It has become fashionable for some television critics to bash “Seinfeld” in light of the hype surrounding its last episode on Thursday. What`s the deal, they want to know, with all the frenzy over a show that`s often mean-spirited and self-centered?
But they aren`t taking into account that the finale of a series, whether it is has been on for years or only a few months, can be a moving experience for those who have become involved.
The concluding episode is the last time that fresh words, new laughs or original experiences will ever be enjoyed by devoted fans whose lives have been touched by the fictional characters.
But even as the last “Seinfeld” assumes a special importance to its fans, how any show bows out is frequently as important as the fact that is bowing. The success of a TV program is measured by its many memorable episodes over the years. But more often than not, it is best remembered for how it went out.
Arguably the most unforgettable series finale was that of CBS` “MASH.” The closer of that long-running (1972-83) show was watched by more people than any other in history. The war in Vietnam, from which “MASH” derived its passionate voice despite its Korean War time frame, was still raging when the program premiered, a resonance that caused the country to embrace the series as it has few others.
It took a 2 1/2-hour presentation for the staff of the 4077th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital to go home as the Korean conflict came to an end, but not before Hawkeye Pierce (Alan Alda) suffered a nervous breakdown. He recovered, and as he lifted off in a helicopter, he hovered over the base, where rocks had been formed to say “Goodbye.”
If there is any series that could give “MASH`s” grand finale some competition, it would be “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” (1970-77), the esteemed CBS comedy whose career-minded, lovelorn star was identified with by thousands of women around the nation. But beyond Moore’s significance as a role model, the show was dedicated to humor.
“MTM’s” last show gave fans laughs right to the end. In that episode, television station WJM was taken over by new management and everyone was fired–except inept anchorman Ted Baxter (Ted Knight). The principals gathered for what was probably their first group hug . . . and nobody wanted to let go.
“M*A*S*H” and “MTM’s” endings are examples of shows leaving with a bang. But others seemed to prefer going out with a whimper.
Both “Newhart” (CBS, 1982-90) and “St. Elsewhere” (NBC, 1982-88) decided to make fans believe that what they saw over the years was only a figment of their imaginations.
“St. Elsewhere” proposed that the entire existence of Boston’s St. Eligius Hospital was contained within the imaginings of autistic Tommy Westphall (Chad Allen), the son of one of the program’s lead characters, Dr. Donald Westphall (Ed Flanders). Bob Newhart’s second TV incarnation, meanwhile, provided one of the more hilarious, and unexpected, ends in TV history. Newhart and his wife (Mary Frann) were the proprietors of a New England inn. In the last episode, Newhart was knocked unconscious by a golf ball. He awoke . . . next to Suzanne Pleshette, his wife from his first series, “The Bob Newhart Show.” The entire “Newhart” series had been a dream.
“The Fugitive” (ABC, 1963-67), “The Cosby Show” (NBC, 1984-92) and “Star Trek: The Next Generation” (syndicated, 1987-94) were examples of series that returned to their beginnings to offer their fans satisfying ends.
The conclusion of David Janssen’s chase thriller, one of the highest-rated episodes of its time, found his character, Dr. Richard Kimble, finally confronting the one-armed man (Bill Raisch) who killed his wife — a crime for which Kimble had been accused.
Bill Cosby’s wildly successful situation comedy centered its season finale around the graduation from college of only son Theo (Malcolm-Jamal Warner). The show’s first episode surrounded Theo’s struggles with schoolwork. After the graduation, Cliff and Clair Huxtable (Cosby, Phylicia Rashad) shared a dance — which extended to a farewell between cast, crew and applauding audience members.
“Next Gen,” the spinoff of the 1960s space opera, closed its run the way it started — with an encounter with the alien immortal Q (John de Lancie), who sent Capt. Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) on a trip through Picard’s past, present and future. He survived, and spent a quiet moment playing poker with his shipmates as the Enterprise floated into the interplanetary equivalent of a sunset.
Other shows have opted to simply bid a quiet farewell, as if the series was coming back the next season. One of the best to do that was “Cheers” (NBC, 1982-93) — although that fine ensemble comedy might be more famous for what happened after the show ended.
The finale had Shelley Long returning as Diane Chambers just long enough to forever quash any life she could have had with Sam Malone (Ted Danson). The show closed with Malone, alone in the bar, waving off a customer with “We’re closed.”
Later that evening, however, several cast members were seen embarrassingly liquored up on a post-celebration broadcast of “The Tonight Show.” (Program note: Jerry Seinfeld is scheduled to appear on Jay Leno’s talk show Thursday.)
The last episode of NBC’s long-running children’s program “Howdy Doody” (1947-60) was both quiet and sweet. The touching moment belonged to Clarabell, the forever silent clown who was the assistant/nemesis of “Buffalo” Bob Smith. Clarabell broke his silence for the first time on the last show, only to whisper, “Goodbye, kids.”
Both “Dallas” (CBS, 1978-91) and “Dynasty” (ABC, 1981-89), two of night-time television’s top soaps, closed their runs with cliffhangers — J.R. Ewing (Larry Hagman) putting a pistol to his head, Blake Carrington (John Forsythe) and a crooked cop shooting each other — only to resolve them in reunion movies years later.
The “Who Shot J.R.?” episode of “Dallas” made season-ending cliffhangers fashionable. The problem is some shows end on that note, not knowing whether they are coming back to solve the puzzle for fans the next season. As a result, not all shows leave in a flourish.
“Earth 2” (NBC, 1994-95) and “Space: Above and Beyond” (Fox, 1995-96) ended with characters in peril — Marines Shane Vansen and Vanessa Damphousse’s (Kristen Cloke, Lanei Chapman) damaged ship disappearing in the atmosphere of a hostile alien’s home world; and Devon Adair (Debrah Farentino), leader of a group of Earth natives who lived on an Earthlike world, left in suspended animation due to a mysterious illness that couldn’t be cured. She’s still waiting; Vansen and Damphousse are still stranded.
Quirky director David Lynch had a chance to wrap up his series “Twin Peaks’ ” (ABC, 1990-91) in a feature film, and he blew it. The last episode had special FBI agent Dale Cooper (Kyle MacLachlan) possessed by the evil spirit BOB, the apparition that killed Laura Palmer (Sheryl Lee). Lynch released a movie based on the series in 1992, dubbed “Fire Walk With Me,” but instead of solving Cooper’s possession, it was a prequel set in the weeks leading up to the death of Palmer.
That move forever tainted the end of a mystical, involving series that, although sputtering towards the end, still provided a haunting finish for its cult audience.
It is said that “Twin Peaks” should never havegone into a second season. A question of that sort has also been put to “Murphy Brown.” Some wonder if its last episode, which is Monday, will hold up, only because they feel the CBS series should have left the air years ago. Hopefully, the “Murphy” producers will take a page from “Roseanne’s” book.
The ABC series’ (1988-97) final season could best be described as the indulgent indifference of a moody star. It all came to a head with the finale, where comic/actress Roseanne revealed that the entire season, in which the Conners were filthy rich after winning the lottery, was all made u for a book Roseanne was writing. In reality, she was coping with the death of her husband Dan (John Goodman) from the previous season.
When “Seinfeld” finishes its nine-year run on Thursday, it at least dodged one major bullet by not making last Thursday’s episode the last one.
The show and NBC are being criticized by Latino groups for the episode, set during the Puerto Rican Day Parade, in which Kramer (Michael Richards) accidentally sets a Puerto Rican flag on fire and then tries to stomp it out.
Just think if that had been part of the last episode. It would have been memorable, all right — but for all the wrong reasons.
