Season finale
Encyclopedia
A season finale is the final episode of a season of a television program
. This is often the final episode to be produced for a few months or longer, and, as such, will try to attract viewers to continue watching when the series begins again.
A season finale may contain a cliffhanger ending
to be resolved in the next season. Alternatively, a season finale could bring open-ended storylines to a close, "going out on a high" and similarly maintaining interest in the series' eventual return.
In the late 2000s, the terms "mid-season finale", "spring finale", "summer finale" and "fall finale" began being used by some cable and broadcast networks in the United States, to denote a series whose current season has been split into two halves in order to make room for a mid-season replacement series; generally when this occurs, the next first-run episode of the current season picks up a few months after the previous first-run episode aired.
There are examples of episodes, ostensibly having been the "season finale", unexpectedly becoming the de facto
series finale due to the cancellation of the series. Recent examples of this include John Doe
, Invasion
, Two Guys and a Girl
, Instant Star
, Las Vegas
, Everybody Hates Chris
, The New Adventures of Old Christine
, and Heroes
.
, the term has developed to describe the final event of a sporting season
, e.g. in soccer or Motocross
, perhaps partly because of the popularity of these with television viewers.
Television program
A television program , also called television show, is a segment of content which is intended to be broadcast on television. It may be a one-time production or part of a periodically recurring series...
. This is often the final episode to be produced for a few months or longer, and, as such, will try to attract viewers to continue watching when the series begins again.
A season finale may contain a cliffhanger ending
Cliffhanger
A cliffhanger or cliffhanger ending is a plot device in fiction which features a main character in a precarious or difficult dilemma, or confronted with a shocking revelation at the end of an episode of serialized fiction...
to be resolved in the next season. Alternatively, a season finale could bring open-ended storylines to a close, "going out on a high" and similarly maintaining interest in the series' eventual return.
In the late 2000s, the terms "mid-season finale", "spring finale", "summer finale" and "fall finale" began being used by some cable and broadcast networks in the United States, to denote a series whose current season has been split into two halves in order to make room for a mid-season replacement series; generally when this occurs, the next first-run episode of the current season picks up a few months after the previous first-run episode aired.
Notable examples
- DallasDallas (TV series)Dallas is an American serial drama/prime time soap opera that revolves around the Ewings, a wealthy Texas family in the oil and cattle-ranching industries. Throughout the series, Larry Hagman stars as greedy, scheming oil baron J. R. Ewing...
(19781978 in televisionThe year 1978 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1978.For the American TV schedule, see: 1978-79 American network television schedule.-Events:...
–911991 in televisionFor the American TV schedule, see: 1991-92 United States network television schedule.The year 1991 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1991.-Events:-Debuts:-1950s:...
) — Every season of the US soap operaSoap operaA soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
finished with a cliffhanger ending, most famously the “Who shot J.R.?Who shot J.R.?Who shot J. R.? is an advertising catchphrase that American network CBS created in 1980 to promote the television series Dallas.In the final scene of the 1979–1980 season, the character J. R. Ewing, played by Larry Hagman, was shot by a hidden assailant. The episode, titled "A House Divided", was...
” storyline in 19801980 in televisionThe year 1980 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1980.For the American TV schedule, see: 1980-81 American network television schedule.-Events:...
, when an attempt on J. R. Ewing's life takes place in “A House Divided”, the finale of season 2; the mystery is solved four episodes later in “Who Done ItWho Done It (Dallas episode)"Who Done It" is the third episode in the fourth season of the television series Dallas.-Overview:'"Who Done It'" resolved the "Who shot J.R.?" cliffhanger from the previous season. It gained the highest rating of any television episode in US history, a record it held until February 1983 when the...
” (season 3). - Star Trek: The Next GenerationStar Trek: The Next GenerationStar Trek: The Next Generation is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry as part of the Star Trek franchise. Roddenberry, Rick Berman, and Michael Piller served as executive producers at different times throughout the production...
: "The Best of Both Worlds" (19901990 in televisionFor the American TV schedule, see: 1990-91 United States network television schedule.The year 1990 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1990.-Events:-Debuts:-1950s:...
