Say goodnight, Gracie.
Tonight was the series finale of "Will & Grace." Really, the episode itself wasn't that good. They didn't go about ending the series at all the way I thought they should have. I thought they should have wrapped up any loose ends, had a happy ending, and left the series in the present with hope for the future. Instead, they decided to plot out what happens for the next twenty or thirty years in the characters' lives, and I didn't buy most of it. It did, however, have some very poignant moments, such as the song between Jack and Karen and the ending.
Whether or not the episode was stellar is unimportant, however. What matters is that a show I've loved since high school is now over, and I'm sad about that. I remember when I first started watching it. I heard about it from somewhere and it intrigued me. I downloaded a few episodes on my computer and was hooked. Part of me watched it because I thought it was funny, but I think the reason I kept watching it was timing. Back when I was insecure about and coming to grips with my sexuality, I took comfort in that show. It felt good to have people - friends, even - to relate to, even if they were fictional, and it made me feel better about who I was. It gave me hope, I guess. I'm grateful to it for that. Even when I got to college and fully accepted my sexuality, I still watched it because it made me laugh. I'm grateful for that too.
I'm glad that I can always turn to the DVDs if I want to revisit the show again, but still - tonight was bittersweet. It's like finishing a really good book. You come to know and love the characters and get sucked into the story, but eventually you're going to get to the last page. It's been eight years of laughter - what a funny eight years they were.
Whether or not the episode was stellar is unimportant, however. What matters is that a show I've loved since high school is now over, and I'm sad about that. I remember when I first started watching it. I heard about it from somewhere and it intrigued me. I downloaded a few episodes on my computer and was hooked. Part of me watched it because I thought it was funny, but I think the reason I kept watching it was timing. Back when I was insecure about and coming to grips with my sexuality, I took comfort in that show. It felt good to have people - friends, even - to relate to, even if they were fictional, and it made me feel better about who I was. It gave me hope, I guess. I'm grateful to it for that. Even when I got to college and fully accepted my sexuality, I still watched it because it made me laugh. I'm grateful for that too.
I'm glad that I can always turn to the DVDs if I want to revisit the show again, but still - tonight was bittersweet. It's like finishing a really good book. You come to know and love the characters and get sucked into the story, but eventually you're going to get to the last page. It's been eight years of laughter - what a funny eight years they were.