Best TV show finales of all time

A good TV show finale feels like the perfect goodbye – it wraps things up in a way that makes you smile, laugh, or sometimes cry. It should give fans closure by answering the big questions that have been building up throughout the show, while still leaving a little room for imagination. You want to feel that the characters you’ve followed for years are ending up right where they belong, whether that’s finding love, chasing a dream, or finally getting some peace. 

The best finales also respect the journey. They remind you why you fell in love with the show in the first place: the friendships, the humour, the drama, or the wild adventures.  

And most importantly, a good finale makes you feel something. It might make you tear up because it’s over, laugh through the credits, or sit in silence thinking about what it all meant. When the screen fades to black and you think, “Yeah, that was the right way to end it,” that’s when you know it was a good one. 

Looking for inspiration on what to binge during your next duvet day? We have you covered. Get your teeth into some of our favourites below, all available to stream on our Virgin TV box. 

Whether it’s a recent hit ending like And Just Like That to classic sitcom finales like Only Fools And Horses, or something a bit darker like Breaking Bad, here are some of the best series endings to get you started.

Find series 1-3 in Apps > Netflix
Finale date: 14 August 2025 
What happened? After nearly three decades of entertaining audiences with her pursuit of love, Carrie Bradshaw’s story reaches its conclusion in the And Just Like That… finale. Known for her romantic ups and downs and unforgettable reflections on modern relationships, Carrie’s journey ends with a powerful embrace of independence and self-love. The And Just Like That… finale offers a fitting farewell to one of television’s most iconic characters, closing the chapter on her enduring search for romance and identity. 

Find series 1-2 in Apps > BBC iPlayer and Apps > Prime Video
Finale date: 8 April 2019 
What happened? Let’s be honest: everyone was invested in Fleabag’s will they/won’t they romance with the Hot Priest. Even though we collectively ugly-cried when the two went their separate ways, Fleabag’s messy journey of self-discovery gave us a more satisfying ending than any clichéd fairytale would have in Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s masterpiece.  

Find seasons 1-4 in Apps > Netflix
Finale date: 30 January 2020
What happened? The Good Place asked: is it ever too late to redeem ourselves for the bad things we’ve done? Across four seasons set in a surreal and morally complicated afterlife, we explored this question – and its natural companion: what is the meaning of life? – through the choices of Eleanor, Chidi, Tahani and Jason. Despite a rollercoaster ride through undeath, taking in knotty ethical problems, trips to the blandtacular Medium Place and a lot of decorative frogs, eventually these loveable miscreants found their purpose and chose to move on peacefully. We can’t lie: we shed a tear.

Find series 1-8 in U&GOLD on demand

Finale date: 29 December 1996

What happened? Although the official end of Only Fools And Horses is disputed among fans, in our book it sits firmly with the 1996 Christmas trilogy. After all, what better way to mark the end of the Trotter brothers’ tale than with the pair wheeler-dealing their way into becoming millionaires? Cue applause from The Nag’s Head punters as the newly minted Del Boy got a round of Mike’s sandwiches in. Glorious. 

Find series 1-2 and the specials in Apps > BBC iPlayer and Apps
Finale date: 27 December 2003
What happened? If there’s ever a time when anything’s possible, it’s Christmas. So when Tim finally plucked up the courage to confess his long-standing feelings for colleague Dawn, we couldn’t help but punch the air – and we cheered again as the two shared a heartfelt kiss at the office party. TV shows may end but life goes on, something Tim summed up in his final monologue to camera: “Life isn’t about endings, is it? It’s a series of moments.” Perfection.

Find series 1-3 in Apps > Channel 4 and Apps > Netflix
Finale date: 18 May 2022
What happened? Joy, heartbreak, laughter and tears… Lisa McGee’s terrific coming-of-age tale about a group of schoolgirls (and James) had it all. What made the show stand out was that the everyday teen shenanigans occurred against a backdrop of The Troubles in 1990s Northern Ireland, making the character’ cautious optimism for the future in a voting booth during the Good Friday Agreement referendum all the more moving.

