The 15 Best HBO Series Finales of All Time

From gut-punch cuts to black to tearful montage send-offs, these last episodes run from universally adored to fiercely debated. Which one stuck the landing best?

1

The Sopranos

The mob drama's 2007 finale 'Made in America' ends on a famous abrupt cut to black, now hailed as a masterpiece.

1000pts

2

Six Feet Under

The funeral-home drama's 2005 finale 'Everyone's Waiting' flashes forward to every main character's death, set to Sia's 'Breathe Me'.

922pts

3

Watchmen

Damon Lindelof's 2019 limited series ended with 'See How They Fly', leaving Angela's powers gloriously ambiguous.

874pts

4

Succession

The Roy-family power struggle ended in 2023 with 'With Open Eyes', crowning an unexpected victor in the battle for Waystar.

807pts

5

Curb Your Enthusiasm

Larry David's comedy wrapped in 2024 with 'No Lessons Learned', a callback to the Seinfeld finale.

807pts

6

Entourage

The Hollywood comedy closed in 2011 with 'The End', sending the boys off to new beginnings before the movie.

749pts

7

Veep

The political satire ended in 2019 with 'Veep', a savage flash-forward to Selina Meyer's legacy.

749pts

8

Oz

The brutal prison drama ended in 2003 with 'Exeunt Omnes', evacuating Oswald amid chaos and death.

749pts

9

Barry

Bill Hader's hitman dark comedy ended in 2023 with 'wow', a bleak coda on legacy and self-delusion.

749pts

10

True Blood

The vampire drama closed in 2014 with 'Thank You', wrapping Bon Temps with a divisive farewell.

681pts

11

The Wire

David Simon's Baltimore epic closed in 2008 with '–30–', a montage showing the city's cycle endlessly repeating.

681pts

12

Game of Thrones

The fantasy juggernaut concluded in 2019 with 'The Iron Throne', one of TV's most debated finales ever.

599pts

13

The Leftovers

The post-Departure drama closed in 2017 with 'The Book of Nora', an aching, ambiguous tale of love and faith.

599pts

14

Boardwalk Empire

The Prohibition-era saga ended in 2014 with 'Eldorado', closing Nucky Thompson's story in tragedy.

499pts

15

Sex and the City

The 2004 finale 'An American Girl in Paris' sent Carrie home and gave the four friends their happy endings.

499pts