That happened in S5. They still had over 20 million wievers the following seasons
AHC: End a TV show better
- Thread starter Mort the Reaper
- Start date
Make that the first half of the final episode only. 2nd half is a "many years later they meet again" like in Allo Allo. Perhaps featuring Hogan going to Germany as a businessman to negotiate a purchase from a German toy manufacturer that it turns out is the one owned by Schulz and Klink is working for him.
Space Above and Beyond. So a proper ending instead of a major cliffhanger.
Game of thronse. Have the showrunners show respect to the series and actually have it written better. Bring in George RR Martin to write any of the episode. IMO none of the last season eps were bad, they just failed to live up to the hype.
Sopranos. No blank screen.
Babylon 5. End the series in S4 with Sleeping in the light
Robotech: End the series after Macross and the suicide attack on SDF-1 by the remaining Zentradi. The other two seasons lack the chemistry and intrest that the Lisa-Lynn-Rick love triangle brought to the series.
Game of thronse. Have the showrunners show respect to the series and actually have it written better. Bring in George RR Martin to write any of the episode. IMO none of the last season eps were bad, they just failed to live up to the hype.
Sopranos. No blank screen.
Babylon 5. End the series in S4 with Sleeping in the light
Robotech: End the series after Macross and the suicide attack on SDF-1 by the remaining Zentradi. The other two seasons lack the chemistry and intrest that the Lisa-Lynn-Rick love triangle brought to the series.
The Man in the high castle:
First of all, split season 4 into two seasons.
Secondly: Limit the sci/fi-drama elements. I mean ok, I get it, it has to be appealing. But a political drama in a somewhat well-created interesting alternate history setting could be, in my view, a really interesting show. But anyway...
Thirdly: Before seasons 4 and 5: in season 3, put perhaps someone else then Mengele at the head of the Nebenwelt Programme. Mengele was most probably chosen only because he is a "big" (in the worst possible way) name that many know. The only problem is that he wasn't very well-versed in thing s like quantum mechanics. Put in his place perhaps a disciple of a leading figure of the "Deutsche Physik" movement (this is optional, but would improve the consistency).
Season 4
Season 5:
First of all, split season 4 into two seasons.
Secondly: Limit the sci/fi-drama elements. I mean ok, I get it, it has to be appealing. But a political drama in a somewhat well-created interesting alternate history setting could be, in my view, a really interesting show. But anyway...
Thirdly: Before seasons 4 and 5: in season 3, put perhaps someone else then Mengele at the head of the Nebenwelt Programme. Mengele was most probably chosen only because he is a "big" (in the worst possible way) name that many know. The only problem is that he wasn't very well-versed in thing s like quantum mechanics. Put in his place perhaps a disciple of a leading figure of the "Deutsche Physik" movement (this is optional, but would improve the consistency).
Season 4
- Show that Himmler's poor health leads to an increase of political activity inside the Reich. The Party, which has been increasingly sidelined in the last few months, with Himmler's rise to power and his filling of the various posts with SS men, begins to plan how to change the current status quo. The army is not pleased by the fact that the SS are assuming more and more of its functions. Both are wary of Himmler attempting to unify all aspects of government under the SS; the appointment of John Smith, who is the senior SS figure in North America, as Reichsmarschall, a move which bypassed the local Party section and also puts the SS in charge of the state, Party and military apparatuses is seen a clear sign of what is bound to happen in Germany. Meanwhile, the economy begins to suffer from a downturn, as the instability caused by Hitler's murder, the war scare with Japan, Himmler's erratic style of government and the trade war with Japan take their toll; the oil embargo also strains relations with Italy, which is the Reich's most important ally in Europe (and perhaps generally, if you count America as being heavily influenced/controlled by Berlin) and the main source of oil (in the book, it controls the Middle East). All these increase pressure from many different quarters on the SS to give up their monopoly of government. At the same time, Reichsmarschall Smith attempts to consolidate all power in North America, which leads him in conflict with Hoover and Party officials, while his personal and family problems begin to undermine the foundations of his authority and influence. His position becomes even more precarious when Himmler's paranoia turns on him.
