TV finales this season

It's that time of year when a bunch of shows end their runs, either for the year or forever. Recently we had some good ones, and pehaps some that were overdue, and now I'd like to rundown my reactions to the ones that mattered to me.

Castle - This one was sad, but also quite overdue. The major arcs since Castle and Beckett got maried have stretched crediibility, and that's saying a lot for a show that requires a suspense of disbelief that a mystery writer is equal to three of New York City's finest. In addition to Castle's amnesia and Beckett having a secret life, individual one shot episodes inluded an invisibility suit, an immortal, a genie and the antichrist. Allow me to reiterate that three episodes this season left us with the possibility that Castle actually encountered supernatural entities, the genie episode literally left us with the possibility Richard had three wishes and since he used them for things that actually happened (the survival of his friend's wife and their neweborn child) we'll neve know if it was just coincidence or if that was actually the genie following up on that wink she gave him as she left, and the one guy did not die despite three fatal experiences and each time he was bored. I really hoped that the finale would have been for Castle to reveal that everything since his wedding was actually the first draft of his last Nikki Heat novel and that he had used everyones real names in the draft and that after reading it to everyone for the last two years he would change the names in editing. Instead they gave us a neat epilogue that was clearly thrown together in a few minutes, possibly the day of. Seriously, they had considerd coming back for another season and didn't declare it a series finale until the announcement came during Dancing with the Stars within an hour of airtime, and it's quite possible that the final scene was filmed during the first hour of that show. For those who don't understand how TV works, the show appeared to end with Castle and Beckett both being shot, which could have been left with "To be continued..." and open next season with Castle surviving and Beckett not because Stana Katic had the sense to quit already, but finally somebody had the sense to know the show should not go on and they filmed the epilogue which, if only one take, could have been shot, edited and tacked on while the show was airing. I did like Castle, but they jumped the shark and suffered from Moonlighting syndrome, when a show that relies on "will they or won't they" tension answers the question and there's nothing really left to work with.

Once Upon a Time - Thankfully only a season finale, I still like this show, and it's got some good points and bad points. For one thing, plot armor is pretty darn thick on the Charming family. For those who don't know, plot armor is a term used to refer to when a main character seems to be unkillable for no other reason that that the writer needs them alive. Hook actually became the first character to cheat death even when all hope seemed to be extinguished, but Robin Hood died. This was unfair for Regina, but they played out her story in an interesting way with Jekyll and Hyde and may have a very interesting arc next season. So far the main story is very good, my problem is what they are leaving out. First of all, Nova, Grumpy's love from the first season, when the hell is she coming back? Speaking of lovers, now that Red and Dorothy have broken the homosexuality barrier, are we ever going to see Mulan get her girl? We know damn well she was into Aurora, what about Merida? There was something there. And another thing, what about Emma's promise to help her friend find her father? They skipped that for a whole season, I'm assuming the Dragon is he guy, but they're gonna drag that out forever.

Blacklist - Speaking of plot armor, so Liz isn't dead? Was anybody actually surprised? The whole show is about the relationship between Liz and Red, if she actually died, the show is over. It was very creative to take this angle, but while they could fool the characters in conext, the audience should know better by now that the series would not actually go that way no matter what they say. Above all, this is a TV show, anything can happen if the writers want it to, never believe anything, especially in this series that has been nothing but deception and revealing deceptions and having deceptions within deceptions. As Red said in the pilot "Of course [you shouldn't believe me or trust me]. I'm a criminal, criminals are notorious liars."

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. - Plot armor failed someone here, Lincoln died and Ward appears to be gone for good this time. It was clever though for them to put out the red herring about that cross necklace and leave us wondering who would be wearing it, assuming we knew the answer only for the final episode to be a game of hot potato. It was also sad that we saw the headline saying Agent Carter died, a nod to the series cancellation, not that it actually connects because it was in the past. Sadly Marvel's Most Wanted also got the ax which leaves Bobby and Hunter in the air, so next season actually is going to be a complete surprise. One thing, they said six months later, but the season premiere may not be a full six months away, and since it kind of has to be in real time to keep with the movies, that means next season could open with some flashback/flashforward action leading up to exactly what is going on in that final scene.

Grimm - I don't know how many people are actually watching this show, but you should, it's awesome. The finale was perfect, wrapped up a lot of crap happening this season while leaving plenty for next season. I really hope Nick and Adalind work things out, but is Juliet finally fixed? God I'm shipping now. Think of the children, I mean really, Diana WTF? I mean really that kid is seriously...I don't know but we need that situation under control. Oh and Monroe and Rosalee are expecting, while most parents wonder boy or girl, we're wondering blutbad or fuchsbau. Or both? It was mentioned Renad was part Zauberbiest, but nobody else seems to be part anything so can somebody please explain these breeding rules, they make no freaking sense to me as a biologist!

I know Game of Thrones just started, but I need to comment on this; plot armor saved Jon Snow. Deep down, we all knew it was going to happen, but some how still the most WTF I have seen on TV. Actually, the most WTF was learning the truth about Hodor. I want to talk about it, but...ok, I think that's about all I can handle for now. Oh one last thing, my prediction for how GOT will end, Daenerys will return with her dragons to stop the White Walkers and reclaim the Iron Throne. She will take Jon Snow as her husband as his family leads the fight. I predict no more Starks will die and the only Lannister who will be safe is Tyrion because he's just too damn awesome to kill. If anyone deserves plot armor, it's that dude. Okay, now I'm done.