Review: Adventure Time Finale Delivers One of The Best TV Series Conclusions In Recent Years

After eight years and 10 successful seasons, the highly-acclaimed Cartoon Network series “Adventure Time” concluded its run on Sept. 3. Though the series has always set a high standard among animated series, “The Ultimate Adventure” marks a conclusion that may very well go down as one of the best TV series finales ever.

The finale sees Finn and his best friend Jake help Princess Bubblegum defend the Land of Ooo in a final stand against an old enemy known as Gumbald (voice of Fred Melamed). The result is the culmination of all the storylines that have been part of the show from day one, and a beautiful experience that shows how much the series has grown since it began airing in 2010.

Finn was only 11 at the start of the series’ run, and he is 17 as of the finale. By that same token, Finn’s voice actor Jeremy Shada has managed to grow from a boy to a young man over the course of the show’s run; which worked perfectly for the series. Rather than the usual options of casting a new actor or pitching the voice down with editing software, this is one of the most effective ways of letting the character grow with the actor as well as the audience.

When the series began, the story of the first episode was a purely joyful take on a slumber party being invaded by zombies. Now, the series finale depicts a conflict that had been hinted since the beginning as the show closes out a highly influential run. Even though the series may be ending, the legacy it has left on Cartoon Network will last for years to come.

From its opening moments to a final extended rendition of the ending song “Come Along With Me,” the series finale of “Adventure Time” is a perfect conclusion to one of the most beloved shows Cartoon Network has produced this decade. Much like the finale of the companion piece “Regular Show,” it is a stellar conclusion to the series that proves that even though the story is over, the fun will never truly end.

Verdict: 5 out of 5 Stars

Review By Steven Pryor

At a Glance:

Adventure Time: The Ultimate Adventure

Starring the voices of Jeremy Shada, John DiMaggio, Tom Kenny, Hynden Walch and Olivia Olsen
Created by Pendleton Ward
Rated TV-PG