Top TV Shows with Memorable Final Seasons

The Wild Wild West

The final season of The Wild Wild West is a fascinating case study of the interplay between creativity and external pressures. The series, originally airing from 1965 to 1969, enjoyed a long and impactful run, and its final season, which aired in 1969, had its peculiarities.

Midway through the 1969 season, Ross Martin, who played the titular character Jim West, suffered a heart attack. To allow the series to continue, Martin was creatively written out of several episodes. This move opened up a new avenue for the show to explore, introducing other actors such as William Schallert, Pat Paulsen, and Alan Hale Jr. The series writers began to delve into new themes, including episodes that took on a Gothic atmosphere.

While the show was at its most creatively impactful, its fate was ultimately sealed by external forces. Congress was holding hearings on 'violence on TV,' which brought scrutiny to the cartoon sequence of Jim West punching a woman holding a knife. In reality, Jim West only attacked one woman with a shotgun, which was to prevent her from shooting him. The second incident was a misunderstanding stemming from the show's cartoon nature. Despite these efforts, the CBR rural purge forced Westerns and rural comedies off the air, including shows like Mayberry RFD and The Beverly Hillbillies.

However, the show did receive a reprieve with two follow-up TV movies in the late 1970s, allowing fans to revisit the characters and setting.

Atomic Betty

Atomic Betty, a science fiction series that aired from 2003 to 2006, concluded its run with a season that saw significant brand expansion. Season 3, also known as Atomic Betty: Mission Earth, underwent a notable transformation as it tackled both its own narrative and external changes.

Season 3 marked a move by Admiral DeGill and his Galactic Guardians from their space headquarters to the underground school, Moose Jaw Heights Junior High. This change was brought about by the destruction of their previous space headquarters by the show’s main antagonist, Maximus I.Q. This shift to the Earth setting brought about a new visual identity for Betty’s Hyper Galactic Starcruiser, which now appeared with a red and white bus camouflage, a departure from its original design.

Another significant change in the final season was the inclusion of Noah Parker as Cadet Noah. Previously, Noah was a mere student at Moose Jaw Heights. However, the inclusion of Noah as part of the Galactic Guardians marked a new chapter. He became part of Betty’s crew and donned an orange cadet crash test suit, enhancing the show’s ensemble.

The main key characters of the final season include Betty Barrett / Atomic Betty (Sparky Robot X-5), Admiral DeGill, and Noah Parker / Cadet Noah. Their dynamic and the story arcs they embarked on during this time made for a memorable series finale.

While these final seasons brought memorable moments, they were also affected by broader cultural and media changes. Nonetheless, they stand out as significant parts of the series' legacy.