- In the Japanese sphere, there is increased unrest in the Pacific States. But at the forefront are various white, hard-right movements funded and supplied by the Germans. The BCR is actually a small group of blacks with communist sympathies, who are badly pressed from both the Japanese authorities and the local hard-right organisations; they want to oust the Japanese from the Pacific States but after that, they are not sure what their goals should be (also, they have a different official name: perhaps something in the vein of the Black Panthers(?)). Meanwhile, the trade war and the oil embargo against the Reich damage Japan's economy significantly; combined with the ever-going insurgency in China and Manchuria, this leads to political instability in the Home Islands, with daily demonstrations and machinations inside the government, the bureaucracy, the army and the navy. In particular, a faction of extreme officers, who think that Japan's problems are due to the corruption and incompetence of the Taishei Yokusankai/the political class, are secretly pushing for a dictatorship and an uncompromising war on all insurgency groups. An unexpected opportunity shows itself when general Yamori, a leading member of the group, is appointed as military governor of a Pacific States that are increasingly unstable, despite the fierce opposition of a sizeable number of Japanese notables and officials both in the Home Islands and the Pacific States that fear this increase of the military's power and authority. The most vocal of these critics are Nobusuke Tagomi, the Trade Minister of the Pacific States and the Imperial Japanese Navy, who are wary of the expansion of the army's powers (and in an area traditionally under the Navy's influence no less) and the potential escalation of the conflict at a time when the Empire's military resources are thinly stretched. In the Pacific States, general Yamori implements a draconian policy against resistance movements. This radicalisation shocks many members of the local Japanese community, who in turn press minister Tagomi to take action. Tagomi tries to use his connections at the Imperial Court in order to secure Yamori's recall; the latter however learns about these moves and, enraged by the "duplicity and treachery" of Tagomi, plans to get rid of him, something that will also validate his position of "uncompromising fighting against terrorists". Tagomi is killed, and yet another violent crackdown across the West Coast begins. Admiral Inocuchi, the proponent of a more flexible and diplomatic approach to the problem, begins to secretly negotiate with groups also opposed to the German-and American-funded organisations, warning them that Japan's exit would enable the Americans and their German allies to enter the Pacific States unopposed, something that would spell doom for those that Nazi ideology deemed as "subhuman" and promising reforms; for the black fighters in particular, he convinces them to set up a free zone of theirs in the Neutral Zone. All this is for naught, however, as the Army attacks during a meeting of the admiral with representatives.
- (Keep most of the sci-fi/drama the same in the basics, cut the excess.)
Season 5:
- Himmler begins to show his true colours to Smith when he dispatches Goertzmann as a plenipotentiary charged with assisting with the eradication of the resistance movement and maintaining public order in North America. The official explanation is that this aims at helping the Reichsmarschall apprehend those responsible for Himmler's assassination attempt. Smith is suspicious of this appointment, which he rightly sees as a way to limit his authority. Their relationship is often somewhat rocky, as Goertzmann's tactics often clash with Smith's sensibilities and his unwillingness to employ too brutal methods on his own countrymen. Meanwhile, in Berlin, covert opposition to Himmler and the SS mounts every day, as the former has ordered series of purges, while the SS themselves are divided on which one of their leaders they should support in the event of Himmler's death. A competent Party functionary with ideas of extensive reforms and a deep, yet secret, distrust of the SS, Helmuth Kuhlmann slowly creates a circle of similarly-minded persons around him; they are however fairly isolated in a party and a bureaucracy dominated by supporters of the status quo. This changes however, when Kuhlmann is chosen as a member of the Fuhrer's entourage during his visit in America (which is going to serve as a means to squash rumours about the Fuhrer's well-being). Although Kuhlmann suspects that this is a trick in order to be able to conveniently be removed, he nonetheless has the opportunity to discuss with Goertzmann, who surprisingly shows that he shares enough of Kuhlmann's concerns, especially after Himmler orders the purge of a number of Goertzmann's acquaintances. Smith, on the other hand, seems to manage to repair his relationship with the Fuhrer somewhat, with the latter entrusting him with the preparations of a potential intervention in the Pacific States, if the conditions allow it. This is only a ruse however, as Himmler orders Hoover personally to step up his surveillance programme "without exceptions".
- In Japan/the Pacific States, General Yamori convinces most of the army leadership in the Home Islands that Inocuchi be tried and executed as a traitor, in order to deal a significant blow to the Navy's credibility and solidify the Army's supremacy (but also, covertly, to discredit the more liberal elements in Japan's government and military and pave the road for a purge of these figures). However, this backfires when Chief Inspector Kido, who had been entrusted with both this case and Tagomi's assassination finds out the truth. Yamori repeatedly tries to strongarm Kido, by threatening to send his son "in the battlefields of Yunnan"; Kido however doesn't budge and in the end, he arrests Yamori. This triggers a crisis in Japan, as the army moves to free Yamori. There is a standoff, which is however resolved when the whole story becomes known. With the army divided, the Navy and the government crack down on the extremists in the army-but only up to a certain extent. All this instability however allows the pro-German-and American resistance to recover from the blows it had been dealt previously. There are plans of a general uprising on the West Coast, aimed at taking the Japanese completely by surprise and call the Americans to intervene.
