Top 10 Final Episodes that Explained EVERYTHING
Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the Top 10 TV Final Episodes that Explained EVERYTHING. For this list, we’ll be looking at the live action television episodes that gave audiences answers to the majority of questions they were waiting for all series long. Also, we'll be covering flash forwards and final outcomes beyond the plot’s resolution. Major spoiler alerts are in store as we explore how each series ends. What show’s final episode shocked you the most? Let us know in the comments below.
#10: “Daybreak”
“Battlestar Galactica (2004-09) Across a vast galaxy lies a planetary system called the Twelve Colonies of Kobol. For years, the Colonies have fought against their greatest adversary known as the Cylons. When a surprise Cylon strike occurs on the Colonies, only one Colonial fighting ship, Battlestar Galactica, remains intact. Their last hope for survival is to search for a mythical planet called Earth. In the sci-fi series’ final episodes, Battlestar Galactica and the remaining civilian space ships finally arrive at “Earth.” It’s revealed that the future colonists’ lineage is the present-time people of Earth, which also consists of humanoids in support of the Cylons and early humans. This means we were watching the past and not the future this whole time. We’re still in orbit with our shock and awe over this revelation.
#9: “Mr. Monk and The End”
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“Monk” (2002-09) This show stars Tony Shalhoub as the titular ex-police detective. After the trauma of his wife’s murder, Monk returns to crime solving as a private investigator with the help of his friends. He closes almost every case, except his wife’s death. In the series’ finale, Monk finds a video made by his wife, Trudy, in which she shares that she had a past relationship with a man named Rickover. This affair resulted in a child who was believed to have died shortly after birth. Later, Monk faces off with Rickover, who confesses to killing Trudy to keep the affair secret. Before Rickover takes his own life, he says a few words that we later discover mean that his child with Trudy is alive. So, our tissues were ready when Monk saw Trudy’s daughter for the first time.
#8: “The Last Forever”
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“How I Met Your Mother” (2005-14) We begin with a story about a father, Ted, telling his kids how he met their mother. But, the mystery for us became not how, but who is their mother. We place pieces together as we follow Ted, Robin, Barney, Marshall and Lily throughout the sitcom’s many seasons. In the last episode, we're finally told about Ted meeting Tracy under her umbrella in 2013. Ted becomes aware of that exact forgotten umbrella and they suddenly realize how they’ve always just missed each other so many times in the past. While we’re then shown parts of their love story, Ted’s wife and the kids’ mother, Tracy, ultimately passes away in 2024. When it’s all said and done, his children make him realize that he loved Robin in his past as well and that it's okay to take another chance at love. Ted later reunites with Robin with hope for the future.
#7: “To Right the Wrongs of Many”
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“Orphan Black” (2013-17) This thriller commences with a chill as Sarah sees a woman, who matches her likeness, take her own life at a train station. Due to her curious nature, she assumes Beth’s life. While studying Beth’s past, Sarah discovers that she is a carbon copy from a sinister cloning trial. Along the way, she finds her other clones like Alison, Helena and Cosima. In the final episode, Sarah takes down P.T. Westmoreland aka John Mathieson, a Neolutionist leader behind the illicit cloning experiments. Later, we see the sister clones’ futures: Alison and her husband are living peacefully, Helena is caring for her babies and Cosima is healing the rest of the clones. And we finally get to see a tranquil Sarah with her daughter and Felix.
#6: “One Last Ride”
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“Parks and Recreation” (2009-15) In Pawnee, a hopeful Leslie Knope, is second in command at Parks and Recreation. Even though she is at odds with Ron, the department head, Leslie strives to do her best. While leading and dreaming of the presidency, she meets her eventual husband, Ben. As everyone fights for their community, lasting friendships are made and journeys collide. In the finale, flashforwards show how they help each other live their dreams, like starting new businesses and trying new job opportunities. Meanwhile, they watch their kids grow and connect with one another. Also, in this future, Leslie is now Indiana’s governor. But, the biggest flashforward reveal is the appearance of the Secret Service at Leslie and Ben’s side during Garry’s funeral, which implies that there’s a President in our midst.
