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 have been a fan of the show ever since I caught it by accident on TV. It is quirky, strange, unpredictable, inventive, but most of all uplifting. Jason Lee is the perfect Earl. I wish there had been one last season and until I found this page I did not have proper closure. My choice for for Earl Jr.’s father would be Morgan Freeman. I do feel the show had many more story lines to pursue, but unfortunately such is life.
My Favorite Show On Netflix Me And My Whole Family Watch This Show I Know Every Episode By Heart Sad Day Today For Me
No I Love That Show I Watch Season 1-4 About A 1000 Times Back To Back Please Bring It Back Or I’m Cancel My Netflix Account And I Had It For 5 Years Or More So Sad Right Now I Just Try To Go Watch It And Netflix Done Took It Off There I’m So Upset That Was A Very Good Show
Dammn it Randy!
I miss my name is Earl … I think it needs a good 10 more seasons… is a great show
Would love to see this show come back. I never watched the first episode when it was on reg tv. I started watching it on Netflix and loved every episode.
I’ve been rewatching Earl for the millionth time, and am now currently on Season 4. I was so gutted when this show got canceled. I watched it all through highschool. I’d love to see this revived, even if it was just a movie. We need closure.
I like knowing Earl is Dodge’s father. I was hoping Earl Jr. is his as well. Then he and Joy would get back together because Crab Man is upset with Joy and is called back to duty as a spy.
Oh yea, and now it won’t even be on Netflix anymore Oh the heart break.
I’ve seen that show about a hundred times. Not even kidding, I’ve gotten so many people hooked on that show. Everyone loves it. It’s funny, it’s simple, yet sends such good messages, its clever, it has every aspect a great show needs! You can’t just finish it that way without a season finale. At least bring it back to finish it. Do everyone that favor.
BRING BACK ‘MY NAME IS EARL’!!
Crabmans DNA could have been altered after earl jr was born and he could disclose it after they keep seeing similarities in earl jr which would be funny.
It was bull **** that is one of the best shows that has ever been made and you want to cancel it for what reason I’m sure it made enough money and had enough viewers olive in jasper and know a few hundred people who have watched every episode a few hundred times if you want to make people happy let Garcia bring his show back and finish it the way it was intended it was a very inspirational show but yet a comedy at the same time and a thriller it was and is the best show I have… Read more »
I love watching My Name is Earl, I would love to see season 5 written and produced.
I absolutely love this show, wish Netflix would pick it up!!!!!
It is on Netflix…..
It actually is on Netflix. It will only be on until October 1st unfortunately.