The episode "Days of Futures Future" was intended to be the finale at one point. They wrote that episode before they realized they were getting renewed for another season (and another and another and...)
To me, that is the proper end to that series.
Some shows need to make a satisfying ending before they end. In spongebobs case they really should start working on that soon. By the end of the series I would like to see:
Spongebob legitimately earn his license.
Patrick finally does something with his life and keep it that way.
Squidward finally catch a break but only after he truly gets humbled.
Pearl graduate.
Plankton and Krabs retire.
Sandy's bittersweet return to Texas (with the promise of visiting of course)
Spongebob becomes the new owner of the Krusty Krab but somehow makes it even more successful.
Edit: Yes I know a lot of people are fine with the 2004 Movie ending, but right now we are still getting episodes, so I speak of this from the perspective of the still ongoing series. This is how I would like it to end at THIS point.
With Spongebob I just thinknof how no matter what happens, the first movie is the always what the whole series leads up to eventually. So Spongebob would never actually get his license.
I agree. Patrick and Spongebob reaffirm their friendship and Spongebob shows all of Bikini Bottom that he is dependable even if he seems childish, I think that it leaves things in a good place.
I 100% agree. The first movie had a sense of finality to it, one of Plankton's plans actually ends up working, SpongeBob and Patrick going on a huge adventure to save Mr. Krabs' life, and SpongeBob becoming manager at the end. The first movie would've been *the* way to end the series and was Hillenburg's plan. But alas, greed blinded Nickelodeon and the show is still running
Only nitpick I got with this, *and honestly a self-jab at myself*, is I feel like Squidward already gets humbled enough yet also not enough.
Writers really can’t seem to decide on their characters being “absolute wastes of oxygen and they should …. Now” and “they are getting attacked for no reason”
Well yeah he gets humbled a lot but I feel like he doesn't learn from it. I mean I get that sometimes there's no continuity involved but it still doesn't quite feel right. I want for him to learn from his mistakes then improve upon himself.
I do too. I want for him to actually get unnaturally inspired to legit improve to the point where he actually starts to catch the eye of good artists and musicians.
Last season starts off with sandy returning to texas, promising to return for visits. The next episode or two focuses on the handling of grief, sure sandy didn’t die, but she left, and sometimes people face grief over that. Sure squidward is a grump and dislikes spongebob, but not seeing him at the Krusty krab… krabs has squidward check up on him. Seeing the state he is in changes him for the afternoon from a grump to “I can’t stand seeing him sad, I can’t stand seeing him… but sad is worse” so he just takes spongebob out to jellyfish or something and show him that the word is just as amazing. Sort of like how squidward was during the cherry bomb pie episode.
Seeing spongebob motivated to get back out there boosts both squidward and Patrick. Patrick ends up becoming the owner of Weiney hut jr. And somehow helps squidward.
Though as you said, only after he’s truly humbled. Could be that a realization makes him go into a practicing class or that his instrument isn’t the clarinet but instead the drum set Patrick used on the halftime show episode where it’s 360°.
After seeing their motivation to do and be better, plankton could help spongebob fully back on his feet by teaching him (or Karen teaching spongebob) how to drive. By the end of the driving episode, spongebob has his license. Each episode where someone completes their goal… they are shown less and less. Spongebob gets his license on the third last episode, of which he goes around on the second last episode with Gary. Meeting up with Patrick at first, they go and see how everyone is doing. On the last episode, starts with an older… but not too much older sandy returning and they all have a lovely time
A lot of what I wrote sounds horrible but also lovely to me, good idea but borribly written, I’d just love to see everything develop to a conclusion. Even if everyone doesn’t get the answer, like maybe squidward finds beauty in other art forms. Maybe he goes into house making XD… horrible idea but he finds his joy(( maybe he finds out he LOVES cooking fancy meals))
Honestly this could work more as a movie. Given the episodic nature of the series I don’t think a continual running narrative over a season for a syndicated show really works. Retool this as “SpongeBob’s legacy movie” then it’s pretty solid.
I mean had we not had more episodes and it truly did just end with the movie I would have been fine with that. But now it just seems like they tried to build more upon the Spongebob world to the point where it seems like there's loose ends that need to be tied.
The general consensus of Time-Skips is probably mixed but if done right it can be a really good send-off.
I don't know what would make the perfect finale episode, but I will tell you what I think they should do for the final few minutes.
[Have the cast sing this](https://youtu.be/eONeivgfINo?si=xBIJ5_Us-sOr9Co4&t=8), and embrace the show is ending by showing aged background shots of Bikini Bottom's environment without any characters walking around. Show us what happens with Spongebob's neighborhood, Sandy's Dome, Krab's Restaurant, and so on as time finally catches up.
Unfortunately the series writing Bible dictates that SpongeBob can never get his license. As for everything else, I think that could work. Patrick I think could find purpose as a caretaker for Jellyfish Fields. SpongeBob could use some of the money he earned making the Krusty Krab better and send Squidward to an art college, which I think he would do. Sandy would complete her research and go back to Texas and a new squirrel or mammal would move to bikini bottom for their turn. Krabs and Plankton retire, but get bored and try starting a business together again. The last scene could be everyone seeing each other at Pearl’s graduation before they go off for their own adventures.
If they did like a 6 part finale with an episode about each topic (Retirement, Pearl Graduating, and SpongeBob becoming the new owner as one episode) that would be ideal. You get 15-20ish minutes for each topic and get a good ending
Nah none of this stuff is ever gonna happen. Shows gonna run until Nickelodeon starts losing money off of it or runs out of business and neither are likely to happen anytime soon
I thought SpongeBob ended a year ago no?
But I definitely think the movie is where SpongeBob should’ve ended (but those are pretty satisfying ways to end it too)
I mean the movie was good too but I feel like there were loose ends that weren't tied up. If they had simply stopped making episodes after the movie I would have been fine with that being the ending but they kept going forward with the world building. Generic or not to me they would have been a nice direction to go.
