Breaking Bad (here there be spoilers)

[Piotyr]

What was the point? Other than watching Walt effortlessly defeat everybody in his path?

Taken from someone who said it better than I could:

This was never a show about plot twists. It just wasn't. It was a show about a lot of things, and one of them was seeing Walter come up with a plan and then execute it; from the poison in the first episode right through to the wheelchair bomb. As soon as we saw the M60 in the first episode, it was pretty likely that it was for the nazis. As soon as we saw the mechanism, we knew how it was executed. This is a show that told us Walter was going to get busted 6 episodes before it happened. When we saw Hank and Gomez pinned down, there wasn't a plot twist. They died. We see the plan, we watch the execution. I can't think of any HOLY SHIT, TWIST moments in the show, sometimes things are unexpected (what Walt did to Gretchen and Elliot, the plane crash, poisoning Brock), but there aren't a lot of OMG TWIST. It isn't that kind of show.

Knowing that Walt would make an attempt at redemption, knowing that when it came to it he would save Jesse, knowing that the phone call to Skyler was the last act of Heisenberg, knowing that it was always Walter White, and Heisenberg was just a character he was playing? Those aren't weaknesses in the show, they're strengths. We can figure out what Walt will do because we know the character well enough to put the pieces together. He feels like aperson rather than a means of doling out surprises. I've always maintained that neither the Team Walt nor the Walt Is A Monster people were entirely right, he's a character. He does terrible things for reasons he thinks are right, he has real motivations that you can understand if not agree with. I can look at the last episode, compare it with the performance in the flash forwards and what they tell us about Walt's state of mind and say "yes, that is what Walt would do." It doesn't matter that he didn't fucking drop a shark out of a helicopter onto Gretchen's head and then reveal that he was the new leader of the Aryan Brotherhood. That would have been a Twist. It would have been Unpredictable. It would have been Wrong.

 

[Ravenpoe]

By effortless I think he meant that literally nothing went wrong with his plan. The only issues he had was grabbing the keys from the table.

We don't know if anything went wrong with his plan. Aside from killing the Aryans, everything else is up in the air. There's no way to know if his threat to Elliot and Gretchen will hold and they will go through with it, or if such a large sum of money would even go unquestioned by Skylar, Walt Jr, or the police. We also don't know if the location of Hank and Steve Gomez's bodies is enough for Skylar to negotiate a deal with the DEA. Walt's family is still in the shitter, and his children will grow up forever thinking he was a monster (and he was) and that he killed their uncle Hank (which he didn't.) This isn't a happy ending in anyone's mind except Walt, because in his fucked up, prideful worldview, he won.

 

[Piotyr]

I will also add that until the credits rolled, I was still half expecting something terrible to happen to Jesse. Car blew up, arrested by cops, OD on meth, just something since Jesse was the show's whipping boy all series.

 

[Gryfter]

Wow, anyone not happy with that ending, I have to ask, what did you expect?

For me, it was perfect. There were no important lose ends left dangling and it was a fantastic closer.

 

[Dubyamn]

Wow, anyone not happy with that ending, I have to ask, what did you expect?

For me, it was perfect. There were no important lose ends left dangling and it was a fantastic closer.

I didn't like Walter White so I don't like seeing him win. I don't like him accomplishing every goal he was trying to achieve and dieing with every check on his bucket list filled. Nor do I like him litterally accomplishing all of this without the least bit of complication.

Taken from someone who said it better than I could:

This was never a show about plot twists. It just wasn't. It was a show about a lot of things, and one of them was seeing Walter come up with a plan and then execute it; from the poison in the first episode right through to the wheelchair bomb. As soon as we saw the M60 in the first episode, it was pretty likely that it was for the nazis. As soon as we saw the mechanism, we knew how it was executed. This is a show that told us Walter was going to get busted 6 episodes before it happened. When we saw Hank and Gomez pinned down, there wasn't a plot twist. They died. We see the plan, we watch the execution. I can't think of any HOLY SHIT, TWIST moments in the show, sometimes things are unexpected (what Walt did to Gretchen and Elliot, the plane crash, poisoning Brock), but there aren't a lot of OMG TWIST. It isn't that kind of show.

