What Kind of Season Finale Would You Prefer?

[ZariusTwo]

A lot of CGI shows over the years have normally ended their seasons on cliffhangers, most recently Transformers Prime wrapped it's major plot threads but left something dangling. With the new TMNT approaching, do you think they will follow in the footsteps of Beast Wars and Reboot, or will they have a definate sense of closure like much of the original series and some of the 2003 show?

Would you PREFER a cliffhanger finale, or something that ties up the show in case it isnt a success?

[Powder]

I don't mind if there isn't like, a cap off, but I would be annoyed if the show went bye-bye with loose ends.
The last episode for all I care could just be like any other self contained story as long as it's not a cliffhanger.
Us fans shouldn't have to finish EVERYTHING.

[Cowabunga Carl]

I'd like self contained seasons. Where each one answers the questions that it brought up. That way like Powder said us fans don't have to step up and finnish things.

[CyberCubed]

The 4kids series ended with cliffhangers for Seasons 1, 2 and 4, and it worked out fine.

It was really only Season 3 and 5's finale that felt like a "stopping point."

[cryan]

Yeah,that was what happened with the Saturday morning version of Sonic The Hedgehog.DIC ended the series on a cliffhanger and then it was cancelled.I hope this doesn't happen to the new TMNT series.

[gobo]

I'd prefer it given closure, at least on Season 5, to give it a more poetic feel. But, I want it given the dignity of a live-action show, which is fairly unlikely. So, I'm mentally ready for all the disappointment Nick can provide.

[Cowabunga Carl]

See I'm kind of thinking that this will be done along the lnes of Kung-fu Panda and Penguins of Madagascar. I have a feeling each show will be very episodic with little connecting form episode to episode. So over all as much as I would like a series long storyline I don't think we will get that. As such a season finale will probably feel like the other episodes of the season.

[pannoni1]

I feel how a season should end would be based upon how successful the show is doing at that point. Season 1 however I would end with a "stopping point", similar to a "Shredder & Splintered" or "Return of the Technodrome", where Shredder & co. simply exile and appear to be gone, but a good fan knows that they will be back and weren't physically destroyed like Dregg at the end of the original series or Shredder at the end of Season 3 in the 4kids series. If a show is a rating success, a cliffhanger I would would like to see is one where the turtles really look to be in DEEP trouble about to surrender to the Foot with a hopeless-looking plot, only in the following season for some miracle by perhaps a new character (Casey Jones, Splinter's son ala Luke Skywalker-type hero) that seemingly comes out of nowhere.

An alternative cliffhanger finale would be if it was related to an animated movie which would take place following the finale. Here, we could have a scene where the Turtles escape to another dimension or the Foot gets some new villains and at the commercial break following the episode, the movie trailer premiers, which would be a sure way to generate some good promo.

If the ratings are getting low, then I would just write a finale that could end the series (foot is destroyed, or simply all evil banishes with all surviving villains that could make for an epic final battle). The episodes besides the premiere and finale can be as episodic as they wish, save for a few exceptions (a la OT).

[BubblyShell22]

For a season finale (providing the show does well in ratings and gets slated for another season) I would definitely love a cliffhanger. I really liked it when the 2K3 show did that because it kept us wanting more and seeing what would happen. If it's a series finale, I'd rather it end with some sort of closure.

[Andrew NDB]

It should end with Raphael throwing the beehive at the TV screen, cut to black.

[PAAATE]

Cliffhangers forever!

Well, not forever, I want the show to end with closure

But I love cliffhangers. I've always loved cliffhangers. Although it's important that there is a season arc that can be wrapped up too. Just something to give a slight feel of closure.

I'll once again compare it to Avatar: The Last Airbender. Spoiler-alert for those who haven't seen it (which you really should).

Spoiler:

First season closure: Aang mastered waterbending and they saved the Northern Water Tribe from the attack.
First season cliffhanger: Oh, the Fire Lord just kinda sent out Azula to find the Avatar, which would probably mean that she is even more bad-ass than Zuko.

Second season closure: The Fire Nation conquered Ba Sing Se and the Earth King was overthrown (sure, it doesn't end on a positive note, but that's still closure). Oh, and Aang mastered earthbending.
Second season cliffhanger: Zuko chose to side with Azula instead of Iroh. **** him!

And then, of course, the third season just had closure. There was just one loose thread still dangling and apparently the creators wanted it that way. But that loose thread will be resolved in the upcoming comic books, so whatever.

That's the way I like it.

[oldmanwinters]

Originally Posted by Andrew NDB

It should end with Raphael throwing the beehive at the TV screen, cut to black.

That might actually amuse me.

Personally, I hope it doesn't end with the turtles being de-molecularized by an intergalatic transmat device. The thought of the series being cancelled early after a cliffhanger like that would bug me to no end.

[MikeandRaph87]

I like the way Justice League did it. The production team never knew each season if it would be cancelled so they went all out and closed a storyline bit left it open for a possibility for more to come.

[ZariusTwo]

Originally Posted by mikeandraph87

I like the way Justice League did it. The production team never knew each season if it would be cancelled so they went all out and closed a storyline bit left it open for a possibility for more to come.

JL always knew what the final word on the characters futures would be whilst encouraging the viewer to use their imaginations for how those futures would come to be.

For example, Hawkgirl and Green Lantern don't get back together in the final season, yet we know from the existence of Warhawk in the future that they will, they just won't tell the viewer HOW.

JL also provides definitive closure on Batman's story, with the episode "Epilouge" intended to be viewed for the audience as the last story in the whole DCAU catalouge.

[Kendamu]

B-but I thought you've always been a huge fan of the Turtles cartoons!

[Joshdonnie]

The finale should have the turtles hugging at the end, then it pans out of the sewers, out of new york, and into space where it shows triceratons.

[Killer Moth]

Originally Posted by Andrew NDB

It should end with Raphael throwing the beehive at the TV screen, cut to black.

No, no, he should do what Elvis did:



I tend to dislike season finale cliffhangers, anymore, mainly as it brings too much hype and incredibly high expectations for the corresponding season premiere. Because, if the payoff isn't as awesome as the season finale's set-up, cue outrage and backlash. Blame years of watching "Alias," as its overuse of cliffhangers have ruined them for me, even on animation shows.

(A beehive? Why a bee..., never mind, I don't want to know.)

[KROW]

No matter how much of a success it is (or isn't), I'd be fine if the season ended with the turtles standing on a random rooftop talking about their latest adventure, then hearing some big criminal racket below and jumping collectively to thwart it, freeze-framing on mid-leap.

[Jester]

Originally Posted by KROW

No matter how much of a success it is (or isn't), I'd be fine if the season ended with the turtles standing on a random rooftop talking about their latest adventure, then hearing some big criminal racket below and jumping collectively to thwart it, freeze-framing on mid-leap.

You mean like this:

[KROW]

Originally Posted by Jester

You mean like this:

Well, maybe something more like this: