Sometimes the perfect final episode of a television series isn't the finale. This is not necessarily because the show shouldn't have continued beyond that point. Rather, a different episode would have been a more satisfying and effective way to end the show. Even some of the best TV shows of all time are guilty of such problems.

Finales can be difficult to deliver appropriately, which is why the best TV finales tend to live long in infamy. There is a degree of expectation from the audience that must be managed, while also ensuring that necessary storylines and character arcs are finished. It is therefore intriguing that sometimes the perfect final episode wasn't actually the final episode.

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10 "Waiting For Big Mo" - It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia season 14, episode 10, "Waiting for Big Mo" is a spoof of the Samuel Beckett play Waiting for Godot. The episode cleverly infuses its own brand of humor into the original play, trapping the Gang in a type of Purgatory as they await their rival in a laser-tag base.

Throughout the episode, the gang reflects on their past actions and current behavior, questioning why they continue pursuing such childish activities and debating whether it's time to move on. It functions as a tidy metaphor for the whole of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, and would have made a poignant series finale.

9 "Jake & Amy" - Brooklyn Nine-Nine

Brooklyn Nine-Nine is a prime example of a television series that offered the perfect finale but was subsequently renewed for additional seasons that didn't quite live up to their predecessors. Brooklyn Nine-Nine season 5, episode 22, "Jake & Amy" neatly concluded the show's primary overarching story - Jake and Amy's relationship.

It delivered a far superior conclusion than the actual Brooklyn Nine-Nine ending, during which Jake retires from detective work. In many ways, this undermined his character and made the finale substantially less effective than "Jake & Amy."

8 "The Lost Art Of Forehead Sweat" - The X-Files

The X-Files had several series finales, many of which were not particularly well-received or satisfying. In fact, some have suggested The X-Files should have ended with Season 7. However, season 11, episode 4 may offer the best possible finale.

Rather than proffering answers to the unanswerable - as previous supposed finales attempted, "The Lost Art of Forehead Sweat" is essentially a parody of The X-Files. It allowed the writers and cast to comment on the series from their perspective, commemorating highlights, and even casting doubt on previous events. It even has a perfect final line of dialogue, Scully's "I want to remember how it all was."

7 "The View From Halfway Down" - Bojack Horseman

Bojack Horseman had the perfect series finale, just one episode before the actual finale. Season 6, episode 15, "The View From Halfway Down," depicts Bojack confronting his past, reconciling much of his character arcs and flaws. The stunningly beautiful episode depicts Bojack as realizes he is trapped in limbo, with him seemingly dying at the end.

Bojack Horseman was always a rather bleak show, and Bojack's death would have made a poignant finishing point. The actual Bojack Horseman ending functions primarily to conclude the other characters' stories and lacks the emotional gravity of "The View from Halfway Down," which would have been a more apt finale.

6 "The Devil's Hands Are Idle Playthings" - Futurama

Futurama has had several opportunities to create the perfect series finale, but its original attempt is the best. Futurama season 4, episode 18, "The Devil's Hands Are Idle Playthings," brings a heartwarming and open-ended conclusion to the show.

It neatly wraps up Fry and Leela's love story in a manner both entertaining and endearing, with the beautiful final image and melody produced by Fry's holophonor. While Futurama undoubtedly produced many beloved episodes after season 4, each of Futurama's subsequent supposed final episodes has been unable to match the beauty and spectacle of "The Devil's Hands Are Idle Playthings."

5 "Goodbye, Michael" - The Office

For many, The Office ended after Steve Carell left the series. The Office season 7, episode 22, "Goodbye Michael" is a highly touching farewell to the show's protagonist, Michael Scott, and features several extremely emotional scenes.

The remaining episodes of season 7, and the subsequent two seasons, struggled to maintain the magic of the Carell era, even struggling to top his final episode. "Goodbye, Michael" has endured much longer than the show's season 11 finale, proffering a more satisfying finale.

4 "Swan Song" - Supernatural

Supernatural reached its climax with season 5, episode 22, "Swan Song." The episode concluded the season's longstanding narrative, with the Winchester brothers thwarting the apocalypse. The final scene is a heartbreaking culmination of the characters' previous actions and was widely praised.

Many consider this the pinnacle of Supernatural's impressive 15 seasons, with season 5 consistently ranking as the best. As such, it is the most satisfying and emotionally engaging finale and would have made a perfect final episode of Supernatural.

3 "Chapter 52" - House Of Cards

House of Cards season 4, episode 13, "Chapter 52," would have been the show's best series finale. Firstly, the novel House of Cards is based upon follows four stages. The rise to power from speaker to vice-president, a presidency, and a fall from power. House of Cards initially maintains this, with a season for each stage, mirroring a deck of cards - 13 episodes (or cards) per season (or suit).

This metaphor builds until the 52nd chapter, the last card. Instead, the central narrative is stretched and readjusted to last for additional seasons. "Chapter 52" is also creator and showrunner, Beau Willimon's, final episode, with subsequent episodes struggling without him.

2 "Broken" - House

"Broken" is the two-part opening episode from House season 6, depicting House in an addiction recovery clinic. The previous episode, the season 5 finale, manages to conclude several key storylines, depicting Chase and Cameron's wedding, Cuddy adopting a baby, and the culmination of House's addiction - revealed with an incredibly satisfying twist.

The next two episodes focus entirely on House's recovery and perhaps should have been a feature-length finale to finish House's story arc while other narrative strands are neatly concluded. "Broken" even partly reconciles House's injured leg, a further example of how it would have been the perfect series finale.

1 "For Better or Worse" - Castle

Castle was given the perfect series finale with season 6, episode 23, "For Better or Worse." Primarily, "For Better or Worse" resolved the show's main long-term narrative - the unsolved murder of Castle's mother. This forms the foundation of Castle's character and in resolving it, naturally concludes the primary narrative motivation.

The episode also beautifully depicts Castle's wedding to Beckett. It very neatly ties up all the loose ends and leaves the series with a positive climax. While some subsequent episodes were well-received, "For Better or Worse," would have been a more effective episode for a series finale.