Summary
There’s enormous pressure on writers and showrunners to go out on a high note when they’re bringing a well-loved and long-running TV show to a close. Crafting a finale isn’t easy, as the audience has certain expectations and hopes. However,the show’s duty is not to fan service but to write an ending that makes sense and is justifiedwithin the series' context. However, in trying to please everyone, a TV show can go off the rails and disappoint viewers who have stuck with the show from the beginning, ruining the legacy of an otherwise strong and respectable series.
Some of the most highly acclaimed television series of all time have shocked audiences with their endings.
Just because the final episode was lackluster, it doesn’t mean the entire story should be written off. Some of the most highly acclaimed television series of all time have shocked audiences with their endings. Additionally,a finale that seems terrible at the time might be reevaluated later on,and the general opinion about the series could change. However, thebest TV show series finalesdo go down in history as the perfect way to say goodbye to their iconic shows. A finale’s importance shouldn’t be overlooked, but the meat of a show shouldn’t be forgotten about either.
10 TV Shows That Undid Seasons Of Character Growth In Their Final Episodes
It’s not often that a series finale is so awful that it destroys the entire show, but How I Met Your Mother’s ending managed to do just that.
How I Met Your Mother
Cast
How I Met Your Mother is a television series that follows a father telling his children about his past. Released in 2005, it explores his experiences and adventures with four close friends, leading up to meeting their mother, as depicted through a series of flashbacks.
In many ways,How I Met Your Motheris one of the last successful traditional sitcoms of the 21st century, as its episodic and formulaic plots can’t be found as much on network television or streaming services today. Due to this,rewatchingHow I Met Your Motheris incredibly nostalgic and is reminiscent of a different period of televisionthat certain audiences long to return to. Though I can’t watch the series without cringing at some of the more outdated jokes and references, it’s still enjoyable to return to.
This last-minute change made no sense, but it doesn’t change that the show’s heart was still intact.
The thrust of the series was that the protagonist, Ted, was retrospectively telling his children how he met their mother, and fans were guessing her identity until the very end. However,the series finale undid years of anticipation by seeing the mother die in a flash-forward to the gang’s futureand having Ted end up with Robin. This last-minute change made no sense, but it doesn’t change that the show’s heart was still intact. The point ofHow I Met Your Motherwas really to watch the core friend group grow and change together.
Dexter
Dexter is a television series following Dexter Morgan, a blood spatter analyst for Miami Metro Police who secretly leads a dual life as a vigilante serial killer. Released in 2006, the show focuses on Dexter’s internal conflict as he hunts down criminals who elude justice within the legal system.
Dextertook the concept of crime drama to a new level by centering a protagonist who was both a killer and a hero. The titular character, Dexter, has the tendencies of a serial killer but works for the police, so this puts him at odds with both the good guys and the bad guys, making the audience question what side they’re on.Dexteris at its best when he has a worthy opponent to play his game of cat and mousewith him, as that’s when I’m the most invested in his story.
However,Dexterseason 8 lacks a compelling villain and sees Dexter make some of the most unrealistic and out-of-character decisions of the series. This is one of the largest issues with theDexterseries finale;it loses much of the internal logic that had propelled the plot forward in the earlier seasons.However, despite these flaws,Dexterhas some truly memorable and exciting episodes that make the lackluster ending worth it.
Game Of Thrones
Based on George R. R. Martin’s ongoing A Song of Ice and Fire novel series, Game of Thrones is a fantasy drama set in the fictional continents of Westeros and Essos. It follows noble families like the Starks, Lannisters, and Targaryen vying for control of the Iron Throne while a rising threat from the undead looms in the North. The series received significant critical success and amassed a loyal fan base due to its high production values, sprawling sets, iconic characters, and shocking twists.
Unfortunately, one of the biggest letdowns of theGame of Thronesfinale, and season 8 in general, was what the series did to Daenerys' character development.
Game of Throneschanged TV in the 2010s and was shocking to audiences for its graphic displays of violence and sex, even for an HBO show. However,like all controversial things, these elements madeGame of Thronesa lightning rod for discussion and critique,which only made the show more popular. Things start to get a little off track for the show after season 5 because that’s when the book series it’s based on ends. However, the writers and showrunners did a good job of bringing the story to its logical conclusion for a long time.
