10 Shows that made audience wait for a very long for next season

The agony of keeping one awaiting another season of a cherished show could extend for years. While some series almost religiously bring forth new episodes, others tend to test fans' patience through long delays caused by production bottlenecks, creative barriers, or other unplanned events. This variable adds a certain degree of anticipation or frustration, depending on how the succeeding season stacks up to the viewers' persistent wait.

Some delays are omnipotent like the pandemic stopping Stranger Things or strikes in Hollywood delaying The Boys. Others, like Mindhunter, just keep the audience in limbo with no clear reason. Shows with a great deal of animation, like Invincible, normally take a while to return owing to an incredibly long production pipeline; anthology series like True Detective, on the other hand, only return once there is a new statement compelling enough to warrant it.

If the prolonged wait means a show comes triumphantly back again or faces cancellation, the talkative fans keep themselves busy these days discussing such delays. Here are ten shows that made their fans wait the longest to get their next season, testing the loyalty of its viewing public and providing evidence that sometimes patience is either rewarded or wasted.

---

1. Squid Game (2021 – 2024)

Netflix's global hit Squid Game had fans on the edge of their seats with its jaw-dropping 2021 finale. Though it has been a huge hit, fans waited years for Season 2. Creator Hwang Dong-hyuk confirmed the production, but the intricacy of the script and availability of the cast delayed it. Netflix officially announced the 2024 release, assuring a deeper exploration of the lethal games. The three-year wait had been excruciating, but the anticipation was through the roof with Lee Jung-jae back and new sinister challenges on the horizon.

---

2. Rick and Morty (2017 – 2019)

Adult Swim's Rick and Morty has had a track record of leaving viewers waiting. The two years between Seasons 3 and 4 left audiences eagerly anticipating more interdimensional mayhem. The wait was partially because of protracted contract negotiations, but once settled, the network commissioned 70 new episodes. Although subsequent seasons came more regularly, the initial hiatus demonstrated how unsteady the show's release calendar could be. Even today, voice actor transitions and production alterations render upcoming seasons questionable, yet the fans are persistent.

---

3. Stranger Things (2019 – 2022)

The Duffer Brothers' Stranger Things, which has been known to have rather long periods of absence, had the longest gap between Seasons 3 and 4. The pandemic pushed the prolonged pause, which was already delayed due to production troubles, to nearly three years. Season 4 premiered in 2022 with expanded storylines, film-length episodes, and darker storytelling. Worth the wait, and now the fans are left to endure yet another interminably long delay for the last season pushed back due to industry strikes. Filming is now complete. Thus, Season 5 is estimated to appear in 2025, making it one highly awaited finale in television history.

---

4. True Detective (2019 – 2024)

After Season 3, HBO’s True Detective left fans in limbo, with no clear new sight beyond. Instead of rushing a sequel, the network hired Academy Award-winner Issa López to reinvigorate the project as Night Country, a chilling reinvention starring Jodie Foster. A fresh storyline blended the supernatural horror with the crime mystery because of that five-year delay. Critics gave praise to the new season, proving it is worth the extra time to perfect a story. Of course, the lengthy break was frustrating, but it gave True Detective time to grow; thus, when it finally came back, it became one of the most talked-about returns in television in 2024.

---

5. Fargo (2017 – 2020)

FX's Fargo boasts an anthology series format, but that did not make the three-year hiatus leading up to Season 4 more palatable. Originally set to premiere in 2019, the season under Chris Rock was delayed due to production and later pushed into 2020. Although frustrating in between, the show came back with a high-stakes premise addressing crime, racism, and the American dream. Further delays occurred, yet Season 5 came along in 2023 and showed that there were still new tales to be told for Fargo. The unreliability of the show to come back keeps each turn uncertain but guarantees people return due to its ability to reinvent itself.

---

6. Invincible (2021 – 2023)

Amazon's Invincible shocked fans in 2021 with its dark superhero narrative, but the two-year wait for Season 2 was torture. The lengthy process of detailed animation and voiceover delays meant the next installment was not ready for well over two years. The wait was temporarily eased by the creators releasing a one-off special, Atom Eve, in 2023. When Season 2 eventually arrived, it was divided into two parts to keep the wait going.

---

7. The Boys (2022 – 2024)

The Boys have attained such huge heights in popularity on Prime Video that fans have had to live through long breaks between some seasons. The third season was finished in 2022, with the fourth season gracing the screens only in mid-2024. The delays can be attributed to production setbacks, Hollywood strikes, and the launch of its spinoff series Gen V. While Gen V filled in the gaps, it deepened the waiting for the main franchise. With Homelander being more dangerous than ever and with yet another war brewing, the next season is set to unleash chaos.

---

8. Mindhunter (2019 – Indefinite Hiatus)

Netflix's Mindhunter perplexed viewers with its grim foray into criminal psychology; it has not been heard from since the release of its second season back in 2019. While David Fincher admitted loving the series, he declared the next season improbable due to high production costs and a niche following. In the years since there were rumors of a comeback, but in 2023, Fincher finally confirmed its definitive cancellation. After years of hope, fans were left bitterly disappointed by the outcome of such long odds.

---

9. Curb Your Enthusiasm (2011 – 2017)

Larry David's Curb Your Enthusiasm has never been on a network schedule, but the six-year wait between Seasons 8 and 9 was the longest. David appeared happy to put the show behind him after 2011, so its 2017 return was a major shock. The comeback showed Curb was still as cutting as ever, prompting additional seasons. But 2024's Season 12 was established as the last. Considering David's history, some devotees question whether he'll shift his stance again. In either case, Curb has solidified its status as comedy lore, creating its erratic break periods nearly the epitome of its appeal.

---

10. Game of Thrones (House of the Dragon) (2019 – 2022)

When Game of Thrones concluded in 2019, the fans waited years for another Westeros fix. House of the Dragon finally emerged in 2022, rekindling the franchise with a compelling prequel of Targaryen lore. But wait, it's not over yet—Season 2 was pushed back to 2024 as production issues hampered it. Unlike its ancestor, House of the Dragon promises well-timed, well-developed storytelling. The long breaks are annoying, but given how Game of Thrones hurried its last seasons, most fans appreciate the additional time if it will translate to improved storytelling.