I think a big theme of the show is working on oneself. To tie that all up neatly with a perfect bow at the end of the series would be unfaithful to that theme. Sassy correctly assesses that Ted is still a mess, and will need years of work before he’s out of that hole. It doesn’t mean he can’t have a happy and fulfilling life, but that he can’t know how his story ends because he’s got a lot of work to do before he gets there. Same with Roy, Jamie, and Keeley. Jamie’s been doing the work and you see it pay dividends over the run of the show. Roy is only just beginning, but we do see that he’s putting in the work. And Keeley has baggage to work through, too.

I think the ending is as hopeful as it can possibly be while still being real and honest with viewers. You can’t make a show that is largely about mental health and then pretend that a year of therapy and a couple of difficult conversations is enough to fix everyone’s lives. But the show gives us several examples of how lives improve through working on mental health, and we leave with the uplifting knowledge that all the characters are committed to doing that work, so even though we don’t see their specific happy endings, we can leave the show knowing that they are on the right track, and they will likely find their peace as they do the work.