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Christine is a freelance writer for Collider with two decades of experience covering all types of TV shows and movies spanning every genre. With a particular affinity for dramas, true crime, sitcoms, and thrillers, if it's a top TV show, Christine has likely watched it and is eager to share her thoughts. When she's not furiously writing away, you can find her enjoying the next binge obsession with a glass of wine in front of the TV.
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When good shows come to an end, it's bittersweet. While fans are happy to see them go out on a high note, knowing they won't be returning to entertain with new seasons and episodes is sad. What's most important, however, is that the show ends in a way that satisfyingly wraps up the story.
This is especially so for shows that have run for multiple seasons. Viewers don't want to have invested years and hours of time into a TV show only to have it end in a lackluster way. Some of the worst offenders in this respect include Dexter (thankfully, the sequel righted this wrong) and The Blacklist. They could have learned something from series back in the '90s that showed how to do it right. These are the best shows from the 1990s that left fans with great finales.
10 "An American Girl in Paris: Part Deux" (2004)
'Sex and the City' (1998–2004)
Image via HBOSex and the City continued with two movies, then a sequel series And Just Like That…, which has since made the finale less impactful since it wasn't technically the end of the story. Nonetheless, back then, it was perfect. After going on her merry-go-round of men, always somehow landing back with Big (Chris Noth), Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker) decided it was time to slow down on her ride of love and just focus on herself.
Not only did the final episode, one of Sex and the City's essential episodes, finally reveal that Big's real name is John, but it also empowered Carrie, While she did end up with him in the end, eventually getting married in the movies, she also came to terms with the fact that the best relationship, she wrote in her column, is the one you have with yourself.
9 "Ode to Joy" (2000)
'Beverly Hills, 90210' (1990–2000)
Image via FOXWhile Beverly Hills, 90210 was so much about the iconic love triangle between Brenda (Shannen Doherty), Dylan (Luke Perry), and Kelly (Jennie Garth), the real love story was between Donna (Tori Spelling) and David (Brian Austin Green). They were the couple that fans knew would make it all the way, and they did. So, it's perfect that the show ended with their wedding.
It was important for Dylan to finally choose as well, and he did, picking Kelly. Everyone else got closure, too, like Steve (Iain Ziering) with Janet (Lindsay Price) raising their daughter and running their own publication. While Jason Priestley left the show prior to the ending, a video message still brought him back into the fold. It was a sweet way to show that, as close as friendships are, sometimes, real life takes over, and it's time to move on.
8 "Independence Day" (1993)
'The Wonder Years' (1988–1993)
Image via ABCKids grew up with Kevin Arnold (Fred Savage) and Winnie Cooper (Danica McKellar) from The Wonder Years, their love story a memorable one for coming-of-age kids at the time. Exploring their friendship and later romance was a pivotal part of the story for Kevin, so seeing how that would end was arguably the most important closure fans of the show needed.
Sadly, it didn't end the way fans wanted, with the pair eventually deciding to go their separate ways. This is shown in a time jump, indicating that their young love did still have legs, even if it wasn't meant to be. The fact that fans saw Kevin get married (albeit to someone else) and have a son while Winnie moved to Paris to pursue her art career meant they got their own individual happy endings. It's a more realistic ending that, while tough to reconcile from the perspective of their young love story, was the right move.
7 "And in the End..." (2009)
'ER' (1994–2009)
Image via NBCThe iconic medical drama ER has been hailed as one of the best, showcasing the goings-on in an emergency room of a fictional hospital in Chicago. Not only did the show launch the careers of so many A-listers like George Clooney, Julianna Margulies, and Noah Wyle, who currently stars in the medical drama The Pitt, but it also served as inspiration for so many medical dramas that have come since.
In the finale, which aired in two parts and marked two of the best John Carter (Wyle) episodes, Carter opened a new clinic to serve the underprivileged, a mass casualty event occurred, and several cast members appeared to show their support and help. The idea behind the finale was that there really is no end: the cycle of life and death continues infinitely, a prophetic statement from such an impactful show.
6 "The Truth" (2002)
'The X-Files' (1993–2002)
Image via FoxThe X-Files ended its run on television, but it continued a decade and-a-half later when David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson reprised their roles as Agent Fox Mulder and Dana Scully in a continuation of the sci-fi series. The show explored the paranormal, supernatural, and conspiracy theories, pitting science against faith and a belief in the unexplained. The most intense X-Files episodes touch on genres like horror, mystery, and thriller. It was a preeminent series of the '90s.
