Series finale

Series finale is a promotional/advertising term used to describe the final episode of a television series, usually a sitcom or a drama.

Notable shows that ended without a series finale

• ' (1969) ? A mind-swapping device causes Kirk and his former lover to switch bodies. However, the film concludes the story of Captain James T. Kirk.
• Bonanza (1973) ? Little Joe tries to elude a war-deranged soldier, who plays a human hunting game for his amusement.
• The Brady Bunch (1974) ? A hair dye turns Greg's hair orange just hours before graduation.
• Clerks. (TV Series) - Cancelled after two episodes.
• Gunsmoke (1975) ? Festus does his best to help a sharecropper farm his land.
• All in the Family (1979); and the sequel series Archie Bunker's Place (1983). In the "All in the Family" finale, Edith rents the house next door to a black couple, much to Archie's chagrin. In the last episode of "Archie Bunker's Place," Gary wants to resume his relationship with Archie's niece, Billie.
• Chip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers (1989)
• TaleSpin (1990)
• Darkwing Duck (1992)
• Sonic the Hedgehog (1993)
• Space Cases (1997)
• Now and Again (2000)
• The Lone Gunmen (2001)
• Batman Beyond (2001) - Terry tells a young child a story about a previously unseen case in his early days as Batman. Terry's story was eventually resolved in the appropriately titled Justice League Unlimited episode "Epilogue", which takes place 15 years after the series.
• Firefly (2002) critically acclaimed and well-loved by a stack of devoted fans, was cancelled half-way its first season, but will be revived as feature-film Serenity in (2005).
• The Big O (2003) - Angel seemingly transforms into the Fourth Big and resets everything except herself and Dorothy to before the first episode. It should be noted that the true "ending" is simply an Unfinished Cliffhanger.
• John Doe (2003)
• Samurai Jack (2003)
• My Wife and Kids (2005) - Jay shocks Michael with news that she's pregnant.
• Joan of Arcadia (2005)
• ¡Mucha Lucha! (2005)
• Carnivàle (2005)
• Tru Calling (2005) - cancelled early into production of Season 2 (what would have been the final episode did not even air), leaving many plot threads hanging unresolved and questions unanswered.