with high-stakes mystical craziness made Alias something special, and this episode was full of both. There’s a terrific happy ending for Sydney, a perfect ending for Sloane, and Jack goes out in great badass fashion. “You beat death, Arvin. You didn’t beat me.”
white butcher’s paper, but that wasn’t his fault. ABC cut the purse strings at the last minute, leaving them to struggle through a few scenes. The important thing is that the rest of the episode was awesome. Sydney vs. Irina Derevko to the death! Jack Bristow vs. Arvin Sloane to the death! Family drama crossed with high-stakes mystical craziness made Alias something special, and this episode was full of both. There’s a terrific happy ending for Sydney, a perfect ending for Sloane, and Jack goes out in great badass fashion. “You beat death, Arvin. You didn’t beat me.”5. Justice League Unlimited – In a way, this finale wrapped up a continuity that had run for 14 years, from the very beginning of Batman: The Animated Series. Producers Bruce Timm and Alan Burnett brought us four series using the DC characters, comprising over 300 episodes, two direct-to-
video movies, one theatrical release, and two vaguely-connected spinoffs. This final episode involves one final battle to save the Earth, heroes and villains united. Almost all of the 50+ members of the League get face time, Lex Luthor (of all people) makes a heroic sacrifice, but it’s Superman who puts this finale in the Top 10. Facing the ultimate evil, he finally gets to cut loose. “I feel like I live in a world made of cardboard, always taking constant care not to break something, to break someone. Never allowing myself to lose control even for a moment, or somebody could die. But you can take it, can’t you? What we have here is a rare opportunity for me to cut loose and show you how powerful I really am.” If that doesn’t raise a “Hell yeah!” from you, then you are probably clinically dead.
video movies, one theatrical release, and two vaguely-connected spinoffs. This final episode involves one final battle to save the Earth, heroes and villains united. Almost all of the 50+ members of the League get face time, Lex Luthor (of all people) makes a heroic sacrifice, but it’s Superman who puts this finale in the Top 10. Facing the ultimate evil, he finally gets to cut loose. “I feel like I live in a world made of cardboard, always taking constant care not to break something, to break someone. Never allowing myself to lose control even for a moment, or somebody could die. But you can take it, can’t you? What we have here is a rare opportunity for me to cut loose and show you how powerful I really am.” If that doesn’t raise a “Hell yeah!” from you, then you are probably clinically dead. 4. Mystery Science Theater 3000 – This one actually gets credit for two finales. There was the 
original Comedy Central finale, and then when the Sci-Fi Channel run ended, they got to do another one. In their first finale, the Satellite of Love was detached from Deep 13 and floated to the edge of the universe. After a showing of Laserblast, Mike and the ‘Bots (including the oft-forgotten Cambot and Magic Voice) shed their physical forms and became beings of “pure love, energy, any number of things!” The Sci-Fi run ended when Deep 13’s funding was cut and the Satellite went into a decaying orbit. Miraculously, they survived, and the series ends with Mike, Tom Servo, and Crow home on Earth, staying in and watching bad sci-fi movies.
original Comedy Central finale, and then when the Sci-Fi Channel run ended, they got to do another one. In their first finale, the Satellite of Love was detached from Deep 13 and floated to the edge of the universe. After a showing of Laserblast, Mike and the ‘Bots (including the oft-forgotten Cambot and Magic Voice) shed their physical forms and became beings of “pure love, energy, any number of things!” The Sci-Fi run ended when Deep 13’s funding was cut and the Satellite went into a decaying orbit. Miraculously, they survived, and the series ends with Mike, Tom Servo, and Crow home on Earth, staying in and watching bad sci-fi movies.
3. The Shield – Ending just last year, The Shield produced about as perfect a finale as I’ve ever seen. Most of the long-running arcs had wrapped up in the previous episode, which meant the finale could focus on the characters and the larger themes of the series. And it was gripping. From Shane’s murder-suicide and the betrayal of Ronnie to Claudette’s deteriorating health, it was one last, nail-biting episode with the cops at The Barn. But none of it was better than seeing the end of Vic Mackey’s story. Ironic and satisfying, The Shield ended the way a great series should.
2. Arrested Development – This finale is so good! It plays out like the reverse of the series premiere, with some inverted dialogue and scenes that mirrored those moments when we met the Bluths. Long-term plotlines came to ludicrous conclusions with the reveal of the real criminal in the Bluth Company and Annyong’s endgame. There’s meta-humor, largely derived from bitterness toward FOX, the usual incestuous overtones (Guess which Bluth is adopted!), and the only time in the entire series that Buster and Maebe speak to one another. It’s really funny, savage, and sweet when it needs to be, much like the series as a whole.
1. The Office (UK) – The original BBC series wrapped up with a Christmas special. Set some months after the series, we caught up with the staff of Wernham-Hogg. David Brent blew his severance package releasing his single (“Free Love on the Free Love Hightway” and a cover of “If You Don’t 
Know Me By Now”) and was trying to capitalize on his newfound fame after the release of the documentary. Dawn moved to America and broke Tim’s heart, and Garth ruled the office with an iron fist. The premise of the finale was that the producers of the documentary arranged a reunion of the staff at the company Christmas party. Combining some really beautiful moments with the incredible awkwardness that made Ricky Gervais famous, this finale will have you laughing and crying and just generally being glad that you’re not David Brent.
Know Me By Now”) and was trying to capitalize on his newfound fame after the release of the documentary. Dawn moved to America and broke Tim’s heart, and Garth ruled the office with an iron fist. The premise of the finale was that the producers of the documentary arranged a reunion of the staff at the company Christmas party. Combining some really beautiful moments with the incredible awkwardness that made Ricky Gervais famous, this finale will have you laughing and crying and just generally being glad that you’re not David Brent.Good luck Conan! We’re awaiting your return!
