Mastering The Perfect Series Finale -- ‘The Good Place' (2016-2020) • The Daily Fandom

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Spoiler warning: This article contains major spoilers for the ending of The Good Place (2016-2020)¹.

Unlike films, television series can be a consistent part of their audiences’ lives for years and years. The longer a series goes on, the closer the audience feels to the characters, and in turn, the more the audience will care where those characters end up during a show’s finale. So it is no wonder that when a television series ends poorly, it feels so much more upsetting than when a movie ends poorly. Audiences invest so much more time into the series and become much more attached to the characters.

Because of this, it is much harder for a television show to end in a way that feels satisfying. Particularly when shows extend their runtimes due to popularity or monetary gain, storytelling and plot sometimes take a backseat. There are many popular series that prefer to keep the show going rather than create a satisfying ending, such as Lost (2004-2010)²Lindelof, Damon and Jeffery Lieber, creators. Lost. Bad Robot and ABC Studios, 2004.³ or Pretty Little Liars (2010-2017)⁴I. Marlene King, creator. Pretty Little Liars. Warner Horizon Television and Alloy Entertainment, 2010.⁵. However, there are a few shows that truly did their finales right.

Eleanor and Chidi having dinner together in the finale. — *The Good Place*. Season 4, Episode 14: “Whenever You’re Ready.” 2016-2020. NBC.

One of the most recent shows that came to a complete and satisfying conclusion is The Good Place (2016-2020)⁶, and it is a finale that other series should aspire to achieve, given its effective use of completion, fulfillment of character arcs, and overall provision of a satisfying ending for each character.

The Good Place (2016-2020) — “Whenever You’re Ready” (Sn 4, Ep(s) 13 + 14)⁷

Before exploring what makes a good finale, it’s important to explain the plot of The Good Place’s finale, titled “Whenever You’re Ready“⁸. The ending overall feels very true to the series and the characters, and it sends a strong, final message that as long as we feel fulfilled in life, death doesn’t have to be scary.

Eleanor and Chidi watching the sunset on Chidi's last night in the Good Place. — *The Good Place*. Season 4, Episode 14: “Whenever You’re Ready.” 2016-2020. NBC.

The Good Place finale is mainly structured around the four humans — Eleanor, Chidi, Tahani, and Jason — fulfilling their purposes and realizing they are ready to walk through the final afterlife door and move on from the Good Place.

Jason

Jason is the first to do so; he realizes he feels fulfilled after playing a perfect game of Madden NFL, and the group throws him a bittersweet going-away party.

The Good Place. Season 4, Episode 14: "Whenever You're Ready." 2016-2020. NBC. — *The Good Place*. Season 4, Episode 14: “Whenever You’re Ready.” 2016-2020. NBC.

Jason is about to walk through the door after saying goodbye to Janet when he realizes he lost the necklace he made for her as a goodbye present. Janet assures him that it is okay and leaves Jason to walk through the door whenever he feels ready.

Tahani

Tahani is next to fulfill her afterlife goals; she has reconnected with her sister Kamilah and her parents after they have gotten into the Good Place, as well as learned how to do every skill she has always dreamed of learning.

But at her going away party, she realizes there is one thing she still has not learned — which is how to be an architect for the afterlife. Even though a human has never become an afterlife architect, she begs Michael to help her become one and he agrees.

Chidi

Chidi finds his fulfillment next after spending years of meaningful days with both Eleanor and his parents. Eleanor panics when she realizes he might be ready to leave, but then realizes she owes it to Chidi to let him go, especially when he is so sure of his decision when he has never been sure about much. The two have a conversation while watching the sunset the night before he leaves, and then Chidi goes with Janet to the door the next day.

After he walks through, Jason shows up, saying that he spent all this time waiting for Janet to come back so he could give her the necklace, which he found in his pocket. When Janet asks what he has been doing all this time, he tells her that he has been peacefully living in the forest and sitting with his thoughts — almost like a monk, which perfectly calls back to season one of the show.

Eleanor

Eleanor, the last human of the group to still be in the Good Place, struggles to find that same fulfillment the other three had. She thinks one of her goals might be to help out Mindy St. Claire since they are so similar to one another. She talks to Mindy and gets her to agree to go through the system to get into the Good Place, with Tahani as her architect. After doing this though, she still doesn’t feel fully complete.

