THE NON-ENDING

TPTB once remarked they liked the ending of The Sopranos. Most Sopranos fans were literally left in the dark as the show abruptly ended. Critics now view this as a non-ending to an otherwise great series. A non-ending does not resolve the series or character development. It leaves the viewer in state of confusion, introspection, and disbelief.

The non-ending is not to be confused with the bad ending. One of the most popular series in TV history, M*A*S*H, ended on a dour and sour conclusion when the main character, Hawkeye, is revealed to have been institutionalized for mental breakdown. He returns to say goodbyes as his hospital unit is dismantled forever. It was a total reversal in the series focal character that it left many people wondering what that was all about. Was it a sledgehammer that war can ruin even the strongest of minds? It was unrealistic and not very rewarding end to a landmark show.

But then again it is difficult to achieve "perfection" in the ending of a television show. Bob Newhart's second comedy series, Bob, ended in such a unique way that it still talked about in television circles today. In Bob, Newhart played an owner-operator of a small New England resort inn. There were many odd characters and quirky situations. This show ended with Newhart waking up in bed, not with his current TV wife, but with Suzanne Pleschette, his original sit-com wife from The Bob Newhart Show.  It was so unexpected it was a stunner to the audience who knew of the old series through current syndication.

Then there are endings that are just sad endings. In Cheers, the characters that made us laugh in the quaint Boston saloon left for the last time, we were left with owner Sam Malone alone behind the bar. In all the years that Malone and his buddies entertained us, and for all the women that Malone had relationships with, in the end he was left alone in his own thoughts. It made one pause to think that throughout the series, the main character was always alone but he was just surrounded by boisterous people.

The LOST finale fits into the sad ending, the bad ending and the non-ending categories depending on one's point of view. Even for those to accept the sideways world conclusion as a "happy" ending for their beloved characters, the situation was clear that all those beloved characters were dead. Dying is sad at any level. For those who did not like the sideways church conclusion, the ending was bad. It did not resolve any of the issues presented in the six seasons leading up to the last episode. Then there are those who do not know what to believe. The ending was a non-event to them. It was a reunion, but with people who should not be together. Was this ending a literary double cross or was this vision of the ending from the very beginning? If so, why were the brilliant illusions to science, literature and dramatic themes that enveloped the series mysteries set aside for the reunion? The ending resolved none of the major questions. It left viewers to their own thoughts and opinions which split the fan base even more.