The way we consume TV has changed a lot since the days of May season finales followed by summer reruns. But the fervor sparked by a good (or terrible) finale remains evergreen.
Recently, both one-season wonder "Big Little Lies" and 12-season behemoth "Bones" made their final bows in ways that largely pleased their fan bases, despite using very different strategies.
Without spoiling anything, HBO's "Big Little Lies" wrapped up the mystery at the center of its series in a deeply cathartic way in its final moments, while Fox's "Bones" opted to go the route of the average episode and allow the characters' world to keep spinning, even if the audience was no longer watching.
With these swan songs in mind and with an eye to the upcoming series finale of HBO's "Girls," here are a few tips on what to do (and what to avoid) to deliver a stellar ending.
Do: Under-promise, over-deliver
This one goes out to all the action shows that spend years trying to weave an elegant narrative that ends up looking more like a tangled wad of earbuds.
It's nearly impossible to wrap up several seasons of intrigue with one episode, which is why it's always smarter to aim lower. Answer the audience's greatest questions; anything else is just a bonus. Sorry, "Lost."
Don't: 'Happily ever after?' It's a lie.
Sure, that sounds cynical, but on TV, not every loose end needs to be tied into a neat little bow.
Take "Cheers," which had a great finale that didn't ensure everything would turn out just fine but allowed for enough ambiguity to suggest the world would keep on turning.
Do: Remember to read the room
If the above advice seems contradictory, there's good reason. The perfect finale for one show will not work for another. If "Bones" and "Big Little Lies" had switched tactics, it would have been strange and confusing.
Creators need to trust that they know their show and their audience well enough to give them what they want while still honoring their narrative.
Either way, crafting a satisfying ending is a herculean task. For as many who hail the finale of "The Sopranos," just as many see it as a travesty. There's no easy way to say goodbye to a television show. All you can do is hope for the best and leave them wanting more. But not too much more.
