Warning: This article discusses topics of violence and suicide.
TV show finales were always a big event, but for some titles, the penultimate episode was actually better.Second-to-last episodes were typically to build anticipation for the show’s ending, but many hit their peak before they reached the finale. Even some ofthe best TV shows of all timehad better penultimate episodes. However, this didn’t mean that their finales were bad; several were critically acclaimed and incredibly memorable, but their predecessor still stood as a better story.
Just because these episodes were better than the last, it didn’t mean that they were a replacement for the conclusion. However, some final episodes weren’t great, and there was a far better option to serve as its ending.CertainTV finales ensured a revival would never happen, whereas others left the door open to be revisited in the future.Regardless of whether their finale was perfect or terrible, these TV shows’ penultimate episodes were their best.
10Jane The Virgin
Season 5, Episode 18: Chapter Ninety-Eight
Jane the Virgin’s finale wrapped the show up beautifully, but “Chapter Ninety-Eight” was far more dramatic and a fitting climax. Technically, “Chapter Ninety-Eight” was the second-to-last installment because “Chapter Ninety-Nine” was a behind-the-scenes special withtheJane the Virgincastand crew reflecting on their time on the show.Many dramatic things happened during “Chapter Ninety-Eight,” and it encapsulated the overall telenovela premise ofJane the Virginwell.For example, Sin Rostro finally got her comeuppance.
Jane the Virgin
Cast
Loosely based on a Venezuelan telenovela, Jane the Virgin follows a young Latina woman, Jane, who despite being a virgin, falls pregnant after being artificially inseminated by mistake. The comedy-drama chronicles her relationships, pregnancy, and motherhood.
The scene in which Luisa pushed Rose off the roof and into the Solano’s hotel was nothing short of heart-stopping,and her shocking death made a lot of sense for the end of the show. Jane’s book was finally finished after seasons of writing and attempting to sell it, and her future looked bright. Michael also returned to get closure with Jane, and audiences learned that he got his own happily ever after. While “Chapter One Hundred” was a delightful finale and saw Jane and Rafael get married, it was anticlimactic compared to the rest of the action-packed show.
9Supernatural
Season 15, Episode 19: Despair
Supernaturalwas an astonishingly lengthy show, so the final episode was highly anticipated for a very long time.Throughoutevery season ofSupernatural, viewers held their breaths in anticipation, wondering if the Winchester brothers’ next death would be their last and if they wouldn’t amazingly survive for what felt like the millionth time. WhileSupernaturalseason 15’s finale, “Inherit the Earth,”was a stellar episode, there was an argument that “Despair” was even better.
Supernatural
Supernatural is a television series that follows brothers Sam and Dean Winchester, who were raised by their father to hunt and combat supernatural entities after losing their mother to a demonic force. Traversing the American landscape in their ‘67 Chevy Impala, they face numerous paranormal threats.
The abrupt ending to “Despair” was shocking, but it logistically offered a more fitting end to the Winchesters. Sam and Dean deserved a happy ending, granted, butSupernaturaltaught audiences that the two brothers’ fates always led to heartbreak. Castiel sacrificed himself for Dean and confessed his love, and the world was empty except for Sam and Dean. It made sense that after all the pain, the only remaining life were the Winchesters.Although “Inherit the Earth” offered the iconic moment in which Sam punched Chuck, “Despair” was a great alternative climaxand a narrative that summed upSupernaturalentirely.
8Star Trek: Enterprise
Season 4, Episode 21: Terra Prime
TheStar Trek: Enterprisefinale “These Are the Voyages…” was hatedupon its release, and it was an episode that continued to disappoint viewers, old and new, for years after.This was mainly because it felt more like an episode ofStar Trek: The Next Generation, with a focus on Riker’s visit to the NX-01 Enterprise.Audiences found this incredibly disrespectful, and it was undoubtedly a bizarre way of wrapping up the show. However, the penultimate episode, “Terra Prime,” served as an ideal replacement forEnterprise’s real finale.
Star Trek: Enterprise
Star Trek: Enterprise acts as a prequel to Star Trek: The Original Series, detailing the voyages of the original crew of the Starship Enterprise in the 22nd century, a hundred years before Captain Kirk commanded the ship. Enterprise was the sixth series in the Star Trek franchise overall, and the final series before a twelve-year hiatus until the premiere of Star Trek: Discovery in 2017. The series stars Scott Bakula as Captain Jonathan Archer, with an ensemble cast that includes John Billingsley, Jolene Blalock, Dominic Keating, Anthony Montgomery, Linda Park, and Connor Trinneer.
