From ‘New Girl’ to ‘Parks and Recreation,’ These 8 Sitcom Endings Are Genuine Masterpieces
Any beloved sitcom is defined by various elements: strong characters, relatable dialogue, and consistent humor. But ending such a show within this genre takes something greater. It can be a challenge to translate situational comedy into a memorable conclusion. It’s meant to wrap up a series that, traditionally, runs for many seasons while providing fan service to viewers who have remained loyal all these years. Although some sitcoms fail to deliver, countless others have earned legacy status for doing just that. Whether marked by more profound emotional sentiment (The Good Place) or by nostalgia through callbacks to earlier seasons (New Girl), these sitcoms did just that. From Parks and Recreation to The Mary Tyler Moore Show, these sitcom endings can truly be considered masterpieces.
1
‘The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air’ (1990–1996)
Season 6, Episodes 23 and 24 “I, Done”
Will with his hands on his hips looking sad in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.Image via NBC
Will’s (Will Smith) life may have turned upside down, but by the end of the series, he’s proven to find his place in this once-confusing and foreign world of Bel-Air. While the Banks family prepares to move to the East Coast, Will stays behind to finish college. Will is perhaps one of the greatest examples of character development, infusing deeper themes with the show’s signature humor. Many sitcoms have done it before. The empty home at the end of a series. It’s a plot device used to signify change. But there is something about The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air that makes this that much more emotional. The Banks’ Bel-Air mansion served as a character itself, a foil to Will’s upbringing in Philadelphia. So, as his cousin’s family prepares to leave for good, he — and the home — must move on, too.
2
‘The Good Place’ (2016–2020)
Season 4, Episodes 13 and 14 “Whenever You’re Ready”
Eleanor (Kristen Bell) and Chidi (William Jackson Harper) looking at each other in ‘The Good Place’ series finale.Image via NBC
Each character received an ending appropriate for them; a welcome change from Season 1, as Eleanor (Kristen Bell), Chidi (William Jackson Harper), Tahani (Jameela Jamil), and Jason (Manny Jacinto) endure a realm intended to do just the opposite. The Good Place placed these recently deceased characters in an illusion of heaven, or, as the series refers to it, “The Good Place.” While the realization that they were not actually there — presenting one of the greatest TV plot twists of all time — the finale rectifies this. The fantasy series was applauded for its innovative depiction of the afterlife. That is, the great question of what happens when we die. And with the title “Whenever You’re Ready,” it’s apparent that this episode would provide a reckoning of sorts. The final moments of existence before their souls depart into some unknown place beyond their metaphysical beings. While The Good Place explored life and death through various theological and philosophical lenses, their moving on through a final door resembled the Buddhist concept of nirvana. It’s a dramatic exploration of humanity infused with consistently clever humor.
3
‘New Girl’ (2011–2018)
Season 7, Episode 8 “Engram Pattersky”
Winston, Schmidt, Cece, Jess, and Nick looking out their balcony in the ‘New Girl’ series finale.Image via FOX
Yes, everyone must leave due to an unexpected eviction notice (that turns out to be fake). But perhaps it’s time for a change. “Engram Pattersky” takes audiences into the near future as they enter the next stage of adulthood — with families of their own. But it also serves fans as they box up their apartment and prepare to leave for the final time, with a montage of their best moments throughout the series. One final game of True American. Boxing up not just possessions, but memories associated with them. And longstanding secrets are revealed — ahem, Winston (Lamorne Morris). New Girl begins when Jess (Zooey Deschanel) is desperate to find somewhere to live, ending up in a loft with three guys and a lot of chaos. Over time, the roommates create strong bonds and even form relationships, as is standard for shows about friend groups in their 20s and 30s. With that, these shows present a harsh truth: all things must come to an end as they eventually enter the next stage of their lives.
4
‘Cheers’ (1982–1993)
Season 11, Episodes 26, 27, and 28 “One for the Road”
Ted Danson as Sam Malone, looking off, in the ‘Cheers’ series finale.Image via NBC
Will Sam (Ted Danson) choose his former love or the bar? One of Sam’s greatest quotes appears in this episode as he tells a potential patron, “Sorry, we’re closed.” This simple line says so much for Sam and the show itself. While Sam ultimately decides to keep the bar, it signifies a change in his relationship to it. It reveals truths about his motivation; this is his home, rather than his connection with Diane (Shelley Long). Cheers was consistently praised for its ensemble of characters that worked so well together. Naturally, the same could be said for its finale. “One for the Road” garnered 80.4 million viewers across the United States, a record second only to M*A*S*H a few years prior. A major draw was the emotional return of Diane, who departed the series in Season 5 despite being the main character until then. Cheers’ finale can be summed up in one word: closure.
