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Are writers getting better at closing series.
Posted on 5/24/15 at 10:50 pm
Posted on 5/24/15 at 10:50 pm
It seems to me that recently shows have gotten better at closing the story out. Some examples I can think of are:
Comedies: The Office, Parks and Recreation
Dramas: Breaking Bad, Justified, Friday Night Lights and Mad Men.
I used to just except the fact that the series finale would not do justice to the show I had loved but that is starting to change. While there are exceptions like HIMYM it seems like Hollywood is getting better at ending shows. Do you agree?
Comedies: The Office, Parks and Recreation
Dramas: Breaking Bad, Justified, Friday Night Lights and Mad Men.
I used to just except the fact that the series finale would not do justice to the show I had loved but that is starting to change. While there are exceptions like HIMYM it seems like Hollywood is getting better at ending shows. Do you agree?
This post was edited on 5/24/15 at 11:01 pm
4
Posted on 5/24/15 at 11:20 pm to arktiger28
I think with the shows you listed, they had good long runs and the folks in charge were prepared to end it. They didn't have to scramble to come with a finale after getting the axe. In the case of Mad Men, Weiner had been prepared for a long time to end it.
Has a lot to do with cable networks being patient enough to let shows develop. But it doesn't always work; see SoA or Dexter.
Has a lot to do with cable networks being patient enough to let shows develop. But it doesn't always work; see SoA or Dexter.
Posted on 5/24/15 at 11:48 pm to arktiger28
quote:
Are writers getting better at closing series.
I don't think there is any sort of trend based on time. We had Cheers, the ending of which was loved across the board (myself included). We had The Sopranos, an ending that was initially reviled, but seemed to wind up at 50/50 between viewers and critics.
The idea of closing a series properly is inherently wrong. How should a story be finished? Who's to say? Enjoy it, or don't. Did you enjoy the show or movie prior to the ending? Then, good. The whole obsession with endings mystifies me. Does it really get your rocks off knowing with certainty whether or not Tony Soprano dies at the end? Why even watch the episodes in between if the ending is everything? Just enjoy the journey, and debate the ending if you must.
Posted on 5/25/15 at 12:40 am to arktiger28
TV shows are no longer truly looking to have 10 season runs. The writers understand the reality of TV in today's world and are going in with an idea as to how the story will end. No one expects to be Cheers anymore.
Posted on 5/25/15 at 12:56 am to LoveThatMoney
quote:
TV shows are no longer truly looking to have 10 season runs. The writers understand the reality of TV in today's world and are going in with an idea as to how the story will end. No one expects to be Cheers anymore.
which brings me to something mentioned earlier in this thread... the ones that aren't good:
HIMYM, Dexter, SoA - the trend with this - they went on a very long time. I think the biggest issue you have with "closing series" is when they end up going way longer than anyone would have ever expected.
Posted on 5/25/15 at 1:55 am to BaddestAndvari
A well written story should have a beginning, middle, and end and development to get from each point to the other. It seems simple, but this is something that has often times gotten ignored with serialized shows. The idea is that you get a show that becomes popular. Then that show is milked in the middle stage for as long as possible as long as it is popular or the actors stay with it, while never really going anywhere and/or stagnating with character development. Then the popularity starts to fade, and the show is finished into a finale.
This is a money driven scheme by the networks or whoever is making the show. (ETA: If you have a proven product, you want to keep on selling it.) Those shows that you mention were written with a clear arc, and the creators were able to end them when it was time to end them in a way that seems fit. That networks seem more willing to allow this to happen seems to be the biggest difference to me. I seriously doubt it has anything to do with the talent of the writers. It has more to so with the objective of the shows.
There are still those shows that are allowed to drag nowadays though. In particular it seems like many mainstream sitcoms are structured to run this way. In some ways it seems like just a different way of consuming entertainment that has found its niche or simply become more popular.
This is a money driven scheme by the networks or whoever is making the show. (ETA: If you have a proven product, you want to keep on selling it.) Those shows that you mention were written with a clear arc, and the creators were able to end them when it was time to end them in a way that seems fit. That networks seem more willing to allow this to happen seems to be the biggest difference to me. I seriously doubt it has anything to do with the talent of the writers. It has more to so with the objective of the shows.
There are still those shows that are allowed to drag nowadays though. In particular it seems like many mainstream sitcoms are structured to run this way. In some ways it seems like just a different way of consuming entertainment that has found its niche or simply become more popular.
This post was edited on 5/25/15 at 2:00 am
Posted on 5/25/15 at 2:42 am to Peazey
quote:
In some ways it seems like just a different way of consuming entertainment that has found its niche or simply become more popular.
At some point, some critic will write a very deep book about how DVR's and binge-watching have changed our viewing habits, which in turn affect the networks' ability to bring product to market.
Posted on 5/25/15 at 8:00 am to PowerTool
I thought Breaking Bad "closing" was fine but the last episode was terrible. The whole trunk scene was cartoonish.
Posted on 5/25/15 at 8:17 am to arktiger28
And then there's the Sons of Anarchy.
Friday Night Lights had a really nice ending. Justified was okay, but seemed rushed.
Friday Night Lights had a really nice ending. Justified was okay, but seemed rushed.
This post was edited on 5/25/15 at 8:25 am
Posted on 5/25/15 at 8:58 am to BaddestAndvari
quote:
Dexter, SoA - the trend with this - they went on a very long time. I think the biggest issue you have with "closing series" is when they end up going way longer than anyone would have ever expected.
I think the same can be said for Breaking Bad.
MAJOR SPOILERS for BB and SoA BELOW:
Both Breaking Bad and SoA killed the main adversary of the series and then continued on for about another season. Both dragged on after that in my opinion. I'm still mad Walter was died with a group of neo-nazis that didn't really play much of a role in the overall series.
Posted on 5/25/15 at 11:57 am to PowerTool
quote:
Dexter
Posted on 5/25/15 at 12:33 pm to TheFolker
Posted on 5/25/15 at 12:44 pm to Fewer Kilometers
Scrubs finale >>>>>>>
Posted on 5/25/15 at 2:24 pm to wildtigercat93
Great thoughts. I think it probably is because of shorter story arcs. I know this has Been beaten to death, but I really wish Lost had been 4 or 5 seasons. The ending was fine in and of itself but a lot of the meandering it had to do in the final seasons tainted the ending by bringing up more questions than could ever be answered.
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