Which one of these series finales were worse?

[neumdogg]

Lost
Seinfeld
Sopranos

[william.hosking]

Out of the three, I've only seen Seinfeld and Lost. So, based on that, I voted Seinfeld.

[Beebz]

1. Seinfeld

3. Sopranos
4. Lost

[water_into_wine]

Between Seinfeld and Sopranos. Definitely not LOST.

[Beebz]

Sopranos was more of a cop-out/literary exercise ending than LOST.

[neumdogg]

I think Sopranos and Lost were both cop outs in completely different ways. However, Sopranos to me was the worst because I was incredibly into that show.

[water_into_wine]

I felt like LOST was far from a cop-out. I think people mistake "cop-out" with "I didn't like it".

[jdbartender]

I don't think Soprano's was a cop out.

The way the viewers saw it, there were only 2 possible endings for Tony - dead or in jail. That was it. Instead, the show threw everyone for a loop and gave us neither. I remember being furious when my cable blacked out during the Soprano's series finale and I learned that the ambiguous ending was intentional. Then after I let the whole think sink in for a few days, I came to the conclusion that the ending was brilliant - and the two other options that everyone was expecting would have been beyond cliché.

The show was never designed to give the viewers what they expected, or even wanted for that matter. And the reality is, that is what kept people watching season after season. Why would you anticipate that the ending would be any different?

[DJGeneral]

2 great shows, 1 bad one

[neumdogg]

Originally Posted by jdbartender

I don't think Soprano's was a cop out.

The way the viewers saw it, there were only 2 possible endings for Tony - dead or in jail. That was it. Instead, the show threw everyone for a loop and gave us neither. I remember being furious when my cable blacked out during the Soprano's series finale and I learned that the ambiguous ending was intentional. Then after I let the whole think sink in for a few days, I came to the conclusion that the ending was brilliant - and the two other options that everyone was expecting would have been beyond cliché.

The show was never designed to give the viewers what they expected, or even wanted for that matter. And the reality is, that is what kept people watching season after season. Why would you anticipate that the ending would be any different?

I disagree. I understand what you're saying but I still believe it's a cop out. They really should have wrapped it up. To me, with all the time (and money) I invested in it, there needed to be an ending. I think this is why people are pissed off about LOST (things were wrapped up, but just 8 million questions were not answered).

And I don't think the design of the Sopranos kept the show running and people watching. I believe it was your involvement with the characters. The Sopranos, from day one, was ALWAYS about characters. And in the end, you have know idea what happened. COP OUT.

[Haiku Jimi]

Seinfeld, by far in my opinion. It was just really weak on the humor and it expected laughs just because they brought in old characters and retold stories.

Sopranos couldnt have ended many other ways, like jdbartender said. We were just left with the idea that Tony has created this sort of life for himself that he's internally miserable with, most of the time. And he has no idea how it'll play out - he might be dead a week after where we left off; he might go on with his immoral existence to old age. I don't feel that it really matters either way.

Lost - I know a lot of people didn't enjoy it, but given the constant spiritual overtones of the show, I think it was a very appropriate ending. People say that the supposedly "character driven" show made the characters take a backseat to the plot after season 3. I agree to an extent, but ultimately, it was still about them and their redemption; overcoming whatever issues they had in life. And what happened on the island still mattered - it wasn't just a "throwaway."

[snow1868]

Originally Posted by neumdogg

I disagree. I understand what you're saying but I still believe it's a cop out. They really should have wrapped it up. To me, with all the time (and money) I invested in it, there needed to be an ending. I think this is why people are pissed off about LOST (things were wrapped up, but just 8 million questions were not answered).

And I don't think the design of the Sopranos kept the show running and people watching. I believe it was your involvement with the characters. The Sopranos, from day one, was ALWAYS about characters. And in the end, you have know idea what happened. COP OUT.

Tony died. That's why it faded to black. At first I mad about the way it ended, but it makes sense and it's brilliant.