The X-Files originally ended with Mulder being sentenced to death, only to be rescued by Scully in the nick of time. The two go on the run together to New Mexico, where they presumably spend the rest of their lives together as fugitives and live with the Smoking Man's revelation that an alien invasion will come in 2012. It was a beautiful way to wrap up the show. The two main characters are linked for life now, and the future is unexplained, as they have come to realize so much else in life is.
5 "All Good Things..." (1994)
'Star Trek: The Next Generation' (1987–1994)
Image via Paramount TelevisionThe third series in the franchise, Star Trek: The Next Generation, is the defining one for anyone who grew up in the '90s. In the final season of the series that followed Captain Picard (Patrick Stewart) and his Starfleet crew through space, Picard travels through time to try and stop an event from the past that threatens all of humanity in the future, though it's later revealed to be a trial.
After all is said and done and the mission is over, he sits, for the first time, with the crew to play their regular poker game. The fact that he joins them was a major moment in the show. It represented his growing closeness with them, the fact that he put them on an even keel, and maybe a bit of satisfaction that he could rest easy now after all that he accomplished, with their help.
4 "One Flew Out of the Cuckoo's Nest" (1992)
'The Golden Girls' (1985–1992)
Image via NBCBy the time The Golden Girls was ending, the four ladies who starred had become icons, forever tied to their characters. The show was among the first to depict mature women living on their own and navigating career, retirement, and relationships. It was one of the funniest television shows back then, with every episode of the sitcom a 10/10. The show has stood the test of time, with new audiences still tuning in today to see what all the fuss is about.
In the finale, the ladies have decided to move out of their Miami Beach house now that Dorothy (Bea Arthur) is getting married. It's time to move on, but it's not goodbye; it's "see you later," even though it's clear their friendship is about to change forever. The scene ends with the four in a tight embrace that seems to go on for too long, or maybe just long enough.
3 "One for the Road" (1993)
'Cheers' (1982–1993)
Image via NBCIt's the bar where everyone knows your name, but all good things must come to an end. For Cheers, the bar wasn't closing down; the patrons were moving to a different locale. But it was a temporary goodbye as Sam Malone (Ted Danson) figured out his life, and what he thought truly mattered to him.
After a tease of the return of Diane (Shelley Long) in the penultimate episode, fans were gifted with her return in the final one, the hope that she and Sam would be end game. But that wasn't to be. It was a fantasy. Flipping back to reality after realizing they wanted different things in life, Sam is back in his bar. The establishment is revealed to be, after many seasons of his womanizing ways, the true love of his life. How poetic.
2 "I, Done" (1996)
'The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air' (1990–1996)
Image via NBCWe watched Will (Will Smith) grow up on screen in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, at first a high schooler beating to his own drum and pushing back against authority, and eventually a fine young man who fulfilled his mother's wish of benefiting from a better life, coming out a success on the other side. Despite getting older and having to take life seriously, Will never lost his sense of humor.
In the sitcom's unforgettable finale, the massive Banks' mansion is being sold as the family members are all moving on to different states to do different things. Will, still in college, is staying behind. But now, he's mature enough to do this on his own. The final shot of Will standing in the now-empty living room, looking around and recalling all the memories, surely brought on the waterworks. Of course, the show had to end on a funny note with Will turning the lights off for the last time, only for the audience to hear Carlton (Alfonso Ribeiro) yell down because they all forgot he was still there. It was the perfect blend of humor and heart that characterized the show throughout its entire run.
1 "The Last One" (2004)
'Friends' (1994–2004)
Image via NBCAfter seeing six friends go through young adult life in Friends, growing to establish their careers and relationships, fans were saddened to say goodbye to Rachel (Jennifer Aniston), Monica (Courteney Cox), Phoebe (Lisa Kudrow), Joey (Matt LeBlanc), Chandler (Matthew Perry), and Ross (David Schwimmer). The six became household names, the show one of the most iconic sitcoms of all time. Every episode was hilarious, memorable, and stood the test of time; many still quote the show to this day.
In the finale, the friends are finally ready to move on, Monica getting rid of her grandmother's rent-controlled apartment after all these years to trade it for suburban life with Chandler and their adopted twins. Phoebe and Mike (Paul Rudd) are officially together and plan to have kids. But the huge moment is when Ross is in his apartment, considering running after Rachel before she flies off to Paris. But before he can rush out, she appears, having decided not to go, solidifying their future once and for all. In the final scene, they all stand in the apartment reminiscing about a lifestyle that's behind them. When they talk about going for a coffee before they all split up and go their separate ways, Chandler fittingly delivers the last line by sarcastically replying, "Where?" Of course, it'll be their usual spot, Central Perk.
Friends
Release Date 1994 - 2004
Showrunner Marta Kauffman
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Courteney Cox
Monica Geller
English (US) ·