From the previous episode we learned that the Mayor's office has been connected to a mobster and has even received a city contract and now the press is on the administration. In this episode Mike knows what he must do and that is to get the Mayor to fire him thus making Mike the 'fall guy' for the scandal. With no other way out of the situation, the Mayor fulfills Mike wishes and fires him with the hopes the scandal ends.
With Michael J Fox so beloved by fans of the series, this is a way of giving the fans closure on the show. At the time of filming the cast did not know that the show would continue so they, along with the audience, thought this would be the closure of the series. And the way the episode was written it has all the things needed when a show is reaching the end.
The writers gave us much more than just an ending but also gave us connections with each character. Instead of a cast member just walking off the stage, they let Mike talk with each character and bring a closure to friendship. And unlike most series that would just leave the fans in tears, here they gave the fans relief when Mike's life will continue with a new adventure.
A large number of fans may feel like the show actually ended with this episode as Michael J Fox departed the series. But just like Mike Flaherty said at the end of the episode, 'It opens up new opportunities'. As we know the show continued - but for some it never felt the same.