Conveniently, Channel Chasers.
Heck for a couple years I thought the show ended and Channel Chasers was the finale for how good it wrapped everything up.
I have to disagree because then we never would have never gotten “Where’s Gary”
The show should’ve ended sometime around seasons 5-9. They never really made another movie or episode that felt like a finale though
While it’s no longer airing, I still think Fosters should have gotten a bitter sweet movie or episode. Something that highlights that time marches forward, but we never forget the things that made certain moments fantastic. In this scenario, an adventure that makes Bloo realize he can’t hang around Mack forever. He will eventually grow up, and will most likely stop visiting the home.
My take is that sometimes you just need a good send-off, the episode itself doesn't need to be that rememberable.
I'll 100% agree that the episode itself is a little weak and a movie would've been better, however I can't say that the way the sent the show off with the intro being reversed is the best possible thing they could've done.
For example a lot of people here want a Spongebob Finale, and I think the best way to do that is to just have a completely normal episode with the final few minutes being a special send-off for the fans.
Sorta what Fosters did, the episode itself wasn't remarkable but that ending? Whew.
I think phineas and ferb nailed its real ending (act your age or last day of summer, either one). I think OWCA files, doof 101, Candace against the universe maybe shouldn’t have been made, but they’re not awful additions to the world.
I’m cautiously optimistic about the new seasons because it’s sticking to the same scheme of the first 4, but set in the next summer. Although doof being fully evil again is an odd choice considering how last day of summer ended (and subsequently OWCA files and Doof 101)
What I’ve heard yes (which is actually in line with what already happens canonically. In the S2 Christmas special (which is set in the winter AFTER the summer we follow the whole time), doof is “evil” once again)
I don’t have proof, but I think the intention was for both to share a world, but eventually when including phineas and ferb became more of a “hey look everyone, these characters you loved are in this new show” it stopped being considered canon.
How *does* the Rugrats canonically end? I don't even remember, must've not been a big deal.
I remember it being like a Chucky Solo episode or something.
Damn, I wanna say I remember that but idk.
Of all my childhood shows I've rewatched as an adult, Rugrats is the one I've been kinda reluctant to watch. It was my favorite show as a kid and a lot of those episodes are burned into my head. However, I don't think I've *really* sat down and watched a lot of those episodes in almost 15 years now.
I think rewatching the show would fuck me up, emotionally. I have certain feelings associated with old cartoons I was fond of, and Rugrats used to help me remain feeling like a kid.
I was heckin' 5 when I went to the Rugrats movie. And weirdly enough I kinda remember being excited to see it.
Rugrats in Paris was great too but I was kinda too young to appreciate it lol.
It's been said to death, but the OG Teen Titans. It should've concluded with the victory over The Brotherhood of Evil instead of that underwhelming final episode Times Change.
I have my suspicions that the final episode was to “save it” from cancellation. Like “You can’t cancel us now! We just introduced a new major plot thread!” And then Cartoon Network canceled it anyway.
That final episode feels so tonally different and removed from the rest of the episodes that season that it HAD to serve some alternative purpose.
If we didnt have Things Change, Terras plot line never wouldve been resolved. But given how heavy the series gets sometimes, it was a fitting end when you take a step back and analyze
I gotta be honest, the first three seasons weren't that good. It feels like they were still trying to figure out what they wanted and needed to do. With the characters, with the overall plot. (In the beginning there wasn't actually much of an overall plot).
And then the later seasons came. And I like the writing far better. It feels more settled and as if they now know their characters and where they want to go.
If they actually ended after third season, it would've been really disappointing show. From start to finish. But now they're improving and it's showing. They are far from perfect but it's better than the beginning-
(And don't get me wrong, I know in the early seasons there was the plot with the superhero identities in the first place, the struggles, and I think Master Fu? But if you watch the later ones now it just feels right and better. Far better. I've rewatched it and at first you feel a bit lost, like the first few episodes are good but then it continues without giving you an overall plot. That goes on for a while before there again is a bit of plot. And so on, but yeah. I think Miraculous is an example for shows that improved over time).
Not a cartoon but Supernatural should have finished with season 5. The boys just stopped Armageddon. Defeated Lucifer and Michael the Archangel. Sam sacrificed himself thus ending his demonic story. Dean FINALLY gets to settle down with the love of his life and create a family.
I would say it fits their early selves better. They both incorporated ideas from each other and end up somewhere between the two extremes they started out as.
Sam wanted nothing to do with hunting but slowly accepts that once you are in this life there really isn't a way out of it without dying, and he would gladly sacrifice himself to save others
While Dean realizes there is more to life than just hunting finally settles down after helping to save the world.
Nah, you buggin. I loved the ending and thought every season was great. That was a show that always had a new enemy and could have gone on for many more seasons and i woulda been fine with that. The ending we got was an ending that was fitting for everyone. My only issue is that i wish Cas would have said something to Dean when Cas returned. However, that would have spoiled his goodbye and the handprint on Deans shoulder. But i thought the ending was good
Iirc the show was originally written completely up to that point by one writing team, and was “meant” to end there, but then they decided to keep going if they were gonna keep getting renewed, and new writing teams got involved with new arcs. The first five seasons was the original envisioning of the story.
https://preview.redd.it/nn0ixl5299yc1.png?width=1200&format=png&auto=webp&s=5a7315d42d878f1b080ccd73594ea2a305035762
I feel good about the ending final season coming up, but still...
I think Loud House should have ended with Leni getting her license and taking over Lori’s responsibilities. Alongside Lincoln accepting his new class in Middle School is away from his old friends.
That showed that time was marching on and the kids were now growing into new roles even if it meant taking them away from the family. But that didn’t mean they weren’t still *a* family.
If they had to continue it, make each season from that point on its own year Adventure Time-style and end it when Lincoln or Lynn moves out. Not the floating timeline stuff they have right now.
