Somehow, somewhere along the way, I got hooked on Ally McBeal. And while I hate to admit it, for the past several seasons I’ve watched the show religiously, enjoying it through its prime and suffering with it through its decline. By this evenings episode, truly the nadir of five long seasons, I was more than ready to see the series end; it was less a finale than a mercy killing.

Still, I felt oddly sad to see the show go. And I suspect, come next Monday, I’ll be left with an Ally-shaped gap in my evening. So, bygones, Mrs. McBeal. Bygones. We’ll miss you.