Knowing that Walt would make an attempt at redemption, knowing that when it came to it he would save Jesse, knowing that the phone call to Skyler was the last act of Heisenberg, knowing that it was always Walter White, and Heisenberg was just a character he was playing? Those aren't weaknesses in the show, they're strengths. We can figure out what Walt will do because we know the character well enough to put the pieces together. He feels like aperson rather than a means of doling out surprises. I've always maintained that neither the Team Walt nor the Walt Is A Monster people were entirely right, he's a character. He does terrible things for reasons he thinks are right, he has real motivations that you can understand if not agree with. I can look at the last episode, compare it with the performance in the flash forwards and what they tell us about Walt's state of mind and say "yes, that is what Walt would do." It doesn't matter that he didn't fucking drop a shark out of a helicopter onto Gretchen's head and then reveal that he was the new leader of the Aryan Brotherhood. That would have been a Twist. It would have been Unpredictable. It would have been Wrong.

Bullshit. Absolute Bullshit.

You can't think of a single twist moment in the entire show? If you actually believe that we watched very very different shows. You apparently watched a show where Walter made the blue meth for Tuco who treated him fairly until Walter gained his $700,000 dollars and retired. Or maybe one where Walter and Gus had a good working relationship where both of them did very well for themselves. Or maybe you watched a show where Jesse and Walter ran a successful meth empire for a couple years before shaking hands and walking away with a final shot of Jesse marrying Jane. The entire show was Walt dealing with twists and complications. That's what made the show good.

The finale had none of that.

Walter was easily able to steal the Volvo and then drive all the way back to New Mexico without a single problem despite the fact that Federal Marshalls would have descended on New Mexico like the goddamn plague.

Walter was easily able to break into Elliot and Gretchen's home and effortlessly convince them to give his money to his children.

Walter was able to sneak into Skylar's home to give her information that would possibly get her off and gain some measure of love and respect from her.

Walter was able to poison Lydia by putting the Ricin in a Stevia packet despite the fact that Lydia sat at a table she didn't usually sit at.

Walter was able to get all of the Neonazis gathered round so his M60 could take care of the job.

Walter was effortlessly able to evade the police and DEA who apparently couldn't find their ass with a map.

Walter was able to headfake Jesse one last time.

I didn't watch the show in order to see Walt as a Mary Sue who had everything go to plan. I've always thought the show was at it's best when Walt made a plan succeed despite the complications.

 

[Piotyr]

If you really think that, it's not worth discussing further, since you apparently missed a good show last night.

 

[Dubyamn]

If you really think that, it's not worth discussing further, since you apparently missed a good show last night.

If I really think what that the show was better when Walter's plans didn't go exactly according to plan? Or if I really think that Walt faced no real complications in last night's show?

 

[Piotyr]

If I really think what that the show was better when Walter's plans didn't go exactly according to plan? Or if I really think that Walt faced no real complications in last night's show?

You're being overly nitpicky. Missing the forest for the trees. The entire show was about Walt's plans, and dealing with complications. Last night's show was entirely about dealing with complications with the plan to tie up all loose ends. It was really the first time he actually succeeded, which was really a perfect ending for the show.

Complaining because you might have written things differently doesn't make what actually happened any less plausible.

 

[Ravenpoe]

This is a greek tragedy. Walter did suffer and be punished, that happened in Ozymandias, where he died.

Granite state was his journey through the underworld.

And Felina is the return of his ghost to finish what he started.

 

[Dubyamn]

You're being overly nitpicky. Missing the forest for the trees. The entire show was about Walt's plans, and dealing with complications. Last night's show was entirely about dealing with complications with the plan to tie up all loose ends. It was really the first time he actually succeeded, which was really a perfect ending for the show.

Complaining because you might have written things differently doesn't make what actually happened any less plausible.

I don't think it was missing the forest for the trees. Cause the episode was weak and more damningly it was boring.

Course it was a weak and boring episode of Breaking Bad which still isn't terrible and if it seems like I believe it to be unwatchable drek I apologize. I liked the Elliot and Gretchen scene and I liked the Skylar scene at least until the bit with Holly quite a bit but the rest of the episode needed more work instead of just flowing unerringly towards Walt's victory.

Ozymandius is the episode that I will always remember. Fenalina is one that will fade and I'll forget in time.

 

[Dubyamn]

This is a greek tragedy. Walter did suffer and be punished, that happened in Ozymandias, where he died.

Granite state was his journey through the underworld.

And Felina is the return of his ghost to finish what he started.

If that's what they were going for the I can see how they got there. Granted I also like the theory that Walt froze to death in that car and that everything else was his death dream.