Find seasons 1-3 in Apps > Disney+
Finale date: 6 June 2021
What happened? The House of Evangelista never had it easy in 1980s New York City. Afflicted by poverty, discrimination and the AIDs epidemic, Blanca and her community’s never-ending fight for survival only made the show’s conclusion even more triumphant as together, they rose from the ashes of a heartbreaking death to realise their wildest dreams in a world that had once rejected them. No notes.

Find series 1-2 and the specials in Apps > BBC iPlayer
Finale date: Christmas Day 2024
What happened? Who knew the profound effect that a cast of characters named after famous serial killers would have on us? Even though we might have never found out what happened on that fateful fishing trip, watching Ruth Jones’s Nessa and James Corden’s Smithy finally get their happily ever after fills us up with all the warm and fuzzy feelings every time.

Find seasons 1-6 in Apps > Netflix
Finale date: 29 September 2013
What happened? From the viral fan theories (our favourite being that the show’s episode titled “Felina” was a clever reference to the elemental symbols for blood, meth and tears) to the explosive machine gun showdown that came from Walter White’s car trunk, the Breaking Bad finale had it all. Turns out the show’s creator Vince Gilligan has a knack for writing killer endings, as the conclusion to spin-off series Better Call Saul is also one of the highest-rated TV finales of all time.

Find seasons 1-10 in Apps > Netflix
Finale date: 6 May 2004
What happened? The debate about whether it’s one of the best all-time comedies continues – but we can all relate to the struggles of 20-somethings finding their place in the world. After a decade of just that, could there be a better ending for this beloved cast of characters? It was a bittersweet moment for fans when the group closed the door of Monica’s rent-controlled New York City apartment for the last time, as all six of the Friends progressed to the next exciting chapter of their lives.

Find seasons 1-6 in Apps > Netflix
Finale date: 31 January 2020
What happened? Across six seasons, BoJack Horseman tackled themes of substance issues, mental illness, bereavement and more via the medium of a self-destructive cartoon horse living in an alternate universe Hollywoo(d). So the simplicity of BoJack’s ending – the washed-up sitcom star faced the consequences of his actions and, against all odds, still tried to change for the better – left it lodged in our consciousness after since the series concluded.

Blackadder
Find series 2-4 in U&GOLD on demand
Even though the silliness kept coming until the 11th hour, it was a heartbreaking moment when we realised the chaps couldn’t escape the horrors of war after all. Sob!

Life On Mars
Find series 1-2 in Apps > BBC iPlayer
While many TV shows have been criticised for ambiguous endings, this open-ended finale got it right and by leaving viewers daydreaming about time-traveller Sam Tyler’s fate.

Buffy The Vampire Slayer
Find seasons 1-7 in Apps > ITVX + Apps > Disney+ + Paramount+
Buffy’s epic conclusion saw the vampire hunter joined by dozens of new Slayers to destroy the Hellmouth and save the world, serving girl power in its most awe-inspiring form. Yee-haw!

Line Of Duty 
Find series 1-6 in Apps > BBC iPlayer
Every chapter of Jed Mercurio’s police procedural had us glued to our screens, and the AC-12 trio finally unmasking criminal mastermind “H” was well worth the six-series wait that was rife with fan theories.

I May Destroy You
Find it in Apps > BBC iPlayer
Michaela Coel’s acclaimed drama saw four hypothetical endings play out – but ultimately, the message behind the show’s conclusion was more powerful than any definitive resolution.

The Hills
Find seasons 1-6 in Apps > Prime Video
The reality series that shaped a generation of television. We stand by The Hills’s iconic finale which was a masterstroke response towards criticism that the show was fake. Bravo.

Schitt’s Creek
Find seasons 1-8 in Apps > Netflix
Viewers bade a fond farewell to the town of Schitt’s Creek as events came full circle for the Rose family, with each member finding their own little slice of paradise in the big wide world.

Lost
Find seasons 1-6 in Apps > ITVX + Apps > Disney+
The Marmite of all TV finales. The ending of Lost still divides fans around the world. Whether you love it or hate it, it’s an essential watch for anyone invested in the fate of the airline passengers stranded on the mysterious island.

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