That’s A Wrap! TV Shows That Ended In 2013

Some great TV shows came to an end in 2013, but how did they stack up? Here’s some of Literally, Darling‘s favorite shows and finales from the year.

Includes spoilers.

30 Rock:

Tina Fey’s Liz Lemon took her last bow on “The Girlie Show with Tracey Jordan” in January after 7 seasons of making us laugh, cry and sometimes question what we’re doing with our own lives. The final two episodes were broadcast as a one-hour finale and received much critical acclaim. It was as much a wrap-up of the character’s stories as it was a goodbye—for them and to us as well.

Breaking Bad:

After five seasons, AMC’s wildly successful show detailing the exploits of chemistry teacher-turned meth kingpin Walter White, finally came to an end. First of all, despite the popularity, kudos on ending it before it started to drag out, unlike some shows out there. Secondly, this is one of the few series finales that I have not heard a single complaint against. Ever. And thirdly, that’s about as much as I can say without spoiling any plot points, but have no fear—the Breaking Bad spin-off “Just Call Saul” is already in the works for AMC.

Dexter:

Ahh, Dexter. For a crazed serial killer, you wouldn’t think that there was THAT far to fall after a wildly successful first season and a whole series of books to draw material from. You would think. The ratings and critical responses both fell lower and lower during this show’s run, until fans were practically begging for it to be axed and put out of its misery, much like one of Dexter’s victims on the show. Still, despite this, it was Showtime’s largest ever audience, watched by 2.8 million viewers, most of whom were disappointed and took to the internet to express their frustration. Without giving too much away, yes, Dexter does stop killing, but unfortunately, in a somewhat ridiculous way.

The Office:

The American-ized version of England’s 1 season satire show finally came to an end after nine seasons and 201 episodes. Twice as long as a usual episode, the finale is an hour-long retrospective on the series, viewing it through the eyes of the cast as if it were a real documentary that they watched, not just a documentary-style TV show. First, I have to say, well done for that concept, it’s something different and fresh. Critics called it a satisfying conclusion to the series, and a special surprise visit from some old cast members, surprised and disappointed no one in the same shot.

Fringe:

JJ Abrams’ sci-fi drama ended with its fifth season, once it hit that magical number of episodes for syndication: 100. Though the show wasn’t vastly popular, it achieved a cult-following for its unusual storylines and solid writing. Afterall, a show where the characters actually meet and interact with alternate universe versions of themselves can’t be all bad, right? The finale finally came down to the question of “Fringe” team vs. the Observers and for most, it did not disappoint. While it wasn’t lauded as a truly spectacular ending or “one of the best finales ever!,” it received solid critical acclaim and was a fitting way to end the series, not disappointing fans.

Futurama:

Sadly, this is the second time that Matt Groening’s beloved space-satire has been ended—the first time was in 2003 on Fox. But as much as we all love Comedy Central for giving the show a second shot, all good things must come to an end (again). After a strong showing on Comedy Central, Futurama bowed out in the classically romantic way—with Fry and Leela’s wedding, more than 10 years in the making. While the episode wasn’t revolutionary or groundbreaking, it earned an A from most critics for being a sweet and nice tie-up ending to the show. Newsflash to no one, Matt Groening is trying to get it picked up again. Maybe he’ll try TBS this time?

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