Question:
If "Last Knight" wasn't the series finale, just a
season finale or a regular episode, how would
your views and opinions on it change?

Sharon Bauman

I don't believe my opinion would have changed. I thought it was a poorly conceived episode and relied on reusing footage to fill half the program. I also did not like the spinning camera idea - it made me dizzy! Besides the technical stuff, I thought the storyline was a cop-out. We've all seen Nick bring people over successfully, there was no reason to believe he couldn't do the same with Natalie. Also, I don't believe he would have wanted to kill himself - or let himself be killed - because he would not have accomplished his main goal - to become mortal and atone for his bad past deeds. I also don't think that Lacroix would have staked Nick. That was against Lacroix's principles - to kill one of his children! The only good thing about that whole episode was that everything [except the deaths of Vachon and Urs] was vague. Did Natalie die? Did Lacroix stake Nick? What happened to Lacroix afterwards? So, if it had been just a season finale, we would be able to pick up the next season with an episode showing that no one died and go on from there.

Wilma

I always thought that Last Knight was a well written show. It kept me wondering all summer what would happen. I didn't know it was the series finale. It kept me awake- it was on at 2am. It had to be good if it could do that! Just because as fans we don't agree with the series creators on how something should end doesn't mean the creators are wrong. Just be thankful that the series had an ending that keeps us wondering and hoping. Think of how it would be if the final episode would have been My boyfriend is a Vampire!

Wendy

As beautifully acted and directed an episode "Last Knight" was, I still think it was a waste. I never dreamed of a Disney-like ending for the show, don't get me wrong... but even if it was only another episode, I feel that a show that started out with so much hope and wit should not have turned in such a blatantly hopeless direction. Regardless of whether Nick found faith, the suicide angle seemed hopeless to me. In short, I do not think, in my opinion, it would have changed my feelings for this episode.

Shannon Blum

A lot would depend on whether or not Natalie died in the end. I would love it if Nat was brought across, would like it she was still a mortal, and would hate it she died.

Jessica Murray

Well, first of all, I'd be ticked that it didn't say "To Be Continued" at the end. When I first saw it, actually, I'd only been watching FK haphazardly, and didn't know it was the series finale. My reaction was "NO!!" followed immediately by, "How the hell are they going to get out of this one?" followed again by, "Aw, no!" If it were just a garden variety cliffhanger, that wouldn't change. I'd just find out what happened next a little sooner--or maybe not, since I found the FKFIC-L archive in June '96, complete with the results of hundreds of fanfic writers trying to fix the travesty all at once (although I was shocked by how long it took for someone to use the title "About Last Knight"). Of course, I probably wouldn't think it was quite such a travesty if it hadn't been the series finale.

Callista

It wouldn't be half as bad. For one thing, we would know at least that Nick was still alive and would come back to explain to us what happened. Personally I think it was a good episode. It just left you so unsatisfied with the final result that you felt sick. If it was just anouther episode that would not be a problem.

Katherine

It wouldn't. I absolutely love Last Knight and there's a lot of subtle ambiguity that makes me believe that neither Nick nor Natalie are truly dead. (Don't make me explain it, if you really want to know, just watch the episode a dozen more times and PAY ATTENTION!) It was a very well written show, perhaps one of the best ever. I will probably get killed for saying this, but that's how I feel.

K-A

My opinions would not change at all. If Natalie dies, and there is no Nick and NAT, then I would not watch the show.

StephiLyn

If "Last Knight" were the season finale, I would be looking at it as a crisis point in the lives of Nick, Natalie and LaCroix which would lay the foundation for each of them to experience change and growth. If there was a fourth season, Nick and Natalie would either go their separate ways and each of them would find someone new or they would stay together and work harder on finding a cure for Nick's vampirism. If Nick and Natalie did break up, it would be interesting to see who would become Nick's new 'light' and to see how she would handle Nick and LaCroix. If there was a new man in Natalie's life, it would also provide some incentive for Nick to decide whether he's going to tell Natalie that he does have feelings for her and express them. Perhaps new love interests for Nick and Natalie might give both of them a new perspective on things, because they're with other people. Thanks for the interesting questions, Fredric! :-)

Arletta Asbury

I probably wouldn't hate it as much. And I'd be watching the next episode with great interest, to find out how TPTB write themselves out of *that* one. :)

Gwynn Holloway

If Last Knight were not the finale, my views would not change drastically. If I knew it were a cliffhanger, it would not have been so depressing.

