My Name Is Earl aired for four seasons on NBC before it was cancelled, and the creator has revealed how he would have ended the series if it had continued on to a natural end. The series ended with a bit of a cliffhanger, but Greg Garcia did have a plan in mind for how to wrap things up.
In a Reddit AMA, he revealed how he would have ended the comedy series if he had been able to close it out. He said:
“I had always had an ending to Earl and I’m sorry I didn’t get the chance to see it happen. You’ve got a show about a guy with a list so not seeing him finish it is a bummer. But the truth is, he wasn’t ever going to finish the list. The basic idea of the ending was that while he was stuck on a really hard list item he was going to start to get frustrated that he was never going to finish it. Then he runs into someone who had a list of their own and Earl was on it. They needed to make up for something bad they had done to Earl. He asks them where they got the idea of making a list and they tell him that someone came to them with a list and that person got the idea from someone else. Earl eventually realizes that his list started a chain reaction of people with list and that he’s finally put more good into the world than bad. So at that point he was going to tear up his list and go live his life. Walk into the sunset a free man. With good karma.”
Garcia also revealed that he had asked the network if it was okay for him to end the season on a cliffhanger. The network told him to go ahead, and it was only after that NBC decided to cancel the series. Garcia might have written a different season four finale if he had known the network was going to cancel the series.
In addition, Garcia also planned to reveal who Earl Jr’s father was before the show ended. The writers were thinking that it would be someone famous who’d been in town for just one night. The writers didn’t get to decide who that would be, but the baby daddy was intended to be revealed before the series ended.
Were you a fan of My Name is Earl? Did Garcia’s reveal give you closure for this series? Tell us what you think.
can u guys bring back my name is earl please
The first couple of seasons were funny and clever but then it got silly and not even funny. The prison ones were poor and mostly nothing to do with his list and him doing better things. It also got cruder and cruder (little Chubby episodes for example) and just became too unfunny to watch.
I really enjoyed the show these days everything is reality shows or just remakes of older shows. So a funny orginal idea comes along and it’s very refreshing I was very disappointed that it ended and more so the way it left things was disappointing. I have watch alot worse shows go on for what feels like forever 9 or 10 season’s oh well that’s the way it goes sometimes.
My name is Earl is my favorite show. It’s absolutely hilarious but can also “hit you in the feels.” Please bring it back! Even though they’re older now, hundreds of thousands of people will be so excited! Make TV great again!
Okay look it’s driving me crazy!! I think Y’all need to bring my name is earl back!! Please finish it! I’ve watched all 4 seasons!! I am so upset that it wasn’t finished!! I’m crushed!! I know y’all probably won’t see or read this!! I know y’all don’t care what I think but ughh please y’all I miss it!!
I really enjoyed My Name is Earl and would love to see either a Season 5 to wrap up the cliffhanger about Earl Jr’s father and the list! I think Randy was one of the funniest characters ever! If they wanted to do a movie that would be great too! I’ve missed seeing Jason Patric on TV!
I loved My Name is Earl!
I was incredibly disappointed when it didn’t come back.
I read that in 2015 Jason Lee said he was up to doing an Earl movie to wrap it up.
There must be enough of us fans to voice our opinion.
….they brought back Family Guy….
P. S. I thought in Season 4, the episode “Dodges Dad” revealed Earl actually was his father. Joy really met Earl 9 months before Dodge was born. See she met a guy at a Halloween party dressed as a skeleton. Earl was at that same Halloween party dressed as a skeleton with the mask still on. Joy slept with him not knowing 9 months later she met him again. Lol
My name is Earl was hilarious. Why would a network cancel a show that was actually good? This is one of those shows where they nailed the casting. The cast all had great professional chemistry. I was upset when it was cancelled. But yeah, Greg Garcia’s revelation of how he would have ended it sounds good. I wouldn’t expect Earl to keep working on the list. Though it was hilarious, I agree ripping up the list and living the way he wanted, and acually having his own life would have been the best way to end it
so funny! it made many of my nights better watching it. Comedy is my cure and this one was packed with a great cast and storyline. Thank you so much for such a brilliant show. I wish I could have watched another 3 seasons of this!
I’m really upset the show ended I loved it and I know that the director/ producers will never see this but if some how this is seen and gets out please finish it off. Just imagine a deal with Netflix or something like that it would be amazing even if it’s just 1 more series to finish it off. I don’t really know where I’m going with this but please let this happen someone. I know I’m just going on but please please please somebody do this
I love the show wft cancelled NBC
Netflix should take this show on NBC droped the ball big
I like Garcia’s true ending, makes sense. We were waiting for Earl and Randy to grow and finally be able to navigate in a world without crime and cruelty.
I love my name is Earl and I was excited to see the next episode