) — In the third season finale, the BorgBorg (Star Trek)The Borg are a fictional pseudo-race of cybernetic organisms depicted in the Star Trek universe associated with Star Trek.Whereas cybernetics are used by other races in the science fiction world to repair bodily damage and birth defects, the Borg use enforced cybernetic enhancement as a means of...
attack several FederationUnited Federation of PlanetsThe United Federation of Planets, also known as "The Federation" is a fictional interplanetary federal republic depicted in the Star Trek television series and motion pictures...
colonies and when the EnterpriseUSS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D)The USS Enterprise is a 24th century starship in the Star Trek fictional universe and the principal setting of the Star Trek: The Next Generation television series...
finally catches up with them, they kidnap Captain PicardJean-Luc PicardCaptain Jean-Luc Picard is a Star Trek character portrayed by Patrick Stewart. He appears in the television series Star Trek: The Next Generation and the feature films Star Trek Generations, Star Trek: First Contact, Star Trek: Insurrection, and Star Trek Nemesis...
. The Enterprises normal weapons have very little effect on the Borg ship, so the crew devises a way to channel a massive amount of energy into the main deflector dish, turning it into a massive weapon. An Enterprise away team boards the Borg ship to try and rescue Picard, but discover that he has been assimilated — he is now Locutus of Borg. The episode ends with Locutus informing the Enterprise that they will be assimilated as well. Riker's only response is "Mr. Worf, fire." This episode (and its conclusion) are widely regarded by fans to be the best episodes of the entire Star TrekStar TrekStar Trek is an American science fiction entertainment franchise created by Gene Roddenberry. The core of Star Trek is its six television series: The Original Series, The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and Enterprise...
franchise. This was also one of the first cliffhangers outside of a soap opera. - FriendsFriendsFriends is an American sitcom created by David Crane and Marta Kauffman, which aired on NBC from September 22, 1994 to May 6, 2004. The series revolves around a group of friends in Manhattan. The series was produced by Bright/Kauffman/Crane Productions, in association with Warner Bros. Television...
: "The One with Ross's Wedding" (19981998 in televisionThe year 1998 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1998.For the American TV schedule, see: 1998–99 United States network television schedule.-Events:-Debuts:-1950s:...
) — In the fourth season finale of the American sitcom, RossRoss GellerRoss Eustace Geller, Ph.D. is a fictional character on the popular U.S. television series Friends, portrayed by David Schwimmer. The character is noted for his geeky, lovable demeanor.- Origin :...
and several main characters travel to LondonLondonLondon is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
for his wedding to Emily Waltham. RachelRachel GreenRachel Karen Green is a fictional character on the popular U.S. television sitcom Friends, portrayed by Jennifer Aniston. Aniston received an Emmy Award, a Screen Actors Guild Award, and a Golden Globe for her performances.-Background:...
unexpectedly arrives, intending to tell Ross she loves him and possibly stop the wedding, but she decides against this at the last minute and the ceremony goes ahead as planned. However, during the vows Ross says Rachel's name instead of Emily's, and the episode ends with the registrar asking whether he should continue the ceremony.
"The One in Vegas" (19991999 in televisionThe year 1999 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1999.For the American TV schedule, see: 1999-00 United States network television schedule.-Events:-Debuts:-Miniseries:...
) — The fifth season of Friends ended with another cliffhanger, this time involving Ross and Rachel marrying drunkenly in Las VegasLas Vegas, NevadaLas Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
, leading to their divorceDivorceDivorce is the final termination of a marital union, canceling the legal duties and responsibilities of marriage and dissolving the bonds of matrimony between the parties...
in the following season. - FrasierFrasierFrasier is an American sitcom that was broadcast on NBC for eleven seasons, from September 16, 1993, to May 13, 2004. The program was created and produced by David Angell, Peter Casey, and David Lee in association with Grammnet and Paramount Network Television.A spin-off of Cheers, Frasier stars...
