‘Will & Grace’ Series Finale: Does the ending signify another beginning for the fabulous four?
Spoilers for ‘Will & Grace’ Season 11 Episode 18 ‘It’s Time’
Stories end but they leave us with the hope and want of something more, something that will give us closure, especially if the stories end on an open note. ‘Will & Grace’ ended its eleventh season after 18 episodes with a scene that left us (and many fans) with questions.
Let’s back up a little and start from the opening. Jack (Sean Hayes), Karen (Megan Mullally) and Will Truman (Eric McCormack) are sitting in Will and Grace Adler's (Debra Messing) apartment living room and Jack is excited about them having a baby. The apartment is almost empty as they are leaving for the suburbs to raise their child. Grace appears from the bedroom thinking that her water is breaking and Will shouts out “Operation Baby!” followed by “It’s time!” inviting everyone to leave for the hospital. But it seems like a false alarm for Grace. She then decides to climb stairs to induce labor and the quad heads to the Statue of Liberty.
Meanwhile, little incidents push us towards the final scene as we know it. Jack receives the news that he will get to appear in a Broadway show, a dream he always had, and finally, it’s coming true, even if it’s not the role he had imagined. Standing at the top of Lady Liberty's statue, Karen once again falls for her ex-husband Stanley and she decides to give their relationship another shot. Will and Grace cheer Jack at the theater as he appears (rather drags himself) to the stage. Then there’s a sudden appearance of Will’s ex-love interest, McCoy.
They try to wrap the conversation on any possibility of them getting back together when Grace’s water suddenly breaks. Finally, Will takes one last look at the empty apartment, picks up the painting (that has been there since forever) and closes the door behind him.
Closing the door meant a lot more than a dramatic finale scene or an emotional ending. As Will closed the door behind and the lights went out, it was clear that he has finally moved on and closed this chapter of his life behind, but only to start a new one. Yes, the scene was indeed about closures of different kinds for each of the characters. Karen managed to find her love back, Jack realized his dream, although, on a small scale, Grace and Will are turning their friendship into a familial bond which they always hoped for. And finally, it also meant closing the door on the city where they spent two decades, worked, found success, friendship, love, and recognition, only to open the door to a simpler, quieter, family life.
Analyzing the penultimate scene between McCoy and Will, a fan contemplates if this could go anywhere. “I loved the finale but I was wondering would Will get back with McCoy ? Or will he stay committed to Grace into raising their children ? Left me wanted more but in a sad/happy way. #WillAndGrace”, he asked.
Another fan hoped that the ending could also mean that there might be a reunion sort of a show that will include Will and Grace’s kid/s. “In tears I will miss #WillAndGrace such a fantastic show that makes you crying like no other Pleading I hope there will be reunion shows with the kid’s that would be great. #WillAndGrace are embedded in my heart #WillAndGraceFarewell ,” the fan said.
Well, since we can’t say for sure that the fabulous four of television will be back or not, we can hold onto the beautiful ending of the series that won hearts and broke all conventions since 1998.
You can catch up on reruns of ‘Will & Grace’ all seasons, all episodes, on NBC or your favorite digital platforms. Check your local listings for showtimes.