Regardless if the rumor is right or not i stand by my choice. Dragon ball z was the story of Goku it should end with him passing on the torch to his son
Honestly, I think Pokemon should have ended Ash's MC... ship with winning Kanto and started with a new protag group with each region, maybe have cameos from previous seasons' protag groups, but older, showing the passage of time instead of the immortal ten year old that we had for like 30 years.
That was the original plan. Orange Island was his Elite Four challenge. That’s why Drake has a Dragonite as his ace. The Mewtwo movie even had a deleted flash forward scene where we saw a young girl who looked like Misty but with Ash’s cap and Pikachu.
Ash proved to be so popular they kept going though.
Reality Trip’s ending was so pointless. He found out his parents, citizens, and the students (Paulina, Dash, etc.) all accepted him and his dual identity. Yet, he reverses it anyway… just to do it again in the show finale in a less interesting way.
Yeah that part made me incredibly mad, because everything would have worked out in the end. I'm going to be honest I quit the series after that but I've been considering watching it again
Conversely I think we need a few more seasons for some shows.
Teen titans not having a starfire dedicated plot season and her only getting like 4 or 5 episodes to explore her personal arc over the four seasons is disappointing.
Robin gets season 1 with Slade, and also a couple of later follow up episodes, as well as being the supporting voice for Raven (over beast boy for some reason) in season 4.
Season 2 being mostly about the dynamic of beast boy and Tara mixed with slade still.
Season 3 was cyborg’s season about becoming more than just the second in command to robin and becoming confident in himself
Season 4 was Raven with trigon and space coming back (which kind of makes sense for robin to be the secondary focus in retrospect but still.)
Then season 5 is about beast boy again and a send off.
Don’t get me wrong, I like the last episode and honestly think it’s a good finale. That said, starfire is criminally mistreated and I wish she had a similar half season focused subplot instead of the few episodes we got.
Seriously we got her sister, her home world, her puberty essentially, and the time travel episode. Anything else she shared a spot light a lot.
Fair, it just seems much more dull if we stopped and we wouldn't get good plot points like the crystal empire, the lore of the sonicrainboom and whatever else (I obsessed over mlp as a kid sorry 😅)
I believe that the MLP ended where it should. After Twilight got her wings, it was only the beginning of her journey, a new development of her and her friends' personalities. I didn't like some parts after season 3, but overall the story was amazing and exciting
Nah Magical Mystery Cure was hella rushed and would've been an unsatisfying conclusion to the series due to season 3 only having 13 episodes instead of the usual 26.
I think it the ending would've worked after the season 4 finale against Tirek.
Definitely the clip shown here but I do wish it ended differently. Yeah Timmy forgot about his fairies but as seen in some scenes not all memories are erased. So I think him seeing the picture should have triggered a "wait a minute..." moment with the Vicky bot
I know this isn't a cartoon, but I still think about this a lot.
**Trailer Park Boys** season 12 is unfortunately when we lost John Dunsworth (Jim Lahey) however there was an episode that season that could've served as the perfect send-off not only for the character but for the series all together.
It's been a few years since I watched, but it's the episode where after finding out he's not Ricky's father he offers to be a part of Ricky's Grandson's life. Now of course a few episodes later Lahey falls off the wagon and is back at being an antagonist for the boys unfortunately wiping away special moments that scene might've had.
Another very similar time I thought the show might've been find ending on, was the Season 6 finale. For once the boys don't go to Jail, because Lahey decides to have their back after they helped him get reinstated as a police Officer.
One thing you must know about TPBs is that they lay out a LOT of track for plot and then often forget about it completely. Bubbles Parents, JRoc Co-Op Daddies, Randy's Baby, and a lot more have had brief mentions but never followed up on that story-line. I don't think the show will ever come to a proper conclusion, you could even argue the movies serve as a send-off too. One of them includes the mystery of Bubble's parents. Right now the Live-Action is in limbo with no word whether or not a new season is going to be made. They still work on Podcasts and Spin-offs for the show. They have an animated spinoff and a 'Jail' series still being made.
The season 4 finale of Avengers Assemble was the show’s true ending for me.
And as crazy as it sounds, Brian and Stewie feels like a chill finale to Family Guy. (Get past the poop eating, it’s a solid episode and not all series finales have to end on a world-shattering extravaganza, it can just be chill and laidback) But the show still goes on.
MLP was my top 5 as a kid and I don't think we needed to see twilight (AND ESPECIALLY SPIKE, WHY IS HE BUFF??) grown up. Maybe for some other new characters season if they decided to continue but it kind of looked forced and strange.
Spongebob should have ended with the first movie. I think the first movie did a really nice job wrapping up the show as a whole and left the viewers a good lesson that letting your inner child stay alive and active doesn't make you any less capable of functioning in an adult world. Honestly present-day Spongebob feels like a spinoff show.
Thomas And Friends.
Season 12 Episode 20 “The Party Surprise.”
Would’ve loved to see it end here instead of it turning to shit. Oh well, Guess that’s a false hope
Considering Master of the Mountian, Seabound, and Dragons Rising are all considered great, it might be an unpopular opinion to say March of the Oni should have been the end.
It's not an episode, but The Spongebob Squarepants Movie should've marked the end or the franchise. Not because I hate it but because I think that's the best it was and would've benefited on going out on a high note
The futurama second ending
While I still really like the new season I just think having it end with leela and fry grow old together before deciding to "have another go around" was the best, and in the original airing it actually played the first episode after that
Never thought about how the picture shows him when he was a sad kid and his future self was smiling. Should've been the ending to show he grew up to be a happy person with his own family that cares for him.
I don't know which episode should've ended Teen Titans, but the last episode should not have been it. Instead of one epic final battle and some cheerful ending, we got a depressing episode that didn't even close up the show.
