I hate to say it, but the season/series finale is far and away the worst episode of the entire show. The charter-school subplot, never a particular strong point, becomes absolutely inane. Goofy bullshit. There are so, so, SO many shots of people smiling, laughing, being awed; the fact the night is a -rousing success- is crudely and forcibly fed to viewers. The fact I am employed in an elementary school (in a special-education capacity) only intensified my cynicism watching this nonsense play out. At the last second, a smart and sensitive series badly plunged into the pits of entitlement and affluent fantasy many expected it would embrace from the start. The finale believes over-the-top feel-good vibes compensate for Michelle's dearth of actual vision or experience as a educator.

And, broadly, yay for Brett and Michelle reconciling and Alex and Tina kissing, but even these hoped-for moments ring a tad false because they are rushed and tidy.