Greatest Television Finales

After airing for nine seasons on ABC, the family sitcom “The Middle” concluded with a two-episode finale in 2018. The conclusion — which focused on the series’ Heck family — was a hit with viewers, who rated it more than 2 points higher than the overall series on IMDb.

The crime drama “Justified” was a standout series on the FX network, garnering eight Emmy nominations over its five-season run, and winning two. The final season was especially well received — it holds a 100% freshness rating on Rotten Tomatoes. NPR television critic David Bianculli called the final episode a “triumph” that “was as unpredictable and poetic and entertaining and memorable as the series itself.”

Supernatural drama “Forever” won’t be considered among the longer-running series, running for just one season before ABC canceled the show. While ratings for the series started low, they gradually increased as “Forever” built its fanbase. The final episode, “The Last Death of Henry Morgan,” was a success with these fans, who bestowed upon it a rating of 9.6 out of 10 with 1,600 user votes on IMDb.

“Buffy the Vampire Slayer” spinoff “Angel” had a successful run, generating five seasons. And it ended on a high note. Video game and entertainment website IGN described the final episode as “dramatic, sad and moving,” while IndieWire called it a “perfect final note.”

The Syfy channel’s “12 Monkeys” — based on the 1995 film of the same name — doesn’t have exceptionally high ratings online for the entire series, with IMDb users rating it a middling 7.7 out of 10. However, the show reached its peak with its finale, “The Beginning Part 2,” which is its highest rated episode. The finale was praised for being both unpredictable and thorough in its wrapping up of loose ends.

“The Americans” was the recipient of four Emmys as well as the Golden Globe for “Best Television Series – Drama.” Co-showrunners Joe Weisberg and Joel Fields revealed in a 2018 interview with “Variety” that they were extremely pleased with the spy drama’s ending, stating that “It does seem like the story is over to us.”

“Person of Interest,” which ran for five seasons ending in 2016, is considered by some to be one of the best science fiction series ever. The show may have been at its very best during its final, which is regarded as well constructed — and thoroughly emotional — episode.

Award-winning sitcom “Parks and Recreation” was a hit among viewers as well as critics — scoring 90% and 92%, respectively, on Rotten Tomatoes. After seven seasons, fans were ready for the sentimental outpouring found in the finale “One Last Ride” — which jumped forward and backward in time, showing the course of the characters’ lives — and gave it the highest rating of all the show’s episodes on IMDb.

Four years prior to the debut of “Parks and Recreation,” NBC introduced U.S. audiences to another hugely successful mockumentary-style sitcom — “The Office.” Millions of people tuned in to see the final fate of the employees of Dunder Mifflin Paper Company. The episode was nominated for three Emmys and won the award for Outstanding Single-Camera Picture Editing for a Comedy Series.

“Friends” earned its reputation as one of the best shows in television history running for 10 years on NBC and receiving 62 Emmy Award nominations. As a result of the show’s popularity, 52.5 million viewers tuned in for its finale, ensuring its status as a major cultural event.

NBC’s “Parenthood” was far less popular than many of the other programs with beloved finales, and it struggled with ratings throughout its six-season existence. Its final episode had just under 5.5 million viewers — a fraction of the number that tuned in for the finale of “Friends.” The series was considered one of the best family dramas on television during its run by those fans that stuck with it, however, and its finale was near-universally liked by its viewers.

HBO’s “Six Feet Under,” which tells the story of a family of morticians, was a critical success over its five seasons, winning three Golden Globe awards and nine Emmys. The series never shied away from the topic of death, and the finale was no different, offering viewers a glimpse of each character’s demise.

“Breaking Bad” tells the story of Walter White — a high school chemistry teacher turned soulless crystal meth dealer. The series won 16 Emmy Awards has a diehard fan base and is considered by many to be one of the greatest television series of all time. The show’s finale, “Felina,” has a near-perfect score on IMDb with nearly 68,000 users voting. The episode wrapped up all of the beloved series’ loose threads, leaving fans with a sense of closure.