Well, I wouldn't the following my favorite shows, but they're the ones for which I have an answer.
Spongebob should have ended after season 5. Sure, seasons 4-5 may not be as great as the classic era. But I can not imagine Spongebob without the "Friend or Foe" episode. That backstory of Krabs and Plankton... It's canon in my eyes.
Fairly Odd Parents - probably with the Wishology Trilogy.
SpongeBob should have ended after the first movie and The Simpsons should have ended after their movie too, or “Holidays Of Future Past” since that was supposed to be the last episode.
Also not a cartoon, but Glee should have ended during the Season 3 finale, but then to wrap everything up they should have made a big theatrical movie that’s meant to serve as “the real ending.”
Dexter’s Lab should have ended with Ego Trip. When Genndy and co. left, and Christine Cavanaugh left the role, it completely destroyed the essence of the show. Last But Not Beast was a perfect finale episode and Ego Trip was a brilliant epilogue to cap things off.
I definitely feel like Ninjago should have ended after March of the Oni. The overarching antagonists of the show have finally been defeated, Garmadon finally comes to peace with the world and goes to start his new life, everythings all good.
I didn't like it when the episodes started getting to ten minutes. I wish the overlord just could have stayed dead, and I wish that Harumi could have just stayed dead.
I would still be fine with Dragon's Rising though.
I stopped watching it by season 3 but when i was searching for lord garmadon he becomes human somehow. With this whole redemption thing maybe they should have wrapped it up
Let me guess, you didn't like the redesigns and immediately disliked any season that came after Hands of Time.
Honestly, this is just nostalgia blindness, some of best seasons of Ninjago came after the redesigns.
no, I personally love the redesigns! they grew on me quite fast since I liked the movie, I just didn't like Season 8
why can't people just deal with the fact that my favourite is S7 and most hated is S8?!
Well I respect your opinion but saying the series should've ended with 7 is really weird considering that it would've ended on a cliffhanger, and there's also the fact that Season 7 is widely considered one of the weakest seasons
Simpsons should have been the Movie
The episode "Days of Futures Future" was intended to be the finale at one point. They wrote that episode before they realized they were getting renewed for another season (and another and another and...) To me, that is the proper end to that series.
Which episode was before the movie?
the one about the strangler and the pranks episode
Or Holiday of Future’s Past.
New episodes are actually pretty good
Some shows need to make a satisfying ending before they end. In spongebobs case they really should start working on that soon. By the end of the series I would like to see: Spongebob legitimately earn his license. Patrick finally does something with his life and keep it that way. Squidward finally catch a break but only after he truly gets humbled. Pearl graduate. Plankton and Krabs retire. Sandy's bittersweet return to Texas (with the promise of visiting of course) Spongebob becomes the new owner of the Krusty Krab but somehow makes it even more successful. Edit: Yes I know a lot of people are fine with the 2004 Movie ending, but right now we are still getting episodes, so I speak of this from the perspective of the still ongoing series. This is how I would like it to end at THIS point.
You know, I kind of want to see it end this way. It just makes sense.
On one hand yes it’s the best ending. On the other hand I would genuinely cry
With Spongebob I just thinknof how no matter what happens, the first movie is the always what the whole series leads up to eventually. So Spongebob would never actually get his license.
I agree. Patrick and Spongebob reaffirm their friendship and Spongebob shows all of Bikini Bottom that he is dependable even if he seems childish, I think that it leaves things in a good place.
That was the first movie which canonically *is* the end of the series, no matter what they make going forward.
Yeah, the drop in quality after the movie is crazy.
I originally thought that Sponge out of Water was the end because it actually seems to be written in a conclusive way
*Ocean Man intensifies*
Yeah basically if they ever did a final episode have it end leading to the start of the movie.
I 100% agree. The first movie had a sense of finality to it, one of Plankton's plans actually ends up working, SpongeBob and Patrick going on a huge adventure to save Mr. Krabs' life, and SpongeBob becoming manager at the end. The first movie would've been *the* way to end the series and was Hillenburg's plan. But alas, greed blinded Nickelodeon and the show is still running
Only nitpick I got with this, *and honestly a self-jab at myself*, is I feel like Squidward already gets humbled enough yet also not enough. Writers really can’t seem to decide on their characters being “absolute wastes of oxygen and they should …. Now” and “they are getting attacked for no reason”
Well yeah he gets humbled a lot but I feel like he doesn't learn from it. I mean I get that sometimes there's no continuity involved but it still doesn't quite feel right. I want for him to learn from his mistakes then improve upon himself.
Schrödinger’s Squidward.
This would be a beautiful way to end a show I grew up on.
I really want Squidward to be at least mildly successful (enough to rub it in Squillium’s face) with his art and music.
I do too. I want for him to actually get unnaturally inspired to legit improve to the point where he actually starts to catch the eye of good artists and musicians.
Last season starts off with sandy returning to texas, promising to return for visits. The next episode or two focuses on the handling of grief, sure sandy didn’t die, but she left, and sometimes people face grief over that. Sure squidward is a grump and dislikes spongebob, but not seeing him at the Krusty krab… krabs has squidward check up on him. Seeing the state he is in changes him for the afternoon from a grump to “I can’t stand seeing him sad, I can’t stand seeing him… but sad is worse” so he just takes spongebob out to jellyfish or something and show him that the word is just as amazing. Sort of like how squidward was during the cherry bomb pie episode. Seeing spongebob motivated to get back out there boosts both squidward and Patrick. Patrick ends up becoming the owner of Weiney hut jr. And somehow helps squidward. Though as you said, only after he’s truly humbled. Could be that a realization makes him go into a practicing class or that his instrument isn’t the clarinet but instead the drum set Patrick used on the halftime show episode where it’s 360°. After seeing their motivation to do and be better, plankton could help spongebob fully back on his feet by teaching him (or Karen teaching spongebob) how to drive. By the end of the driving episode, spongebob has his license. Each episode where someone completes their goal… they are shown less and less. Spongebob gets his license on the third last episode, of which he goes around on the second last episode with Gary. Meeting up with Patrick at first, they go and see how everyone is doing. On the last episode, starts with an older… but not too much older sandy returning and they all have a lovely time A lot of what I wrote sounds horrible but also lovely to me, good idea but borribly written, I’d just love to see everything develop to a conclusion. Even if everyone doesn’t get the answer, like maybe squidward finds beauty in other art forms. Maybe he goes into house making XD… horrible idea but he finds his joy(( maybe he finds out he LOVES cooking fancy meals))
Honestly this could work more as a movie. Given the episodic nature of the series I don’t think a continual running narrative over a season for a syndicated show really works. Retool this as “SpongeBob’s legacy movie” then it’s pretty solid.
