I have felt a mourning, a kind of grief, when a series is over. It's a feeling that keeps me from starting another series. I press "play" on that first episode, try to feel empathy with the new characters, and finally have to press "stop". I am just not ready to move on.
The first series I remember grieving the end of is "Eli Stone", starring Jonny Lee Miller. Not only did Eli Stone end, it was cancelled, leaving several plotlines open and unanswered. This show was very unique, and I loved the progression of the characters throughout the 26 episodes. Had it been renewed for a third season, the four shows that had already been scripted would have been able to play out and provide some closure for fans. Alas, it was not meant to be. Fortunately, Eli Stone creator and executive producer Marc Guggenheim discussed what would have happened in a later interview. It gave me comfort.
The second series I actively mourned is "Veronica Mars", starring Kristen Bell. Wow. I loved, loved, loved this series. And I was not alone. The series was cancelled after three seasons on the CW network. A film was in the works, which lost funding, and through a Kickstarter fundraiser campaign, championed in part by Bell, $2M was raised in less than 11 hours. The fans had spoken, and the film was made. Then, Hulu picked up the last season to give diehard fans a heartbreaking closure to the series and characters I had come to love.
Next is a series on FX that I mourned, I think, simply because I had fallen in puppy love with the lead character, U.S. Marshall Raylan Givens. A sensitive badass with questionable tactics and a tough upbringing, he was only one of the awesome characters in this present-day Western. At a very satisfying six seasons, there were 78 episodes for my binging enjoyment. I looked for a few others like this one when it was over, but I had to give it up and be happy for the Justified memories.
And, last is another Jonny Lee Miller vehicle, "Elementary". Based on Sherlock Holmes, this drama doesn't shy away from Sherlock's addiction, his unconventional method of solving cases, and his relationship with Dr. (this time Joan) Watson. Set in modern day New York City, the acting is solid, the writing smart, and the relationships feel very real. We meet arch-nemesis Moriarty, brother Mycroft, and even Sherlock's father, Morland. Individual cases per episode are solved, plus season-long arcs make this another binge-worthy series. A series that I very much missed when it was over.
And why do I write this now? Because I just finished watching the last episode of the original "Leverage". Thankfully, there is now a reboot called "Leverage: Redemption", which mas many of the same characters. I moved on to "Redemption" last night. Let's see if it lives up to its name.
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