Younger Series Finale: How Did It End? And What's Next For Everyone?

Younger's series finale could have tied up everyone's storyline in a neat little bow, but just like Charles' book about that one horny summer in the Hamptons, creator Darren Star chose not to wrap everything up, leaving fans to wonder what could be next for those in Liza's orbit.

The finale's title ("Older") was a reflection of what Star believes to be the overall theme of the final season, he tells TVLine. "The characters are getting older and figuring out where they go in the next phase of their lives."

Speaking of next phases, read on to find out where the main players in the Younger universe ended up (and where they might still go from here), then drop a comment with your own thoughts on the series finale.

Despite accepting that her relationship with Charles was never going to pan out, Liza ended the series with a net win as the new head of Empirical. Another plus? Her end-of-episode reunion with Josh implied that they'll remain in each other's lives, just as they always hoped. So, win-win!

"In my mind, there was never a 'Team Charles' or 'Team Josh,'" Star tells TVLine. "For me, the show is about Liza's journey, and one of the most important things she wanted was to succeed in her career. It's why she lied about her age, why she did everything — to get into publishing, to a job that she loved."

After discovering that her Jared Padalecki-looking boyfriend was scamming her in the Inkubator deal, Kelsey dropped Rob from her life and turned to a new source of financial support: Reese Witherspoon's production company! Sadly, partnering with Hello Sunshine meant Kelsey will need to relocate to Los Angeles.

Star's original plan was to give Kelsey a spinoff, but "that's pretty much off the table" at this point. He acknowledges that Kelsey moving to California "could have set up the spinoff, but that's also just the way we wanted this to end. We resolved her story regardless of any notion of a spinoff."

Williamsburg's hottest tattoo artist made only a few brief appearances in the series finale, but his last one — in which he reminded a single Liza that he's always been right there by her side — definitely had fans screaming at their TVs, for better or worse. So, what could be next for Josh?

"I've been the first one to say on a Zoom call or in interviews that we should do a movie," Tortorella tells TVLine. "And then we'll save the reveal of Josh's last name — which we still don't know, by the way — for a spinoff or whatever. I mean, the landscape of television is so vast, and Younger is still thriving. Did I send an e-mail about a Josh spinoff to the powers that be? Yeah, I did. I miss Josh, I miss Younger, I miss Darren [Star], I miss Viacom, I miss Paramount. I really think there's an amazing story that could be told about a tattoo artist raising a child as a single father. How realistic is it that it'll happen? I don't know. But I'm trying to start conversations."

After amicably parting ways with Liza, Charles decided to nurture his writing talents at Yaddo, leaving Liza to run Empirical in his absence... and beyond.

As for the reason Charles and Liza will simply never work, "she was never going to overcome this lie she told at the beginning of the series," Star explains. "The lie had consequences. It gave her a career, but it cost her personal relationships."

After spending much of the season feuding with Cass, Maggie found herself dining with her former saboteur in the finale. Cass even treated her to a movie-worthy kiss in the subway.

"Maggie never really connected with anybody in a real, intellectual way," Star tells TVLine. "There's something about Cass for Maggie that wasn't like anyone she met before. She was grown up, intelligent and substantial. In their own way, they're both taking a risk. Even though Maggie had a rocky road in getting to know Cass, there's something that's just so compatible there."

"I'm not so sure how Max or his husband would feel" about inviting Lauren into their relationship, Star tells TVLine of Lauren's not-so-unfortunate discovery in the finale. "As far as Lauren is concerned, though, she's game."

And for those viewers who couldn't possibly imagine Kelsey without Lauren by her side, Star acknowledges that "going to LA is certainly one possibility" for Lauren, who has "a lot of paths she could take in her life and career."

Sadly, Diana's Skype call from her honeymoon was the only statement — and statement necklace — that we got from her this season. We were hoping she might miraculously appear at Empirical's 100th birthday celebration, but no dice.

After echoing his original sentiment about circumstances which "prevented her from participating in the series," Star tells TVLine, "If we have any kind of Younger reunion show, she will be back."

We never saw Charles Michael Davis' character after he broke up with Kelsey (and Empirical) in the final season premiere. But according to Star, the couple's days were numbered either way.

"I don't believe they would have ended up together," Star tells TVLine of Zane and Kelsey. "Her journey was taking her somewhere else."