 

[Ravenpoe]

I liked the Skylar scene at least until the bit with Holly

For me, that whole scene is emotional, and then it turns up to 11 at Holly. And not because of Walt's reaction to seeing his daughter for the last time, but for the sad smile that Skylar gives Walt while watching him. That's the moment that makes me cry every time (literally, I've watched it three times, I can't not tear up there) because it's a brief little glimpse of the love they used to have, and still have, at least a little. She hates that Walt became what he did, but she can finally move on because he was honest to her, and can at last see the remains of the husband she once had.

 

[fade]

I just don't get the "flowing unerringly" bit. To me, it was more like the serenity before death. Things went right (I hesitate to use the word "well") because it was the end. But really, this show is full of those effortless wins and luck for Walt, too. That's one of the things that makes him an interesting character. Characters the world craps on constantly are just as boring as Mary Sues. Though I really have a hard time calling the pain he had to have been going through a Mary Sue type ending.

The initial confrontation with Tuco is actually a good example of an "effortless" win, not all that different from the Nazis. That tiny explosive crystal did way more damage than it should have. Why didn't the gang guys just blow him away when he raised his arm? Hank conveniently saved Walt's ass in the desert. The big scary gang member offed himself in the junkyard. Walt luckily drifting through situations has been a fairly common thing in this show.

 

[checkeredhat]

I think a big thing people are missing here, is that this isn't a show where you can judge one episode as one episode. People are not yet used to thinking of television this way (I don't know why, the best shows have been this way for a while now), but television shows can now be a truly cinematic experience. Instead of thinking about it in it's 45-60minute snippets (The last two episodes ran long but I don't remember the exact times) and trying to judge one episode as being better or worse than another, remember that this is ONE story. And this is the denoument. You want conflict in the story, we just had it in the last 7 episodes, with Ozymandias being the climax.

We got closure on every story point and every character. I'm satisfied.
But whatever, no matter how they ended it they weren't going to please 100% of their audience.[DOUBLEPOST=1380585118,1380584937][/DOUBLEPOST]

This is a greek tragedy. Walter did suffer and be punished, that happened in Ozymandias, where he died.

Granite state was his journey through the underworld.

And Felina is the return of his ghost to finish what he started.

Excellent way of looking at it.

 

[Dubyamn]

For me, that whole scene is emotional, and then it turns up to 11 at Holly. And not because of Walt's reaction to seeing his daughter for the last time, but for the sad smile that Skylar gives Walt while watching him. That's the moment that makes me cry every time (literally, I've watched it three times, I can't not tear up there) because it's a brief little glimpse of the love they used to have, and still have, at least a little. She hates that Walt became what he did, but she can finally move on because he was honest to her, and can at last see the remains of the husband she once had.

Personally found the smile too cloying. I honestly don't believe that Skylar would have ever felt comfortable with Walt around Holly. Hell I don't see how her first call wasn't to the police the second she found Walt in her house.

I just don't get the "flowing unerringly" bit. To me, it was more like the serenity before death. Things went right (I hesitate to use the word "well") because it was the end. But really, this show is full of those effortless wins and luck for Walt, too. That's one of the things that makes him an interesting character. Characters the world craps on constantly are just as boring as Mary Sues. Though I really have a hard time calling the pain he had to have been going through a Mary Sue type ending.

The initial confrontation with Tuco is actually a good example of an "effortless" win, not all that different from the Nazis. That tiny explosive crystal did way more damage than it should have. Why didn't the gang guys just blow him away when he raised his arm? Hank conveniently saved Walt's ass in the desert. The big scary gang member offed himself in the junkyard. Walt luckily drifting through situations has been a fairly common thing in this show.

The initial win against Tuco was a stupid stupid scene. The rock he threw blew up big enough to blast a huge AC unit off the wall but not turn the people within into jelly and the explosive needed to be volatile enough to explode violently when thrown against the floor but not volatile enough to explode when in an honest to god explosion. Stupid as hell but an acceptable thing to have happen at the beginning of a show.

As for the desert scene how was that an example of Walt drifting through a situation? He tried his ass off to kill Tuco. First through the Tainted Crystal then through poisoning his Burrito and then finally in an actual fight with him where they wounded him and then were about to be hunted down. That was an amazing scene with Walt using everything at his disposal to stay alive and coming up short time and time again.

