The Finale (Will & Grace) - Production

Production

Will & Grace creators and executive producers David Kohan and Max Mutchnick, who had not served as writers since the season four season finale, wrote the script for the series finale. Regarding the finale, Mutchnick stated: "We wrote about what you want to have happen with people you love. I think Will and Grace end up very fleshed out. They end up as full adults. All the things that matter in life, they end up having." Three years before the series finale was created, Mutchnick was asked on his opinion regarding how he would like to see the character's story come to a conclusion, "The truth is that serve each other's dysfunction. And the best way for their story to end is to find love."

The episode was shot in Studio City, California on Stage 17 at CBS Studio Center. It was filmed on April 10, 11, and 13, 2006. The make-up effects used in Grace's dream and the scenes fifteen years into the future were done by Academy Award-winning make-up artists. Kohan and Mutchnick joined long-time director James Burrows on the set as filming began. The cast and crew tried to remain cheerful in front of the live audience between takes while the writers gathered in a room to rework lines for potentially larger laughs. However, "there were a lot of snotty, tearful faces all around the set. When we got to the very, very last scene, everybody was just a mess. We started sobbing and hugging each other," said Megan Mullally, who plays Karen. Eric McCormack, who portrays Will, commented that his saddest moment was "the last time I stood in Will's kitchen. That was the most colorful position for me, standing there and stirring something. It was my pulpit, the place where I delivered my best jokes."

The set was already being broken down the day after filming finished. Debra Messing, who plays Grace, said it was "cordoned off like an accident scene. It was a shock to see parts of it gone already." Each cast member was allowed to keep their favorite souvenir from the set. Messing took the door to Grace's office; she wanted to lean it up against the wall at her house as a piece of modern art. Jack's actor Sean Hayes was given a couple of pieces from Will's apartment: "There's a leather box that was on Will’s desk that I want to find a place for." Mullally chose a simple portrait from one of the walls, and McCormack took a small ceramic dog, though he said he would have taken everything if he could.

The cast members of the show took the news about the show ending well. Hayes said: "I'm proud of being a part of something in history and I'm proud to have been given a platform to make people laugh." McCormack added, "We have never taken ourselves or this show too seriously but now that it's over I take our collective achievement very, very seriously." The actors were satisfied with the episode and thought the viewers would find it satisfying as well. "It's daring and ambitious and more far-reaching than most finales go. I think people will be quite surprised," McCormack said. Messing added: "I think Will & Grace fans will be satisfied. Ultimately, was done beautifully and it ties up loose ends for all of the characters in a way that's wonderful."