Gavin and Stacey’s final episode: why it’s so hard for fans to say goodbye

The much-loved BBC sitcom Gavin and Stacey is gearing up for its final episode on Christmas Day. The series, which initially aired between 2007 and 2010 on BBC3 and BBC1, has also been a popular fixture in the festive TV schedules, with Christmas specials in 2008, 2019 and, finally, 2024.

Over this period, fans of the show have engaged in a range of activities including discussing the series online, and visiting the filming locations in Barry, south Wales to engage in fan tourism. As the end of Gavin and Stacey approaches, they must now deal with the loss of their favourite characters and stories.

The emotional connections fans have with TV shows can be especially strong because they often air for several years, allowing viewers to grow up with certain characters and recognise similarities with their own lives. As a result, the ending of these series can lead fans to experience feelings of grief and mourning. They may go through different stages of coping with a series finale, experiencing “parasocial grief” for the fictional characters.

My research shows that fans respond to the endings of television shows in different ways. For some, the fandom continues with activities such as writing fan-fiction stories, which perpetuate the narrative and characters beyond the final episode. For others, re-watching a show on streaming platforms or physical media is important, allowing them to return to favourite episodes and moments.

Fan communities are often crucial in the time after a series ends, offering support, emotional comfort and spaces where fans can continue to discuss the series while sharing images and clips. Many fans will also follow other projects of the cast and writers, such as James Corden (Smithy) and Ruth Jones (Nessa) who both co-wrote and starred in Gavin and Stacey.

‘Bad’ endings

One of the biggest fears is that a favourite TV series will have an ending that doesn’t live up to expectations and fails to satisfy its audience. A “bad” ending can mean different things to different fan groups, but they often criticise final episodes where people behave out of character, in ways that do not make sense. This was one of the main issues with the final episodes of Game of Thrones, which were widely disliked by fans.

Endings that do not offer closure are also unpopular, as fans like to know what will happen to favourite characters after a series has finished. However, there can be different expectations based on the genre that a television show belongs to.

So-called “quality drama” series such as The Sopranos or Twin Peaks satisfied fans despite their ambiguous endings because these seemed to fit with the mood and themes of the series. In this sense, it is important that final episodes do justice to what went before and seem authentic.

In contrast, fans of comedy series often desire happy endings for their characters, and can be disappointed when these demands are not met. The 2019 Gavin and Stacey Christmas special ended on a cliffhanger as Nessa proposed to Smithy, leaving some fans unsure of his response and feeling frustrated.

The importance of happy endings and closure can be seen in the fact that fans of the series Friends were generally happy with the resolutions for all six lead characters when it ended in 2004. But dedicated viewers of the sitcom How I Met Your Mother expressed their anger when the series ended in a way that they did not want or expect in 2014.

Given that the cast and writers of Gavin and Stacey have stated the final episode may surprise viewers, its fans may already be worried.

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As they prepare for the final episode, these fans have been re-watching past series and sharing theories about what might happen, based on photos of the filming of the new episode from specific locations, and the outfits the characters are wearing.

Many fans gathered to watch the filming of the episode in south Wales, offering a send-off for the cast and crew and thanking them for their work. Others are planning in-person or virtual watch parties, where they will gather to say goodbye to the show on Christmas Day.

Of course, there is also the possibility that this may not really be the end. The 2019 Christmas special was widely discussed as being the last ever episode at the time. Indeed, perhaps this is the main issue for fans of television today – not so much the ending of their favourite programme but the ongoing questions about whether it might, someday, return.

Rebecca Williams does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.