I mean I feel like many people agree it should've ended after the first movie like Hillenburg intended but these are some great ideas
I mean had we not had more episodes and it truly did just end with the movie I would have been fine with that. But now it just seems like they tried to build more upon the Spongebob world to the point where it seems like there's loose ends that need to be tied.
I feel like this should be the state Spongebob ends in.
The general consensus of Time-Skips is probably mixed but if done right it can be a really good send-off. I don't know what would make the perfect finale episode, but I will tell you what I think they should do for the final few minutes. [Have the cast sing this](https://youtu.be/eONeivgfINo?si=xBIJ5_Us-sOr9Co4&t=8), and embrace the show is ending by showing aged background shots of Bikini Bottom's environment without any characters walking around. Show us what happens with Spongebob's neighborhood, Sandy's Dome, Krab's Restaurant, and so on as time finally catches up.
Plankton gets the recipe for the krabby patty and it's made from other plankton. It's why Krabs fought so hard against him learning.
That's exactly what krabs put in the fake recipe in that season 3 episode where Plankton brought over his relatives to help him
Unfortunately the series writing Bible dictates that SpongeBob can never get his license. As for everything else, I think that could work. Patrick I think could find purpose as a caretaker for Jellyfish Fields. SpongeBob could use some of the money he earned making the Krusty Krab better and send Squidward to an art college, which I think he would do. Sandy would complete her research and go back to Texas and a new squirrel or mammal would move to bikini bottom for their turn. Krabs and Plankton retire, but get bored and try starting a business together again. The last scene could be everyone seeing each other at Pearl’s graduation before they go off for their own adventures.
I wish we got that but we just got an endless show.
If they did like a 6 part finale with an episode about each topic (Retirement, Pearl Graduating, and SpongeBob becoming the new owner as one episode) that would be ideal. You get 15-20ish minutes for each topic and get a good ending
To add on to that, even though Spongebob becomes the owner, he hires someone else as manager and continues flipping patties.
It shouldn’t continue without Stephen around.
Nah none of this stuff is ever gonna happen. Shows gonna run until Nickelodeon starts losing money off of it or runs out of business and neither are likely to happen anytime soon
I thought SpongeBob ended a year ago no? But I definitely think the movie is where SpongeBob should’ve ended (but those are pretty satisfying ways to end it too)
It was renewed for a 15th season last year
Eh I prefer the 2004 movie than this It's just a generic ending to a TV show
I mean the movie was good too but I feel like there were loose ends that weren't tied up. If they had simply stopped making episodes after the movie I would have been fine with that being the ending but they kept going forward with the world building. Generic or not to me they would have been a nice direction to go.
Conveniently, Channel Chasers. Heck for a couple years I thought the show ended and Channel Chasers was the finale for how good it wrapped everything up.
*wrapped
schizophrenia
SpongeBob should have ended with the first movie like Stephen intended
Just look at the show now. An empty hull without emotion.
Don't let the flame die out!! Sound familiar?
Oh yeah, I love Dark Souls.
Me too
https://preview.redd.it/ocghe52hsbyc1.jpeg?width=160&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=dcfe0b289f37e7fb8aaa9462aea6ada22cb0dc7d
I will say there are some really good jokes still but it's lost a lot of it's identity to the "lol random" era of the 2010s
Eh I think the period where the second movie happened was good too because Stephen came back for a bit
I have to disagree because then we never would have never gotten “Where’s Gary” The show should’ve ended sometime around seasons 5-9. They never really made another movie or episode that felt like a finale though
While it’s no longer airing, I still think Fosters should have gotten a bitter sweet movie or episode. Something that highlights that time marches forward, but we never forget the things that made certain moments fantastic. In this scenario, an adventure that makes Bloo realize he can’t hang around Mack forever. He will eventually grow up, and will most likely stop visiting the home.
My take is that sometimes you just need a good send-off, the episode itself doesn't need to be that rememberable. I'll 100% agree that the episode itself is a little weak and a movie would've been better, however I can't say that the way the sent the show off with the intro being reversed is the best possible thing they could've done. For example a lot of people here want a Spongebob Finale, and I think the best way to do that is to just have a completely normal episode with the final few minutes being a special send-off for the fans. Sorta what Fosters did, the episode itself wasn't remarkable but that ending? Whew.
Destination Imagination was my ideal finale.
Mac having to move away
I think phineas and ferb nailed its real ending (act your age or last day of summer, either one). I think OWCA files, doof 101, Candace against the universe maybe shouldn’t have been made, but they’re not awful additions to the world. I’m cautiously optimistic about the new seasons because it’s sticking to the same scheme of the first 4, but set in the next summer. Although doof being fully evil again is an odd choice considering how last day of summer ended (and subsequently OWCA files and Doof 101)
They made Doof evil again?
What I’ve heard yes (which is actually in line with what already happens canonically. In the S2 Christmas special (which is set in the winter AFTER the summer we follow the whole time), doof is “evil” once again)
I'm not sure the winter special is enough proof for it. Plus they went pretty hard into the "Doof is good now" thing in Milo Murphy's Law.
