Terminator 2 (T2) is a masterclass in combining CGI with practical effect and its ending is a rare cinematic full stop.
The T-1000’s liquid metal form was revolutionary, the morphing effects were cutting-edge in 1991, yet Cameron used them sparingly and only where practical effects couldn’t work. That restraint made the CGI more impactful and has made it so they still hold up 35 years later.
The truck chase through the storm drain, the helicopter flying under an overpass, the Cyberdyne building blowing up; it was all real and you can feel that when you watch the movie. There is no way any movie studio would do that nowadays when they could just CGI giant Michael Bay explosions.
The destruction of Cyberdyne and the Terminators meant the timeline was reset. Judgment Day was averted. The T-800 lowering itself into molten steel is an iconic moment; a machine choosing self-sacrifice for humanity. It’s a perfect final note, not just for the character, but for the franchise. Bringing him back again and again weakens that sacrifice. Any sequel has to undo all of this just to exist. Which is why to this day, I have not watched a single Terminator film after T2.
FWIW, I actually enjoyed T3 and what it did with the timeline. Not saying it’s a better movie, or it was necessary, but still I liked it well enough.
Basically, the arm and chip Dyson used to advance science merely accelerated judgement day. It was coming regardless. Destroying them just pushed judgment day back to its original date.
I kinda like that, cuz otherwise it’s a bootstrap paradox where skynet sent back the technology that was used to create skynet.
spoiler
The end of the episode loops seamlessly into the pilot. When I first watched it live they played both episodes back to back without an ad break. It took me a few minutes to realize what they had done and I started crying.
It’s a perfect loop, a perfect end to Fry and Leela’s relationship, and bittersweet in its existential implications
The “new” episodes they released afterwards don’t count. I acknowledge that they exist but I do not grant them the title of canon.
The Office when Michael moved away. It was never the same after that.
I’m currently watching The Office Superfan Episodes (would recommend, if you haven’t. They add a lot of new scenes and jokes that have cracked me the hell up) and I feel like I am progressively moving the “jumped the shark” line up every time I rewatch the show.
At one point I thought it was around the time Andy got on the boat. Then around when Robert California came around. Then, when Michael left. Now I’m kinda feeling like the show has taken a significant change in tone at the point when the original corporate office is bought and cleaned out by Sabre. That’s not to say that there aren’t good episodes forward from here, but I literally feel like I’m not starting to watch the show “waiting for it to end”
I feel compelled to say Scrubs s08e19, which is weird because they only ever made eight seasons of Scrubs.
I liked s9 🤷🏻♀️
It’s okay as a spinoff. But it’s very much not the same show.
Last episode of The Simpsons Season 9
new season has been goood
Episode 25 of Death Note would have been a dark, but logical place to end the series. After that point the entire dynamic of the show changes. There are some good and interesting moments, but it doesn’t really feel like the same show.
Rocky ended at Rocky. Even Rocky 2, the second best movie if you’re judging its qualities with the same ruler Rocky’s measured, feels off compared to the original. Rocky is a love story/character study with a little bit of boxing at the beginning and at the end, whilst the rest are boxing movies primarily/solely.
Also, while everyone knows Terminator ended with T2, did you know Kung Fu Panda also ended with KFP2? 🙏
Rocky is so all over the place. You make great points and I don’t disagree. Another metric is how watchable they are and by that standard you could argue it makes it up to and including Rocky IV. I don’t even know what to do with the newer ones.
Do games count? I would say Halo 3.
Season 4 of DEXTER, season 5 maybe to see the aftermath. The last 3 seasons were unnecessary.
Surprise motherfucker!
S10 E12 (The Doctor Falls) is the end of (Modern) Doctor Who. Such a perfect episode epitomising the character, and closing an arc for one of the longest villains. He even ‘dies’ at the end.
Everything since then has been badly written and purposefully disrespectful to the cannon and the audience, and has wasted so many fantastic actors.
The Gunslinger by Steven King.
He wrote some dark and towerry other books, but they’re unrelated fan fiction
Season one of Twin Peaks. Never should have been a season two. I’m ambivalent about Fire Walk With Me. Season 3 was a nice touch.
24 Season 4 is my version of a happy ending. I’m not saying I didn’t enjoy the rest of the show, but God damn, Jack didn’t deserve that many bad days.
If we are going into books, the Hyperion series should have ended at 2. The first 2 books are so good! Books 3 and 4 are terrible.
The last episode of Supernatural should not exist.
