S06.E11: The Finale

[possibilities]

On FX, they aired the episode 3 times in succession each with a different hypnosis interlude. If I had not known from reading this forum ahead of time, I would not have watched more than one. SO I am very grateful for the warning!

The order they aired was: Colin Robinson (I knew it was a movie homage but I didn't know which one; based on forum comments, it's "Usual Suspects"), Rosemary's Baby, and then Newhart (G + N in bed).

[edhopper]

Saw the other two hypno endings. Funny,but still think Usual Suspects was the best.

 

Who else needs to see a Phantom Menace and the Cowboy Kid comic book.

[Galileo908]

On 12/16/2024 at 11:09 PM, possibilities said:

They all started as humans, right? I think it's funny that none of them seem to remember at all what "human psychology" is like. 

In fairness, they became vampires several hundred years before the advent of modern human psychology.

Edited December 19 by Galileo908

[Starchild]

12 hours ago, edhopper said:

Saw the other two hypno endings. Funny,but still think Usual Suspects was the best.

Finally saw the other two as well.

Liked the Newhart one the best. The original will always hold a special place in my heart. Saw it first run and I'm pretty sure it was the first TV meta moment I remember seeing.

[libgirl2]

14 hours ago, tljgator said:

I watched the single episode that's in OnDemand on cable and it had all three hypnosis scenarios in it (it shows as about 45 minutes instead of 30 in length)...then I went to Hulu to confirm I saw everything, lol. I was worried because people keep saying "different endings," but the changing scenarios aren't at "the end" of the episode.

[Also glad that I previously read here that there were 3 scenarios because when they all play out back-to-back, it's kinda confusing & weird.]

I watched it on demand (sling) and only the one was shone. I'll have to check again. 

[iMonrey]

21 hours ago, tennisgurl said:

but, as a wise man once said, don't cry because it ended, smile because it happened. 

It's not the number of breaths you take, it's the number of moments that take your breath away.

[peeayebee]

*Knock* *Knock* *Knock knock knock*

[MisterGlass]

I get the vibe of the finale, but I didn't love it. 

Nadja's dig about ending the documentary after Guillermo didn't stay a vampire was a little too true.  And then in this episode they emphasized that the vampires are fundamentally similar to who they were decades ago, while Guillermo's life is fleeting.  I was all set to accept and be okay with the bittersweet ending of Guillermo saying goodbye to Nandor and walking out to live the life that has been on hold for years.  And then it was another fake out.

There is a logic in not having a conclusion for the vampires because they don't conclude.  But for me this season muddled Guillermo's story, and if it said anything, it was better the monsters you know.

It's a comedy, and often absurdist, but I was hoping for something a little more.

 

[Scout Finch]

On 12/17/2024 at 8:49 AM, Orbert said:

I too watched The Finale on Hulu, so I got the Newhart twist.  It was probably a good decision to make that one the "default" since it had the greatest chance of having been seen by most people.  I didn't watch Newhart regularly, but was a big fan of The Bob Newhart Show back in the 70's, and I've seen the Newhart clip a few times online.  It was pretty much impossible to miss the hubbub surrounding it when it happened, and even though I didn't see it play out in real time, I can appreciate how mind-blowing and hilarious it must have been for fans of both shows.

Even Breaking Bad had an alternate ending in the extras where Bryan Cranston wakes up with his wife in his previous show, Malcolm in the Middle.

[possibilities]

I thought it was more than a comment on the unceasing nature of vampires. I took it as a commentary on the fact that all things end. We mortals have to live with that, and will experience it over and over again in our lifetimes, as things develop and then fall away. On a less cosmic level, Guillermo's sadness was a comment on the sadness viewers feel when a beloved show ends. But then, he goes off on a new adventure. So, we will, too. 

The episode allowed us to imagine new frontiers-- Guillermo and Nandor are doing something together that required Nandor to really commit and do a lot of work on his own, not making Guillermo his servant to do the hard work for him. He allowed Guieermo to leave and be free, but also invited him to join. I thought it was actually really growth for Nandor, and rather touching.