- At the same time, Himmler's rule becomes more and more unstable, as purges still continue to happen. Kuhlmann's group has grown considerably, gaining considerable influence in the Party and the state bureaucracy. Kuhlmann knows that Goertzmann is concerned about the spread of the purges to the SS, and suspects that he has certain ambitions. Goertzmann is still neutral though, since Himmler has favoured him considerably, enabling him to become one of the de facto leaders of the SS. However, all these changes when he learns that one of his closest allies in the SS has "retired for medical purposes". Kuhlmann convinces him that his turn may be next. Goertzmann hastily begins to try to avoid the same fate. He enlists the support of Smith, who may prove a necessary ally in a protracted fight, while Kuhlmann manages to get most of the Party and the business elite and a considerable part of the army's leadership on board. Himmler is still powerful and feared, but also isolated. Thus, when Himmler is found dead in his office and dozens of military and SS commanders who were known supporters of his are executed for being responsible for this, many sigh in apprehensive relief. The leading triumvirate consists of Smith, who has gained full autonomy as Reichsmarschall and commander of the American SS, Goertzmann who succeeds Himmler as Fuhrer and Reichsfuhrer-SS and Kuhlmann, who controls the Party and the state functions. This arrangement isn't going to last long, however, as Goertzmann and Kuhlmann are both suspicious of Smith. The latter still does his thing of trying to bring Thomas to his reality, and is killed by the resistance sabotage. (Small cinematography detail (perhaps): However, in the woods nearby, a group of people in winter military uniforms watch the whole affair and the say on radio "It's done". ). Goertzmann is pleased when he learns about this development. However, soon afterwards, he realises that he has just a dangerous vacuum of power in North America; also, unbeknownst to him, many of his supposed allies begin to move again, aiming this time at changing the situation in the Reich, for better or for worse.
- (keep the sci/fi and drama elements the same on the basics. Cut the excess. And don't let the people from the parallel worlds come to this one).
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I think that was the original plan...well something like it but focused on the discovery of Galactica’s outline in Central America, mixed in with Mayan remains.
Tbh, I quite liked the way they did the whole Chariots of the Gods thing from the original series in a more subtle way. But the turning back on technology (and a number of other things were ridiculous). I think the ending needed to be set up much earlier in season 3. Or give it more seasons.
To end nuBSG well you really need to completely rewrite the entire series as a commentary on fascism and revanchism. The Cylons already fell to it, the Colonials are at constant risk of it. And completely excise anything resembling "god is real". That was stupid.
Oh, and you gotta have the characters actually grow and develop instead of retreading the same damn plot arcs over and over and OVER again. It would help to reduce the number of edgelord moments, too.
I think the Cylon civil war is a good idea but make it independent-minded Cylons rebelling against their fascist dictator. And have defectors from the start. For example:
- the Pegasus escaped only because their infiltrator went native and defected but didn't tell anybody. (in fact, the entire Pegasus plotline should be modified and extended, with Cain becoming a recurring villain who Adama must foil despite her power in the fleet and Colonial survivor society)
- Rewrite Caprica-Six completely. She defects in the miniseries, as in the first scene is her figuring out that she's on the wrong side because she realizes that the Cylon dictator (I'd keep #1 as this) is an abusive ass and she's probably been lied to her whole life, but it's too late to call off the plan. Thus her scene with Baltar becomes a warning plus suicidal depression.
- Have each Cylon model's personality be a little more distinct. One is a first-war Cylon that lobotomized his own people (the Centurions) and created humanform kids who he abused in pursuit of revenge. Twos are mentally unstable religious fanatics. Threes are paranoid wrecks who are scared of acting out of turn but are constantly developing new quirks when they're away from each other. Fours are super smart, know they're the bad guys but don't trust anybody, even each other. Fives are stupid and uncreative, One professes hatred for them but uses them the most because they're the perfect fascist goon squad. Six goes native more than anyone else due to being the most independent-minded and emotionally capable. Sevens were killed for asking too many questions. Etc.
Dude, I was just about to suggest that! I love that show and having it end before a proper conclusion still annoys me to this day.
No issues with that!
