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 am so sad that the show ended. I loved it so much. I’m satisfied with the ending, but I’m not satisfied with how the show left me wanting more. It was such a good show so I’m heartbroken that it ended so suddenly.
Glad to read it. I really am. Good ending.
I loved my name is earl. I started watching when I was bored and got into it. I’m sad it stopped especially on a cliffhanger hope another season
It gave me some closure but I still wish they would have made another season it was a good show.
Nooo… for about two years I saw it first and I loved it so I telled my boyfriend about it in september this year. Today we saw the last show and we prayed for more seasons but now we readed that should be the end? we are shocked… the show is absolutely unique, funny, entertained and tells often the truth. It is really sad, that the show is ending that way.
This show is fantastic. I’ve watched in through a few times now and enjoy it more and more everytime. This would have been a great way to see the show end, I think it should still happen wether it’s a mini series or a movie we want to see it end properly.
We love “My Name Is Earl”, Please, reconsider, and bring it back!
One of my favirote shows watced it all the time i wish yall could of came out with a season 5
Please make another season! ! Me and my hubby loved watching the show after coming home from work. It was entertaining and hilarious! !
Yes I did get closure thank you .. Love the show wish they never would have canceled it the writer is hilarious
BRing my name is Earl back me in my family love earl we want our my name is earl season five to be aired we ❤️❤️❤️❤️
I actually thought Earl Jr’s dad woulb be Crab Man’s brother. I also wanted to know if Earl would take responsibility for Dodge and take him on the weekends to help with his list!
I’ve now watched My Name Is Earl 3 times on Netflix waiting for a fifth season. i just tonight have finally looked up where i can find it and THEY DISCONTINUED THIS BEAUTIFUL SHOW! BRING BACK MY NAME IS EARL and i will love you forever. Thumbs up if you agree.
To be continued? What a drag I mean was season 5 not even made? This show kept my head above water seriously. I would give ANYTHING to get season 5 I would literally pay anything. WHERE DO I BUY IT? PLEASE TELL ME!
I loved my name is earl and am sad it ended. I have a secret hope that like so many other shows it will be picked up and continued on netflix. Or something like that. It’s sad that randy never got to breed wiener cats.