The three hypnoses also worked for me because, again, we can choose our own adventure. 

And it was funny! Just like every other episode of the show was funny.

However, I am genuinely very interested to know what other endings folks would have preferred. I think the way they did this actually invites us to think of what we really would have liked to see. It's a fun and creative exercise to be invited to engage in, while they still gave us a few options to get the mind activated to start off imagining.

[peeayebee]

6 hours ago, Scout Finch said:

Even Breaking Bad had an alternate ending in the extras where Bryan Cranston wakes up with his wife in his previous show, Malcolm in the Middle.

What?! I didn't know that. I even bought the DVDs. I guess I haven't watched them.

[meep.meep]

I loved the finale and will miss the show.

All today, as I went through endless planning meetings for a potential government shutdown, I stayed happy by muttering under my breath:  "Fucking Guy ye" in my best Nandor the Relentless accent.  Really helps!

[Scout Finch]

46 minutes ago, peeayebee said:

What?! I didn't know that. I even bought the DVDs. I guess I haven't watched them.

Just search 'Breaking Bad alternate ending' and it pulls up a bunch of video sources.

Guillermo asking if the coffin was actually going to work and Nandor replying, "There's only one way to find out" reminded me of the same exchange about the launch of the glass elevator in Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory. The latter certainly had its share of dark, sinister elements and eclectic, eccentric characters.

 

[Linderhill]

1 hour ago, meep.meep said:

I loved the finale and will miss the show.

All today, as I went through endless planning meetings for a potential government shutdown, I stayed happy by muttering under my breath:  "Fucking Guy ye" in my best Nandor the Relentless accent.  Really helps!

the same for me!

[Gobi]

Wrong forum.

Edited December 21 by Gobi

[Scout Finch]

One time, right after we discovered Colin would deliberately troll just to start fights on the Internet with things like disparaging generalizations about women, I once replied to a misogynistic comment on, I think, YT with "Is that you, Colin Robinson?" It was probably still too obscure a joke even though the episode had aired that week or that anyone even watched to series to begin with. However, it's hard for me to resist trying to make people laugh! I still mutter that out loud sometimes when reading some particularly egregious comment that seems designed to just stir things up.

[iMonrey]

On 12/20/2024 at 11:38 AM, possibilities said:

I thought it was more than a comment on the unceasing nature of vampires. I took it as a commentary on the fact that all things end. We mortals have to live with that, and will experience it over and over again in our lifetimes, as things develop and then fall away. On a less cosmic level, Guillermo's sadness was a comment on the sadness viewers feel when a beloved show ends. But then, he goes off on a new adventure. So, we will, too. 

I also think the episode spoke to the fact that if a show stays on the air too long it starts to repeat itself. Finding out there was another documentary made about them 50 years ago where they did all the exact same things was meta in that way. Very few shows make it past five or six seasons without starting to feel stale and repetitive. WWDITS definitely went out on a high note.

[libgirl2]

On 12/20/2024 at 6:20 PM, Scout Finch said:

Guillermo asking if the coffin was actually going to work and Nandor replying, "There's only one way to find out" reminded me of the same exchange about the launch of the glass elevator in Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory. The latter certainly had its share of dark, sinister elements and eclectic, eccentric characters.

 

That right there! I thought it was familiar. 

[Ilovepie]

I didn't think this episode was very funny, but it did have many moments that worked for the finale. I am a Hulu watcher - I didn't even know there were alternate endings, so thanks everyone for telling me how to watch!

Guillermo climbing in the coffin and descending into the shaft with Nandor was perfect. I would love some specials that revisit the group - I would love to see how "Batman" and "Kid Cowboy" are faring.....

I am going to miss Lazlo the most. So happy to see Jackie Daytona one more time and his ridiculous toothpick. I'm going to miss Matt Berry's accent here - Arizonia ha!