Feeling exhausted from living for so long and wanting to be like the humans, Micheal tries desperately to walk through the door, but since he is an immortal being, it doesn’t work. This is when Eleanor realizes that her afterlife goal might be to help Micheal. She asks the Judge to turn Micheal human, as that is what he has always wanted, and she reluctantly agrees.

Eleanor and Janet having a drink before Eleanor goes through the door. — *The Good Place*. Season 4, Episode 14: “Whenever You’re Ready.” 2016-2020. NBC.

Micheal says goodbye to Janet and Eleanor and begins his life as a real human, and after, Eleanor finally feels complete. She and Janet have a drink together, and then Eleanor walks through the door. After she walks through, she turns into a cluster of sparkles floating through the sky, dissolving back into the universe. One of the sparkles lands on a man on Earth, and it influences him to do a random act of kindness.

He decides to return a letter, that was accidentally sent to him, to its owner — which ends up being Micheal. Micheal thanks him and tells him to “take it sleazy,” which is another callback to an earlier season.

Gossip Girl (2007-2012): How The Good Place Demonstrates The Importance Of Planning Your Series Finale

Unlike movies and books, television series do not always have to have their end goals in mind while writing. However, because this is possible, it does not mean it is something showrunners should strive for. This lack of planning can lead to TV shows writing plots and details that don’t fit the characters or the show’s message in general.

Of course, showrunners do not need to have all potential seasons of their show written out before even filming the pilot, especially when they are not even sure it will get picked up past one season. But they should at least have a rough plan for how the series might end should it get to that point, and stick to that plan.

Chuck and Blair at their wedding in the finale. — *Gossip Girl*. Season 6, Episode 10: “new York, I love You XOXO.” 2007-2012. The CW.

For example, in shows like Gossip Girl (2007-2012)⁹Schwartz, Josh and Stephanie Savage, creators. Gossip Girl. Warner Bros Television and Alloy Entertainment, 2007.¹⁰ or Pretty Little Liars (2010-2017)¹¹I. Marlene King, creator. Pretty Little Liars. Warner Horizon Television and Alloy Entertainment, 2010.¹². where there is a mystery that the entire premise of the series is built on, should have a plan for their reveal of that mystery, and not deviate from that plan.

Gossip Girl’s original writer and executive producer Joshua Safran revealed that Gossip Girl’s identity originally wasn’t planned to be Dan — it was supposed to be Serena’s brother Eric. However, when a set leak happened and people found out this was their plan, the showrunners deviated to make Gossip Girl’s identity Nate and even laid out clues for this to be the case in season five¹³.

After this though, Safran left the show and the writers deviated again, picking a completely different character to be Gossip Girl, even though certain plotlines completely contradict that being the case. Safran said in an interview that he liked:

“to joke that Dan was Gossip Girl because [he] had left the show by then.”
¹⁴

None of the writers who picked Dan as Gossip Girl have come out to talk about that choice, but it is pretty clear that it does not make sense for the show, as even Safran himself disagreed with it.

Lost (2004-2010): How The Good Place Selects An Ending That Fits The Characters Rather Than The Show

Something similar, such as in Gossip Girl, happened with the show Lost (2004-2010)¹⁵Lindelof, Damon and Jeffery Lieber, creators. Lost. Bad Robot and ABC Studios, 2004.¹⁶. Showrunner Damon Lindelof had originally intended for the show to run for three seasons, not six. Even while creating the first season, he had a plan for the ending of the show in mind. This plan did not materialize, however, because executives at ABC did not want to put an end to a show that was still incredibly popular¹⁷. Lindelof said that their reaction to him saying he had plans to end after three seasons was:

“Do you understand how hard it is to make a show that people want to watch? And people like the show? So why would we end it? You don’t end shows that people are watching.”
Chitwood, Adam. Exclusive: Damon Lindelof on the Original 3-Season Plan for ‘Lost’ and the Negotiation to End the Series. Collider. 2020, Jun 30.