[neumdogg]

Originally Posted by snow1868

Tony died. That's why it faded to black. At first I mad about the way it ended, but it makes sense and it's brilliant.

Mind blown

[snow1868]

Originally Posted by neumdogg

Mind blown

I'm sure you're just being sarcastic, but the ending made total sense. All the clues from the entire 6th season point it out.

[neumdogg]

Originally Posted by snow1868

I'm sure you're just being sarcastic, but the ending made total sense. All the clues from the entire 6th season point it out.

Of course I am being sarcastic. Because no one knows what really happened. You can say he died, but there plenty of other people who could disagree with you. Both of you would be right and both of you would be wrong.

[Beefsteak1138]

Seinfeld sucked.
Sopranos was good.
Lost was amazing.

[thebridge15]

Originally Posted by DJGeneral

2 great shows, 1 bad one

Lost is critically acclaimed and has a ton of fans. I'm surprised you aren't a huge fan.

[snow1868]

Originally Posted by neumdogg

Of course I am being sarcastic. Because no one knows what really happened. You can say he died, but there plenty of other people who could disagree with you. Both of you would be right and both of you would be wrong.

If you were that invested in The Sopranos as you say you were, there were two big clues that pointed to Tony dying. The converstaion with Bobby on the boat about everything going to black, you'll never hear a thing. Then there's the sybolism they took from The Godfather where Tony starts his day off by eating an orange. Tony died.

Seinfeld truely had a bad ending.

I don't care about LOST, so I didn't see it.

[pathetic]

seinfeld's finale was horrible

[thebridge15]

Seinfeld's finale was really awful.

[neumdogg]

Originally Posted by snow1868

If you were that invested in The Sopranos as you say you were, there were two big clues that pointed to Tony dying. The converstaion with Bobby on the boat about everything going to black, you'll never hear a thing. Then there's the sybolism they took from The Godfather where Tony starts his day off by eating an orange. Tony died.

Seinfeld truely had a bad ending.

I don't care about LOST, so I didn't see it.

I understand what you're saying but these are still all theories.

[dmbmuskie]

I actually like the Seinfeld finale. I know they've mocked it themselves through Curb, but I think it has aged pretty well. I was massively disappointed when it first aired, but if you catch a rerun it really is funny.

I feel like Tony was killed, but the ending was just ridiculous. The fade was far too long.

[Haiku Jimi]

Originally Posted by snow1868

If you were that invested in The Sopranos as you say you were, there were two big clues that pointed to Tony dying. The converstaion with Bobby on the boat about everything going to black, you'll never hear a thing. Then there's the sybolism they took from The Godfather where Tony starts his day off by eating an orange. Tony died.

I've read those theories as well, but I still think it's left up to the viewer - ultimately, it doesn't really matter whether Tony dies or not. What we understand from that last scene is that his life is miserable and tense at this point, and that's likely how it will remain until his death - whether that is in the diner or 30 years later doesn't really matter at all.

I feel like Chase dropped those hints for ambiguity's sake - and to get this exact reaction from people. When he said, "It's all in the last episode if you watch it" I think he literally meant what you see is what you get.

[RJP2741]

I love The Sopranos ending, I'm not sure about LOST yet, and I don't like Seinfeld's. So I voted for Seinfeld.

[manderso]

Originally Posted by thebridge15

Lost is critically acclaimed and has a ton of fans. I'm surprised you aren't a huge fan.

He didn't say which one was bad. You just knew. More proof right there.

[thebridge15]

Originally Posted by manderso

He didn't say which one was bad. You just knew. More proof right there.

He's been throwing his opinion around in the Lost thread. So I already knew.

[mja271]

Did not like the Sopranos ending at all. Then again, I thought the last season of that show was pretty awful, so I was already checked out.

[FunkyTeaParty]

I never saw Lost so I can't comment.

I remember thinking at the time that the last Seinfeld was being too widely panned. I thought it was okay. A below average Seinfeld which still makes it pretty good TV. It was just so hyped that it falling a little flat got amplified and blown out of proportion.