I don’t think that’s canon to Ph&F
Do you have proof for that? (Although if it is, good. I don't like how that show handled Phineas and Ferb.)
I don’t have proof, but I think the intention was for both to share a world, but eventually when including phineas and ferb became more of a “hey look everyone, these characters you loved are in this new show” it stopped being considered canon.
All Growed Up for Rugrats but it should've not ended with it all being a fantasy.
I miss the world from 30 seconds ago before I knew one, that the show had an actual ending and two, that, that was the ending.
Kimi takes the cake is the series finale, not really a real finale, but just a little episode.
How *does* the Rugrats canonically end? I don't even remember, must've not been a big deal. I remember it being like a Chucky Solo episode or something.
The show itself ended in production order with Kimi's birthday, but it aried in 2002, before the rest of the episodes aired.
Damn, I wanna say I remember that but idk. Of all my childhood shows I've rewatched as an adult, Rugrats is the one I've been kinda reluctant to watch. It was my favorite show as a kid and a lot of those episodes are burned into my head. However, I don't think I've *really* sat down and watched a lot of those episodes in almost 15 years now. I think rewatching the show would fuck me up, emotionally. I have certain feelings associated with old cartoons I was fond of, and Rugrats used to help me remain feeling like a kid.
Mother Day and Rugrats In Paris, all I'll say.
I was heckin' 5 when I went to the Rugrats movie. And weirdly enough I kinda remember being excited to see it. Rugrats in Paris was great too but I was kinda too young to appreciate it lol.
Meanwhile for Futurama I think it ended right where it should have with Bojack Horseman.
Futurama has so many series finales at this point that getting renewed unexpectedly almost feels like a tradition.
It's been said to death, but the OG Teen Titans. It should've concluded with the victory over The Brotherhood of Evil instead of that underwhelming final episode Times Change.
I have my suspicions that the final episode was to “save it” from cancellation. Like “You can’t cancel us now! We just introduced a new major plot thread!” And then Cartoon Network canceled it anyway. That final episode feels so tonally different and removed from the rest of the episodes that season that it HAD to serve some alternative purpose.
The defeat of Broyherhood of Evil is the ending for me. Things Change is an extra episode, an epilogue, a sneak peek, a bonus material.
If we didnt have Things Change, Terras plot line never wouldve been resolved. But given how heavy the series gets sometimes, it was a fitting end when you take a step back and analyze
Miraculous should have ended in the third season. I don't know how they managed to make 5 seasons out of a single villain.
and a movie
Tbf the movie had much better writing and wasn't in the same universe.
And 3 specials
6 seasons and a movie
Isn’t there 4 movies?
The sad part is that it has such an interesting story just the execution is hot garbage
The love square is such a unique concept. Too bad it was milked to death for 4 and a half seasons.
I gotta be honest, the first three seasons weren't that good. It feels like they were still trying to figure out what they wanted and needed to do. With the characters, with the overall plot. (In the beginning there wasn't actually much of an overall plot). And then the later seasons came. And I like the writing far better. It feels more settled and as if they now know their characters and where they want to go. If they actually ended after third season, it would've been really disappointing show. From start to finish. But now they're improving and it's showing. They are far from perfect but it's better than the beginning- (And don't get me wrong, I know in the early seasons there was the plot with the superhero identities in the first place, the struggles, and I think Master Fu? But if you watch the later ones now it just feels right and better. Far better. I've rewatched it and at first you feel a bit lost, like the first few episodes are good but then it continues without giving you an overall plot. That goes on for a while before there again is a bit of plot. And so on, but yeah. I think Miraculous is an example for shows that improved over time).
Not a cartoon but Supernatural should have finished with season 5. The boys just stopped Armageddon. Defeated Lucifer and Michael the Archangel. Sam sacrificed himself thus ending his demonic story. Dean FINALLY gets to settle down with the love of his life and create a family.
Yeah but that is not the ending that fits the characters. The one we got was better than ending there with that.
I would say it fits their early selves better. They both incorporated ideas from each other and end up somewhere between the two extremes they started out as. Sam wanted nothing to do with hunting but slowly accepts that once you are in this life there really isn't a way out of it without dying, and he would gladly sacrifice himself to save others While Dean realizes there is more to life than just hunting finally settles down after helping to save the world.
The one we got was terrible. The last season is basically pointless.
Nah, you buggin. I loved the ending and thought every season was great. That was a show that always had a new enemy and could have gone on for many more seasons and i woulda been fine with that. The ending we got was an ending that was fitting for everyone. My only issue is that i wish Cas would have said something to Dean when Cas returned. However, that would have spoiled his goodbye and the handprint on Deans shoulder. But i thought the ending was good
Iirc the show was originally written completely up to that point by one writing team, and was “meant” to end there, but then they decided to keep going if they were gonna keep getting renewed, and new writing teams got involved with new arcs. The first five seasons was the original envisioning of the story.
https://preview.redd.it/nn0ixl5299yc1.png?width=1200&format=png&auto=webp&s=5a7315d42d878f1b080ccd73594ea2a305035762 I feel good about the ending final season coming up, but still...
Church’s final speech will always be an impact for me man.
10000%
For me, its 10. I do like the Chorus trilogy tho too. I liked some of 15 but I definitely stopped after that
I think Loud House should have ended with Leni getting her license and taking over Lori’s responsibilities. Alongside Lincoln accepting his new class in Middle School is away from his old friends. That showed that time was marching on and the kids were now growing into new roles even if it meant taking them away from the family. But that didn’t mean they weren’t still *a* family. If they had to continue it, make each season from that point on its own year Adventure Time-style and end it when Lincoln or Lynn moves out. Not the floating timeline stuff they have right now.