Amanda Berendt

Well it would obviously been a season finale - cliffhanger thing so I would be sitting through the whole summer thnking "Did he/or didn't he?..... he couldn't have.... the series isn't over so he can't die....." Or Maybe I would do what I did with the X-files. I went in a chat room and got a spoiler... but I forget it. But we all know Mulder isn't dead because the series isn't over and it can't continue without him. Plus.... we never saw his body! (in both cases) Needless to say, it would be a VERY long summer!

Kerry Haas

Ack! That would be one heck of a cliffhanger. My opinions would still stay the same though. How out of character they were and perhaps it was another one of Nick's guilt things going in to over drive. But that is only my opinion ;-)

Jackie Wilson

You mean "Last Knight" was the series finale?!?!?!?! Wow, I guess I've always looked at it as something that would be continued. Even with Tracy, we didn't truly see her die. Nat's heart didn't stop beating. The stake never fell on the camera. Everything is open to be continued. My opinion is still the same as always... no one died on Last Knight, everything is open to negotiation.

Joni Latham

I think that if it were a season finale, I would have felt much better. That meant that at least at the beginning of the season, we would have known what happened; instead, of waiting around in hopes that they make a TV movie. Of course the way season finales go, this could all be a dream sequence of Nick's or Nat's or wishful thinking on LC's part. Suffice to say that I am in the majority that did not care for the way they ended the series, but they sure left it open to carry on if they decided to do so.

Denise Walker

Actually, I would have liked it. I loved the ep until the end. I was entranced (is that a word?) the whole time I was watching and would have loved to see how they were going to resolve this in TV land. Hopefully w/o getting rid of Nat of course. The powers that be could have had a lot of fun with it, instead they had to be depressing.

Mary

What a cliff-hanger!

Erin

Well, I would have been less ticked off at TPTB, that's for sure. I would have just assumed that they were going to bring them back somehow. Considering the past record of killing off characters, that might not be realistic, but I would assume it anyway because that's what I'd want to believe. :-)

Rebekkah Priebe

I think if it was just a regular episode it would have left more to the imagination. By knowing that it was the last episode it left no room for the imagination to create ideas as to what was going to happen next season or in the next episode.

M. Liu

As an episode, I don't think that I would like it any less. The script, directing, and acting make it one of the best... at least in my opinion. However, if it were just a regular episode, I think that "Last Knight" would lose a lot of power for me, simply because you know that all of the characters will be back for the following episode or season.

Lori Isabella

I think I would have liked Last Knight more than I do. As a series finale it was pretty depressing but as a season finale it would have be something that would have kept the fans talking all summer. It would have been sort of like the Dynasty season finale where the terrorists gunned down everybody at the wedding. It horrified some of the fans but it made everybody want to tune in in the Fall to see who survived.

Angela Rynan

For an episode to wrench so much heartfelt emotion out of me and who knows how many other viewers should say something for the brilliance in direction, writing, and acting of the show. It's just excellent storytelling. Of course I had the same reaction as everyone else--I had only just discovered FK when the series finale rolled out about three weeks after I started watching. And I was seething at that kind of ending. However, if I knew it to be simply a SEASON finale, not a series finale, I would have been on the edge of my seat, waiting for September to come. Of course my feelings would change about the finale, because there would be some satisfaction in knowing that it isn't all over, and that some things were going to be explained in the new season--or else!

Elysamarie

If "Last Knight" had been a season finale, it would have created a terrific cliffhanger. Fans would have gone crazy wondering how everything would be resolved. In light of all their recent traumatic experiences, the characters certainly would have evolved. Would Uncle become more... err reasonable? Would Nick stop his whining? Would Natalie begin to accept Nick for who and what he is? Could we somehow dig up Vachon? please? The way they ended it was so pointless... all these carefully constructed characters survived all this angst.. for nothing? I remember watching the last one with my teenaged daughter and my husband and when it was over we all looked at each other and said.. "that's it..?" .. They're going to resolve it by killing off all the people except the one they are going to leave alone in the world? Fortunately I ran across Nancy W's "Phoenix" in the fan fiction department. If they were to make a FK movie, they could use a plot line such as her's... I know it helped this family of 4 all FK followers of various affiliations... Heck maybe we could even find a way to bring Tracey back.... then again maybe not.

