Honestly, let’s just admit it. Ending a legendary sitcom is a nightmare. Most writers fail. You’ve got years of build-up, millions of fans with their own "head-canon," and the pressure to say something meaningful without being too cheesy. But for Will & Grace, the pressure was so intense they had to do it twice.
The first time was in 2006. The second was in 2020.
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Most people remember the 2006 version as the "sad" one. It was the hour-long farewell that basically told us our favorite co-dependent besties didn’t speak for twenty years. Twenty years! That’s a long time to hold a grudge over Grace getting back with Leo. Then the 2017 revival happened, and the writers literally looked at the camera and said, "Just kidding, that was all Karen’s vodka-induced fever dream."
But now that the dust has settled on the 2020 series finale, titled "It’s Time," fans are actually looking back and wondering: was the original ending better after all?
The 2006 Ending: A Brutal Dose of Reality
In the original series finale, Will and Grace have a massive falling out. It’s triggered by Grace deciding to raise her baby with Leo instead of Will. It felt heavy. It felt real.
They drift apart. Will raises his son, Ben, with Vince. Grace raises her daughter, Laila, with Leo. They don't call. They don't visit. The show that celebrated "found family" suddenly argued that real family—the biological and marital kind—eventually pushes friends out of the frame.
The payoff, of course, was that "fate" brought them back together. Twenty years later, Ben and Laila meet while moving into the same dorm at college. Will and Grace lock eyes across the hallway, and just like that, the ice melts.
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Why people hated it
- The estrangement: Seeing them not speak for two decades felt like a betrayal of the show’s entire premise.
- The aging makeup: Let’s be real, the "old person" makeup was... questionable.
- Jack and Karen: They were sort of relegated to a side plot where Jack inherits Beverly Leslie’s fortune and takes care of a penniless Karen.
But there was something poetic about it. It suggested that their bond was so cosmic that even a twenty-year silence couldn't break it. Plus, the scene where their kids meet is genuinely one of the most emotional moments in the series.
The 2020 Finale: "It’s Time" to Get It Right
When the revival came around, creators David Kohan and Max Mutchnick wanted a do-over. They felt the world had changed. The "heteronormative" ideal of everyone ending up in a suburban house with a spouse wasn't the only way to be happy anymore.
In the 2020 version of Will & Grace the finale, the vibe is much lighter. There’s no twenty-year rift. Instead, the episode focuses on the group moving out of the iconic apartment.
What happened to everyone?
- Will and Grace: They decide to move to a big house in the suburbs together. They’re both expecting babies—Grace is literally in labor for most of the episode—and they decide to raise their kids as a unit. It’s the ultimate "chosen family" ending.
- Jack: He finally gets his "Broadway bow." After years of Just Jack and various failures, he steps onto a stage as an understudy and gets his moment. It’s sloppy, it’s ridiculous, and it’s perfectly Jack.
- Karen: She reconciles with Stan at the Statue of Liberty. We still don't see him, obviously. But she realizes she still loves the big guy.
- The Romance: Will’s ex-fiancé McCoy (Matt Bomer) shows up. They don't get married on the spot, but the door is left wide open for a "happily ever after."
It felt more like a regular episode of the show, which was both its strength and its weakness. It didn't have the "event" feel of the 2006 finale, but it didn't leave fans feeling depressed either.
The Behind-the-Scenes Drama You Didn't See
You can't talk about the 2020 finale without mentioning the elephant in the room. Or rather, the elephant that wasn't in the room.
The rumors of a feud between Debra Messing and Megan Mullally were everywhere. Fans noticed they unfollowed each other on Instagram. Megan even took a leave of absence for a few episodes in the final season. If you watch the finale closely, you’ll notice that Will, Grace, Jack, and Karen are rarely all in the same shot together for long.
Max Mutchnick basically confirmed things were "not easy" on set that year. He told People that the permanent legacy of the show was more important than "temporary squabbles." But you can sort of feel that tension in the writing. The 2020 finale feels a bit rushed, almost like they were trying to get everyone out of the building before someone lost their cool.
Which Ending Actually Matters?
This is where it gets tricky. If you're a purist, the 2006 ending is the "real" one because it was the culmination of the original run. It dealt with the messiness of growing up. It acknowledged that friendships change when kids enter the picture.
However, the 2020 finale is arguably more "Will & Grace." It’s about the fact that these four people are the loves of each other’s lives. They don't need to go twenty years without speaking to prove they're grown-ups. They can just be weird, co-dependent, and happy.
The verdict on the "retcon"
Retconning (retroactive continuity) is usually a cheap trick. Doing it to fix a whole finale? Bold move. Most fans accepted it because they just wanted to see the characters back on screen. But for some, it made the revival feel like a "what if" story rather than a true continuation.
Actionable Insights for Fans
If you're planning a rewatch or just finishing the series for the first time, here is how to navigate the double-ending confusion:
- Watch the 2006 finale as a standalone movie. Treat it like an alternate universe. It’s a great piece of television, even if it’s depressing. It captures the mid-2000s "pre-revival" era perfectly.
- Treat the Revival as Season 9-11. If you skip the 2006 finale and go straight from Season 8 to the 2017 premiere, the transition is actually surprisingly smooth—once you accept that the kids and the rifts never happened.
- Look for the "Easter Eggs." In the 2020 finale, there are tons of nods to the original run. Look at the boxes they're packing. The painting on the wall. The way they talk about the apartment. It’s a love letter to the fans who stayed for 246 episodes.
Ultimately, Will & Grace the finale—whichever one you pick—proves one thing: these characters were too big for just one ending. They represent a specific era of TV history where queer characters weren't just "the sidekick" anymore; they were the heart of the story.
Next Steps for You:
If you want to compare the two endings yourself, both the original series and the revival are available on various streaming platforms. Start by watching the Season 8 finale "The Finale," then skip to the Season 11 finale "It's Time." You'll see exactly how much the writers' perspective on family and friendship shifted in those fourteen years.