: "Something Borrowed, Someone Blue" (20002000 in televisionThe year 2000 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 2000.For the American TV schedule, see: 2000-01 United States network television schedule.-Event:-Debuts:-1940s:...
) — At the end of the seventh season, the major plotline involving NilesNiles CraneNiles Crane, M.D., Ph.D., A.P.A. is a fictional character on the American sitcom Frasier, a spin-off of the popular show Cheers. He was portrayed by David Hyde Pierce. Niles is the younger brother of Dr. Frasier Crane, the son of Det. Martin Crane and Dr. Hester Crane, husband of Daphne Moon,...
's secret love for DaphneDaphne MoonDaphne Crane is a fictional character on the American television sitcom Frasier, played by Jane Leeves....
ended, as Daphne seemingly rejects Niles on the night before her wedding, but then joins him in the final scene and asks him to take her away with him, and they leave as her wedding to Donny is supposed to be beginning. - BlackadderBlackadderBlackadder is the name that encompassed four series of a BBC1 historical sitcom, along with several one-off instalments. All television programme episodes starred Rowan Atkinson as anti-hero Edmund Blackadder and Tony Robinson as Blackadder's dogsbody, Baldrick...
: "The Black SealThe Black Seal"The Black Seal" is the final of six episodes of the first series of the BBC One sitcom Blackadder .- Plot :On Saint Juniper's Day, 29 January 1498, King Richard IV snubs Prince Edmund, taking away his Duchy and leaving him with the sole dignity of Lord Warden of the Royal Privies, while awarding...
" (19831983 in televisionThe year 1983 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1983.For the American TV schedule, see: 1983-84 United States network television schedule.-Events:...
), "ChainsChains (Blackadder)"Chains" is the final episode of the BBC sitcom Blackadder II, the second series of Blackadder, which was set in Elizabethan England from 1558 to 1603. Power-mad and self-professed "master of disguise", Prince Ludwig the Indestructible kidnaps Lord Blackadder and Lord Melchett...
" (19861986 in televisionThe year 1986 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1986.For the American network television schedule, please see 1986-87 American network television schedule.-Events:-Debuts:*September 6 –...
), "Duel and Duality" (19871987 in televisionThe year 1987 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1987.For American TV schedule, see: 1987–88 United States network television schedule.-Events:-Debuts:...
) — Along with "Goodbyeee" (19891989 in televisionFor the American TV schedule, see: 1989–90 United States network television schedule.The year 1989 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1989.-Events:-Debuts:-1950s:...
), the final episodes of the Blackadder series took a liberty that many series would be unable to take, by killing off the major characters (apart from in Blackadder the ThirdBlackadder the ThirdBlackadder the Third is the third series of the BBC situation comedy Blackadder, written by Richard Curtis and Ben Elton, which aired from 17 September to 22 October 1987....
when only Prince GeorgeGeorge (Blackadder character)George was a supporting character that appeared in various adaptations of the BBC sitcom Blackadder, played by Hugh Laurie. Each series saw a different incarnation of the character, because each was set in a different period of history. He was most prominently featured in the third and fourth series...
died). This reinforces the idea that the four series stand alone from each other, and the series' general black humorBlack comedyA black comedy, or dark comedy, is a comic work that employs black humor or gallows humor. The definition of black humor is problematic; it has been argued that it corresponds to the earlier concept of gallows humor; and that, as humor has been defined since Freud as a comedic act that anesthetizes...
. - Green WingGreen WingGreen Wing is a British sitcom set in the fictional East Hampton Hospital. It was created by the same team behind the sketch show Smack the Pony, led by Victoria Pile, and stars Tamsin Greig, Stephen Mangan and Julian Rhind-Tutt....
: series 1 finale (20042004 in televisionThe year 2004 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 2004.For the American TV schedule, see: 2004–05 United States network television schedule.-Events:-Debuts:-1940s:...
) and series 2 finale (20062006 in television2006 in television may refer to:*2006 in American television*2006 in Australian television*2006 in British television*2006 in Canadian television*2006 in Japanese television...
