Did These ’80s Classics Stick the Landing?

Andy Greenwald is joined by Tim Simons and Matt Walsh to discuss a handful of series finales from shows that represent the weird era of ’80s television including St. Elsewhere, Newhart, ALF, Sledge Hammer!, Dallas, and Dinosaurs. They start by talking about their first experiences with finales, how the final episodes of this decade’s shows seemed to both be in conversation and in competition with one another, and the reasons why TV was much more playful during this time (5:07). Along the way, they go through each ending and unpack everything, from the shocking reveal at the end of St. Elsewhere to the monolithic nature of Dallas to the surprisingly dark messaging in the last scene of Dinosaurs, and so much more (13:32). Finally, they answer the titular question: Did it stick the landing? (99:55).

Host: Andy Greenwald
Guests: Tim Simons and Matt Walsh
Producers: Kaya McMullen and Kai Grady
Theme Song and Other Music Credits: Giancarlo Vulcano

Subscribe: Spotify