7th Heaven: the finale was just fine (spoilers)

It may not have been a grandiose affair, but I thought the finale was
consistent with the tone of the series. It ended the way it
began...without a lot of fanfare and squarely focused on the core
Camden clan.

For me, it would have been far worse if they'd pulled the same stunt as

was done for the enigmatic and disappointing Roseanne series finale,
when they basically dismissed the last couple of years of the series as

never having really happened, etc. They also managed to avoid certain
series finale cliches, including the highly annoying 'moving away'
scenario (Growing Pains, Fresh Prince of Bel Air, Home Improvement).

Sure, I would've liked to see Matt & Sarah graduate. But, I figured
out about a week ago that it wasn't likely going to happen. They'd
been building the Simon / Rose storyline throughout the year. The Matt

/ Sarah graduation was only introduced a few episodes ago and we'd only

actually seen Sarah once since the announcement, and briefly, at that.
The final episode wasn't going to give them the spotlight.

At least it was acknowledged that Hank & Julie wouldn't be at the
wedding because they were headed to New York to drive the Colonel and
Ruth to the graduation. Heather returning was also a nice touch. As
for the others who might've been invited (Lou, Captain Michaels, the
Hamiltons, Cecilia, Ginger and so on) it wouldn't be the first time
they hadn't attended a Camden wedding or graduation. Only so much in
the 7th Heaven budget for guest stars, I guess.

I'm also glad that Mary returns for the finale, even if it was only
briefly. Jessica Biel and Brenda Hampton set aside any differences
they may have to ensure the fans got to see a character who was so much

a part of the show's formative years. Tim Allen and Jonathan Taylor
Thomas weren't able to do the same for the Home Improvement series
finale. That finale has aired ad nauseum in syndication since and the
absence of Thomas stands out every time.

In the end, not everything was wrapped up in a neat little package. It

rarely ever is, but I'm okay with what wasn't resolved. I'm happy they

also decided to include flashbacks from the series premiere to bring
the show full circle. Star Trek: The Next Generation also featured a
series finale that brought the show back full circle to the pilot.
That finale remains one of the best I've ever seen and the writers get
full marks for their efforts. Meanwhile, the West Wing is doing a
'bookend' sendoff by reairing the show's pilot just prior to the
finale, again serving to showcase the series start and finish on its
last night of airing original material.

There's something very right about 7th Heaven acknowledging its
beginning as it ends its run.
In the end, I'm satisfied with what I've seen and I think I'll miss it
more than I realize when fall arrives, with the new TV season in tow.

Allen Kirshner
(the alt.music.lyrics TV theme guy)

Taylor...

I think Collins and Hicks should have been beemed back up the Enterprise
(they both appeared in ST movies). ;-p