The Ending Of 2 Broke Girls Explained
CBS's multi-camera sitcom, "2 Broke Girls," had its fair share of controversy. But, during its 6-season run, Beth Behrs and Kat Dennings' double-act still won the hearts of many viewers. Behrs had her breakout role in the series playing Caroline Channing, a former socialite turned waitress after losing her money. In her new and unexpected career path, Caroline forms an equally unexpected friendship with fellow waitress Max Black, played by Dennings. The two make an unlikely pair, as Caroline's bubbly and trusting personality clashes in stark contrast with Max's hard-headed and sarcastic nature. But that's why they make the perfect team — and why viewers loved to see them learn from each other.
Unfortunately, when the show ended in 2017, there were still a lot of unanswered questions. For a lot of fans and the cast and crew, it didn't feel like the last episode had enough closure. So, here's the Season 6 finale explained, for anyone still wondering exactly what happened to the "2 Broke Girls."
Did Max and Caroline really say goodbye to the diner?
When you picture the leads of "2 Broke Girls," Max Black and Caroline Channing, you likely picture them in their iconic yellow and red waitressing uniforms. They wear the uniforms throughout the series while working at the Williamsburg Diner. A lot of the show's most iconic scenes take place while they wait tables there, including Max and Caroline meeting each other for the first time. As many fans will recall, the iconic duo first meet when Caroline gets a job at the diner. At first, Max hates the idea of working with Caroline, who is spoiled and inexperienced, but the two eventually grow to become inseparable.
In the final episode, they seem to have finally outgrown the diner. During the Season 6 finale, the pair meet with their boss, Han (Matthew Moy), to give their 2-week notice. Although it's more of a one-week notice, since Max also lets him know they need the week off. Seeing the girls leave the diner is bittersweet because so much of the show takes place there. But, by the finale, it's time for them to move on. As Caroline tells Han, "We are phasing the diner our of our lives — I have a stylist now."
Did Randy and Max get back together?
Perhaps the biggest plot twist in the "2 Broke Girls" finale is the return of Randy Walsh (Ed Quinn). Randy is a recurring love interest for Max throughout Seasons 5 and 6. The pair first meet in Season 5, Episode 13. Max runs into him at a restaurant while she and Caroline are visiting Hollywood, and the pair quickly hit it off. It's clear that they have strong feelings for one another, but the relationship is far from smooth. They break up on several occasions, mostly because Randy doesn't think they can make their long-distance relationship work out.
So, Max is understandably shocked when he shows up at the end of Season 6 to try to win her back. At first, she is hesitant to believe him because he's been so "unreliable" in the past. But then he tells her he's moved to New York and proposes. It's hard to know if Max or Caroline is more excited about the engagement, as there's an adorable scene with Caroline jumping up and down with shock and joy when Max shows her the ring. Since the show ended after that episode, we're left to assume that Max and Randy finally settled down together.
What's Caroline's happy ending look like?
So, we can assume from the ending that Max and Randy live happily ever after. But, what about Caroline? Well, fortunately, she is in a good place by the series' end too. In the finale, the girls are attending the premiere of a movie made about Caroline's real-life riches to rags story. The film makes Caroline feel more like a star than ever.
And as far as her personal life goes, things seem to be going well with her boyfriend, Bobby (Christopher Gorham). The pair meet in Season 6 when Bobby gets hired as a contractor to make renovations at Max and Caroline's dessert bar. Their relationship faces some challenges throughout the season, particularly because Bobby's pushy mother prefers him to be with his ex-girlfriend, Jessica. However, Bobby stays by Caroline's side. And though they aren't engaged by the end of the show, Max tells Caroline, "See, Caroline? you got your wish. We're both with someone." However, there is a slight hiccup when Max and Caroline's love interests meet at the end of the finale, and it's clear they don't get along. We don't know how that would have affected their relationship moving forward. But, as we all know, Max and Caroline's friendship is the most important relationship at the center of the show. And as long as they're in each other's lives, things will probably work out just fine for both of them.
Are the 2 broke girls still broke?
When the show begins, both Caroline and Max are just barely scraping by on their waitressing jobs. Their struggle to make ends meet is a continual theme throughout the show — hence the title. But, by the end of the series, things are looking a little more promising for Max and Caroline.
After a failed attempt to open a cupcake shop in Season 2, some viewers may have thought the pair would stop trying to break into the dessert business. However, after realizing cupcakes aren't as lucrative as alcohol, they come up with the idea for a dessert bar. As the girls struggle to find a space and get things going, there are many moments where it seems like the business is doomed to fail. However, by Season 6, their dessert bar is up and running, and has even found some success. The show ended before fans could see how far their business would go. But, it seems safe to say it was off to a better start than their other endeavors, and likely made them more successful than ever.
Was Season 6 really meant to be the ending?
Although the Season 6 finale tied up a lot of loose ends, it still felt abrupt. So, was that really where the show was supposed to end? Well, according to "2 Broke Girls" showrunner Michelle Nader, the story was far from over. If the show had run another season, as she had hoped, Nader wanted to explore how Max's engagement would change her relationship with Caroline. "Max and Caroline have always been the strongest couple on the show, and they will continue to be. But like any friendship, how does that dynamic change when someone gets a significant other?" Nader told TV Line.
It seemed they had a lot of plans for Season 7. Nader also mentioned the animosity between Max and Caroline's significant others as a conflict to explore further. And although things seemed perfect for Randy and Max after the proposal, Nader suggested there would have been some growing pains there. "Randy is wealthy and Max is not comfortable in that world," Nader explained. "In the way Max showed Caroline how to be poor, Caroline is going to show Max how to have money and how to be comfortable with it and not sabotage it."
Why the cast was shocked by the ending
Unfortunately for its fans, cast, and crew, "2 Broke Girls" was canceled before we saw what was meant to happen in Season 7. According to The Hollywood Reporter, CBS dropping the show was partly due to Warner Bros. owning and producing it, which complicated negotiations for a final season. Many members of the cast were surprised and sad to see the series come to a sudden end.
In an exclusive interview with The List, Beth Behrs, who played Caroline, said she wished the show had gotten a proper send off. "I mean, it was really sad," she said. "...[especially] when you've been on a show that many years, and for Kat [Dennings] and I, it was pretty much our whole 20s, and changed both of our lives in such a beautiful way." But fans will be happy to know that Behrs said she'd definitely do a "2 Broke Girls" reboot if given the chance.
Although the show ended suddenly, we can take comfort knowing that Caroline and Max were doing well in the last episode, and the "2 Broke Girls" cast and crew have their memories and the relationships they formed when filming the series. Kat Dennings posted a Tweet on behalf of her and Behrs, saying, "We've had a wonderful 6 seasons as Max and Caroline ... We are so proud of our time on 2 Broke Girls and of all the things this experience has given us, the most treasured is our lifelong friendship."