I lean toward liking the Sopranos ending. Like most people I was pretty much just stunned for a few days after it and didn't know what to think, but in retrospect I agree with Ryan. I think he got popped and I think the way it was done was fairly typical of the series. Chase had an almost antagonistic attitide toward his fans. I thought a lot of the dream scenes and the dialogue driven episodes were a "fuck you" to all the people that pissed and moaned every episode. The Sopranos so dominated this area of Jersey that it changed the way people behaved, yet after almost every episode the last 3 seasons people bitched and moaned. I think Chase knew he could never please this fan based that romaticized that show so much I wonder if they even knew what the show was about.

I think his ambiguous ending with plenty of clues about what happened and a really rather brilliant final sequence in Holsten's was a more than worthy ending for the series.

[LastStop@GreySt]

Originally Posted by FunkyTeaParty

I never saw Lost so I can't comment.

I remember thinking at the time that the last Seinfeld was being too widely panned. I thought it was okay. A below average Seinfeld which still makes it pretty good TV. It was just so hyped that it falling a little flat got amplified and blown out of proportion.

I lean toward liking the Sopranos ending. Like most people I was pretty much just stunned for a few days after it and didn't know what to think, but in retrospect I agree with Ryan. I think he got popped and I think the way it was done was fairly typical of the series. Chase had an almost antagonistic attitide toward his fans. I thought a lot of the dream scenes and the dialogue driven episodes were a "fuck you" to all the people that pissed and moaned every episode. The Sopranos so dominated this area of Jersey that it changed the way people behaved, yet after almost every episode the last 3 seasons people bitched and moaned. I think Chase knew he could never please this fan based that romaticized that show so much I wonder if they even knew what the show was about.

I think his ambiguous ending with plenty of clues about what happened and a really rather brilliant final sequence in Holsten's was a more than worthy ending for the series.

Exactly. It's a show about nothing. How do you sum up a show about nothing?

I think it gets unfairly judged. I thought it was the perfect way to sum up the perfect (or most perfect) sitcom of all time. You got all the secondary characters, a ridiculous plot, and an ending which was very fitting for the characters. The show was watched by ~20 mil a week and the ratings for the final episode were like 4x (est. 76 mil) that. Obviously people who were not regular fans of the show wouldn't appreciate it.

[Beebz]

Originally Posted by jdbartender

I don't think Soprano's was a cop out.

The way the viewers saw it, there were only 2 possible endings for Tony - dead or in jail. That was it. Instead, the show threw everyone for a loop and gave us neither. I remember being furious when my cable blacked out during the Soprano's series finale and I learned that the ambiguous ending was intentional. Then after I let the whole think sink in for a few days, I came to the conclusion that the ending was brilliant - and the two other options that everyone was expecting would have been beyond cliché.

The show was never designed to give the viewers what they expected, or even wanted for that matter. And the reality is, that is what kept people watching season after season. Why would you anticipate that the ending would be any different?

I both loved and loathed the Sopranos finale.

As someone who would one day like to be writing series like this, I thought it was brilliant. It completely fit with the idea that this man and his family would constantly be facing danger, real or perceived, for the rest of their lives.

On the other hand (and this is my main problem with Lost), I dont watch these shows to draw my own conclusions. I want the creators vision. Put something in stone, put your stamp on it, and let people evaluate it from there. Whatever you do, do something definitive. There's still room for interpretation and discussion without a completely ambiguous "Choose your own adventure" ending.

Originally Posted by neumdogg

I disagree. I understand what you're saying but I still believe it's a cop out. They really should have wrapped it up. To me, with all the time (and money) I invested in it, there needed to be an ending. I think this is why people are pissed off about LOST (things were wrapped up, but just 8 million questions were not answered).

And I don't think the design of the Sopranos kept the show running and people watching. I believe it was your involvement with the characters. The Sopranos, from day one, was ALWAYS about characters. And in the end, you have know idea what happened. COP OUT.

Yes, the Sopranos was far more about characters than Lost. The Sopranos actually had a much easier path to a solid ending and still kinda blew it.