BREAKING BAD 5.16: “Felina”

Congratulations, Vince Gilligan, you did it! As creator and executive producer of BREAKING BAD, you crafted a finale that totally lived up to the series, and you gave fans the ending they deserved.

In contrast to a lot of the high-tension episodes we’ve endured in the final run-up, this installment was almost elegiac as Walt shambled through town, tying up loose ends, settling grudges, healing wounds and saying goodbyes. It was a masterful way to end the series — leaving nothing ambiguous for viewers to fight over for years to come. BREAKING BAD was product of one vision — that of creator Vince Gilligan — and it was able to consistently confound and amaze viewers because it was true to Gilligan’s idea of the story, not network committees or viewer ratings. From first episode to last, Gilligan told his story the way he wanted to, now he has ended it his way. And that’s the way it always should have been.

SMALLVILLE 10.21-10.22: Finale, Parts 1 and 2

Waaaay back in the day, in mid-2001, just before SMALLVILLE debuted on The WB, I had a chance to interview Al Gough, who developed the series alongside Miles Millar. Gough talked about how the series would be completely focused on Clark Kent before he becomes Superman. He told me about the No Tights, No Flights Rule, meaning Clark would not be able to fly, and he would never don the iconic long underwear. Well, not never: Gough admitted he could envision the last shot of the last episode showing Clark putting on the red-and-blue suit and flying out of frame.

Flash-forward 10 seasons, and SMALLVILLE has wrapped up on The CW on May 13, 2011… without Gough or Millar, who left the series after the seventh season. Both guys were always gregarious and forthcoming whenever I interviewed them for SOAP OPERA WEEKLY, and I have missed their influence on the series. SMALLVILLE changed after the original executive producers left – I’m not sure the Blur would have been the same huge element under Gough and Millar – but the show has finally arrived at a destination somewhat similar to what I think Gough and Millar had envisioned. Clark put on the suit and flew – just for a little bit longer than originally planned.