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.
I hate that NBC cancelled the show after a cliffhanger! How can we have this big reveal that Darnell is not Earl Jr’s father and then not resolve it? And finding out how Earl would ultimately relate to Dodge after finding out he is actually his father. This is a reason why I hate network tv.
BRING IT BACK! BRING IT BACK! BRING IT BACK!
I really loved My name is Earl!!! When it ended lIke it did I was left wanting more to say the least!!! I bet I watched Randy singing opera 100x!!! please ….Mr. Garcia… Bring Earl back!!!
I finally got to watch My Name Is Earl while I was on bedrest with my last pregnancy. I really enjoyed it. It was a good show that deserves an proper ending. Come on Netflix! If you could bring back Arrested Development, you could bring back a great show like this for a great ending
Yes that’s a great ending. It makes me very happy.
I had to have been one of the biggest fans of the show My Name Is Earl and I am so upset with the way it ended. It’s was a great show and could have went on for at least two more seasons. I wish that would consider giving us at least one more season.
I am a big fan of My Name Is Earl and yall need to bring it back it’s bull **** you cancelled it like that
My partner and I simply loved My name is Earl. Only today we’ve finished watching it and only now realised the series had been cancelled. We are very upset as we got attached to the characters and their stories. This ingenious series deserved an ending! We feel deeply for Mr Garcia and see his master plan ending like this. However, we are very greatful to Mr Garcia for reaviling the ending. My partner and I still hope that there will be a series finale even with the ending already out there. Thank you to Mr Garcia, his team and actors… Read more »
My favorite show. Very creative writers for my name is Earl. Very comical humor live this so I’ll give it five stars NBC are absolutely stupid for canceling the show great push lines lots of comedy. I still watch reruns on Netflix . Bring my name is Earl back
Please make a movie!
I loved this show. I would love to see more. I am glad i was able to read how things would have ended. Again was a great show. Wish we had more episodes. You become a part of the show after a while and feel like you actually know the charectors. It sucks they were cancelled.
I didn’t like the way the network cancelled the show like that either, just terrible. I was heartbroken because I started to feel like they were my second family and that I knew them on a personal basis, sounds crazy but true. Such a great show and I agree with John that Earl made me a better person too because I am a firm believer in karma and it’s nice to see someone trying to make up for things they have done in the past, it just makes you want to be a better person, I will miss you Earl,… Read more »
What? I just watched this on netflix and I want NO I need more! You suck bring earl back. How can you leave us wanting more, cancelled…..what idiot thought that was a good idea? Who is Earl JRS father? This sucks, this series has been such a great laughter for my family….bring earl back
I’m angry that it ended and sad watching this show turned my life around I used to be just like him I didn’t make a list but I started making things right with people who I did wrong and it made me feel a lot better I would love to meet Jason lee one day and tell him how he insired me to do good I now have a job no stealing or smoking don’t drink as much and doing part time study thank you to all of my name is earl cast and creators sorry it had to end
i love that show shame that they cancelled it