Unfortunately, one of the biggest letdowns of theGame of Thronesfinale, and season 8 in general, was what the series did to Daenerys' character development. After watching her amass an army and become a benevolent queen who would free the subjugated peoples of the world, the show had her snap and forced Jon to kill her. Prior to this,it was a delight watching the many plot lines intersect and waiting with bated breath to see when the heroes would finally join forces.This, combined with the visual spectacle of the series, makes it impossible to discount entirely.
St. Elsewhere
St. Elsewhere follows the staff and patients of St. Eligius, a rundown teaching hospital in Boston. The series, which aired from 1982 to 1988, portrays the complex and often challenging lives of medical professionals as they navigate both their personal and professional responsibilities. Notable for its nuanced storytelling and character development, St. Elsewhere features an ensemble cast including Ed Flanders, William Daniels, and Denzel Washington.
The series finale ofSt. Elsewherecan be referred to as explosive because it blew up the entire structure and storytelling format of the show. After making its name as a gritty and realistic medical drama that grappled with what it was really like to be a doctor and the bureaucracy of medicine,St. Elsewhereended with the show saying the entire story was a dream.The camera pulls back to reveal the hospital inside a snow globe, and all the characters are imaginedby a young boy, Tommy Westphall.
For viewers who had been watching the show from the beginning and were emotionally invested in what happened to the characters, this was a huge letdown. However,there was a reason thatSt. Elsewherewas so popular before this,and it’s fun to look back on the show in comparison to the medical procedural shows of the contemporary era. However, whenever I return toSt. Elsewhere, I leave off the last episode and pretend that the plots happened within the series' universe.
Seinfeld
Seinfeld is a television sitcom that follows stand-up comedian Jerry Seinfeld and his three eccentric friends, George, Elaine, and Kramer, as they navigate everyday life in New York City during the 1990s. Premiering in 1989, the series humorously explores the mundane and often trivial aspects of social interactions.
Series creator Larry David has spoken about the controversial ending ofSeinfeldmany times, and whether fans like it or not, it’s what aired and is part of the show’s canon. However,like any good sitcom, most ofSeinfeldcan be watched in a vacuum without prior knowledge or contextof the show because of its episodic nature. While it’s easy to grow to like the main characters onSeinfeldafter spending many seasons with them, the assertion that they’re not ultimately good people is what the series finale is trying to communicate.
I believe there’s little question thatSeinfeldis one of the most important sitcoms of the past several decades.
David’s later series,Curb Your Enthusiasm, had a much better reception of its finale thanSeinfeld, but it’s thanks to the controversy that both shows have remained relevant in cultural conversations. I believe there’s little question thatSeinfeldis one of the most important sitcoms of the past several decades.Comedy on television wouldn’t be what it is today without it,and this comes through in the fact that so much of the series is still hilarious, even though times have changed.
true blood
True Blood is a horror/fantasy drama series created by Alan Ball and starring Anna Paquin, Stephen Moyer, and Alexander Skarsgård. The series follows the life of Sookie Stackhouse, a waitress with telepathic powers that lives in a fictional town in Louisiana. In this town, a new synthetic “drug” has allowed vampires to escape their coffins and roam amongst the living.
In many ways,True Bloodwas well ahead of its time. This makes sense as the series creator, Alan Ball, was behind some of the most influential TV shows of the early 2000s, likeSix Feet Under. While the finale ofSix Feet Underwas considered revolutionary, the same cannot be said for the disappointment that wasTrue Blood’s conclusion. After years of pushing the boundaries of sexuality and politics on television,the series employed a shockingly conservative ending that undermined much of its original messaging.
All of thebest vampire TV showsmust bring something new to the genre, andTrue Bloodwas unique because it leaned into the Southern Gothic elements and was transgressivein its subject matter. Though the finale was disappointing, it doesn’t change how much of the series did push boundaries. While narratives about sex and violence aren’t for everyone, I was always interested in the deeper meanings behind these themes, asTrue Bloodis often interpreted as containing allegorical references to LGBTQ+ acceptance and celebration.
Scrubs
Scrubs is a Sitcom and Medical Comedy/Drama created by Bill Lawrence that follows a group of medical students throughout their daily lives at the Sacred Heart Teaching Hospital. The series stars Zach Braff, Sarah Chalke, and Donald Faison, as they work their way up from Medical Interns while juggling all sorts of hospital shenanigans.
It balances humor and drama perfectly and was a breath of fresh air within the medical drama genre when it aired.