Here two ideas I had for a better ending and/or Send-offs
1. VR Troopers: I mention this in my CFL-AU story but I think it works here as well. Have the show run one more season (axed the Masked Rider to help fill the budget, also no Beetleborgs sadly). Uses the Juukou B-Fighters footage and tie up any loose ends from the first two seasons. (Like Grimlord/Karl Ziktor becoming two beings (Similar to Power Rangers Dino Thunder with its main villain). Also, throw in a crossover with the Power Rangers Zeo to serve as an ending for both shows. That way, VR Troopers can have its true ending and can serve as the transition to Power Rangers Turbo. Heck have Divatox make an appearance at the end to help bridge the gap.
2. The Simpsons: End with the Damn Movie! The Simpsons Movie made a perfect end for the show and I would be happy with it. A great movie anyway, so why not end it there.
Ancient Aliens: The show questions whether aliens helped make the show.
How to Survive the End of the World (National Geographic, 2013): Make a 2-hour special several years later explaining where they got the science wrong, some of what would actually happen (Spoiler alert: a comet breaking up near Earth would not orbit Earth; a mass of ice large enough to flood the Earth wouldn't just sit in orbit until it rained out; if the Earth were about to become completely flooded, civil engineers would not try to dam off a single city), and clarify where all the budget went.
How to Survive the End of the World (National Geographic, 2013): Make a 2-hour special several years later explaining where they got the science wrong, some of what would actually happen (Spoiler alert: a comet breaking up near Earth would not orbit Earth; a mass of ice large enough to flood the Earth wouldn't just sit in orbit until it rained out; if the Earth were about to become completely flooded, civil engineers would not try to dam off a single city), and clarify where all the budget went.
Designated Survivor: Netflix never gets their grubby hands on the IP.
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Dark: Really needed a fourth season. They introduced the second continuity at the end of season 2, and with season three split between the first and second continuities I never really came to care that much about the second continuity, even though the show clearly wanted me to. Additionally, playing with the two continuity status quo for a bit longer will make the revelation that there's a third, and correct, continuity a lot more impactful. Also, the way things wrapped up just seemed a bit rushed and out of thin air (though maybe a rewatch will fix some of that).
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Dark: Really needed a fourth season. They introduced the second continuity at the end of season 2, and with season three split between the first and second continuities I never really came to care that much about the second continuity, even though the show clearly wanted me to. Additionally, playing with the two continuity status quo for a bit longer will make the revelation that there's a third, and correct, continuity a lot more impactful. Also, the way things wrapped up just seemed a bit rushed and out of thin air (though maybe a rewatch will fix some of that).
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There is a problem in that a lot of series jump the shark before their final episode, and the damage is already done when they reach the end. Networks tend to milk series for all they are worth. Sometimes even mediocre finales manage to repair some of the damage of the last couple of seasons or few episodes.
Though the Seinfeld finale is defensible, I think they should have gone with the original idea of just doing an ordinary episode and ending it there.
Though the Seinfeld finale is defensible, I think they should have gone with the original idea of just doing an ordinary episode and ending it there.
That’s not bad.
My take on it was:
It is the coldest winter in record.
The seas around the Wall freeze over enough that the White Walkers just walk around the Wall.
Jon stays dead.
As mentioned, the war in Winterfell is a diversion.
A siege is started because the white walkers have winter and time on their side.
At one point, the snow is as high as the walls and they just walk over them.
The white walkers take King’s Landing.
Dany has lost everything.
Nigh everyone is dead.
And the last episode of the last season has, interspersed with other scenes, a huge army of white walkers just marching across a blank field.
Nigh everyone is dead or they finally get killed off in this last episode.
And the last scene in the series is the white walkers breaking into a run across the ice, and in the distance you can see the Titan of Braavos.
People die!
It’s F’ing Game of Thrones, people are supposed to die!
Soap was like that as well. When it ended its fourth season there were a good half dozen cliff hangers and got cancelled the next.
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I very much like this angle, but yes.
To me the key is that they really needed another season, ideally two. At a minimum there should have been some time to settle into some kind of "new normal" with the two Battlestars prior to New Caprica with a longer election cycle more separate from the Adama/Cain issue. The back half of this alternate season could then focus on settling New Caprica, with at least some indication of the time gap there was supposed to be between settling and invasion. If the resistance and escape could then be dragged out to a half season the "second exodus" period would have more time to stretch things out and put the Cylon Civil War in better context. Put Baltar's trial between the new season 4 finale and 5 debut and you have a full season to work out the final five, tie up a lot of those threads that got dropped and ultimately do something more sensible with the ending.
OTOH the writers strike definitely bit the production, but Moore always said it was a four year project... I'm inclined think that there were real hiccups in the production at the end given how well the first two seasons went, and how much things fell apart after the strike.
FOR ALL THAT...