As for the big guy dieing in the junkyard that was what set off the entire scene in the desert. Since when he went missing Tuco panicked and figured he went to the DEA and then kidnapped Jesse and Walt to come cook Meth for him in Mexico. Don't see how that is at all an example of Walt drifting.

 

[Frank]

Instead of thinking about it in it's 45-60minute snippets (The last two episodes ran long but I don't remember the exact times) and trying to judge one episode as being better or worse than another, remember that this is ONE story.

That is a good way of looking at it. It kind of falls apart though when it's presented in one hour chunks, weeks apart, the audience cannot view that way...but with more and more programming being created to suit marathon viewing over weekly, we either gotta bite the bullet and wait to watch it all, or accept it as presented.

 

[fade]

Personally found the smile too cloying. I honestly don't believe that Skylar would have ever felt comfortable with Walt around Holly. Hell I don't see how her first call wasn't to the police the second she found Walt in her house.



The initial win against Tuco was a stupid stupid scene. The rock he threw blew up big enough to blast a huge AC unit off the wall but not turn the people within into jelly and the explosive needed to be volatile enough to explode violently when thrown against the floor but not volatile enough to explode when in an honest to god explosion. Stupid as hell but an acceptable thing to have happen at the beginning of a show.

As for the desert scene how was that an example of Walt drifting through a situation? He tried his ass off to kill Tuco. First through the Tainted Crystal then through poisoning his Burrito and then finally in an actual fight with him where they wounded him and then were about to be hunted down. That was an amazing scene with Walt using everything at his disposal to stay alive and coming up short time and time again.

As for the big guy dieing in the junkyard that was what set off the entire scene in the desert. Since when he went missing Tuco panicked and figured he went to the DEA and then kidnapped Jesse and Walt to come cook Meth for him in Mexico. Don't see how that is at all an example of Walt drifting.

I mean I guess we'll have to agree to disagree. I see the whole show as being a string of coincidences and lucky breaks falling into place for Walt. That doesn't mean the same thing as easy or that he didnt also work for his supper. That drifting was half the appeal of the show to me.

 

[Dubyamn]

I mean I guess we'll have to agree to disagree. I see the whole show as being a string of coincidences and lucky breaks falling into place for Walt. That doesn't mean the same thing as easy or that he didnt also work for his supper. That drifting was half the appeal of the show to me.

I have no problem agreeing to disagree but the two examples you used to support your position are just flat out wrong.

 

[fade]

Well, I don't agree with that at all. There were lots of coincidences in those scenes that didn't have to happen. Just like the finale. Nothing you said seems to refute that. You just said work was involved, and that you thought one scene was stupid. Regardless of how you feel about it, there was a lot of coincidence and luck.[DOUBLEPOST=1380597210,1380596671][/DOUBLEPOST]The gangster getting trapped led to establishing Walt's reputation through the DEA's shakedown. No-Doze's death, which the big gangster was reacting to, also pushed Walt's street and DEA reputation forward, even though it was by pure coincidence that Tuco beat No-Doze to death. But it was pure luck for Walt. No matter how much Walt fought with Tuco, it was still the coincidental arrival of Hank (through tracking Jesse's car) that saved him and pushed his reputation forward again and saved his life.

Let me say that this in no way means I think you're wrong about all the work Walt put in. Sure. But coincidence has also played a huge role since episode 1. It's one of the beauties of the show, and part of the ultimate tragedy.

 

[Dubyamn]

Well, I don't agree with that at all. There were lots of coincidences in those scenes that didn't have to happen. Just like the finale.

The only thing that can at all be considered a coincidence is Hank showing up at Tio's house. But of course that isn't because Hank is tracking down Walt. Walt being there is the reason why Hank went there.[DOUBLEPOST=1380598581,1380598032][/DOUBLEPOST]

Well, I don't agree with that at all. There were lots of coincidences in those scenes that didn't have to happen. Just like the finale. Nothing you said seems to refute that. You just said work was involved, and that you thought one scene was stupid. Regardless of how you feel about it, there was a lot of coincidence and luck.[DOUBLEPOST=1380597210,1380596671][/DOUBLEPOST]The gangster getting trapped led to establishing Walt's reputation through the DEA's shakedown.

Do you mean the Junkie who got his head smashed in when his wife dropped the ATM on his head? Wasn't a coincidence because Jesse went there to get his money back.

No-Doze's death, which the big gangster was reacting to, also pushed Walt's street and DEA reputation forward, even though it was by pure coincidence that Tuco beat No-Doze to death.