Scrubshad its perfect finale and heartful goodbye that let viewers shed a tear and share a laugh at the end of season 8. However, all of this was ruined by the addition of a ninth season, which was wholly unnecessary and went off on a different path than the last eight years of the show.It’s almost universally agreed upon that it’s best to skip season 9 altogetherand act as if the season 8 finale is how JD and the gang bid farewell to the viewer.
When season 9 is ignored, there’s little I can say againstScrubsbesides the typical dated elements that every show of its era faces. It balances humor and drama perfectly and was a breath of fresh air within the medical drama genre when it aired. Medical procedurals are still some of the most popular series on television, andScrubscan hold its own against the best on TV today.Watching season 9 isn’t a waste of time, but it fails to capture the magicof the seasons that came before.
Gilmore Girls
In the fictional town of Star’s Hollow, single mother Lorelai Gilmore raises her high-achieving teenage daughter Rory. Mother and daughter rely on each other throughout their own life changes, romantic entanglements, and friendships.
Plenty ofGilmore Girlsmoments made viewers quit the showbefore the infamous seventh season, but most of them can easily be written off as good television. Part of the reason I can rewatchGilmore Girls, seemingly infinitely, to this day, is because Rory and Lorelai never run out of dramas, andthe series has the uncanny ability to make even the most mundane domestic conflicts feel like they have life-and-death stakes.While some argue that the character development got worse as the seasons progressed, much of it was the logical conclusion of the character’s paths and upbringings.
I, personally, don’t count the last episode ofA Year In The Lifeas the finale ofGilmore Girls,as it serves as more of an epilogue, and the first seven seasons are the core show. Season 7 gets a lot of flack, and while it’s true that the dialogue wasn’t nearly as good without Amy Sherman Palladino, it’s still relatively faithful to the show’s heart. Even if the series finale is a little too convenient, this doesn’t change the many perfect season finales that preceded it.
Gossip Girl
Set in New York, 2021’s Gossip Girl chronicles the lives of a new generation of private school teenagers who navigate social dynamics and scandals. Through the pervasive influence of social media, their secrets are exposed, while the anonymous titular blogger reveals the complexities of their intertwined relationships.
Often described as a “parent’s worst nightmare,“Gossip Girlhas gone down in history as one of the many cult classic teen soap operas to come out of the late 1990s and early 2000s.This is a genre that’s near and dear to my heart, as shows like this have come to define the tastes and opinions of a generation. Throughout its many outlandish plot points and incomprehensible narratives, there’s a level of consistent drama that moves at a breakneck pace that keeps the audience coming back for more.
Everyone paired off and was happily married in the finale, even if some characters never deserved this neat ending.
In some ways,Gossip Girlwent soft on viewers in the last few episodes as it tried to wrap up the many loose ends left over from its intersecting storylines. Everyone paired off and was happily married in the finale, even if some characters never deserved this neat ending. However,it takes a long time beforeGossip Girlruns out of exciting plots,and it never fails to intrigue me when the show puts together another romantic couple that makes no sense.
10 TV Series Finale Episodes That Made Sure A Revival Couldn’t Happen
Though revivals and spinoffs are all the rage, certain TV shows tell a complete story and ensure that no reboot of the series is a future possibility.
Lost
Lost is a mystery drama series created for TV that follows a group of survivors of a plane crash and tells its story between the past, present, and future via flashbacks. When Oceanic Airlines Flight 815 crashes and lands on a mysterious island in the pacific ocean, the castaways discover their new temporary home may have a mind of its own, as strange supernatural events keep them locked to the island. From an unknown black smoke creature to dangerous islanders, the passengers must work together to survive the island’s seemingly deadly intentions.
Lostis in a unique position as a TV show because it has one of the best pilots of all time and one of the most divisive finales. Over the course ofLost’s six seasons, it drifted further and further away from reality, but there was never a moment whenLoststopped being fun. One of the biggest draws for audiences both then and now is that the characters and their interpersonal relationships remain compelling. Additionally,attempting to piece togetherLost’s many mysteries is something that never gets old.
One of the audience’s biggest problems with theLostfinale was that it left so many unanswered questions and kept too much open to viewer interpretation. For many, it seemed as if the last moments of the series were saying that all the characters had been dead the whole time, which was a huge disappointment. Though this wasn’t really the case, as a long-time fan of the show,I’ve accepted that the first few seasons ofLostare the best in terms of quality.I simply let myself have fun when watching the rest of the series.
