Today, it is our first annual Pop Culture References Tournament! This year, the tournament is “Best Series Finale!”
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 start with the first two regions today and then the next two tomorrow.
BOSTON REGION
1. Cheers vs. 16. Alice
— Pop Culture References (@poprefs) March 17, 2022
2. The Wire vs. 15. Boardwalk Empire
— Pop Culture References (@poprefs) March 17, 2022
3. The Shield vs. 14. Superstore
— Pop Culture References (@poprefs) March 17, 2022
4. Star Trek: Next Generation vs. 13. Gilmore Girls (original series)
— Pop Culture References (@poprefs) March 17, 2022
5. Parks and Recreation vs. 12. Boy Meets World
— Pop Culture References (@poprefs) March 17, 2022
6. Friday Night Lights vs. 11. Chuck
— Pop Culture References (@poprefs) March 17, 2022
7. The Cosby Show vs. 10. The Golden Girls
— Pop Culture References (@poprefs) March 17, 2022
8. 24 (original series) vs. 9. Little House on the Prairie
— Pop Culture References (@poprefs) March 17, 2022
SCRANTON REGION
1. The Office vs. 16. Burn Notice
— Pop Culture References (@poprefs) March 17, 2022
2. Breaking Bad vs. 15. The Big Bang Theory
— Pop Culture References (@poprefs) March 17, 2022
3. Angel vs. 14. Will and Grace (the original series)
— Pop Culture References (@poprefs) March 17, 2022
4. Mad Men vs. 13. Desperate Housewives
— Pop Culture References (@poprefs) March 17, 2022
5. Friends vs. 12. Seinfeld
— Pop Culture References (@poprefs) March 17, 2022
6. The Americans vs 11. The Sopranos
— Pop Culture References (@poprefs) March 17, 2022
7. Frasier vs. 10. Family Ties
— Pop Culture References (@poprefs) March 17, 2022
8. Fringe vs. 9. Battlestar Galactica (2004 series)
— Pop Culture References (@poprefs) March 17, 2022
Check back tomorrow for the next two regions!