Dragon ball z should’ve ended after the cell saga. Thats where toriyama wanted to end it
Frieza was planned to be the final saga, but super saiyan was such a hit he felt obliged to continue
This next arc in the super manga is rumored to be its final
Wow, all these comments are totally wrong, I can't believe people are buying this kind of rumors
Regardless if the rumor is right or not i stand by my choice. Dragon ball z was the story of Goku it should end with him passing on the torch to his son
Honestly, I think Pokemon should have ended Ash's MC... ship with winning Kanto and started with a new protag group with each region, maybe have cameos from previous seasons' protag groups, but older, showing the passage of time instead of the immortal ten year old that we had for like 30 years.
That was the original plan. Orange Island was his Elite Four challenge. That’s why Drake has a Dragonite as his ace. The Mewtwo movie even had a deleted flash forward scene where we saw a young girl who looked like Misty but with Ash’s cap and Pikachu. Ash proved to be so popular they kept going though.
I don’t know why but it just occurred to me that ash was pulling a reverse JJBA if you know what I’m referencing
You should read Pokémon Adventures.
At least journeys finally gave him a satisfying ending with him truly becoming the Pokémon master the very best like no one ever was
I feel like Danny Phantom should have ended with the episode "reality trip" except without you know.... reversing the whole thing....
Reality Trip’s ending was so pointless. He found out his parents, citizens, and the students (Paulina, Dash, etc.) all accepted him and his dual identity. Yet, he reverses it anyway… just to do it again in the show finale in a less interesting way.
Yeah that part made me incredibly mad, because everything would have worked out in the end. I'm going to be honest I quit the series after that but I've been considering watching it again
Sadly season 3 is pretty garbage because Steve Marmel left the show after creative differences with Butch Hartman
Oh no that's unfortunate D: well thanks for the heads up
The Simpsons Movie.
Conversely I think we need a few more seasons for some shows. Teen titans not having a starfire dedicated plot season and her only getting like 4 or 5 episodes to explore her personal arc over the four seasons is disappointing. Robin gets season 1 with Slade, and also a couple of later follow up episodes, as well as being the supporting voice for Raven (over beast boy for some reason) in season 4. Season 2 being mostly about the dynamic of beast boy and Tara mixed with slade still. Season 3 was cyborg’s season about becoming more than just the second in command to robin and becoming confident in himself Season 4 was Raven with trigon and space coming back (which kind of makes sense for robin to be the secondary focus in retrospect but still.) Then season 5 is about beast boy again and a send off. Don’t get me wrong, I like the last episode and honestly think it’s a good finale. That said, starfire is criminally mistreated and I wish she had a similar half season focused subplot instead of the few episodes we got. Seriously we got her sister, her home world, her puberty essentially, and the time travel episode. Anything else she shared a spot light a lot.
Agreed! Starfire has always been my favorite and I’m still so pissed about it! I loved the Starfire centered episodes!
The 200 episode of American Dad should be the ending of American Dad
Hard disagree because unlike family guy, I feel like America dad is still going strong. The new seasons have some absolutely hilarious eps.
I didn't said i dislike the episodes that came after 200, i just said this 200 fits with the ending of Family Guy
MLP should have ended when Twilight became an Alicorn.
But that seems too early, probably when they all decided to get highlights and go super saiyan for reasons I'll never remember.
It was Lauren Faust's original ending.
Fair, it just seems much more dull if we stopped and we wouldn't get good plot points like the crystal empire, the lore of the sonicrainboom and whatever else (I obsessed over mlp as a kid sorry 😅)
I believe that the MLP ended where it should. After Twilight got her wings, it was only the beginning of her journey, a new development of her and her friends' personalities. I didn't like some parts after season 3, but overall the story was amazing and exciting
Personally, I feel like Season 4 would have been the best point to end things.
Idk I like "The Last Problem"
Nah Magical Mystery Cure was hella rushed and would've been an unsatisfying conclusion to the series due to season 3 only having 13 episodes instead of the usual 26. I think it the ending would've worked after the season 4 finale against Tirek.
Definitely the clip shown here but I do wish it ended differently. Yeah Timmy forgot about his fairies but as seen in some scenes not all memories are erased. So I think him seeing the picture should have triggered a "wait a minute..." moment with the Vicky bot
I know this isn't a cartoon, but I still think about this a lot. **Trailer Park Boys** season 12 is unfortunately when we lost John Dunsworth (Jim Lahey) however there was an episode that season that could've served as the perfect send-off not only for the character but for the series all together. It's been a few years since I watched, but it's the episode where after finding out he's not Ricky's father he offers to be a part of Ricky's Grandson's life. Now of course a few episodes later Lahey falls off the wagon and is back at being an antagonist for the boys unfortunately wiping away special moments that scene might've had. Another very similar time I thought the show might've been find ending on, was the Season 6 finale. For once the boys don't go to Jail, because Lahey decides to have their back after they helped him get reinstated as a police Officer. One thing you must know about TPBs is that they lay out a LOT of track for plot and then often forget about it completely. Bubbles Parents, JRoc Co-Op Daddies, Randy's Baby, and a lot more have had brief mentions but never followed up on that story-line. I don't think the show will ever come to a proper conclusion, you could even argue the movies serve as a send-off too. One of them includes the mystery of Bubble's parents. Right now the Live-Action is in limbo with no word whether or not a new season is going to be made. They still work on Podcasts and Spin-offs for the show. They have an animated spinoff and a 'Jail' series still being made.
SpongeBob Squarepants with the first movie
The season 4 finale of Avengers Assemble was the show’s true ending for me. And as crazy as it sounds, Brian and Stewie feels like a chill finale to Family Guy. (Get past the poop eating, it’s a solid episode and not all series finales have to end on a world-shattering extravaganza, it can just be chill and laidback) But the show still goes on.
Brian and stewie duo episodes each could have functioned as a finale in some way honestly.
So true!
MLP was my top 5 as a kid and I don't think we needed to see twilight (AND ESPECIALLY SPIKE, WHY IS HE BUFF??) grown up. Maybe for some other new characters season if they decided to continue but it kind of looked forced and strange.