5
‘The Mary Tyler Moore Show’ (1970–1977)
Season 7, Episode 24 “The Last Show”
The cast of The Mary Tyler Moore Show embrace in the finale of The Mary Tyler Moore Show.Image via CBS
“The Last Show” is considered to be one of the greatest TV episodes of all time, and for good reason. The Mary Tyler Moore Show ended on a bittersweet note after seven seasons of laughs and harsh truths. But by Season 7, it’s now the late 1970s, and times have changed. For the team at WJM-TV, this meant mass layoffs due to a takeover, leaving each character’s fate uncertain. Perhaps one of the most memorable moments of the episode comes at the end, when the colleagues embrace in a group hug, symbolizing how strong their bonds are and how much they resemble a family. Fans spent seven years following the titular Mary Tyler Moore, who, against the period’s preconceptions, portrayed a single working woman in her 30s. She favored a career and dated around rather than forming a nuclear family. This in itself earned the series legacy status. In many ways, The Mary Tyler Moore Show also helped launch and inspire future sitcoms. This makes the finale — aptly titled “The Last Show” all the more relevant. The Mary Tyler Moore Show was truly one of a kind, not just within the sitcom genre, but TV as a whole.
6
‘Parks and Recreation’ (2009–2015)
Season 7, Episodes 12 and 13 “One Last Ride”
Adam Scott and Amy Poehler walk arm in arm down a quiet hallway on the Parks and Recreation series finale.Image via NBC
Parks and Recreation offered a two-part season finale to say goodbye to our favorite employees of the Pawnee Parks Department. Each character receives a satisfying ending that highlights their personal arcs. Leslie (Amy Poehler) is now Indiana’s Governor. April (Aubrey Plaza) and Andy (Chris Pratt) start a family. Tom (Aziz Ansari) is not just a novelist but also a coach who draws on his own failures. And so much more. While everyone ultimately parts ways, these lowly government workers remain a family. That makes it all the more emotional when it comes to saying goodbye. Sitcoms often include flash-forwards in their finales. That is, taking viewers into the future to see where each character ends up. Another thing that sitcoms do is clever callbacks to earlier storylines, often as a source of nostalgia. Amongst saying goodbye, Parks and Recreation employs these devices to create a memorable and beloved series finale.
7
‘M*A*S*H’ (1972–1983)
Season 11, Episode 16 “Goodbye, Farewell, and Amen”
Hawkeye (Alan Alda) crying in the M*A*S*H series finale.Image via CBS
Hawkeye (Alan Alda) and his team at the 4077th M*A*S*H unit delivered witty quips and foolish scenarios that drew in a strong fanbase. However, M*A*S*H was still a show that took on heavy topics such as war, politics, and trauma. “Goodbye, Farewell, and Amen” was a reminder of that as the series concluded in a masterpiece of a finale. It’s notably marked by the unit preparing to leave, and Hawkeye’s apparent breakdown as a result. M*A*S*H is a show about the Korean War that aired during the Vietnam War.
These sentiments are reflected in the way M*A*S*H portrays combat and everyone involved, as well as in the everyday impact of combat on both American soldiers stationed there and locals. The show never drifted from what makes it so beloved — wit and dark humor — even until the end. Additionally, the finale includes the now-iconic final scene with “Goodbye” written out in stone as the helicopters fly above. And, in a longstanding feat of excellence for the series, 105.9 million viewers tuned in to watch the finale live, breaking the record for most-watched TV series finale of all time.
8
‘Schitt’s Creek’ (2015–2020)
Season 6, Episode 14 “Happy Ending”
David Rose, Alexis Rose, Patrick Brewer, and Stevie Budd waving in the Schitt’s Creek season finale.Image via CBC Television
Schitt’s Creek’s eventual conclusion solidified how the Rose family integrated into a town they would otherwise never have encountered, had it not been for circumstances. However, their time there is over — apart from David (Dan Levy), who remains with his husband — as they venture out into the world as changed people. Alexis (Annie Murphy) chooses her own path rather than a man, leaving for NYC to work. Meanwhile, Johnny (Eugene Levy) and Moira (Catherine O’Hara) decide to venture back into the entertainment and business world, but on new terms. “Happy Ending” is one of the greatest finales for a beloved cult classic show. Schitt’s Creek ultimately showed the Rose family’s archetypal journey from “rags-to-riches” (or rather, riches to rags-to-riches in other forms). And for that reason, each member of the Roses discovers that what they desired was not money or status, but rather the bond that they were missing in seeking out those trivial things. Now it’s time for them to take these lessons into the world beyond the little rural town.
Publicado: 2025-12-21 17:40:00
fonte: collider.com