This was especially the sentiment in the early-to-mid two thousand: to keep a show going as long as people are willing to watch it. Yet, what that leads to, as what it led to with Lost, is a finale that feels frustrating and disjointed. When the entire closing of your show is frustrating, it puts a damper on its rewatchability. People will not want to rewatch your show about the mysteries on a deserted island if they know that the answers to those mysteries are ultimately unsatisfying.

Jack gazing up at the sky with his dog. — *Lost*. Season 6, Episode 18: “The End.” 2004-2010. ABC.

The Good Place ended while it was still at the peak of its popularity. Michael Schur could have kept the show going for many more seasons, like his other long-running sitcoms Brooklyn Nine-Nine (2013-2021)¹⁸Goor, Dan and Michael Schur, creators. Brooklyn Nine-Nine. Fremulon and 3 Arts Entertainment, 2013.¹⁹ or Parks and Recreation (2009-2015)²⁰Daniels, Greg and Michael Schur, creators. Parks and Recreation. Deedle-Dee Productions and Fremulon, 2009.²¹. Instead, though, they planned out the season four finale in season three and did not deviate from their plans in favor of keeping the show going longer²². This resulted in a finale that made sense with the rest of the show; it didn’t feel disjointed or like the show had overstayed its welcome.

Modern Family (2009-2020): How The Good Place Maintains Character Development Throughout Its Series

Another aspect vital for a good series finale is giving your characters endings that make sense for them, and feel whole and complete. There have been a few shows that have given their characters finales that either do not feel right for them or don’t feel complete enough to be considered an ending.

For example, in the show Modern Family (2009-2020)²³, the character of Haley Dunphy ends up married to her on-and-off high school boyfriend Dylan, and she spends the last season of the show mostly taking care of the twins they have had together.

Haley in the hospital with her babies. — *Modern Family*. Season 11, Episode 18: “Finale.” 2009-2020. ABC

This does not feel right as a final ending for Haley — she has continuously expressed throughout the show that she does not think Dylan is the one for her and that she wants a relationship closer to what she had with Andy in season seven; even at one point saying to Andy that he is:

“the only man [she’s] ever loved”
²⁴.

Haley also had a pretty significant arc in the show, going from someone who did not know what she wanted to do in life to someone very passionate about her career in fashion. However, the writers completely drop this aspect of her character when she has kids. It is sad to watch a character’s original hopes and dreams get dropped by the showrunners, and this makes watching Modern Family’s last few seasons and finale frustrating.

There have also been a few series that felt like they ended without a significant reason for why the show wouldn’t just continue. Both Friends (1994-2004)²⁵ and Sex and the City (1998-2004)²⁶ end with their main characters returning home (oddly enough, both from Paris) to get back together with their long-time on-and-off love interests.

Carrie and Big talking in the finale. — *Sex and the city*. Season 6, Episode 19: “An american Girl In paris (Part Une).” 1998-2004. HBO.

Throughout both shows, Carrie and Rachel have continuously gotten back together with their love interests before, only to result in a breakup and more turmoil. It is nice to see both of them be with the people they love more than anyone else, but it begs the question — what makes this the finale? Who’s to say they won’t break up again, resulting in what could be more content for the show that we are missing out on? How is this different from where the characters started from, and what makes this ending final?

In contrast, The Good Place finale leaves all of its characters significantly developed, actualizing their goals, and fully complete. Jason reaches a sense of peace that he never has before by living like a monk in the forest; Tahani is able to feel confident about herself not because of her fame or appearance, but because she genuinely feels proud of her accomplishments; Chidi is able to make a huge decision about his life by just trusting his gut; Eleanor feels complete and fulfilled through helping other people she cares about. It is a complete and final ending for them — they have reached the end of their character arcs and our time watching their stories is over.

Sex And The City (1998-2004): How The Good Place Delivers A Clear And Fitting Message With Its Finale

Something else about the Sex and the City (1998-2004)²⁷ finale that did not feel right was the message it indirectly sent. The first three to four seasons were about the importance of female friendship; the four girls cycle through men and heartbreaks but realize at the end of the day that the most important people in their lives are each other — not the romantic relationships they have. The show reminds women that it is okay to be single — you do not need to be married with kids to have a wonderful and fulfilling life. The series completes that message wonderfully throughout most of its run.