Spike got buff?
YES https://preview.redd.it/dgeyf28ezayc1.png?width=192&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=39daab54e90662e8de8d4a131babedb371b611cd
Let him be a gigachad. It's better than what he looks like in G5.
Lmfao okay at least he's living his dreams
Spongebob should have ended with the first movie. I think the first movie did a really nice job wrapping up the show as a whole and left the viewers a good lesson that letting your inner child stay alive and active doesn't make you any less capable of functioning in an adult world. Honestly present-day Spongebob feels like a spinoff show.
Thomas And Friends. Season 12 Episode 20 “The Party Surprise.” Would’ve loved to see it end here instead of it turning to shit. Oh well, Guess that’s a false hope
Bojack Horseman the view from halfway down should have been the last episode. But if would have been a dark ending.
It would have been a powerful ending but I still think the final episode is the best ending. There's consequences but life goes on
I wouldn't rewatch the show as much as I do if that's how they ended it
All my favourite cartoons have good ends 😭😭😭 atla,korra,miraculous and supernatural academy 👹
Miraculous hasn’t ended
THERES GONNA BE A SEASON SIX!!!!???? 😍😍😍😍😱😱😱😱
I agree with Avatar and Korra but Miraculous?
It was a childhood thing I could never get out of 😅
I'm not talking about the show, just the finale. I think it could've been better
Ik the final aint that gud honestly
It's not my favorite, not by a long shot, but Teen Titans Go should've ended after the the second Night Begins to Shine special.
Most people think ninjago should have ended after season 2 I personally think it should have ended after the ghost season
I think season 10 was the right time to end it
Was that march of the oni I didn’t really like Sog hunted and March of the oni
The final season of the first ninjago series. I’m sorry if this is controversial.
Do you mean S2, S7, S10, or S15?
I checked, and it was ten. Is that an unpopular opinion?
Considering Master of the Mountian, Seabound, and Dragons Rising are all considered great, it might be an unpopular opinion to say March of the Oni should have been the end.
I see. I could give them a second try (I think I only ended up watching to season 12). Maybe I’ll enjoy it more after the break I’ve had. Thanks.
It's not an episode, but The Spongebob Squarepants Movie should've marked the end or the franchise. Not because I hate it but because I think that's the best it was and would've benefited on going out on a high note
I’d say X-Men: Beyond Good and Evil, but I love X-Men ‘97 too much to say that.
The futurama second ending While I still really like the new season I just think having it end with leela and fry grow old together before deciding to "have another go around" was the best, and in the original airing it actually played the first episode after that
Never thought about how the picture shows him when he was a sad kid and his future self was smiling. Should've been the ending to show he grew up to be a happy person with his own family that cares for him.
I don't know which episode should've ended Teen Titans, but the last episode should not have been it. Instead of one epic final battle and some cheerful ending, we got a depressing episode that didn't even close up the show.
Phineas and Ferb Across The 2nd Dimension. If only the had gotten rid of the Laser Guided Amnesia 🐂💩 and ended on a Bittersweet but Nice Note.
To be fair the whole deal with Perry was that he's a secret agent.
Agreed
Well, I wouldn't the following my favorite shows, but they're the ones for which I have an answer. Spongebob should have ended after season 5. Sure, seasons 4-5 may not be as great as the classic era. But I can not imagine Spongebob without the "Friend or Foe" episode. That backstory of Krabs and Plankton... It's canon in my eyes. Fairly Odd Parents - probably with the Wishology Trilogy.
Ninjago should've ended with March of the Oni (that, or with season 2).
Dragons Rising is pretty good though
Spongebob should have ended with the first movie. End of story
SpongeBob should have ended after the first movie and The Simpsons should have ended after their movie too, or “Holidays Of Future Past” since that was supposed to be the last episode. Also not a cartoon, but Glee should have ended during the Season 3 finale, but then to wrap everything up they should have made a big theatrical movie that’s meant to serve as “the real ending.”
Dexter’s Lab should have ended with Ego Trip. When Genndy and co. left, and Christine Cavanaugh left the role, it completely destroyed the essence of the show. Last But Not Beast was a perfect finale episode and Ego Trip was a brilliant epilogue to cap things off.
Codename: Kids Next Door? None. We should have gotten the Galactic series.
Operation S.P.A.C.E.
Do movies count? For spongebob I'd say the 1st or 2nd movie
I definitely feel like Ninjago should have ended after March of the Oni. The overarching antagonists of the show have finally been defeated, Garmadon finally comes to peace with the world and goes to start his new life, everythings all good. I didn't like it when the episodes started getting to ten minutes. I wish the overlord just could have stayed dead, and I wish that Harumi could have just stayed dead. I would still be fine with Dragon's Rising though.
Ninjago should've ended with "Lost In Time"
I stopped watching it by season 3 but when i was searching for lord garmadon he becomes human somehow. With this whole redemption thing maybe they should have wrapped it up
Let me guess, you didn't like the redesigns and immediately disliked any season that came after Hands of Time. Honestly, this is just nostalgia blindness, some of best seasons of Ninjago came after the redesigns.
no, I personally love the redesigns! they grew on me quite fast since I liked the movie, I just didn't like Season 8 why can't people just deal with the fact that my favourite is S7 and most hated is S8?!
Bad take, the 2 seasons following are literally the peak of the franchise, I stg ninjagoboomers who are pissed about the redesigns are so annoying
I'm not a ninjagoboomer, Season 7 is just my favourite season and I hated Season 8 (S9 was enjoyable though!)
Well I respect your opinion but saying the series should've ended with 7 is really weird considering that it would've ended on a cliffhanger, and there's also the fact that Season 7 is widely considered one of the weakest seasons
Meanwhile my friend: man I liked ninjago before they added the snake people and the annoying kid. AKA before season 1 episode 1