Today, it is our first annual Pop Culture References Tournament! This year, the tournament is “Best Series Finale!” We continue Round 1!
I’ve been doing these on Comics Should Be Good for over a decade (skipped it in 2020 since there was no March Madness that year), but now it’s Pop Culture References’ turn (although my recast tournament last year is really sort of an unofficial Pop Culture References event, honestly).
Okay, this time, you’re choosing what you think was the best series finale of all-time of a series that had at least three initial seasons (so no Twin Peaks, for instance). I poured over various lists of best finales and also factored the IMDB rating in a lot, but I also made various adjustments when I felt it prudent (M*A*S*H, for instance, was ranked waaaaaaaaay too low). If you have a problem with a finale’s seed, well, just vote for that show and if it is is seeded too low it should still do well, ya know? If a #12 seed makes it to the Final Four, then so be it! Note that show’s didn’t really even START doing series finales on a regular basis until the 1980s.
We’ll continue with the other two regions today. Here is the first two regions (you can still vote on them until tomorrow).
LOS ANGELES REGION
1. Six Feet Under vs. 16. Sons of Anarchy
— Pop Culture References (@poprefs) March 18, 2022
2. Scrubs (Season 8 finale) vs. 15. Smallville
— Pop Culture References (@poprefs) March 18, 2022
3. The Mary Tyler Moore Show vs. 14. 30 Rock
— Pop Culture References (@poprefs) March 18, 2022
4. The Leftovers vs. 13. Psych
— Pop Culture References (@poprefs) March 18, 2022
5. The West Wing vs. 12. Newsradio
— Pop Culture References (@poprefs) March 18, 2022
6. Barney Miller vs. 11. Rome
— Pop Culture References (@poprefs) March 18, 2022
7. Malcolm in the Middle vs. 10. The Wonder Years
— Pop Culture References (@poprefs) March 18, 2022
8. Futurama (Original finale) vs. 9. Spartacus: War of the Damned
— Pop Culture References (@poprefs) March 18, 2022
THE BAD PLACE REGION
1. The Good Place vs 16. Just Shoot Me
— Pop Culture References (@poprefs) March 18, 2022
2. Newhart vs. 15. Star Trek: Voyager
— Pop Culture References (@poprefs) March 18, 2022
3. M*A*S*H vs. 14. Magnum. p.i.
— Pop Culture References (@poprefs) March 18, 2022
4. The Fugitive vs. 13. Agents of SHIELD
— Pop Culture References (@poprefs) March 18, 2022
5. Buffy the Vampire Slayer vs. 12. Lost
— Pop Culture References (@poprefs) March 18, 2022
6. St. Elsewhere vs. 11. The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
— Pop Culture References (@poprefs) March 18, 2022
7. ER vs. 10. Schitt's Creek
— Pop Culture References (@poprefs) March 18, 2022
8. Justified vs. 9. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
— Pop Culture References (@poprefs) March 18, 2022
Check back tomorrow for the first two regions of Round 2!
