Q & T
04-11-2008, 07:27 AM
Hello, everyone. I'm new on this version but I was on the old one but didn't post much. At all. So, here's a thread I'd like to make so we can get all acquainted like. Ending a show on an emotionally satisfying and logical conclusion is difficult to do. It can go horribly wrong. It can be the best thing the series has ever created. That will be what I'll examine in this thread. I'll post about series finales such as Seinfeld, Six Feet Under, The X-Files, Newhart, and other series that come to my mind later on. I'll tell what makes the finale work or what doesn't work. I'll start out with the Gervais/Merchant dynamic duo, The Office and Extras.
And, obviously, there is going to be spoilers. It's the fucking series finale.
The Office Christmas Special
http://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/theoffice/images/200/austin_brent.jpg
I don't know how it's possible to watch this and not cringe when you see David Brent get on stage in a bleeding Austin Powers costume. There isn't a glimpse of hope to be found in the majority of the Christmas Special. Tim and Dawn are seperated by an entire ocean and Brent is now reduced to a B level celebrity. This would be the most depressing thing I have ever seen if it weren't for the steady streams of laughs to keep you from going to that drawer and slicing your throat.
Finally, in the final ten minutes, a glimpse of light is shown. Dawn finds Tim's present and it's an oil painting set. Attached to it is a note from Tim that tells her to don't give up on her dream. After this, Brent is having a date with a woman who finds him to be funny and charming. Brent then tells Finchy to fuck off. Finally, Dawn walks into the room and kisses Tim. In the final scene, Brent actually manages to get a laugh out of his ex-co-workers.
What makes this finale work is that it manages to give a great feeling of closure to the series as a whole while maintaining a feeling of amguity. Remember that Tim says life keeps going on after the cameras stop rolling. Just because this is where the series ends doesn't mean that this is permanent. I still think that the series ends on a hopeful note. You can tell that Brent has grown up a bit to tell Finchy to fuck off and his happy, little smile when he sees Tim and Dawn finally getting together.
Extras: The Christmas Special
http://mentosandmanatees.files.wordpr ess.com/2007/12/extrasfinale.jpg
The Extras Christmas Special is far more depressing than the Office Christmas Special. It's not because that the Extras Christmas Special is actually more sad in the material. It's because it doesn't have as much of the humor that was on The Office to relieve the tension. However, that doesn't make this any weaker from The Office. In fact, it's just as damn good.
The quote that sums up the series finale is that only a few can achieve fame and integrity. Andy Millman will never become one of those few people. When Andy says he wants to be on the tele, you can hear the inner conflict. The Celebrity Big Brother sequence is agonoizing to watch. It's just hard to watch Andy reach rock bottom with nowhere to go but even father down. You watch his self despair grow larger and larger until he finally lets it loose in a monologue and the relative useless image of celebrity.
In the end, he seems to get his wish. He gets famous for his monologue and has the chance to hit it big. Instead of going to his press conference, he gets in a car with Maggie and goes to where the flying fish live. The camera goes upward and we see the bright sky with Tea for the Tillerman playing. I couldn't think of a more fitting finale.
And, obviously, there is going to be spoilers. It's the fucking series finale.
The Office Christmas Special
http://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/theoffice/images/200/austin_brent.jpg
I don't know how it's possible to watch this and not cringe when you see David Brent get on stage in a bleeding Austin Powers costume. There isn't a glimpse of hope to be found in the majority of the Christmas Special. Tim and Dawn are seperated by an entire ocean and Brent is now reduced to a B level celebrity. This would be the most depressing thing I have ever seen if it weren't for the steady streams of laughs to keep you from going to that drawer and slicing your throat.
Finally, in the final ten minutes, a glimpse of light is shown. Dawn finds Tim's present and it's an oil painting set. Attached to it is a note from Tim that tells her to don't give up on her dream. After this, Brent is having a date with a woman who finds him to be funny and charming. Brent then tells Finchy to fuck off. Finally, Dawn walks into the room and kisses Tim. In the final scene, Brent actually manages to get a laugh out of his ex-co-workers.
What makes this finale work is that it manages to give a great feeling of closure to the series as a whole while maintaining a feeling of amguity. Remember that Tim says life keeps going on after the cameras stop rolling. Just because this is where the series ends doesn't mean that this is permanent. I still think that the series ends on a hopeful note. You can tell that Brent has grown up a bit to tell Finchy to fuck off and his happy, little smile when he sees Tim and Dawn finally getting together.
Extras: The Christmas Special
http://mentosandmanatees.files.wordpr ess.com/2007/12/extrasfinale.jpg
The Extras Christmas Special is far more depressing than the Office Christmas Special. It's not because that the Extras Christmas Special is actually more sad in the material. It's because it doesn't have as much of the humor that was on The Office to relieve the tension. However, that doesn't make this any weaker from The Office. In fact, it's just as damn good.
The quote that sums up the series finale is that only a few can achieve fame and integrity. Andy Millman will never become one of those few people. When Andy says he wants to be on the tele, you can hear the inner conflict. The Celebrity Big Brother sequence is agonoizing to watch. It's just hard to watch Andy reach rock bottom with nowhere to go but even father down. You watch his self despair grow larger and larger until he finally lets it loose in a monologue and the relative useless image of celebrity.
In the end, he seems to get his wish. He gets famous for his monologue and has the chance to hit it big. Instead of going to his press conference, he gets in a car with Maggie and goes to where the flying fish live. The camera goes upward and we see the bright sky with Tea for the Tillerman playing. I couldn't think of a more fitting finale.