Navidia

Jeez... uh... I never really let myself think about that. I would be severely hurt and outraged. They have messed with too many characters already, and now they have re-writen the personalities of all of them. I have heard of spring cleaning to get rid of some bad parts, but why bother to call it Forever Knight, if it's an entirely different show?

Karen

Well, in my world, "Last Knight" doesn't exist, but for the sake of this question, I'll pretend it does. My opinion of this rather curious episode that may or may not be real is that overall it was a very well written, directed, acted and filmed show. Honestly and truly. I don't have to admit it's real to recognize that it was a good ep. If another season had been on the horizon, then, I would have considered it a very good cliffhanger and wondered how they (the writers) were going to pull this one out of the hat. Actually, I'm still wondering. (In my world, I've already resolved that). :-)

Cousin Nicole

Well, if it would have been a season finale, we would have known for sure that Nick survived, but there would be the question of what will happen to Nat. Does she go back to normal or is she brought across? I actually avoided Forever Knight for a couple of years (slap, shame on you) because I knew that's how it ended and I didn't want to start liking it. But, Nigel brought me across, and now I'm thinking, look what you've been missing all this time and I found this great list!

Sky Dancer

It would change everything for me because of all the possible places the series could go. Could those clear tears of Nick's mean he's become mortal? Is Vachon still alive... we see him bring Tracy across in the new season? What aspects of humanity and the fight between our good and our evil will have to be discovered to keep the audience enthralled? I believe there is plenty of room to go should Nick become mortal, because LaCroix will always be there offering him the gift back if he can't hack mortality. Or always be the "threat" of LaCroix in the background, "slipping" one night and trying to bring him across. Or what if Natalie gets pregnant and Nick becomes badly injured? Would she ask LaCroix or Vachon to bring Nick across, knowing that his love for her was what allowed him to be mortal again (and not working a second time?). I'd like to see Nick and Natalie work in the relationship together against his struggle to live in the mortal world instead of Nick just sitting alone angsting about everything he think's he's failed at. I also wouldn't mind seeing TPTB take Tracy and Vachon somewhere in a story line. Especially Tracy, who would have to deal with her perkiness and the supposed evil of vampirism. I like to see her show Nick that you can be a vampire and well adjusted... a turn of the tables so to speak. That ending left so much open, so many avenues yet to explore. I too wouldn't mind seeing some of the darker aspects Nick went through that made him really hate vampirism, and see the emotion played out (and sharing them with Natalie as a sounding board to find his own truth about them)... the realization of his own responsibilities in how good or evil he is. Another thing I wouldn't mind seeing is a new vampire with a very old master that taught him/her very well. It would be interesting to see more vampire lore, and someone who is using all their skills.

Victoria Masters

I still wouldn't like "Last Knight", but at least I could believe that there was hope for the situation to resolve itself. I'm not sure that I could be happy with the show for awhile knowing that half the cast has been killed off. Even if "Last Knight" was just the end of the season, Nick's life will start in the same place and he would be even gloomier with Tracy dead and Natalie drained by the person she loved.

Reva

I think I would still like it as much as I do for the acting, directing, writing. But I don't think I would be as depressed as I am every time I watch it because if it was just a season finale I would know we would get to see more of Nick and the gang.

Ann

If "Last Knight" was just a season finale or regular episode, it would have been far more palatable. As it is, the ending left a very bad taste. I have viewed the episode numerous times and have been left with the feeling of being RIPPED OFF. It's like dining on the ultimate meal at a 5-star restaurant with all of your favorite dishes and price is no object. So after you've savored the appetizers and entree with a glass of fine wine (which wasn't quite up to your taste but that's okey; nothing's perfect), you await the dessert. You assume it will be up to the standard of the meal. The waiter approaches with the dessert tray and all he has is... a box of animal crackers. It will be a long time, if ever, before this taste leaves my mouth.