A Tale of Two Endings

"I don't intend Hannibal to be caught a second time." — Will Graham, "Hannibal"


Over the weekend a pair of series came to their end. In one case, it was long in the planning. In the other, it was a somewhat premature, but completely unexpected ending. The two series couldn't be more different, either.

The first finale was "Hannibal," which completed its third and final season on NBC. Creator Bryan Fuller has hopes for a movie, mini-series or fourth season at some point in the future, but for now it's over. This season followed the are of the "Red Dragon" novel more closely, at least the second half did. And the question was whether the series would provide closure.

It did. In an homage to "Sherlock Holmes," Will Graham found a way to eliminate Hannibal from the game by sacrificing himself. It was a violent and beautifully framed closing sequence, just like the rest of the series.

"Hannibal" was an interesting take on familiar characters. There is nothing on TV like it, and I thought the rich performances and visual style added to the experience. It never got great ratings, but I think it will be remembered fondly by devotees and those that find it on streaming services for year.

The second series to end was "Falling Skies," which wrapped up its fifth season on TNT. The series — from producer Steven Spielberg — was led by Noah Wyle and offered a look at the world in a war with alien species. The series, from the beginning, offered good special effects and graphics, particularly for a cable series.

While I greatly enjoyed the first couple seasons, in the middle it lagged a bit. When it was announced last summer that the series would end, there was no great surprise. The question was how it would end. On Sunday, after five years of fights, it ended in victory. It was the kind of happy ending that seemed fitting to the series.

Two shows. Two endings. Both fitting what you'd expect from them.