Final Episode of Green Acres: Title, Air Date, and Plot Summary
The last episode of Green Acres is titled "The Epitaph for Eddie," which aired on April 27, 1971, as part of the CBS sitcom's sixth and final season. The episode concludes the series' storylines for Oliver Douglas, Lisa Douglas, and the residents of Hooterville, wrapping up the farm comedy that began as a spin-off of Petticoat Junction. The episode is widely available for streaming and purchase on major digital platforms, with the full series catalog accessible through authorized services like Amazon Prime Video and Paramount+ Amazon Prime Video.
In the final episode, the Douglas family faces the ongoing challenges of rural life, with the story focusing on the immediate aftermath of a local event that impacts the Hooterville community. The episode resolves key character arcs, particularly Oliver's continued struggle to adapt to farming life and Lisa's fish-out-of-water perspective on rural customs. The broadcast marked the end of a 170-episode run that spanned from 1965 to 1971, cementing the show's place in the CBS lineup during the late 1960s and early 1970s.
Green Acres Cancellation and Network Context
Green Acres was canceled by CBS in 1971 as part of a broader network strategy known as the "rural purge," which aimed to phase out shows with rural settings and demographics that advertisers considered less desirable for the growing urban and suburban viewership. The cancellation occurred alongside the end of other long-running rural-themed series, including The Beverly Hillbillies and Mayberry R.F.D., as the network shifted its programming focus toward more urban-oriented content.
The cancellation decision was driven by changing advertising demographics and the network's desire to capture younger, more metropolitan audiences during a period of significant social and cultural shift in the United States. Despite its cancellation, Green Acres maintained a dedicated syndication presence for decades, with reruns airing on local stations and cable networks, which helped preserve the show's visibility and fan base long after its original broadcast run ended.
Where to Watch the Last Episode and Full Series Now
The final episode and full series of Green Acres are currently available for streaming on Paramount+, the primary streaming home for classic CBS library content, as well as for digital purchase or rental on platforms like Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV Paramount+. Physical media releases, including DVD box sets of the complete series, are also available through major retailers and specialty home entertainment distributors.
Viewers can access the complete series catalog through authorized digital storefronts, with individual episodes or full-season purchases available on services linked to major content distributors. The show's availability on these platforms ensures continued access for new audiences discovering the series, with the final episode serving as a definitive entry point for fans exploring the complete narrative arc of the Douglas family's time in Hooterville Apple TV.