Game of Thrones ends its eight-season run tonight, and if recent online chatter is to be believed, a lot of fans are unhappy with the direction the show has taken as it neared its conclusion. That’s the problem with pop culture juggernauts — there’s simply no way to bring the story to a close in a manner that pleases everyone. (Just ask anyone involved with Lost). Further complicating matters with this specific show is that it is based on George R.R. Martin‘s A Song of Ice and Fire novels that haven’t been concluded yet — meaning that the TV wrap up of life in the Seven Kingdoms will differ from what is eventually put into print.
A great series finale is one that pleases its audience by delivering its characters and storylines to a memorable finish. (See Cheers, M*A*S*H*, Star Trek: The Next Generation, and Six Feet Under for examples of shows that ended perfectly).
For this week’s Open Thread, we want to know what your favorite series finale is. And in the interest of fairless, we’d also like you to name shows that you think couldn’t stick the landing. Regardless of how shows may wrap up, it’s important to remember how much entertainment they brought us while on the air…and that trumps any disappointing finale.