While it’s always hard to say goodbye, it’s sometimes the smart thing to do. Take television.
- Todd Weiser
“Friends” should have said goodbye two years ago, yet it’s still kicking and dwindling its way into another multi-million-dollar-episode season next year. “ER” and “The Simpsons” serve as similar examples, setting records for longevity while boring viewers with mediocrity. All three programs once staggered viewers with their freshness, displaying a wit and a format not common to network television. Yet, with a never-ending run of episodes, the legacies their initial years created are diluted with a wealth of uninspired storylines.
HBO’s longest running drama, “Oz,” ended its run last Sunday at just the right time. While seasons five and six were not as equally spectacular as their earlier entries, Tom Fontana’s prison drama still found enough ways to hold on to longtime viewers, even while killing off some of its most popular inmates.
Most of HBO’s prominence and press grows from the critical hits and ratings winners “The Sopranos” and “Sex and the City.” Yet, with a rich history of original sitcoms and dramas including its old breed of risqu