The Neighborhood Series Finale: A Heartfelt Conclusion and a Look Ahead
The Neighborhood, a beloved multi-camera sitcom, has come to an end after eight seasons and 156 episodes. The series finale, which aired on CBS, was a heartfelt conclusion to the story of Dave and Calvin, two best friends who have been at the heart of the show since the beginning. The episode began with a double wedding, as Marty and Courtney tied the knot, and Malcolm and Mercedes followed suit. However, the real focus of the episode was on the emotional goodbye between the Johnsons and the Butlers, as Dave and Gemma prepared to move back to Michigan.
One of the most interesting aspects of the finale was the decision to skip over the actual wedding ceremony. The showrunners, Mike Schiff and Bill Martin, explained that they didn't want to repeat the many TV weddings they had seen before. Instead, they focused on the obligatory stuff, like the speeches and the toasts, and allowed the characters to sit in the living room and say their final peace to each other. This decision was a smart one, as it allowed the show to have fun and be big, while also giving the characters the time they needed to be alone in different pairings.
The finale also featured a number of Easter eggs and alternate endings that were cut from the final version. For example, the show almost had Marcel's real daughter Nola as Daphne in a flower girl dress in the very first scene, and there was a scene about Malcolm's book coming out, which was cut due to time constraints. However, the show did manage to include a number of key pairings, such as Calvin and Dave, Calvin and Tina, and Tina and Gemma, among others.
One of the most interesting aspects of the finale was the decision to focus on the central couples, Calvin and Tina, and Dave and Gemma, rather than including the entire cast. This decision was driven by the fact that Beth Behrs, who plays Gemma, felt that the foursome was her world on the show, and it was going to be hard for her not to have a goodbye moment for them. The showrunners agreed, and decided to end on the toast at the wedding, rather than the final scene.
The finale also featured a number of guest stars, such as Megyn Price, French Stewart, and Nate Burleson, who were old friends of the showrunners. However, there were a few guest stars that the showrunners came close to booking, such as Anthony Anderson and Kevin Pollak, but ultimately, the timing or logistics didn't work out.
One of the most interesting aspects of the finale was the discussion about the state of the multi-camera comedy. The showrunners acknowledged that it's possible that The Neighborhood will be one of the last multi-cam sitcoms to have a run like this, as the genre has been struggling in recent years. However, they also noted that the streamers keep trying to do multi-cams, and that the only two success stories are Fuller House and The Ranch. They believe that the new model of shorter orders doesn't play to the strength of multi-cams, and that the comedies that are working in streaming are the ones where there are already 200 episodes.
In conclusion, The Neighborhood series finale was a heartfelt conclusion to the story of Dave and Calvin, and a look ahead to the future of multi-camera sitcoms. The showrunners acknowledged that the genre is struggling, but they remain optimistic that it will make a comeback. The finale was a smart and emotional conclusion to the show, and a fitting end to the story of TV's favorite neighbors.
