I think its meant to be open ended in case series 3 happens but I saw it as Freddie dying. Also why would they dump his body outside the studio? Was that a hallucination or just weird?
Being television, I would assume that this is a cliffhanger in which Freddie survivives given that he was still calling out for Moneypenny at the end of the finale. I can only hope that there's a season 3 to confirm this and that we get to see more sexual tension for whatever reason between he & Bel. An excellent example of dramatic writing.
I'm guessing it was more a case of "beating him to within an inch of his life." I don't know how British law would see it then (or now) but perhaps Cilente wouldn't want to be charged with murder. Of course, IRL, Freddie would've likely died, and definitely would be missing teeth and have so many broken facial bones as to be unrecognizable, and would likely have needed surgery to remove his spleen or worse. Thank goodness this isn't real life. Freddie is my favorite character.
My initial reaction to the finale: Wow
I hope Camille doesn't return in a season 3 to nurse him back to health because that would mean a triangle.
"I don't know how British law would see it then (or now) but perhaps Cilente wouldn't want to be charged with murder. "
It's 1957 - Death Penalty in force - he could have been Hanged ... although the actual beating wasn't really him, he'd have been an accessory, it was really down to the younger thugs who are pushing Cilente out ...