In fact,many often thought that “Terra Prime” was the finale because of the overall tone and story of the episode.Several elements of the episode screamed finale: Paxton’s brilliant and villainy was spookily realistic and quite unsettling, the threat against Starfleet Command was bigger than ever, and Archer’s final and passionate speech was one of his best. “Terra Prime” was the second half of a two-parter as well, yet it worked by itself, too. “Terra Prime” was hands down one ofthe best episodes ofStar Trek: Enterprise, and it thankfully wasn’t overshadowed by the show’s epilogue.
7This Is Us
Season 6, Episode 17: The Train
This is Us’ beautiful endingwas a little lackluster in comparison to “The Train,” which was much better.The finale was great, but “The Train” wrapped up multiple ongoing storylines inThis is Us, and the events in the episode felt like a natural stopping point for the show.All 6 seasons ofThis is Usused a non-linear narrative through the power of flashbacks, which made the Pearson siblings gathering at their mother’s deathbed even more impactful. However, their personal lives made things even more interesting.
This Is Us
This Is Us chronicles the Pearson family across the decades: from Jack (Milo Ventimiglia) and Rebecca (Mandy Moore) as young parents in the 1980s to their 37-year-old kids, Kevin (Justin Hartley), Kate (Chrissy Metz) and Randall (Sterling K. Brown) searching for love and fulfillment in the present day. This grounded, life-affirming dramedy reveals how the tiniest events in our lives impact who people become and how the connections people share with each other can transcend time, distance, and even death.
The reflection of their childhoods and futures, which included new additions to the family, was even more profound as they said goodbye to Rebecca. But the very last moments leading up to Rebecca’s demise were the most emotional. Kate’s eventual arrival was amazingly deep, andit was both heartwarming and breaking when Rebecca reunited with William in her mind.This was followed by her stepping into the caboose of her imaginary train, which was a perfect metaphor for her final breaths and the show’s ending.
6BoJack Horseman
Season 6, Episode 15: The View From Halfway Down
BoJack Horseman’s “The View from Halfway Down” was an astounding episode, and not just because of the titular poem.BoJack was aTV character who accurately portrayed mental illness, and “The View from Halfway Down” exemplified that better than any other episode in the show. The events of the episode were all from a recurring dream inside BoJack’s head, which only occurred when he was close to death. It was always heavily implied that BoJack attempted suicide multiple times, but “The View from Halfway Down” confirmed that his near-death experiences were more frequent than anyone realized.
BoJack Horseman
Once the famous star of a hit sitcom, BoJack Horseman has fallen on tough times. Stuck in a major career slump and longing to relive his glory days, BoJack attempts to once more become relevant in an industry that has long since turned its back on him. With a few dysfunctional friends at his side, BoJack begins his long-overdue career comeback.
BoJack crossed paths with significant figures from his life, including his mother, Herb, and Sarah Lynn.The eerie dinner party setting forced BoJack to reflect on his life even more than before,which was an impressive feat. Thehard-hitting moments inBoJack Horseman’s “The View from Halfway Down”were some of the most profound scenes of the show, and it was an episode that best defined it all together. BoJack’s last scene with Diane in “Nice While It Lasted” was an amazing ending, but the image of him flatlining in “The View from Halfway Down” was even more fantastic.
5How I Met Your Mother
Season 9, Episode 22: The End Of The Aisle
How I Met Your Mother’s controversial endingcreated a massive discussion in audiences after it was broadcast.Although the two-parter “Last Forever” jumped into the future and revealed the fates of the characters, “The End of the Aisle” was a far better way to bring Ted’s quest for the One to an end. This was primarily because of the character development that was demonstrated. Ted was brave enough to reject Robin’s last-minute panic, Marshall and Lily looked at how they’d changed since the pilot and renewed their vows, and Barney grew up and got over his commitment issues.
How I Met Your Mother
How I Met Your Mother is a television series that follows a father telling his children about his past. Released in 2005, it explores his experiences and adventures with four close friends, leading up to meeting their mother, as depicted through a series of flashbacks.
Although Ted didn’t actually speak to Tracy in “The End of the Aisle,” it wasn’t needed. If the show wrapped up without the pair interacting, it would’ve been unusual, granted, but the vagueness was actually a benefit. Tracy met all the gang throughout season 9, and audiences knew that she’d meet Ted anyway.“The End of the Aisle” was full of love and saw everyone at their happiest,and the final shots of Ted blissfully watchingBarney and Robin’s relationshipflourish as they wed and left the church were excellent.
4Schitt’s Creek
Season 6, Episode 13: Start Spreading The News
Schitt’s Creek’s finalewas purposely less dramatic and a softer, more subtle ending to the show. However, “Start Spreading the News” resolved any conflict that was needed so that the characters could move on.With the Rosebud Motel being franchised, theSchitt’s Creekcharacters made plans for the next stage of their lives,with Patrick wanting to move to New York and Stevie deciding to stay. David’s admission to Patrick about why he wanted to return to New York, despite the bad memories, was a beautiful moment for them both and highlighted David’s development since the pilot.
