The challenge of happy endings
About TV series finals
When I wrote this, I was completely frustrated. Dexter is still the series of my life and until the moment I haven’t found other series what my love was bigger. Then, when Dexter finished, everything in that season was fine but the end was something heartbreaking. You never are prepared to see your series finish, but see everything wrong in the last episode is something maybe, maybe, you can’t recover.
This article was about that. Not only about these series what ended awfully, is about how finish a story, how you have a compromise, a promise with the public and in the end, you need to accomplish it. Is not easy by the way. I believe in this moment where everybody expresses about the series in social networks, is easy fall in the idea to listen and see how apply everything. Have a story in the mind is one thing, other is accomplish it.
One of my favorites series in the entire world finished a week ago: Dexter. And honestly, was very disappointing. After 8 years watching the best serial killer, I read the books, I made my master degree admission essay about the series and even I bought the comics -yes, Marvel did a wonderful comic- I loved and still love every single chapter. Then the end… they just didn’t right.
But that made me make a question: how finishes a television series? It’s a challenge. Doesn’t matter if is a big series with lots of seasons and a fan army or if is a little series with only one or two seasons: you need to provide to your viewers a consistent story. Why? A good story, even if has a few viewers, is important in lives.
Then, you have three possibilities about endings: do it wrong, not do it, or do it right.
I will give you my point of view and talk about series like Dexter, The Hour, The Borgias, Merlin and Secret Diary of Call Girl. I am warning to you: spoilers sweetie.
Do it wrong
I know isn’t easy to finish a big series like Dexter, but is the best example about what not to do. I know the challenge was make happy to everyone and that is absolutely impossible but what they did was betray the character.
For almost every fan, Dexter should finish after season 5, even in season 4 with Rita’s death, but the last seasons weren’t entirely bad, and we need to point Jennifer Carpenter mind-blowing performance. Then, you felt the show runners made a promise to finish all in a proper way. Maria’s death, Hannah appearance, everything pointed to a spectacular end.
And shocking, the final episode was in good way until the last two minutes of the final episode were completely wrong. The idea to Dexter running away from his life, leaving his son, almost like a suicide is completely opposite to the character they created. The worst, the show runners had other idea: electric chair. Then I was outrageous: that was the perfect ending! Why? Why didn’t they do that?
What is the lesson here: whatever you do, never, never betray your dramaturgy. Respect your viewers.
Not do it
Something worst to not end well a series, is not do it at all. And we know is really common. Specially in United States in the moment to give more seasons everything can become tragic easily. When the producer TV company decides not continuing with a series, they break hearts. This is a real problem but also is a business problem, and if a series don’t have rating… Nothing to do.
The problem is about the viewers. Maybe they are a few, maybe millions, but is exactly what I said before: you need to respect your viewers. An example was what I felt that when in the middle of The Borgias season 3 they announced that was the last. The problem isn’t say that, the problem is leave the story without an end. Was evident if you see the last scene that wasn’t a planed end and that is the combination about not do it and doing wrong. The last scene between Cesare and Lucrezia was a shame, after to include a incest in the plot! And is worst when is an historical series because you know how ends!
Other heartbreaking example, and this has no end, was BBC series, The Hour. After the second season, they said the series won’t return. If you see the last chapter, they let the story in a high point. Of course, the creators wanted to finish and the story didn’t deserve something like that. You only could ask in frustration: what happened with Freddy? Did he die?
Lesson here: so, please, make an end. Gives us an end. Is really like a coitus interruptus.
Do it right
That doesn’t mean an happy end, means an end according with your plot. I had discovered most of the screenwriters are afraid to finish how the story needs because, sometimes, the story needs to finish not so happy at all. I believe this is the challenge for a creator and a writer, know when stop and do it. But give an end to a story.
The best example for me is Secret Diary of the Call Girl. You really want to see Ben and Hannah together, but also, you know Hannah never will leave Belle. That creates an only possible end, and that was they did. Even, was absolutely masterly let to Hannah alone, without Harry. Yes, you have your heart broken, more seeing Ben to cry, but was a magnificent end.
Other proper end was Merlin. I don’t know why fans was so in shock when BBC announced recently season 5 was the last. What they expected? Morgana was dead, Arthur was dead, even Gweine was dead!!! If you know Merlin legend, that was his destiny. So… they, the makers, did exactly what they have. And even desiring other destiny to Arthur, I am happy with the series.
How give an end a continue a story?
Warning: not everybody can do this. Please. Please!
In this moment I only think in a series what finished properly but has more to tell: Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul. The first series was impressive and has a lot of fans. And what you love, what I love, is they ended the series. Period. And after they decided take a minor but lovable character and count his story.
I think in the end about series… even if the story really, really dies and you feel satisfied with what you watched, you will find other love. In the beginning I told Dexter is my first series, but not the only. I watched series like Marseille or The Affair and I fall in love again. Now is the moment when you find stories, a lot of them.