#5: “Whenever You’re Ready”
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“The Good Place” (2016-20) This story begins the moment Eleanor’s life has ended. Suddenly, she is faced with “the Bad Place” or “the Good Place”. When the morally gray nature of Eleanor is told she’s been put in “the Good Place'', it sends her, Chidi, Jason and Tahani on a journey to discover who judges their mortality. When the system is found to be corrupt, they ultimately develop a system of redemption that can get people into the real Good Place. However, they can also choose to depart from “the Good Place” once they’ve had enough; both Jason and Chidi make their farewells. Tahani decides to stay and study to become an architect. Meanwhile, former “Bad Place” architect Michael is permitted to join humanity with Eleanor’s help, while Eleanor herself chooses to make her final exit.
#4: “The Series Finale”
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“WandaVision” (2021) Following the Endgame battle, we wander into a 1950s’ era sitcom featuring Wanda and Vision living their lives as a cute married couple in Westview. As the decades wear on, Wanda and Vision decide to have a family, but we all wonder if it’s real. Meanwhile, Agatha befriends Wanda for her power. Monica tries to protect Wanda from the director of S.W.O.R.D. The finale sees Wanda creating a mystical blockade to fight off Agatha while Wanda’s Vision permits White Vision to access his memories. The Scarlet Witch then removes the barrier, says farewell to her family and vanishes. A post-credits scene later shows Maximoff reading the Darkhold while the eerie sound of her sons crying out for her are heard in the distance.
#3: “Everyone’s Waiting”
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“Six Feet Under” (2001-05) With Nathaniel Fisher’s passing, the family business is willed to his sons, Nate and David. This drama dive into the lives of the Fisher family, the workings of their funeral home and how the complexities of death are faced. In the final episode, David considers putting the funeral home up for sale, but has a change of heart when he has a vision of his late father. Instead, he and his boyfriend Keith make plans to buy out the other shareholders. Following a farewell dinner for Claire and her departure for New York, we see the future for the Fisher family. Our tears flow like a river as we see each character face something that has enveloped their lives.
#2: “Felina”
“Breaking Bad” (2008-13) While teaching chemistry, Walter White’s nature was unassuming. However, when Walt is faced with terminal cancer, he becomes an ominous force in meth dealing for his family’s protection. He starts by enlisting Jesse, a pupil of the past. Unsurprisingly, Walt’s life takes many turns. Thanks to his three identities, the life of Walt’s lawyer has its own twists and turns and he too must ultimately face the music in “Better Call Saul”’s series finale. But it’s “Breaking Bad”’s final episode we’re talking about here. Having arrived at a point of no return, Walt confesses to his wife Skyler that he dealt drugs for his own gain. He also enacts vengeance on the Neo-Nazi gang that he’d originally paid to take out Jesse after their leader Jack orders Walt’s death. Though Walt ultimately takes out Jack and his crew, the injuries he sustained during the machine gun fight are fatal. As Walt nears his end, we root for Jesse’s escape.
#1: “The Judgment”
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“The Fugitive” (1963-67) This crime drama follows a case where the odds are stacked against Richard Kimble. Kimble is deemed guilty of the murder of his wife, of which he is actually innocent. However, he has no evidence of the man he saw escape the scene. After desperately searching for answers for all this time, Kimble gets his wife’s killer to admit what he did. However, the One-Armed man reaches for a weapon while Kimble is distracted by the truth, leading to Police Lieutenant Gerard to take aim at Fred Johnson. The murderer then plunges to his death off of a carnival ride. Chandler, the only case witness, is soon convinced to place Johnson at the scene of the crime in court. After 4 seasons and 120 episodes, Kimble is finally granted what he has been looking for: peace.
