We were on vacation for most of the season finales... so just getting around to getting some thoughts down...
We watched the "biggies" as quickly as we could upon our return, but it took us to this past weekend to wrap them all up (mostly sitcoms that we were behind on prior to vacation).
Given my propensity to surf the Web and read entertainment magazines, I was "spoiled" on most shows... though, believe it or not, 24 and Lost were two shows I managed to remain spoiler-free.
Okay here we go...
The Sopranos - I pretty much already covered this one. Maybe I am just not enough of a die-hard Sopranos fan, but I was not let down by the much maligned season finale. Perhaps, my memory fails me, but does anything really big ever happen in a Sopranos season finale? Most time it seems as if the "shocker" is an episode or two prior to the finale. This time around we had Vito getting (pretty predictably) killed off, but with some surprising ramifications between the dueling mob families... and, as mentioned, I think the whole ChristaphaChristufuh/Julianna thing will have some serious ramifications... and the whole Adriana thing keeps bubbling up too!
24 - Surprise, surprise... Jack Bauer saves the world again, but looks like he is in some deep sh&t "tomorrow." Having set the "shock" bar so high in previous seasons, I wasn't quite floored with this year's twist. I predict a quick resolution to Jack's kidnapping early next season... and then we'll just get on with the usual crazy business at hand. Let's just hope that next season they can find a way to keep First Lady Martha (deliciously played by Jean Smart) and Aaron Pierce in the loop.
Lost - This gets my nod for best finale of the season. To no surprise, the show got totally flipped... with the cast we have grown to love (or hate) over the past two seasons, now just seemingly secondary (and innocent) players in a crazy scheme by some big-wig to keep his daughter away from a guy. I think this by far topped last year's hatch ender. Now, I think the best thing that could happen to this show is to give it a "finish" date.. say 3-5 more seasons max... and work towards "resolution." That said, I suspect it'll never happen... from what I gather JJ Abrams and Co. don't work that way (and despite what they may say, I don't think they have a "plan")... and ABC will make their decision solely based on ratings (good or bad).
American Idol - Since we were still in the U.S., we found out Taylor won the very next morning. But even knowing the result, the finale still seemed to have little tension... and, in five seasons, I think it was the worst finale. Of the 3 songs they performed, Taylor and Kat only squeaked out one good one... and the guest-star duets were particularly dreadful. Toni Braxton's duet with Taylor was a complete train wreck (for Toni, not Taylor!)... I think Mary J. Blije forgot Elliott was even on the stage... and the strangest of all, the Kat & Meatloaf creepy duet. That one only got stranger after the fact... Kat admittted to not even knowing who Meatloaf was... and, due to paralyzing stage fright, Meat didn't even remember doing it. The "new" songs were, as always, pretty pathetic. Kudos to the judges for pointing that out! Next year, cut the show down to an hour and be done with it (again, that'll never happen).
My Name Is Earl - Not much to say, since there was no cliffhanger... but still it was nice for the show to return to the scene of the crime (literally). I suspect Emmy nods for Jason Lee and, if there is any justice in this world, Jamie Pressly.
Scrubs - Going into the finale, I knew about the "surprise" new pregnancies. But props to my other half for almost immediately suspecting that JD is the not the father of the baby. Makes total sense... storyline-wise it would not be such a great thing... and personally, I didn't quite warm up to Dr. Kim.
Will & Grace - While I think the show was clearly in decline, I still was not as down on it as many other folks. That said, the series finale was a disappointment and most certainly paled to the hilarious series retrospective. I just didn't like that they had Will and Grace "break up." I hate when "drama" infiltrates a sitcom (this happened before on W&G... with the classic blunder being Mad About You). But I think it was just totally untrue to the characters, that they would let anything get between/separate them for far too long, let alone decades! And the whole having their kids meet and marry was just insane. I know its fiction, but they coulda done better.
The Office - Again, I knew about "the kiss"... but my-oh-my, it was whole other thing to see how it all played out between Jim and Pam. Contradicting myself, this was a wonderful dramatic sit-com moment... I know it made me gasp... kudos to the always terrific (adorable! loveable!) Jenna Fischer and John Krasinski... achingly perfect. Now, my worry... what happens next? Word to creative team of The Office... Please. Don't. Screw. This. Up!!
It sounds as if we have the same theories on Lost. Setting an end date might be a good idea, unless they're going to explain the aging of the characters as an island phenomenon. They've only been there for 2 months, but the actors are all 2 years older. It doesn't show yet, but if the show goes on for years...
Posted by: Gail | Wednesday, June 14, 2006 at 02:00 PM
Great wrap-ups, but I feel I must correct you: it's "Christufuh". :-)
Posted by: JD | Wednesday, June 14, 2006 at 07:56 PM