They really need to allow fan edited versions of shows and movies to be distributed, make people own the original to download or whatever. Editing Jar Jar out of Star Wars must be allowed to happen somewhere without Lucas’s hissy fits and lawsuits.
That was the first one that came to mind for me too.
For the X-Files I’d say stop at the end of season 7, about five minutes before the end of the last episode. But I know others who also say to stop at the end of season 5, and I understand their reasons.
For Prison Break, only watch seasons 1 and 2. 3 had some good points, but also too many down points that made the other seasons make less sense, and those first two were amazing TV.
Chuck: stop about two thirds of the way through the last episode of the previous season to now (4, I think).
Deep Space Nine: skip the first season, skip the last season.
Star Trek Next Generation: Skip the last season. Skip any episodes with Troi or Beverly Crusher as clearly the dominant main character.
Star Trek Enterprise: Skip the first season.
Star Trek Voyager: skip the series, maybe look online for a list of half a dozen or so episodes worth watching.
Lost. Wait for the big kaboom, then walk away. Assume that they all died or something. Well, come to think of it . . .
Although I still watch Glee, I am increasingly feeling like I’d recommend to other people who have never seen the show that they should either stop at the end of the first season or, if they really like Kurt (and I do), continue on to the second season and stop with the prom episode.
this thread is going to save me so much time.
Fallen: Stop before the antagonist can get his final voice-over in.
Stripes: After boot camp. What is this bullshit about going to Europe to drive around in an RV?
Private Benjamin: After boot camp. What is this bullshit about going to Europe to chase Armand Assante?
And, IMO, skip the “alternate universe” episodes.
Similarly, in Jacob’s Ladder - if you liked it as a horror movie, stop right after the protagonist sees someone important at the foot of some stairs and they go somewhere.
Better Off Dead - if you liked the twisted humor of the first part of the film (which may be normal these days, what with Heathers and all), then stop the film after the French exchange student reveals a secret to Lane. It turns into a typical '80s teen comedy after that. Still a good one, but not the same as the first part.
Though if you’re not paying money for it (borrowing someone’s DVDs or something), also watch the last episode of season 5, which was actually filmed as the last of season 4 before they knew there was going to be a 5th season.
Agreed.
Or even before that.
Cast Away: The moment he gets rescued.
Contact: Leave after Ellie gets back to Earth. This goes triple if you read the book and liked the ending.
“Friday Night Lights” Leave before the ending card. You’ll then realize you watched the wrong underdog movie.
The next year, the team WINS the State Title. This is more remarkable as they’re replacing all the stars on offense and defense from the previous year. Think the 49ers winning it all the year after Montana, Rice, and Lott suddenly retired
In Ang Lee’s “Hulk,” leave as soon as Betty Ross saves San Francisco by calming down the Hulk, the restored Bruce says, “You found me,” and she replies, “You were easy to find.”
Actually, that’s what happened to the Tennessee Volunteers (college football) in 1998. In the April '98 NFL draft they lost three first rounders (QB Peyton Manning (#1, Colts), CB Terry Fair (#20, Lions), and WR Marcus Nash (#30, Denver)) and five more starters (including LB Leonard Little, who spent 12 years in the league), then won the national championship that year with their #1 player, Jamal Lewis, out for most of the season with a torn ligament. They beat 8 bowl-bound teams, 4 top-10 teams, and 3 teams who played in BCS games (IIRC, this was the first year of the BCS.)
Go figure.
Here’s a different one that I always mention in this topic: Gone Baby Gone
Leave right Casey Affleck has to decide whether or not to report a certain event to the authorities. He makes a good case, his girlfriend makes a good case, and then get up and leave and decide for yourself what he does.
Don’t stay til the end and have the decision ruined.
Not exactly what the OP is asking, but in the same spirit, you should begin the underappreciated sci-fi noir film Dark City after the opening narration. Either that or just hit “mute” until you see Kiefer Sutherland look at his watch. (I’m not actually certain that’s the right moment, but that’s what I found online.) The studio was apparently afraid audiences wouldn’t “get” the movie, and over the director’s objections insisted that narration be added. The narration is full of spoilers for what you’re about to see, and if you’re the kind of person who’d be interested in a sci-fi noir film in the first place you’re almost certainly not going to need or want the help.
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The Sandbaggers. Pretty obscure these days, but it still was the best spy show to ever appear on TV. You can leave after 16 episodes; episodes 17-19 were no better than mediocre. The series finale picks up a bit, but ends as a cliffhanger with no resolution. The reason for this is simple: the creator and writer of the first 16 episodes, Ian Mackintosh, vanished without a trace,* leaving the final season three scripts short. They were shot, but everyone agreed that there was no point in doing any more, since no one could write like him.
The first two seasons, though, are astoundingly good.
*Really. His light plane vanished over the ocean in mysterious circumstances; there is some belief it was on a spy mission.