TV

The 7 greatest TV series finales

The series finale of “How I Met Your Mother” is keeping everyone guessing as to what will happen to Ted (Josh Radnor), Marshall (Jason Segel), Robin (Cobie Smulders), Lily (Alyson Hannigan) and Barney (Neil Patrick Harris) when the sitcom bids its fans a fond farewell this Monday night after nine seasons on CBS.

In that spirit, here’s our look back at notable series finales of other sitcoms.

‘The Mary Tyler Moore Show’ (1977, CBS)

Mary (Mary Tyler Moore), Ted (Ted Knight), Lou (Ed Asner), Georgette (Georgia Engel), Murray (Gavin MacLeod), Sue Ann (Betty White) and Rhoda (Valerie Harper) said goodbye after a seven-season run in a four-hankie farewell when WJM-TV shuttered its doors. After the gang gathered for a tearful group hug, Mary shut the newsroom lights off for a final time as the show faded to black.

‘Newhart’ (1990, CBS)

Bob Newhart’s eponymous sitcom, which ran for eight seasons, crafted what’s been called by many the greatest final scene in TV sitcom history — when Vermont innkeeper Dick Loudon (Newhart) woke up in bed next to Emily Hartley (Suzanne Pleshette) — Newhart’s wife from his first CBS sitcom, “The Bob Newhart Show,” which ended 12 years earlier in 1978 (and was set in Chicago).

“Well, Bob, what is it?” Emily asked Bob.

“I was an innkeeper in this crazy little town in Vermont!” he said. “Nothing made sense in this place.”

Turns out it was all a dream.

‘Cheers’ (1993, NBC)

The iconic series called it quits after 11 seasons with an episode entitled “One for the Road,” in which Sam (Ted Danson) reunites with former love interest Diane Chambers — Shelley Long, who’d left the show after five seasons — only for them to call it quits again.

Meanwhile, Rebecca (Kirstie Alley) elopes with Don and quits as Cheers manager, Woody is elected to the city council — and gives Norm (George Wendt) a job — and Cliff (John Ratzenberger) finally gets a promotion at the post office.

‘Seinfeld’ (1998, NBC)

Jerry (Seinfeld), George (Jason Alexander), Elaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) and Kramer (Michael Richards) are put on trial for failing to obey the Good Samaritan law and help a man who was getting carjacked. Former acquaintances from the show’s nine-season run are called as character witnesses against them, and the jury finds them guilty of doing nothing.

The final scene is in a jail cell, where Jerry and George have a conversation about shirt buttons they had in the first episode.

‘Sex and the City’ (2004, HBO)

At the end of the two-part finale, Mr. Big (Chris Noth) goes to Paris to win back Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker), who is unhappy in her current relationship. On a bridge in the City of Lights, he says the words she’s been waiting six years to hear — “Carrie, you’re the one.” Oh, and viewers finally learn Big’s real name: John.

‘Friends’ (2004, NBC)

In “The Last One,” Ross (David Schwimmer) chases Rachel (Jennifer Aniston) down at the airport and confesses his love for her; she eventually gets off the plane and they reunite. With Monica and Chandler moving to the suburbs with their adopted twins, the gang gathers for one last time at the empty apartment to leave their keys before heading downstairs for a final cup of coffee at Central Perk. “Friends” aired for 10 seasons.

‘The Office’ (2013, NBC)

The series finale after nine seasons reunited the Dundler Mifflin gang one year after their PBS documentary finally aired for the wedding of Dwight (Rainn Wilson) and Angela (Angela Kinsey). Star Steve Carell returned for a brief cameo as Michael Scott, stepping in as Dwight’s best man. And Pam (Jenna Fischer) decided to sell their house in Scranton so that Jim (John Krasinski) could pursue his sports marketing dreams in Austin.