Tuco was a violent pyschopath. Him beating No-Doze to death was a natural extension of his character.

But it was pure luck for Walt. No matter how much Walt fought with Tuco, it was still the coincidental arrival of Hank (through tracking Jesse's car) that saved him and pushed his reputation forward again and saved his life.

Hank's arrival wasn't coincidental. Hank investigated realized that Jesse was a shifty criminal in Walt's life and tracked him down. That's no more coincidental than the detectives in Law and Order showing up at the criminals house just before he gets arrested.

Let me say that this in no way means I think you're wrong about all the work Walt put in. Sure. But coincidence has also played a huge role since episode 1. It's one of the beauties of the show, and part of the ultimate tragedy.

I don't think you understand what a coincidence is. Mike being in the right spot to see the cousins going into Walt's house and being connected with Gus who then was connected enough to call them off. That's a coincidence. Hank successfully tracking down his brother in law is the opposite of a coincidence.

 

[fade]

These are the same arguments again that have little to do with what I'm saying. You're making a mountain out of a molehill. I never said hanks arrival was some magical coincidence (extrapolate ad nauseum). Of course it wasn't. But his arrival at that very moment to save Walt was a coincidence that catapulted the story forward. Etc etc.[DOUBLEPOST=1380633802,1380633344][/DOUBLEPOST]I understand perfectly fine what coincidence is. The problem is that you're not interpreting what I'm saying correctly.[DOUBLEPOST=1380634175][/DOUBLEPOST]For that scene, the insulting page of words about how detectives work is irrelevant. The point is that Walt is in a hole about to die before Heisenberg leaves the fetal stage when hank (sure through investigation--who said it wasn't?) arrives at that very moment. That's a coincidence for Walt. Sure. Hank worked for it. But it was a lucky break for Walt. He didn't arrange for Hank to pop up at precisely the moment he was about to get his head blown off. That's what I'm talking about.

 

[Dubyamn]

These are the same arguments again that have little to do with what I'm saying. You're making a mountain out of a molehill. I never said hanks arrival was some magical coincidence (extrapolate ad nauseum). Of course it wasn't. But his arrival at that very moment to save Walt was a coincidence that catapulted the story forward. Etc etc.[DOUBLEPOST=1380633802,1380633344][/DOUBLEPOST]I understand perfectly fine what coincidence is. The problem is that you're not interpreting what I'm saying correctly.[DOUBLEPOST=1380634175][/DOUBLEPOST]For that scene, the insulting page of words about how detectives work is irrelevant. The point is that Walt is in a hole about to die before Heisenberg leaves the fetal stage when hank (sure through investigation--who said it wasn't?) arrives at that very moment. That's a coincidence for Walt. Sure. Hank worked for it. But it was a lucky break for Walt. He didn't arrange for Hank to pop up at precisely the moment he was about to get his head blown off. That's what I'm talking about.

I'm just saying that the examples you quoted are wrong and you so far haven't explained why you believe that it was at all coincidental. Hank arrived in time because Walt had spent the entire day trying to survive and Hank had spent the entire day tracking him down as quickly as he could. The fact that Hank arrived at that time wasn't coinicidental not to Walt not in any sense of the word.

And it's not like Hank arrived just as Tuco was about to put a bullet in Walt's head. Jesse and Walt had already shot Tuco and started running away. Hank arrived while Tuco was arming up to go hunting the two of them into the desert.

 

[Espy]

Here's the great thing about that episode last night: Walt has so much pride that he always wants everyone to know he did *insert whatever thing you want* for 5 seasons.

In the finale it was the first time Walt actually didn't let his pride get in the way of things. He stayed in the background. He allowed people to assume he was weak, that he was dumb, that he was trash. And it was him finally dying to that pride that allowed him to succeed. If he had gone at those events as "Heisenburg" he would have failed/been spending all his time scrambling to clean up the stupid mess he made. Instead he allowed himself to be what he was: a defeated man. In the defeat his enemies saw a weak man. That was their mistake. If you can't see that the entire show has been about his pride and that it took till the very end for him to give it up then I think you may have missed a huge part of the show.

*When I say "you" I mean that in a generic sense.

 

[fade]

Deleted. It doesn't matter. The discussion isn't going anywhere.

 

[blotsfan]

Here's the great thing about that episode last night: Walt has so much pride that he always wants everyone to know he did *insert whatever thing you want* for 5 seasons.