Schitt’s Creek
Schitt’s Creek is a sitcom series created by and starring Dan and Eugene Levy. When the Rose family’s business manager embezzles funds from their fortune, they discover that all of their money is gone except for one last piece of property - a small town called Schitt’s Creek that they purchased for fun years ago. Now forced to acclimate to an average, borderline impoverished life, the Rose family will attempt to make due with what they have while trying to revitalize the town.
Schitt’s Creekabandoned its original premise, but it paid off. The Rose family always wanted to leave the town of Schitt’s Creek, so when the opportunity was finally presented to them, it was rather bittersweet. Despite this, it allowed them to realize just how different they had become since season 1.Even Alexis had grown up massively by offering Twyla pieces from her wardrobe, and she even turned down a huge check for the café. “Happy Ending” was an incredible finale, but as episodes ofSchitt’s Creekgo, it was absolutely better.
3The Good Place
Season 4, Episode 12: Patty
The Good Place’s penultimate episode, “Patty,” was the true emotional climax of the entire season.The character’s eventual arrival inthe real Good Placewas a hugely anticipated moment,and their discovery that it wasn’t as idyllic as they were told was a brilliant twist.The Good Placewas always quite philosophical, as that was the main concept of the show, but “Patty” demonstrated this better than any other episode. Michael became officially in charge of the Good Place, which was a significant moment for him after he spent several seasons pretending to be the architect of it.
The Good Place
Eleanor Shellstrop finds in The Good Place, both the name of the fantasy comedy series from creator Michael Schur and a fictionalized heaven where those who have done good in life will end up. However, Eleanor discovers that the life she was believed to have led was a lie, as it seems The Good Place got the wrong “Eleanor Shellstrop.” When it’s revealed that three others are there under the same false pretenses, they concoct a plan to truly become “Good” to earn their place there - while hiding the truth.
There were also some rather sweet and wholesome events that the characters deserved to get.For example, Jason achieved a lifelong dream of racing go-karts with monkeys and got to live in a recreation of his favorite restaurant, Eleanor helped find a way to let the residents of the Good Place leave if they wished, and she and Chidi got their happy ending. “When You’re Ready” was undoubtedly an overly emotionalending ofThe Good Placein season 4, but “Patty” was a delightful resolution, too.
2Succession
Season 4, Episode 9: Church And State
Succession’s last episode was critically acclaimed and considered one ofthe best TV finales of all time, but this didn’t mean that “Church and State” wasn’t a better installment.“Church and State” focused on the events of Logan Roy’s funeral on the day after the presidential election, which resulted in protests breaking out throughout the streets.The episode was both action-packed and emotional, and every character’s response to the surrounding dramatics differed. The battle for control of Waystar was still prominent, and considering that this was the entire premise of the show, it felt appropriate.
Succession
Succession is a Black Comedy and Satire television show created by Jesse Armstrong. It stars Hiam Abbass, Nicholas Braun, Brian Cox, and Kieran Culkin and follows the story of an aging conglomerate owner as he deals with his declining health and the sudden realization that one of his children will soon inherit his position and run his company.
However,Roman’s grief for his father, especially during his eulogy, was the driving force of the episode.The climax involved Roman’s feelings getting the better of him, and after videos were released of his breakdown at the funeral, he provoked protesters into attacking him. This moment was massively shocking, but it also reflected the toxic nature ofSuccessionin general and demonstrated how the events of the show impacted its characters.“With Open Eyes” was a perfect end toSuccession, but it wasn’t necessarily better than the penultimate episode, which was also critically acclaimed, too.
1The Sopranos
Season 9, Episode 22: The Blue Comet
“Made in America” was another critically acclaimed TV episode, andThe Sopranos’finale sequence that heavily implied Tony diedwas a memorable moment in broadcast media.While “Made in America” was an amazing piece of TV, “The Blue Comet” was even more powerful. “The Blue Comet” wouldn’t have worked as a finale, undoubtedly, but it was a better episode. It was unnerving from start to finish, and the disturbing deaths that happened were very memorable. For example, Burt’s murder was ridiculously graphic, but it was also a moment that was a perfect definition ofThe Sopranos.
The rivalry between the Lupertazzi and the Soprano families finally reached its climax, andTony’s therapy sessions came to an end, which was an interesting parallel to the pilot.The second-to-last episode also offered an abrupt and sudden ending, and the last few moments of its run saw Tony clutching onto the rifle that Bobby gifted him on his birthday. Penultimate episodes were generally overshadowed by finales, especially for one of the most influential shows ever. However,“The Blue Comet” was a perfect episode ofThe Sopranosand remained one of the most memorable ones for years.