I think something closer to the original series landing on modern Earth fits the whole setting and structure better, however you want to justify it in lore terms. I suspect that Moore and company being adamant about not getting into a Battlestar 1980 situation is what REALLY killed serious consideration of that.
Were I writing the whole thing there are a few angles I could see going down, but I am inclined to consider a few concepts as preferential to what they did
- Dropping the ancients angle and making our Earth the destroyed one rather than the 13th tribes planet
- Introducing a 14th tribe in some way shape or form
- Discovering a modern society to end the series, but as that 14th tribe rather than our actual real world, which frankly makes going forward in a serious vein AFTER that discovery damn near impossible to write
- Finding ancient remains of a Battlestar/Basestar and/or quite possibly Galactica herself on the final planet and a tribal society
- I like that this can absolutely be left ambiguous in terms of things like "is this time travel, this happening before, divine fuckery, etc" and "are those tribes survivors or parallel evolution" and "why do they have Cylon genetics"
- Writing this out, it strikes me that the proper ship to find is probably Pegasus. While Galactica could be made to work alongside Kara's whole death/rebirth thing I see a very real chance to leave some real ambiguity about the ultimate end of Pegasus
- It could also be a wholly other ship, especially if (as they should imo) there are hints dropped throughout the series that other Colonial Fleet units ARE out there somewhere
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You could still have that, just actually explain what it was and what it meant. I liked the implication, I just wish it had actually been explained.
But generally I agree, the last season was so rushed
Essentially saving The Man in the High Castle comes down to "Amazon Prime doesn't decide to fund Watchmen but worse in every conceivable way and Jim from the office being Jack Bauer for some reason and actually gives the show an ending."
Farscape: Give them a final season instead of canceling them in the middle of shooting the season finale. Basically, let them develop the Peacekeeper Wars into a full season to spread some of the content out and give the characters more closure.
Legend of Korra: Let Asami and Korra actually kiss in the final shot instead of just hold hands.
Two and A Half Men: Just let the show die when Charlie Sheen went off the deep end, and avoid feeling like the show is desperately clinging to life.
Legend of Korra: Let Asami and Korra actually kiss in the final shot instead of just hold hands.
Two and A Half Men: Just let the show die when Charlie Sheen went off the deep end, and avoid feeling like the show is desperately clinging to life.
The original LOST IN SPACE- the crew of the Jupiter 2 finally get to Andromeda(or wherever the heck they were originally supposed to go to). Along the way Dr Smith actually does something heroic(!)
This changes him, & he becomes a much better person(I know why the uh, good Doc became that
character: the late, great Jonathan Harris was so good @ playing him that way that it attracted viewers & saved LIS from being canceled even earlier than it was- nonetheless, it made no sense for John Robinson
to put up with such a whining, good-for-nothing crew member for any longer than five minutes).
This changes him, & he becomes a much better person(I know why the uh, good Doc became that
character: the late, great Jonathan Harris was so good @ playing him that way that it attracted viewers & saved LIS from being canceled even earlier than it was- nonetheless, it made no sense for John Robinson
to put up with such a whining, good-for-nothing crew member for any longer than five minutes).
Well, it's not only that. I know that Amazon wanted to create an analogue to the GoT (a very influential and popular show). I also think that after some time, they became afraid of being accused of "whitewashing" Nazis and whatnot. (Don't misinterpret this; it's almost impossible to do that and it shouldn't happen. But turning them into cliché cartoonish villains is also not a very good idea. People like the Nazis can have exemplary effectiveness and be very competent too (unfortunately for us)).
These however undermined a key aspect of the series : its alternate history setting. I mean, seasons 1 and 2 were very good (at least as far as I am concerned), exactly because they gave importance to this. They also presented an interesting side that we usually don't see (the Resistance as somewhat too bitter and isolated, people who became Nazis in order to protect themselves and their families and not so much out of fanaticism/ideology, normalisation after the war as stability and prosperity buy the regime the tolerance if not the approval of the population). The sci/fi element existed, but it was in the background, and subtle, which was ideal because it created a mystery covering that world and affecting it and was also an interesting idea itself.
In my very humble opinion, they should have kept all these elements and build on them. Keep the sci-fi element somewhat vague in the background. This would add some reality and free some screen time for the show to do things like more world-builng (Tokyo for example, or a scene from Europe), show more the internal political and social situation in the two empires and even, ultimately, build the show towards an ending where Germany marches towards the civil war, as its internal problems and divisions become to big and Japan is in deep trouble due to all the wars it has to wage and thus give the viewer the hope that these two empires will collapse "like sandcastles on the shore" in the end. These would also keep the show more balanced and original and not turn it into more of a sci-fi drama/action show.
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