In the finale it was the first time Walt actually didn't let his pride get in the way of things. He stayed in the background. He allowed people to assume he was weak, that he was dumb, that he was trash. And it was him finally dying to that pride that allowed him to succeed. If he had gone at those events as "Heisenburg" he would have failed/been spending all his time scrambling to clean up the stupid mess he made. Instead he allowed himself to be what he was: a defeated man. In the defeat his enemies saw a weak man. That was their mistake. If you can't see that the entire show has been about his pride and that it took till the very end for him to give it up then I think you may have missed a huge part of the show.

*When I say "you" I mean that in a generic sense.

Thats an amazing point and makes me like the ending a lot more.

 

[Espy]

It's just funny right? I mean, he's spent the ENTIRE DAMN SHOW trying to BE someone he isn't. The big bad crime boss. And then he really ends up just scrambling around like a crazy person trying to either keep everything from falling apart or else picking up the pieces of whatever he's ruined.

All because of pride.

This episode opens with him asking God to give him once chance to pull this off. At the very least it's symbolic of him letting go of his pride. Of his pride in himself, his abilities and the pride in what he wants to be seen as instead of what he really is. A man terrified to die.

So when he admits to Skyler it was all about him, I mean, BAM. Thats the show right there. Thats the truth finally taking place. Gone are the speeches, that got longer and longer as the show went on, to justify who he is and what he had done. Now it's just, "Yeah, it was all about me". Thats it.

And he succeeds in pulling off his plan because of it. Because he humbled himself. Hell, look at the shots. Go back and watch it again. He's in the BACKGROUND of the show. He's out of focus. Vince directed this ep and you damn well know he put Walt in certain places to emphasize this idea. It's just so fucking brilliant. There is not a better ending to this show. Period*.


*at least in my opinion. I'm open to someone explaining why it isn't the perfect ending for the show but I won't say you will have an easy time convincing me.

 

[Gryfter]

The only other show that ended this perfectly was The Shield.

 

[Charlie Don't Surf]

The only other show that ended this perfectly was The Shield.

not to be an old person, but I'd argue Mary Tyler Moore, Newhart, M*A*S*H, and Cheers had pretty perfect endings.

 

[Ravenpoe]

not to be an old person, but I'd argue Mary Tyler Moore, Newhart, M*A*S*H, and Cheers had pretty perfect endings.

You get a brofist just for Newhart

 

[Dubyamn]

It's just funny right? I mean, he's spent the ENTIRE DAMN SHOW trying to BE someone he isn't. The big bad crime boss. And then he really ends up just scrambling around like a crazy person trying to either keep everything from falling apart or else picking up the pieces of whatever he's ruined.

All because of pride.

This episode opens with him asking God to give him once chance to pull this off. At the very least it's symbolic of him letting go of his pride. Of his pride in himself, his abilities and the pride in what he wants to be seen as instead of what he really is. A man terrified to die.

So when he admits to Skyler it was all about him, I mean, BAM. Thats the show right there. Thats the truth finally taking place. Gone are the speeches, that got longer and longer as the show went on, to justify who he is and what he had done. Now it's just, "Yeah, it was all about me". Thats it.

And he succeeds in pulling off his plan because of it. Because he humbled himself. Hell, look at the shots. Go back and watch it again. He's in the BACKGROUND of the show. He's out of focus. Vince directed this ep and you damn well know he put Walt in certain places to emphasize this idea. It's just so fucking brilliant. There is not a better ending to this show. Period*.


*at least in my opinion. I'm open to someone explaining why it isn't the perfect ending for the show but I won't say you will have an easy time convincing me.

That is actually very good reasoning and I actually can see perfectly where you are coming from with it. In fact I would even agree with you that is where they were going with that.

But personally I found the entire episode outside of a few scenes to be just boring in a way I didn't find any other episode in any of the other seasons.

 

[ThatNickGuy]

You get a brofist just for Newhart

AND MY AXE!

Er, M*A*S*H. My M*A*S*H.

 

[Ravenpoe]

 

[Bowielee]

not to be an old person, but I'd argue Mary Tyler Moore, Newhart, M*A*S*H, and Cheers had pretty perfect endings.

I'm pretty sure M*A*S*H* is still held up as one of the best examples of best last episodes in television history.

 

[sixpackshaker]

Movies nowadays tend to cut off the second half of the pyramid.

 

[Piotyr]

Movies nowadays tend to cut off the second half of the pyramid.

And the first half of the pyramid.