) — In an ironic parodyIronyIrony is a rhetorical device, literary technique, or situation in which there is a sharp incongruity or discordance that goes beyond the simple and evident intention of words or actions...
of certain season finales, both series of the BritishBritish televisionPublic television broadcasting started in the United Kingdom in 1936, and now has a collection of free and subscription services over a variety of distribution media, through which there are over 480 channelsTaking the base Sky EPG TV Channels. A breakdown is impossible due to a) the number of...
hospital sitcom Green Wing conclude with literal cliffhangers. In series 1, GuyGuy SecretanGuy Secretan is a character in the British sitcom Green Wing, played by Stephen Mangan. In Channel 4's The World's Greatest Comedy Characters, Guy was voted 34th.- History :...
discovers that JoannaJoanna CloreJoanna Clore is a character in the British sitcom Green Wing, played by Pippa Haywood.- History :Joanna Clore is the director of human resources at East Hampton Hospital. She is 48 years old, has had two unsuccessful marriages, has two sons who both work at the hospital Dr. Guy Secretan and Dr....
is his biological motherMotherA mother, mum, mom, momma, or mama is a woman who has raised a child, given birth to a child, and/or supplied the ovum that grew into a child. Because of the complexity and differences of a mother's social, cultural, and religious definitions and roles, it is challenging to specify a universally...
, directly after sleeping with her. In a confused rage, he steals an ambulanceAmbulanceAn ambulance is a vehicle for transportation of sick or injured people to, from or between places of treatment for an illness or injury, and in some instances will also provide out of hospital medical care to the patient...
(with MacMac (Green Wing)Dr Macartney or Dr Mac is a character in the British sitcom Green Wing, played by Julian Rhind-Tutt.- History :Often simply referred to as "Mac", Dr Macartney is a surgeon working in the fictional East Hampton Hospital...
and MartinMartin DearMartin Dear is a character in the British sitcom Green Wing, played by Karl Theobald.- History :Martin is a house officer at East Hampton Hospital. His mother is human resources director Joanna Clore and his half-brother is Dr. Guy Secretan....
managing to jump aboard), and drives it to the edge of a cliff. In series 2 Dr. StathamAlan StathamAlan Statham is a fictional character in the British sitcom Green Wing, played by Mark Heap.- History :Alan is the consultant radiologist at East Hampton Hospital....
, having accidentally killed a dwarf, worries that the police are about to find and arrest him and Joanna, so hijacksCarjackingCarjacking is a form of hijacking, where the crime is of stealing a motor vehicle and so also armed assault when the vehicle is occupied. Historically, such as in the rash of semi-trailer truck hijackings during the 1960s, the general term hijacking was used for that type of vehicle abduction,...
a couple's campervanCampervanA campervan , sometimes referred to simply as a camper, or a caravanette, is a self-propelled vehicle that provides both transport and sleeping accommodation. The term mainly describes vans that have been fitted out, often with a coachbuilt body for use as accommodation...
(Martin again rides in the back), but Dr. Statham takes them to the edge of the same cliff. Their survival is not explained in the following Green Wing SpecialGreen Wing SpecialThe Green Wing Special is the final episode of the British sitcom Green Wing. It was first broadcast in Australia and Belgium on 29 December 2006. It was aired on 4 January 2007 in the United Kingdom. The episode is sometimes billed as a Christmas special, although the episode contains nothing...
, and this plot device could be a criticism of the "cliffhanger" method of generating tension and ratings. - FarscapeFarscapeFarscape is an Australian-American science fiction television series filmed in Australia and produced originally for the Nine Network. The series was conceived by Rockne S. O'Bannon and produced by Jim Henson Productions and Hallmark Entertainment...
: Bad TimingBad Timing (Farscape episode)"Bad Timing" is the series finale of the Australian-American television series Farscape, written by David Kemper and directed by Andrew Prowse.-Synopsis:...
(20032003 in televisionThe year 2003 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 2003.For the American TV schedule, see: 2003-04 United States network television schedule.-Events:-Debuts:-1940s:...
