Very dissatisfying ending

I do agree...there didn't seem to be any sense of closure at all.




"It's better to be hated for who you are than be loved for who you aren't."

It seemed incomplete without Audrey,Spence and Joe.

"Vows" touched a hot topic in the gay community, which was whether or not to have a public commitment ceremony that was ultimately meaningless in any legal way. On the pro side, these were some of the arguments: "It's meaningful to us, and that's all that matters"; "We want to declare our love in public, and get the support of our community"; "It's a first step toward making the general public recognize us"; "Straight weddings aren't meaningful, since getting married privately before a Justice of the Peace is as legally binding as a huge wedding with all the trimmings, and we want the trimmings."

On the anti side were things like "Enough people already think we're just a poor imitation of straight, and fake weddings add fuel to the fire"-- a similar one was along the lines of "People will think we really want to be straight"; then, there was "Without it being legally binding, it's meaningless"; "We're not religious, and most non-religious people don't have big ceremonies" (not debating the truth of that one, it's just an argument that floated around). There were also lots of "Square peg in a round hole" sort of arguments, and arguments around the idea that marriage was inherently sexist.

In 1997, few gay adults over 30 thought they would see gay marriage in their lifetimes, in spite of the fact that it was legal in Denmark (and maybe Sweden, I'm not sure).

So, tackling and working out a real-world issue was really meaningful, and the compromise of their spontaneous commitment at the end was very satisfying. It was essentially a "They lived happily ever after moment," and you don't want the real world details of their petty disagreements and personal hardships over the next 40 years, just the reassurance that they face them together. There's no need for the other characters, although one presumes Spencer was at the weddings, since his parents were. Paige's "You look like you belong together" ties a bow on the resolution of her story arc over having difficulty accepting Ellen's "change" (which was great writing, since it was personal, and not homophobia-- she probably was even a little jealous of Laurie's closeness to Ellen, but got over it).

In 2013, the ep. is very dated. Laurie couldn't say what she said with gay marriage legal in several states, especially since it is legal in the state where they live. At most she could say she was waiting for a repeal of DOMA, but she has never been very political. There are probably people now watching who were so young in 1997, they have no idea of the climate in 1997, or that Laurie is not making a sui generis statement when she says she "doesn't believe in gay marriage." It was very common to feel that way.

Oh my. I watched the final episode for the first time tonight (not really sure why I never saw it back in the day). I'm left longing for more and for some closure. It makes me wish I could see a "15 years later" season (or at least a few episodes). Very touching, and all these years later I am able to appreciate what a great couple Laurie & Ellen were (and wish my husband and I had that relationship!). Lisa & Ellen had some great on-screen chemistry.