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TV show endings are among the most important ways in which shows can leave an impression upon viewers and television. An iconic ending can make the show memorable, even after years. However, there are a few controversial TV show endings that feel as if they were not a part of the show’s script and feel completely out of tone and even incomplete.
On the other hand, some shows had to end because the streaming partner or channel in question did not want to continue, and cancelled the show on a cliffhanger note. Here are 10 TV show endings that would feel incomplete to many, due to a very different tone from the overall show, a weak story, or an untimely closure.
** Disclaimer: The article is solely based on the writer's opinion. **
Game of Thrones, Seinfeld, and others series with controversial TV show endings
1. Santa Clarita Diet
Starring Timothy Olyphant, Drew Barrymore, and others, this comedy horror TV show is among those that deserved a better ending. Created by Victor Fresco, the series focuses on a husband and wife, Joel (Olyphant) and Sheila Hammond (Barrymore), who are in real estate. Their normal lives turn upside down when Sheila becomes a zombie and she now craves human flesh, has become primal, and has a new personality that is more impulsive. As her family tries to seek a cure, they go through various adventures and challenges. The show was hilarious and spooky and satirized the quirky side of California perfectly. However, the third season of the show ended with a big twist, which revealed that a zombie spider had crawled into Joel’s brain and that Sheila bit him in a last-ditch effort to save him. Many fans were annoyed when the show got cancelled on such a massive cliffhanger note, and felt that there should have been a better ending for this TV show.
2. Ozark
Created by Bill Dubuque and Mark Williams, and starring Jason Bateman and Laura Linney among others, this is a crime drama show. The focus of the series is on Marty and Wendy Byrde, played by Bateman and Linney respectively, a married couple engaging in money laundering for the mafia. In order to protect their family, the two move to Lake of the Ozarks, and continue to their dangerous work. However, they get into various risky and dangerous situations, and must also protect themselves from the law. Ozark was a critical and commercial hit, but many fans felt it is one of those TV shows with an ending that does not do it justice. The ending has Ruth walk into a trap and Mel threaten the Byrdes as Jonah comes out with a gun and a shot is heard. The screen then cuts to black. The fact that Ruth is extremely smart and she could easily get into a trap and get killed, felt extremely wrong and unsatisfactory to many fans. Further, the ending ruined the show’s rewatch value and it is not one of those TV show endings that many viewers wanted.
3. How I Met Your Mother
One of those TV show endings that still causes a lot of disappointment among many fans. Created by Carter Bays and Craig Thomas, this sitcom features Josh Radnor, Neil Patrick Harris, and others. The show focuses on a group of friends in New York City’s Manhattan area, and how they deal with love and life. On the other hand, there is a frame story where the character of Ted Mosby tells his son and daughter in 2030 how he met their mother. The show was a hit and became a pop culture staple. However, its ending is controversial. Even though the show introduced the mother and she had become a beloved character, the showmakers decided to ultimately make the mother die and Ted ended up with Robin, even though their romance was less than perfect and had reached a point that it felt saturated. Therefore, it is one of those TV show endings that didn’t make sense and felt like a letdown to many fans.
4. The Sopranos
Created by David Chase and starring James Gandolfini, Lorraine Bracco, and others, this crime drama revolutionized television and yet it had one of those TV show endings that still evokes divided opinions even after two decades. The show was a critical and commercial hit and focused on a New Jersey Mafia boss, Tony Soprano (Gandolfini), who must balance his family responsibilities with his criminal life. Amidst all this tension, he begins to get panic attacks and reluctantly sees a therapist. While the show ruled television with its gritty and suspenseful storylines, its ending was highly divisive. Tony and his family go to a diner and are having a meal when Meadow enters through the door, and a bell signals a door opening. The camera cuts to Tony and he looks up and the screen cuts to black. While some viewers felt that it left something to the imagination and was a clever and creative choice, most people were annoyed by the ambiguous ending. Therefore, it is one of those open-ended TV show endings that always create a lot of debate.
5. Hannibal
Based on the characters from Thomas Harris’ novels, this psychological horror thriller show was created by Bryan Fuller and starred Hugh Dancy, Mads Mikkelsen, and others. While the show took some time to build an audience, it is now considered a cult classic. The show focused on the complex relationship between an FBI investigator Will Graham (Dancy) and Dr Hannibal Lecter (Mikkelsen), who is a forensic psychiatrist and a cannibal. The show pushed the boundaries on gore and violence in the world of television, and had incredible performances by Dancy and Mikkelsen. However, the show got cancelled after Season 3, when it ended on a cliffhanger. Many fans felt that the show has one of those weak TV show endings. Will and Hannibal have a showdown with Dolarhyde, and Will finally understands the brutality that Hannibal wanted for him. As the two finally begin to understand each other, the show ended and left their fates on an ambiguous note. Therefore, it is one of those TV show endings that many fans felt was incomplete.
