And in the End...

Lots of series are wrapping up--and several have already come to an end. Here are a few thoughts on some of the finales:

•Prison Break - What a lightweight ending to a heavyweight series. After oodles of suspense in the penultimate episode, the finale was a "running and jumping" episode with a lot of chase sequences and only a little bit of plot development. Interesting twists regarding the conspiracy and the prison doctor, but that's about it...
•Ghost Whisperer - Okay, I predicted what was going to happen in the last three minutes, but that didn't stop it from being the most emotionally powerful wrapup to any series this season. The only downside: this is one series that didn't need a villain, and is weakened by the introduction of one.
•Gilmore Girls - A disappointing ending in some regards; a lot of stuff happened, but we wasted a lot of time that could have been devoted to real plot development. Instead, we got way too much throwaway time with the "troubadors," and a rushed ending. And while the series will return next season, it will be without Amy Sherman-Palladino, who is widely credited with giving the show its inimitable style. Can it survive without her? I hope so, but I have my doubts...
•Smallville - I enjoy the series well enough,but I'd like to see a real ending to a season for once. And am I the only one who finds Smallville more entertaining if viewed on Tivo with generous use of fast-forward to get through the monotonous parts? When I get through, it's one of the best half-hour dramas on television...
•My Name Is Earl - It was just another episode, but in Earl's case, just another episode still makes it the best comedy on television. However, this forty-minute-episode garbage was galling--if you're going to claim it's a forty-minute episode, don't make it a thirty-five-minute episode with five extra minutes of commercials, okay?...
•The Office - An interesting twist in the final few minutes, but this is a one-note comedy... and I'm getting a little bit bored with the note. How many times can you get aggravated at the boorish stupidity of a character before you're ready for something new?