This list of the best series finales in television is a somber reminder that no matter how much you love a TV character or a show, in time, they all will end. Your favorite TV couple, your favorite villain, and even your favorite television businesses will all close up shop at some point, and these are the best final episodes of those series that are no longer on the air. And believe it or not, some of the best TV shows ever didn't make the list because they straight up had bad finales.
This list includes the greatest television series finales and the best TV show endings in the history of television, ranked by TV viewers who had a strong reaction - good or bad - to the final episodes of their favorite shows. Some of these TV shows had the highest ranked series finales of all time while others are on the list simply for resonating with their fans. Some series finales, like the final episode of Newhart, are still talked about because people can't believe the show actually ended that way. Others, like M*A*S*H, rank high because they were emotionally fulfilling to the fans who had turned on their TVs and opened their lives to those most loved TV characters week after week, right up until the end.
What show had the best series finale? That's what this list is here to decide. Remember, the top series finales both wrapped up the storylines AND left viewers wanting more. Go easy on the series finales that came as a result of a show being canceled, and make sure to add your favorite TV series finale/ending if it's not already on the list.
1
6,0773,240M*A*S*H
Alan Alda, Wayne RogersPremiered: 1972
2
3,4342,217Cheers
Ted Danson, Rhea PerlmanPremiered: 1982
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10,8792,368Breaking Bad
Bryan Cranston, Aaron PaulPremiered: 2008
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2,8322,254Star Trek: The Next Generation
Patrick Stewart, Brent SpinerPremiered: 1987
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3,9222,509Newhart
Bob Newhart, Mary FrannPremiered: 1982
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5,8794,243Friends
Jennifer Aniston, Courteney CoxPremiered: 1994
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2,4051,980The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
Johnny Carson, Ed McMahonPremiered: 1962
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17655Futurama
Billy West, John DiMaggioPremiered: 1999
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2,8601,467The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
Will Smith, James AveryPremiered: 1990
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4,0781,857The Office
Steve Carell, Rainn WilsonPremiered: 2005
200511
3,1131,591Parks and Recreation
Amy Poehler, Jim O'HeirPremiered: 2009
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11152The Americans
Keri Russell, Matthew RhysPremiered: 2013
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2,0101,846Frasier
Kelsey Grammer, Jane LeevesPremiered: 1993
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1,6961,162The Golden Girls
Bea Arthur, Betty WhitePremiered: 1985
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2,9802,269Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Sarah Michelle Gellar, Alyson HanniganPremiered: 1997
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3,4941,973Sons of Anarchy
Charlie Hunnam, Katey SagalPremiered: 2008
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13163Monk
Tony Shalhoub, Bitty SchramPremiered: 2002
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2,1281,194Boy Meets World
Ben Savage, Rider StrongPremiered: 1993
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2,6841,503House
Hugh Laurie, Omar EppsPremiered: 2004
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528319Psych
James Roday, Dulé HillPremiered: 2006
21
1,421822Avatar: The Last Airbender
Zach Tyler, Dee Bradley BakerPremiered: 2005
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484530Person of Interest
Jim Caviezel, Taraji P. HensonPremiered: 2011
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1,2561,004Married... with Children
Ed O'Neill, Christina ApplegatePremiered: 1987
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1,122817Justified
Timothy Olyphant, Nick SearcyPremiered: 2010
25
1,8321,493Home Improvement
Tim Allen, Patricia RichardsonPremiered: 1991
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