6. Dexter
Developed by James Manos Jr and based on the novels by Jeff Lindsay, this crime drama show was popular with the viewers and critics and featured Michael C Hall, Julie Benz, and others. The show focused on a forensic technician who specializes in blood spatter analysis, Dexter Morgan (Hall), who works for the Miami Metro Police Department. However, he has an alternate life where he becomes a vigilante serial killer and kills all those who were inadequately punished by the law, driven by an irrepressible urge to kill. However, it has one of the most controversial TV show endings, as Dexter was turning into a person who wanted to lead a normal life. However, when he finally had a family whom he loved, and started doing positive things, the show abandoned his character development and made Dexter kill his sister, abandon his son, and turned him into a character that people could not relate with. Therefore, it had one of those weak TV show endings.
7. Game of Thrones
Based on a series of fantasy novels by George RR Martin, this fantasy drama series was created by David Benioff and DB Weiss, and it quickly became one of the most popular shows in television history. The audience and critics talked about it endlessly and it became a pop culture phenomenon. However, many fans felt it has one of the most controversial TV show endings and all the popularity it had garnered faded owing to the finale. The show focuses on several noble families who vie for the Iron Throne and want to reign supreme. Compared to the show’s earlier seasons, where the show makers had a lot of material from Martin’s books to adapt from, the series’ latter seasons had run out of material, and only had rough points from the author. Worse, the creators of the show did not make an effort to flesh out the narrative and the show’s quality went down drastically. The latter seasons were criticized, and the series had a lot of nonsensical twists and turns. The finale did not make sense to many fans, with Khaleesi going mad and Jon Snow no longer being the brave warrior he was. Therefore, many fans feel Game Of Thrones had one of those TV show endings that quickly brought down the sage from its heights.
8. Seinfeld
Created by Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld, this popular sitcom was one of the most famous shows from the era and still continues to be popular. Featuring Jerry Seinfeld, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and others, the show features Seinfeld as a fictionalized version of himself and the show focuses on him and his friends — his best friend George, his former girlfriend Elaine, and his neighbor Cosmo Kramer. Together, the four of them often get into hilarious situations and must deal with life, love, and career. However, it has one of the most controversial TV show endings. In the finale, the show’s characters get into legal trouble as they witness a carjacking and don’t intervene. Then, many of the show’s recurring characters, whom the quartet had angered over the years, come back in the finale to testify against the selfish attitude of the protagonists. The show’s ending did not go down well with many viewers, who perhaps didn't get the satirical edge and didn’t like what they felt was a negative portrayal of the lead characters. While some like the comedic callback to past episodes, others did not like seeing the protagonists in a negative light. Therefore, the show has one of the controversial TV show endings.
9. Glow
Starring Alison Brie, Betty Gilpin, and others, this comedy drama series is created by Liz Flahive and Carly Mensch and has one of the controversial TV show endings. The show focuses on the 1980s syndicated women’s professional wrestling circuit called Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling (GLOW), created by David McLane, and provides a fictionalized version of the characters and their adventures. While the show had stellar performances, a real-life story about women’s professional wrestling circuit, and a lot of humor, the series ended because of Netflix’s decision to cancel it due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Even though the show was going to be renewed for a fourth season and many of the storylines and character arcs would have been resolved with a fresh season, the decision by the streaming giant to end the show on an incomplete note made it one of those shows with weak TV show endings.
10. My Name is Earl
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Created by Greg Garcia and starring Jason Lee, Ethan Suplee, and others, this sitcom focused on Earl Hickey (Lee), who is a petty thief with a traumatic life. After winning a lottery, Earl gets hit by a car and realizes lying on his hospital bed that karma plays a big role in life, and he therefore needs to turn his life around and become a better person. He therefore makes a list of people, whom he has done wrong and tries to make things right. While the show gained popularity, it had one of those weak TV show endings. The Season 4 finale revealed that Earl was Didge’s father and was evicted from the motel and had his bank account frozen by Little Chubby. Even though the show ended with a “To be continued” sign, there was no fresh season as NBC cut the series short. While the show deserved a better ending, it could not get one, and it therefore has one of those weak TV show endings.
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