It's gonna have an easterly view.

[rogueslayer452]

Taken from author_by_night's list of writing prompts:

What is a series finale many fans disliked, but that you liked - or the other way around?

When it comes to a series finale that I actually really liked or felt satisfied with but others didn't, my answer has always remained the same for the last several years now. And that is the series finale for Battlestar Galactica. In fact, my opinion hasn't really changed all that much and the more I've rewatched it, it's actually strengthened my love for the finale. It wasn't the most perfect ending, and I'll admit there were things I wished had been handled a bit differently, but it was one that felt the most narratively satisfying, at least to me.

Without giving any spoilers away for anyone who hasn't watched the show yet, I will say that overtime I've come to understand the reasons why some didn't like it. I think the latter half of the last season was overall quite divisive for many fans, mostly due to us waiting an entire year for that second half to come back thanks to the delay from the writer's strike at the time, and within that time RDM ended up readjusting the way he wanted things done for the grand finale of the show. I think this really did divide fans and the series finale didn't help matters. I knew that it wasn't going to please everyone, no finale is going to do that, but I'll admit I was surprised by how so many fans outright hated it. And while I don't know if it was a direct result of that, but the fandom started to quickly disappear after the series was over, to the point where you barely see anyone among the current fandom circles talk about BSG, which honestly breaks my heart.

This was sort of a long-winded answer, but it's something that I think about constantly.

As for series finales that I hated that many others loved, I can't really think of anything at the moment. Mostly because the majority of my shows end up getting cancelled before they get a chance to have a proper finale, or if I ended up disliking a finale usually many others did too (ex: the HIMYM series finale, the entire last season six episodes including the finale of WH13). So it's really hard to think of one that fits that criteria in that sense.

Comments

[malicat.livejournal.com]

I agree with you on this one. It's been a long time that I watched but I think I was completely satisfied with the emotional pay-off and it didn't bother me too much that not everything was answered?

[rogueslayer452.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I think that's what confused me initially when people started hating on the finale, that they had certain expectations of things to be explained. I can understand why people felt that the ending was a bit deus ex machina (even though the show was always driven by something to help guide the characters along their journey, like prophecies, visions, sacred texts, etc), but I was never expecting everything to be answered and I prefer it that way. Like I said, the series finale, and even the final season for that matter, wasn't perfect and I do wish that things could have been handled better or done differently, but I still loved it and don't think it was bad, or even that controversial as some seem to think it is.

[malicat.livejournal.com]

I mean,maybe it was different for me because I only watched it when the show was already over. Like,take LOST for example. I followed that one from the beginning. I read all the theories,I read all the interviews and knew what the showrunners/writers had promised and therefore I had expectations for the final season/finale,hence my disappointment. it wasn't an emotionally satisfying end either. so i can imagine that a lot of people did have expecations for BSG as well based on theories and interviews and stuff like that...

[rogueslayer452.livejournal.com]

Probably. While I didn't read interviews or anything like that, I was quite involved with the BSG fandom back then and I read so many theories and speculations others had about things, even had some of my own. But even with that it didn't lessen my enjoyment of what the series finale was. So I guess it's different with everyone, since my theorizing was merely for fun and I wasn't expecting anything. I was just along for the ride, and I was satisfied enough with what I was given.

[sixphanel.livejournal.com]

It's been a long time since I've watched the BSG finale, but I was super happy with it, to be honest. I felt like it was a proper goodbye to the characters and, I don't know, I just enjoyed it.

I was surprised when I noticed how many people disliked it... but I guess it's hard to please everybody.

What a good show it was. What a journey <3

[rogueslayer452.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I was incredibly happy with it overall and it felt like proper closure to the story, the characters and their journey, and it was a nice bookend that came full circle. The ending was very optimistic and it made me feel emotionally satisfied with how everything worked out.

BSG seriously needs a resurgence. I'm surprised that it hasn't happened, considering how relevant it still is, especially in our political climate. It's such a good show that more people need to get into if they haven't already.

[noybusiness.livejournal.com]

Ditto.

[rogueslayer452.livejournal.com]

I love the show, loved the finale, and I really do wish that there would be a resurgence of the BSG fandom again. I keep saying this, but I really want this to happen.

[wheatear.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I had mixed feelings on the finale. The mystical stuff was always the thing I liked least about BSG and the last season leaned on it so heavily.

[rogueslayer452.livejournal.com]

Which is understandable, I get that it probably wasn't what some were looking for with the show. But I somehow didn't mind it? Perhaps certain aspects could've been done a little bit better towards the end, but overall it worked for me.

[wheatear.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I think it really does depend on how you feel about the mystical elements. If they worked for you, I can see how the finale would have worked better too.

[elizalavelle.livejournal.com]

The delay between season 4 and 4.0 was probably a huge reason why people felt less connected to the finale. I had just discovered the series and binged it all before season 4.5 and I enjoyed the finale and didn't get the hate for it.

Agreed on HIMYM and WH13 finales!

[rogueslayer452.livejournal.com]

Yeah, the BSG fandom was huge on speculating and when there is a year long delay in the middle of the last season people will be hyping themselves up with theories and expectations, and once the show came back and it didn't meet those expectations they just ended up being disappointed. Which I understand, but I was among the fans that waited that long and I wasn't disappointed at all. I guess it depends on how high you set your expectations. Me? I didn't have any, despite having my own theories for fun I was just there along for the ride.

Like, I wasn't even an avid watcher of HIMYM but that finale really pissed me off. And I'm actually thankful that I didn't even bother watching those last six episodes of WH13, and I'm glad that the majority of the fandom has universally agreed to ignore it and pretend it never happened.