) was written as the finale of the series' fourth season, ending on a cliffhanger where it appears John Crichton and Aeryn Sun had been killed. The SciFi Channel (renamed to Syfy)SyfySyfy , formerly known as the Sci-Fi Channel and SCI FI, is an American cable television channel featuring science fiction, supernatural, fantasy, reality, paranormal, wrestling, and horror programming. Launched on September 24, 1992, it is part of the entertainment conglomerate NBCUniversal, a...
had announced the series' cancellation several months earlier, and despite intense fan pressure on the network, negotiations between SciFi and the Jim Henson Company failed to renew the series. In protest to the cancellation, the Henson company retained the cliffhanger and the "To be continued" titles at the end of the episode. The cliffhanger was eventually resolved in the Peacekeeper Wars two-part miniseries.
Series finale
The final episode of a television series often concludes the entire premise of the show.There are examples of episodes, ostensibly having been the "season finale", unexpectedly becoming the de facto
De facto
De facto is a Latin expression that means "concerning fact." In law, it often means "in practice but not necessarily ordained by law" or "in practice or actuality, but not officially established." It is commonly used in contrast to de jure when referring to matters of law, governance, or...
series finale due to the cancellation of the series. Recent examples of this include John Doe
John Doe (TV series)
John Doe is an American science fiction drama television series that aired on Fox during the 2002–2003 TV season.-Synopsis:"I woke up in an island off the coast of Seattle. I didn't know how I got there ... or who I was. But I did seem to know everything else. There were things about me I didn't...
, Invasion
Invasion (TV series)
Invasion is an American science fiction television series that aired on ABC for only one season beginning in September 2005. Somewhat similar to Invasion of the Body Snatchers, the show told the story of the aftermath of a hurricane in which water-based creatures infiltrate a small Florida town and...
, Two Guys and a Girl
Two Guys and a Girl
Two Guys and a Girl is an American sitcom created by Kenny Schwartz and Danny Jacobson. It ran on ABC from March 10, 1998 to May 16, 2001. 81 episodes were transmitted over four seasons....
, Instant Star
Instant Star
Instant Star was a Canadian television program which aired from September 2004 to June 2008. The series starred Alexz Johnson as adolescent music competition winner Jude Harrison. The show chronicles Harrison's experience in the recording industry whilst focusing upon character development.Linda...
, Las Vegas
Las Vegas (TV series)
Las Vegas was an American television series broadcast by NBC from September 22, 2003 to February 15, 2008. The show focuses on a team of people working at the ficticional Montecito Resort & Casino dealing with issues that arise within the working environment, ranging from valet parking and...
, Everybody Hates Chris
Everybody Hates Chris
Everybody Hates Chris is an African American television period sitcom inspired by the teenage experiences of comedian Chris Rock , while growing up in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York . The show is set from 1982 to 1987; however, Rock himself was a teenager during years...
, The New Adventures of Old Christine
The New Adventures of Old Christine
The New Adventures of Old Christine is an American comedy series starring Julia Louis-Dreyfus which ran for five seasons on CBS from March 13, 2006, to May 12, 2010...
, and Heroes
Heroes (TV series)
Heroes is an American science fiction television drama series created by Tim Kring that appeared on NBC for four seasons from September 25, 2006 through February 8, 2010. The series tells the stories of ordinary people who discover superhuman abilities, and how these abilities take effect in the...
.
In sports
In American EnglishAmerican English
American English is a set of dialects of the English language used mostly in the United States. Approximately two-thirds of the world's native speakers of English live in the United States....
, the term has developed to describe the final event of a sporting season
Season (sports)
In an organized sports league, a season is the portion of one year in which regulated games of the sport are in session. For example, in Major League Baseball, one season lasts approximately from April 1 through October 1; in Association football, it is generally from August until May In an...
, e.g. in soccer or Motocross
Motocross
Motocross is a form of motorcycle sport or all-terrain vehicle racing held on enclosed off road circuits. It evolved from trials, and was called scrambles, and later motocross, combining the French moto with cross-country...
, perhaps partly because of the popularity of these with television viewers.