There have been plenty of frustrating finales to shows where characters have not been given a deserving ending. The result of this leaves audiences feeling hurt or frustrated that beloved characters have been done an injustice, particularly when a show is ending. However, there are plenty of characters where actors have left the show, or during a show's finale, that have been given dignity on screen and been allowed to depart or conclude with and ending that befits their character's personality.
The characters featured within this list were not only given a good ending, but the perfect and most deserved finale for their development on each TV show.
Warning: spoilers ahead!
10 Monica Geller - Friends
Out of the six main characters within the Friends sitcom, Monica arguably has the best and most satisfying endings. Her character remains the stoic "mother" figure of the group throughout the show's ten seasons and, despite her need for order and cleanliness and trouble with relationships in the earlier seasons, she remains likable and is able to achieve a happy ending by the end of the show.
From falling in love with close friend Chandler Bing, to getting married and having twins via surrogate in the show's final season, Monica achieves everything that she ever dreamed of. In addition to her family life, her career as a chef blossoms over the ten years of the show and her long-standing hope of becoming head chef as a restaurant comes true.
9 Kimmy Schmidt - The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
Rescued after fifteen years underground as part of a cult, protagonist Kimmy decides to travel to New York City and take ownership of her life. During the show's pilot episode, she is overwhelmed by the people she meets and the experiences that she encounters. Ultimately, despite the hardships that she faces, the show is hilariously comedic and light-hearted as Kimmy's journey leads her to her perfect ending.
Flashing forward in time to June 2023, the now financially successful Kimmy opens Greenmulax World at Universal Studios that honors her best-selling young adult books. Whilst every character within the show achieved the successes that they had dreamed of throughout the show, Kimmy's outcome is the most perfect, as it allows her story to come full circle.
8 Petra Solano - Jane The Virgin
Petra arguably had the largest character arc throughout the five seasons of Jane the Virgin, from being the central antagonist of the plot to becoming one of the most beloved and likable funny characters of the show. Yael Grobglas' portrayal of this character is both hilarious and heart-warming as she successfully portrays a complex woman trying to survive.
Her desire to overcome the traumas of her past inspires her to turn a new leaf and embrace her bisexuality and motherhood. In trying to improve herself and her relationships with her loved ones, Petra is able to forge a good ending for herself. Her fight and spirit enables her to become prosperous in life and love.
7 Piper Chapman - Orange Is The New Black
Piper is unlucky throughout all seasons of Orange is the New Black, mostly due to the knowledge that she is literally in prison. The show sees her seeking to survive the trials and tribulations of the other inmates and the prison system itself. Although her relationship with fellow inmate and ex-girlfriend, Alex, was turbulent and chaotic, Piper ends up defying the odds and moves to Ohio to start a new life and be closer to Alex's new prison.
Ultimately, her ending proves how her time in prison was easier than her fellow inmates because of her undeniable privilege. However, the last scenes of her and Alex laughing together during a prison visit show how much work Piper had put into improving herself and her relationship.
6 Cristina Yang - Grey's Anatomy
Cristina Yang is a character that was given such a service by the Grey's Anatomy show runners, as her ending was fitting for her, and she was not killed off the show. From being Meredith's best friend and confidante whilst they were interns, to having to learn how to better empathize with her patients, Cristina saw everything during her time at Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital (formerly Seattle Grace Hospital).
After ten seasons, Cristina's journey was complete as she was an excellent doctor who had nothing left to learn. Therefore, when a huge job opportunity arose for her to be head of a hospital in Zurich, it was the perfect next step for her character.
5 Cam Tucker - Modern Family
Mitchell and Cam strike gold with their happily ever after by the finale of the long-running show Modern Family. Throughout the eleven seasons, we see their relationship develop the most, from adopting their first child from Vietnam, to being legally able to get married, to ultimately leaving California for Cam's career.
It is a beautiful ending for the couple which truly shows their commitment to each other as a couple. After years of Cam living near Mitchell's family and job, he is offered a job in Missouri and is nervous to tell Mitchell. However, it is a warm and fuzzy ending for the family as they move to Missouri to start the next chapter and allows Cam to develop his career.
4 Michael - The Good Place
Every character in The Good Place is given such a beautiful and happy ending, yet Michael's ending is the most exciting of all. As most of the characters throughout the show are dead, Michael on the other hand is immortal and exists purely in the afterlife and has a fascination with the simple parts of humanity.
As the show reaches its finale, Michael is finally able to experience being human directly. After an entire show and character arc of observing and longing for humanity, this ending is very sweet and fitting for viewers to consider.
3 Judy Hale - Dead To Me
Although the end of Judy's story in Dead to Me is deeply upsetting, arguably it is the perfect ending for her. This is mostly due to the knowledge that her illness is entirely on her own terms and, for the first time, she is able to take complete agency over her life.
Judy and Jen's friendship is a complex and chaotic dynamic that oozes comedy throughout the show's three seasons. The end of their journey is much the same, but there is an added layer of emotion to it that shows how close the two women became and how successful their family unit was, despite the criminal cover-ups that brought them together in the first place.
2 Beth Harmon - The Queen's Gambit
After a life of trauma and chess, the end of the miniseries The Queen's Gambit ultimately shows protagonist Beth at complete peace. Her journey to become a Grandmaster at chess is full of twists and turns as she struggles with addiction and her relationships. With a stellar cast and impressive set and costume designs, Anya Taylor-Joy excels in this seven-part drama.
During the final episode of the show, Beth competes and wins a chess tournament in Moscow. After being widely celebrated for her victory, on her way to the airport to return home, she sees local men playing chess on the street. As she begins to play with them, the show ends, making Beth's story end happily as she is able to continue her love and passion for the game.
1 Michael Scott - The Office
There is no secret that Michael's happy ending is one of the sweetest and most joyful moments of The Office, with many fans arguing that the show itself should have ended with his emotional exit at the end of season seven. From being an insufferable boss at the start of the show, to becoming a well-respected and likable character, Michael's journey was certainly the most transformative on The Office.
Michael ultimately gets his happy ending when he moves to Colorado to be with his girlfriend, Holly Flax. In quitting his job as manager at Dunder Mifflin, he shows the audience that he is ready to finally be completely happy.