>> Quote from a previous message: "...the final shot of him (in the future as a presumably successful guy) talking to a kid like he was as a youngster was, well too dumb."
"Too dumb?" Think about it. Ryan's story was one of salvation. The series began with Ryan as an abused kid in a lot trouble, who was rescued from a dead-end future in Chino because Sandy took the time to care about a stranger's problems. In the ending, Ryan sees his former self in another troubled kid, and he has finally learned enough from Sandy's example to care about that kid's problems. Ryan's salvation is complete. Not only has Sandy's generosity allowed him to become a successful architect, but Sandy has also managed to instill in him the good values and warm heart that Ryan's original family was so sorely lacking. It was a very appropriate final scene.
"Too dumb?" Think about it. Ryan's story was one of salvation. The series began with Ryan as an abused kid in a lot trouble, who was rescued from a dead-end future in Chino because Sandy took the time to care about a stranger's problems. In the ending, Ryan sees his former self in another troubled kid, and he has finally learned enough from Sandy's example to care about that kid's problems. Ryan's salvation is complete. Not only has Sandy's generosity allowed him to become a successful architect, but Sandy has also managed to instill in him the good values and warm heart that Ryan's original family was so sorely lacking. It was a very appropriate final scene.