38: St. Elsewhere Finale; Or, How a Snow Globe Erased MAS*H

This Was A Thing: The Retro Podcast

May 24, 2022•59 min•Season 1Ep. 38

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Episode description

What’s the perfect reward for loyal viewers of a beloved TV show? How about a finale that not only obliterates the preceding 136 episodes, but puts in jeopardy more than 400 other series, including “I Love Lucy” and “Cheers?” In 1988, NBC did just that when it aired the final episode of "St. Elsewhere," a medical drama whose legacy is best described as “what the hell did they just do?”

Rob gives Ray a lesson in the history of the best and worst television series finales; Bobbi Wygant’s interview techniques; the far-reaching impacts of crossover episodes; and how the Mother of Dragons has nothing on Tommy Westphall.

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AUDIO/VISUAL LINKS

Full St. Elsewhere Finale

Newhart Finale