Miranda, Samantha, Charlotte, and Carrie laugh together over drinks. — *Sex and the city*. 1998-2004. HBO.

However, the series finale contradicts this message by having all four girls end up in long-term relationships. It is not a bad thing for the characters to all have found love, but it feels unrealistic to both the characters and the meaning of the show in general that every single one of them would end up in a relationship. It might have been bold, but ultimately more satisfying, to have Carrie Bradshaw break-up with Aleksander Ptrovoksy, break things off with Big, and decide that she feels complete and wholly happy being single.

The show could have ended with her putting on her Carrie necklace and a pair of heels and walking confidently through the streets of New York City, on her way to meet up with the girls for food, having finally realized that she does not need men in order to be fulfilled.

Eleanor prepares to walk through the final door. — *The Good Place*. Season 4, Episode 14: “Whenever You’re Ready.” 2016-2020. NBC.

In comparison to The Good Place finale, the message Sex and the City’s finale sends seems disjointed from the rest of the show. Even though the finale takes place entirely in the afterlife, and so does most of the show, its message is still somehow able to ring true to our life on Earth. The message The Good Place sends as a whole is that we are all capable of improvement in our character and our morality if just given the time and the patience to try.

The message the finale sends is that even though we do not know what happens after we die, as long as we try our best to achieve our goals and reach fulfillment from spending time with each other, dying is not as scary as it seems. It is an amazing sentiment, especially from a network comedy series, and it’s also very fitting for the show. The finale seems like a natural conclusion to the series, instead of an ending that was forced upon viewers.

The Good Place — Showing How To Craft A Strong Finale

Finales are very important; when a series ends badly, it leaves a bad taste in your mouth for the rest of the show. Rewatching characters you love and knowing where they end up eventually is not what you would have imagined is a frustrating feeling. But on the other hand, when a series ends well, or even perfectly, it makes you love the show that much more.

If The Good Place had ended badly or dragged on too long, it probably would have been considered just another sitcom that “jumped the shark.” Instead, the finale has bookended a great show and made it even better, leaving audiences with new perspectives on life, death, and morality, and a feeling of fulfillment for the characters they got attached to. If more shows placed a higher importance on their finales, perhaps audiences could feel this way all the time about their favorite shows.

References

1
Michael Schur, creator. The Good Place. Fremulon and 3 Arts Entertainment, 2016.
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6
Michael Schur, creator. The Good Place. Fremulon and 3 Arts Entertainment, 2016.
7
“Whenever You’re Ready.” The Good Place, season 4, episode 13/14, NBC, 30 January. 2020. Netflix.
8
“Whenever You’re Ready.” The Good Place, season 4, episode 13/14, NBC, 30 January. 2020. Netflix.
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Nugent, Annabel. Gossip Girl writer reveals which character was supposed to be Gossip Girl, says ‘it makes more sense’. Independent.co. 2021, Jul 4.
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Nesvig, Kara. “Gossip Girl” Writer Reveals Dan Humphrey Wasn’t the Original Gossip Girl. Teen Vogue. 2019, Nov 12.
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Chitwood, Adam. Exclusive: Damon Lindelof on the Original 3-Season Plan for ‘Lost’ and the Negotiation to End the Series. Collider. 2020, Jun 30.
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Porter, Rick. ‘The Good Place’ Creator Opens Up About Bringing Peace To Its Universe in Series Finale. The Hollywood Reporter. 2020, Jan 30.
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Lloyd, Christopher and Steven Levitan, creators. Modern Family. Steven Levitan Productions and 20th Century Fox Television, 2009.
24
“Double Click.” Modern Family, season 7, episode 22, ABC, 18 May 2016. Hulu.
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Crane, David and Marta Kauffman, creators. Friends. Bright/Kauffman/Crane Productions and Warner Bros Television, 1994.
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Darren Star, creator. Sex and the City. Darren Star Productions and HBO Entertainment, 1998.
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Darren Star, creator. Sex and the City. Darren Star Productions and HBO Entertainment, 1998.

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Mastering The Perfect Series Finale — ‘The Good Place’ (2016-2020)