So I was watching the final episode of Eli Stone this weekend, trying to figure out just what the hell was going on. It wasn’t that it was a bad episode. It was a fine episode, and a decent ending for the show … given the circumstances. Honestly, though, a lot of it felt forced and even at times like the writers were grasping at straws. The conversation between Eli and “his father” toward the end of the episode was confusing and open ended, which is fine. A clear cut answer to everything wouldn’t have worked for this show. However, after watching that scene, I sorta wish I hadn’t.
Honestly, it just didn’t work that well for me. Grace, Katie Holmes’s character, was referred to as Eli’s soul mate, yet he was talking about how much he loved Maggie. Well … which is it? I guess a few more seasons would have given us the answer.
The fact is, the show was canceled, but with a few episodes left to play with, the writers felt obligated to give some sort of wrap up to the series. It wouldn’t have been possible to wrap up every loose end and question that the show brought up, and Mrs. Tom Cruise certainly wasn’t going to make another guest appearance on a sinking ship. So … they did what they could.
My question at this point is: should they have? Honestly, I think I would have rather just rode the season out as it was originally imagined. Forget about impromptu marriage proposals, confessions of love, and talk of soul mates. Just give us the show that the viewers enjoyed. I guess I didn’t need the ending.
I loved Terminator, but I think I’m happy with the way that it ended. Sure, there was a ton left up in the air. The season ended with a fairly significant cliffhanger. And you know what? I’m okay with that. Frankly, I’m glad that the season was able to play out the way that the creators wanted it to. I’m happy to see the season as it was intended. So what if there are big questions left? Who cares? I enjoyed the show and now it’s gone. I didn’t need any big wrap up.
Sometimes, I think it’s best to just leave well enough alone and forget about “wrapping up” a series. I’m going through the same thing with Kings right now. I have no idea if these final episodes are playing out how they would have if the series got picked up, but as I mentioned in my review this week, a few things seemed rushed to me. The plot went from slow burn to hyperdrive in about 15 minutes.
Now that Eli Stone is done its “burn off,” I’m curious to see how Dirty Sexy Money will wrap up. I enjoyed the show when it was on, but frankly, I haven’t been waiting in rapt anticipation to see who killed Dutch. I’m not sure how I’m going to feel about the last few episodes, but I almost wish they weren’t going to answer the mystery.
So, how do you feel about these half-ass endings for your favorite canceled shows? Am I alone here?
Clacked by Bob Degon
on Jul 14, 2009 @ 14:00 EST5EDT
Deadwood pissed me off.
Depends on the show.
Thanks! :-)
While this wouldn’t necessarily apply to the Stone/DSM/PD group, but I think that showrunners should specifically craft the first 13 episodes of a new show to have a beginning, middle, and end. Not to say that they plan the whole thing to end after 13, but give it a logical stopping point.
Case in point: Journeyman. I’m positive that Graves hadn’t intended to end things after the original contract, but several of the storylines came to a natural stop.
I agree, look at Wonderfalls. Fox canceled it after only 4 episodes and didn’t bother to show the other 9. However on DVD the whole series feels like an awesome 13 episode series with a beginning and an ending.
I was just so sad to see finish, any end wouldnt have deliver anyway.
I want a wrapup. I hate when showrunners are all “Fuck the networks, I’ll end on a cliffhanger” (Rob Thomas, that was not a good idea for Veronica Mars) when they know they are likely to bite it. People bitched about the Pushing Daisies wrapup, but they did the best they could in post, and I appreciate that they tried.
In the case of Eli Stone, I appreciated that they tried to wrap it up. I don’t really know why they were attempting to bring the character of Grace back at the end (especially since yeah, duh that she’s not coming back) though, or that “soulmate” comment. I actually got the impression that Eli’s dad was using that word to get a rise out of Eli about Maggie. Oh well, you know those two will get back together anyway.