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.
What is sad is the last couple of shows for season 4 really picked it up, not that the whole series wasn’t great, it is, but the writing was even better. A shame it cancelled considering what’s on TV these days. No wonder the big 4 are losing viewers. Who is making these foolish decisions to cancel great shows like this one?
This was one of my all-time favorite shows, so it’s nice to see how Garcia would have ended it. I really wish they wouldn’t have left Earl in jail for so long or put him in a coma. It ruined the flow of the show, and I think it would’ve made it to a fifth season if they hadn’t done either of those things. During the first two seasons, it was really heartwarming, despite how hilariously awful some of the characters were (including pre-list Earl). And it was one of the funniest shows on TV.
I Love this show and was sad they always put a good show on then take it off the air before everyone hears about so the show hardly has a chance to thrive just like The show Lucifer bomb and then leave us and without an ending what was the point to watch if they keep taking them off air.! 🙁 this is 2019 and I’m still watching it and wanting it on tv it’s better then some of the shows
Lucifer isn’t cancelled. Season 4 will be on Netflix this year
Bring the show back! Don’t want it to end!!!
Wish season 5 would have came out.
Even if I already finish the show I always watch it over and over again I enjoy it
I thought it was a great show and I enjoyed every episode I was disappointed when the show got canceled and taken off Netflix I seen a lot of potential in the show, and hopefully there will be one last episode or season to top off the whole story but ether way I give it 5 stars
HULU still has it. I just finished watching it a few days ago.
It got moved to hulu along with a TON of other shows that used to be on Netflix and amazon
Gladly, It’s now on HULU!!!
I would love to see a My name is Earl reunion show. Where everyone is in present day give closure to all unknown questions and give Garcia’s vision of his last episode a reality. But I loved this show, I watched it with my parents and the cliffhanger needs to be continued.
I’m just getting to the end of the series on Hulu. I never had the chance to watch the show when it was on NBC. I love this show. It’s funny and the relationships are so real. I like how it makes me feel at the end if each show. Earl crosses off a list item and while he gets a sense of accomplishment, I do too. I’m going to miss this show.
#bringmynameisearlback
Why don’t try staring “MY NAME IS EARL” Netflix…I can almost GUARANTEE you can…and we ALL OVER THE WORLD WOULD LOVE TO SEE….THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES
This is one of my all time favorite shows. I have watched all the way through many times. I am glad to hear how the show creator was going to end it. I never expected Earl to finish his list. Someone should go ahead and finish it, run it for a few more seasons first. Not a show out there compares to the comedy of Earl. East bound and down is the only other show that gets as hilarious!
Awesome show. I agree. I could just keep watching it forever on. Actually I never really thought Earl would ever finish his list. Is there any chance someone will bring this gem back to life?
I love the show. I wish it had continued to the said ending….or just bring it back…..it can continue forever. The show was brilliant. So many stupid shows out there and this one was on a different level of social relations.
I wish you guys would bring back my name is Earl. It was a great show and I’m sad o don’t know the last episode.
Not really. As I only became a fan a short while ago and binge watched all four seasons I was horrified that it was canceled I felt robbed that I didn’t get to actually see the end of Earls’ story. I am grateful however that the ending would have been a happy one!