Television shows come and go all the time, but some of them have good runs right up to their own show’s finale. For some show’s fans, that final episode can tie up some loose ends. What makes some of them memorable? It can be a mixture of characters, writing, and storyline. Let’s take a look at three perfect classic TV finales.

The Mary Tyler Moore Show

It’s been learned that WJM-TV is about to go through some TV changes. It means that the newsroom faces we’ve all come to know and love will be leaving, too. Through this TV shakeup, the only one who’s going to be keeping his job is Ted Baxter. Therefore, Mary, Lou, Murray, and Sue Ann all are on their way out. In the episode, we see everyone become that much closer together. Fans see this happening and are drawn into the perfect goodbye. As this classic TV finale closes, we see the gang get together for a group hug. When they leave the newsroom for the last time, Mary is the last one out and turns off the lights.

M*A*S*H

For a show that provided a lot of funny and tearful moments, M*A*S*H made sure to deliver on both counts in its two-hour finale. The Korean War is coming to an end and it’s time for everyone to head back home. At different times, we see Hawkeye, B.J., Charles, Colonel Potter, Margaret, and others have their moment in the sun. All of us are treated to an amazing final TV scene between Hawkeye and B.J. It’s fitting that the last scene closes with the word “Goodbye” spelled out with big rocks. and it’s perfect.

Newhart, a Surprising Classic TV Finale

There are surprise endings…and then there are “surprise” TV endings. Bob Newhart played Dick to great fanfare on Newhart. It allowed him to still provide his own style of subtle humor in the finale. As the last few minutes begin, we see Bob get into bed and then turn the lights off. When he turns out the light, he starts talking. This leads to someone on Bob’s right to lean over and turn the light on. As it turns out, it’s Emily Hartley, or Susanne Pleshette, from Newhart’s old sitcom. Apparently, Dick’s life was all but a dream. This perfect TV finale tied things together for young and old Newhart fans.

Making sure that you have a finale that stands out does take a lot of work. One thing that most shows hope to do with their finales is to offer some type of closure. In our three examples, the writers and producers understood their goals and made the finales worth watching. These three shows also made room for the characters to have a moment in the sun, if you will.