The Shield Finale

The end is near! I've got about seven hours to kill before paying witness to the close of one of the greatest television series of all-time. And if the last three episodes are any indication, this could go down as one of the most satisfying endings EVER. A couple seasons back, I almost wrote off the show when they killed off Lem. To me, he was the only sympathetic character and after he died, there was nobody else to care about.

Well, I was wrong. I care about where they all wind up. Will Mackey's deal fall through? Will Ronnie exact revenge before being cuffed? Will Shane end his family's misery by his own hand? Will Claudette completely snap? Will Dutch get taken down by a budding serial killer? Will Julien remember that he's gay?

The greatness of this show is that I really don't know how it's all going to shake out, but whatever the outcome, it will make perfect sense. There will be no last-second reversals, no out-of-character moments. Their arcs are galvanized; their actions will follow suit.

The build-up to tonight's show got me thinking of the finales of some of my other favorite series. Most of them ranged from disappointing (Seinfeld, The Sopranoes, Twin Peaks, St. Elsewhere) to somewhat satisfying (Arrested Development, The Wire, Oz). I can't recall one that was great.

I guess the perfect finale is impossible, especially when you are so invested in the show and its characters. First, you don't want it to end. Second, endings are hard to nail. Third, everyone has their own vision of how they think it should play out.

Tonight, I plan to pour myself a healthy glass of wine, kick back, and let the tension of the last seven seasons finally unravel.

It better not suck.