the biggest crappy series endings
- Thread starter KrangPrime
- Start date
Solo4114
Master Member
Almost forgot a few shows that were canceled too early (so their "finale" wasn't really a finale, but more like a season end).
- Twin Peaks is especially bad about this. Made worse by the fact that the subsequent movie (Fire Walk With Me) didn't resolve the hanging plot threads, and was more of a prequel.
- Carnivale. The end of Season 2 was AWESOME but left so, so many unanswered questions. And then they didn't renew it. Huge wasted opportunity.
- Twin Peaks is especially bad about this. Made worse by the fact that the subsequent movie (Fire Walk With Me) didn't resolve the hanging plot threads, and was more of a prequel.
- Carnivale. The end of Season 2 was AWESOME but left so, so many unanswered questions. And then they didn't renew it. Huge wasted opportunity.
Cephus
Master Member
I stopped watching after the first episode of season 3. I didn't care about any of the characters, in fact, I actively hoped that most of them would die horrible deaths. That's when I give up on a show.
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That's another one that I gave up on a couple of seasons in. Never saw the finale and have no interest in ever seeing it.
PotionMistress
Sr Member
Oh, I completely forgot about Carnivale. I agree, this was such an interesting and evocative show, with such a build-up of mystery and characters and then they just let the bottom fall out and canceled it. You're so right...it was a huge wasted opportunity indeed! It had huge potential to be one of the 'greats', and they blew it.
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Victor3
Sr Member
Forgot about Carnivale... Good lord, that was frustrating!
I agree with many of these mentions up above. And while not THE WORST, I'm gonna add Babylon 5 to this thread.
The whole series got screwed up by being canceled at the beginning of Season 4, so they had to cram the content of S4 & S5 into one, which covered way too much. Then they put together the finale, but were renewed by TNT. Suddenly, they had a 5th season, which was always planned for, but had already told the overarching narrative. While some of the stories in S5 were interesting, it just felt tacked on. Then they showed the original finale, which was good, but felt even weirder bookending the newer episodes. It was a disappointing wrap up to a show that I loved.
And then they made Crusade and Legend of the Rangers...
The Drew Carey show was one of the funniest shows on TV! The entire original cast was pure magic. I was really disappointed with the way ABC ended the series and you could tell the way Drew said goodbye.
Cephus
Master Member
You have to remember that JMS originally was going to have a second 5-year series (not Crusade) that detailed the end of the Shadow War. It was never intended to end in Babylon 5.
Blame the bean counters at HBO on that it cost too much to make, and the ratings were slipping during Season 2, that and Knauf would not budge on cutting costs.
Every penney ended up on screen it was a beautifully produced and shot series.
Sad we never got all 6 seasons, but if you can find "The Pitch" a lot of questions are answered about the first season
Every penney ended up on screen it was a beautifully produced and shot series.
Sad we never got all 6 seasons, but if you can find "The Pitch" a lot of questions are answered about the first season
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Lost - Terrible, any finale where the show creators say, "well, it's whatever you think it is". Really, WTF, I didn't invest all this time watching your ideas to then be told, "it's whatever you think".
Sopranos - I get it, you want me to think "well something could have happened after that guy went into the bathroom, or maybe not, maybe they just ate ice cream, left, and lived happily ever after, you decide". BS
Seinfeld - Obviously that idea sounded much better in the pitch meeting.
Since we're on it, best ever?
Six Feet Under - Awesome, you got closure for the main characters, saw a glimpse into their futures, best ending ever IMHO, and with that song by Sia, perfect. Worth watching on YouTube.......
Cheers - Just made me sad, but perfect, "sorry, we're closed........."
Wonder Years - I though it was good.
Sopranos - I get it, you want me to think "well something could have happened after that guy went into the bathroom, or maybe not, maybe they just ate ice cream, left, and lived happily ever after, you decide". BS
Seinfeld - Obviously that idea sounded much better in the pitch meeting.
Since we're on it, best ever?
Six Feet Under - Awesome, you got closure for the main characters, saw a glimpse into their futures, best ending ever IMHO, and with that song by Sia, perfect. Worth watching on YouTube.......
Cheers - Just made me sad, but perfect, "sorry, we're closed........."
Wonder Years - I though it was good.
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Zombie_61
Master Member
I absolutely agree--the most fitting final episode I've ever seen.
annanake
Sr Member
The Riches ! Cancelled on a cliffhanger .
Werewolf . tried to do a comedy episode to boost rating's ( werewolf in an old folks home) idea backfired , result show cancelled !
Forever knight . ending was not bad just abrupt ! You don't really get the impact of it it happens to fast .
Jericho . seriously ?
The Immortal . cancelled too soon as usual .
Brimstone !!! Cancelled ug I loved this show.
The prisoner , I actually like the storyline of the ending but it went Epically sideways I mean turning into a musical for a bit ? And most people don't understand it because of the wacky way the last episode is . I do love how the twist ending is in the intro of every episode if you listen .
And yes most of these are old I know !
Werewolf . tried to do a comedy episode to boost rating's ( werewolf in an old folks home) idea backfired , result show cancelled !
Forever knight . ending was not bad just abrupt ! You don't really get the impact of it it happens to fast .
Jericho . seriously ?
The Immortal . cancelled too soon as usual .
Brimstone !!! Cancelled ug I loved this show.
The prisoner , I actually like the storyline of the ending but it went Epically sideways I mean turning into a musical for a bit ? And most people don't understand it because of the wacky way the last episode is . I do love how the twist ending is in the intro of every episode if you listen .
And yes most of these are old I know !
Solo4114
Master Member
I never watched the show, but as I understand it, the twist ending revolves around an unseen comma from the dialogue of the opening.
God bless Patrick McGoohan.
He was screwing with peoples minds long before it was fashionable or accepted
He was screwing with peoples minds long before it was fashionable or accepted
I always thought that after exactly one year NBC would have made the brilliant decision to come back with one more show showing the main characters leave jail and simply go back to their lives involving some high jinks and tomfoolery of course. That would have been a MUCH more original ending.
KojiroVance
Sr Member
If you want to talk about great endings, how about the final episode final minutes of Bob Newhart's last show?
Dark Angel there was a book that tied things up well.
Kröd Mändoon and the Flaming Sword of Fire .Pity it only had 1 Season,well written comedy ,but low ratings killed it off..
For the Uk guys Blakes 7...what a cliffhanger.There was a paperback follow up that is now rarer than a happy Goth
Kröd Mändoon and the Flaming Sword of Fire .Pity it only had 1 Season,well written comedy ,but low ratings killed it off..
For the Uk guys Blakes 7...what a cliffhanger.There was a paperback follow up that is now rarer than a happy Goth
PotionMistress
Sr Member
Another fantastic series with a dissappointing ending (for me) was Sons of Anarchy. I just didn't want it to end that way. No!
KrangPrime
Master Member
Knight Rider is another one. it was supposed to be 'white bird' but i think producers found it too depressing a note to end the series on, even if it would have been fitting to showcase the dangerous life of michael knight.
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