After being on air for more than a decade, The Walking Dead recently came to an end. The AMC series came to a conclusion in an amazing way by including a montage that featured a handful of characters from the past. There was also the promise of more to come in terms of spinoffs too.
Ending a season, or a TV show in general, with a montage, is something that has been done again and again over the years. However, a bunch of shows have been able to string together the scenes much better than others.
The Wire (Season 5)
Stream On HBO Max
Bubbles is shown doing his best to maintain his sobriety while Dukie descends further into addiction. The corrupt Tommy Carceretti also becomes the Governor of Maryland while the fate of characters that are no longer regulars is also shown.
Many shows tend to drop characters and forget about them, so the HBO hit series does well by showing how those that are in prison are faring and how far those that built their lives elsewhere have advanced. The montage also underscores the fact that Baltimore will remain as it is. Corruption will continue and so will the use and trading of drugs.
The Sopranos (Season 2)
Stream On HBO Max
The season ends with a montage of Tony and his family at Meadow’s high school graduation party. Shots with family members posing for photos are juxtaposed with those of the waste management and card collection businesses. Finally, there is a shot of the sea, where Big Pussy’s body was thrown.
The montage sums up everything about the mob culture. To members of the Cosa Nostra, the most important thing is family which is why everyone shows up for Meadow’s party. Then there is the importance of making the business look legitimate, hence the use of waste management as a front. Finally, there’s the emphasis on loyalty. That’s why as one of the FBI informants in The Sopranos that were discovered, Big Pussy had to be whacked.
Mad Men (Season 7)
Stream On AMC+
As an original piece from series composer David Carbonara plays in the series finale montage, Peggy is seen working as usual. The scene then cuts to Pete boarding a plane, Roger spending time with Marie, and Joan starting her own production agency.
There are so many heartbreaking moments in Mad Men hence it’s nice for viewers to learn that everyone gets a happy ending. Most importantly, everyone makes some sort of progress, proving that most of the effort they have put in throughout the series has paid off. Plus, the song choice is an excellent one too.
Sons Of Anarchy (Season 6)
Stream On Hulu
Jax kisses the boys and tells Chibs that their mother will come to get them. He then goes to Tara’s place only to find her dead, together with one of the Sons Of Anarchy’s most heroic law enforcement officers, Eli Roosevelt. Elsewhere, Gemma, overwhelmed with guilt, heads to Unser’s place for comfort.
It’s a perfect montage because it leaves plenty of questions for the final season to answer. Will Jax be accused of killing Tara? Will Gemma confess? Jax’s grief adds to the emotional weight too. Instead of hearing him scream, again and again, viewers can only watch his facial expression and realize how much pain he is in.
Scrubs (Season 8)
Stream On Hulu
J.D. visualizes a future where he is happily married to Elliot and his grown son is engaged to Isabella. As he hugs everyone in the visions, a cover of "The Book of Love" by the Magnetic Fields plays and a janitor then wishes him goodnight.
Though there are a couple of confusing things about the Scrubs finale, the montage is flawless. Most shows conclude with a definitive ending but by opting for fantasy. The medical drama gives viewers the chance to imagine what happens. This eliminates the possibility of a section of fans being disappointed.
The Walking Dead (Season 11)
Stream On AMC+
The series finale shows various characters from previous seasons and via a voiceover, they all chant, “We are the ones who live.” The montage then ends with the message: “The end is just the beginning.”
In a show where several characters were mauled by zombies, seeing a few of them celebrate life is heartwarming. The final message is a fitting one since The Walking Dead has established itself as one of the TV shows with the most spinoffs. Hence, even though events in the main series ended, the zombie universe remains alive.
The Americans (Season 6)
Stream On Hulu
As “Brothers In Arms” by Mark Knopfler plays, FBI’s Agent Stan confronts his neighbors, Philip and Elizabeth about being Russian spies. He then allows them to head back to their country without arresting them.
The montage is mostly memorable because of the excellent song choice. After all, it’s the same song that was used in the Season 2 finale of The West Wing. The montage also highlights the human side of the characters. Despite Stan and The Jennings being from countries that hate each other, they choose peace and forgiveness because they have been great neighbors for a long time.
Orange Is The New Black (Season 7)
Stream On Netflix
The lives of various characters, in prison and in the outside world, are shown. Guards dismantle Suzanne’s chicken coop, Nicky runs a detention center kitchen, Blanca gets freed while Flaca promises to help immigrants.
It’s a simple montage that doesn’t complicate anything. Fans only get to see the progress of their favorite characters before the next season and that’s good enough. Most importantly, it’s proven that prison life isn’t a permanent one. There’s hope for those that continue to demonstrate good behavior.
The Blacklist (Season 8)
Stream On Netflix
When a henchman shoots Liz, life starts flashing before her in a montage. From her time with Tom to her childhood days, Liz sees a lot before losing consciousness.
For anyone who hasn’t watched the rest of the series, the scene is a golden one as it provides hints about Red’s true identity. The moment in general is also a heavy one as it marks the end of the journey for a character that was the most relatable to viewers.
Suits (Season 9)
Stream On Peacock & Prime Video
As Harry and his wife prepare to move to Seattle, a montage pays tribute to Megan Mackle’s character, Rachel. She finds out Mike isn’t a real lawyer before weeping on Donna’s shoulder.
At the time, it was a big deal because Megan was already the Duchess of Sussex and she had quit acting too. With her shadow looming large over the series it was only right for the finale to give a nod to her in some way. And that was done in a very satisfactory manner.
Source:gamerant.com