# What movies/tv shows/books presented lots of mysteries and actually wrapped them up in the end? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 19, 2014, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movies-tv-shows-books-presented-lots-of-mysteries-and-actually-wrapped-them-up-in-the-end/705070 "2014-11-19T15:04:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2014, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movies-tv-shows-books-presented-lots-of-mysteries-and-actually-wrapped-them-up-in-the-end/705070/1 "2014-11-19T15:04:59Z")
Obviously, lots of folks were disappointed in LOST, which presented a huge amount of cool mysteries and than just waved them away. X-files also presented a vast conspiracy only to forget about most of it and use fan fiction in the end to tie it all together. What works of art have pretty much wrapped things up nicely? My two are: **Babylon 5** - I felt very satisfied with the ending, even if it was pressed into season 4. JMS said we would only be able to ask, “Now what?” at the end and he pretty much got it. I’m sure there are some problems, but it was very cleanly resolved. **Mistborn Trilogy** - Brandon Sanderson really intrigued me through the first Mistborn book. There was obviously a lot going on we didn’t know about and a lot of deep background info. we weren’t entirely and reliably informed on. In the end, I really felt the final book did a great job wrapping everything up. You? ---
**Author:** ![Abracadebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f04885/32.png) [@Abracadebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Abracadebra)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2014, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movies-tv-shows-books-presented-lots-of-mysteries-and-actually-wrapped-them-up-in-the-end/705070/2 "2014-11-19T15:10:23Z")
As far as movies are concerned, The Usual Suspects is the gold standard, IMO. Breaking Bad had a great wrap up; not sure if it qualifies as a mystery, though. Sill haven’t settled on a book yet. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2014, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movies-tv-shows-books-presented-lots-of-mysteries-and-actually-wrapped-them-up-in-the-end/705070/3 "2014-11-19T15:21:20Z")
**The Last of Sheila** is one of my favorite mysteries. There are actually several mysteries and puzzles presented in the course of the film. They’re all interrelated, and they’re all solved by the end of the film. A real tour-de-force. **Sleuth** , a play and film that’s related in odd ways to TLoS, also presents several puzzles in the course of the thing (especially the play and first film). Both are about a wealthy eccentric who obsesses with games and puzzles, including mind games. But both “play fair” with the audience. Arthur Conan Doyle always tried to tie up his loose ends in his Sherlock Holmes novels. His _Hound of the Baskervilles_, for instance, is filled with little questions and side-mysteries connected to the case, and Doyle does try to account for them all. ---
**Author:** ![Orr\_G](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ee59a6/32.png) [@Orr\_G](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Orr_G)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2014, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movies-tv-shows-books-presented-lots-of-mysteries-and-actually-wrapped-them-up-in-the-end/705070/4 "2014-11-19T15:52:50Z")
One that I’ve mentioned before on this board: the American version of **Life On Mars**. A modern cop finds himself seemingly transported to the '70s. But is it time travel? A coma dream? etc. Although it’s really mainly the one mystery, as opposed to lots of mysteries, there were a number of smaller questions that were related to the nature of the protagonist’s experience. I liked the resolution given in the final episode. The British version finished with much more of an open ending (however there’s a sequel that I have as yet been unable to get my hands on which may or may not wrap up the mysteries). Both versions are well done, but the American version at least somewhat fits the OP. ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2014, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movies-tv-shows-books-presented-lots-of-mysteries-and-actually-wrapped-them-up-in-the-end/705070/5 "2014-11-19T15:58:49Z")
The Serenity movie pretty well wrapped up most of the issues from the Firefly series, with only two exceptions: (1) Shepherd Book’s past, and (2) Inara’s health. Neither is critical to achieve closure on the main stories. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2014, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movies-tv-shows-books-presented-lots-of-mysteries-and-actually-wrapped-them-up-in-the-end/705070/6 "2014-11-19T16:24:46Z")
> [@Abracadebra](#): > > As far as movies are concerned, The Usual Suspects is the gold standard, IMO. How so, exactly? At the end of the movie we know _absolutely nothing_ about what actually happened. All we really know is Kevin Spacey’s character is not who he says he was. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2014, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movies-tv-shows-books-presented-lots-of-mysteries-and-actually-wrapped-them-up-in-the-end/705070/7 "2014-11-19T16:52:02Z")
This was a issue for years. Kyle XY. The Pretender. John Doe. Dollhouse. I am never going to watch another series like that unless the Producers show proof that the series “reveals” are sealed in a mayonnaise jar on Funk & Wagnalls porch. To a lesser extent: Sliders. Pushing Daisys. Wonderfalls. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2014, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movies-tv-shows-books-presented-lots-of-mysteries-and-actually-wrapped-them-up-in-the-end/705070/8 "2014-11-19T16:55:42Z")
As I’ve noted, the local libraries have for some reason got LOTS of Clive Cussler’s obscenely huge output in audiobook form, and I’ve been listening to them on my commutes to and from work for a couple of years now. Cussler sets up at least a couple of mysteries and loose ends at the start of his stories, leaving McGuffins to drive the plot, as well as minor mysteries throughout. He always manages to resolve them all in a great ludicrous ending. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Lowry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@Sam\_Lowry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Lowry)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2014, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movies-tv-shows-books-presented-lots-of-mysteries-and-actually-wrapped-them-up-in-the-end/705070/9 "2014-11-19T17:05:34Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > I am never going to watch another series like that unless the Producers show proof that the series “reveals” are sealed in a mayonnaise jar on Funk & Wagnalls porch. I don’t know if that’s a good solution either. How I Met Your Mother wasn’t really a mystery show, but the writers did have a solution on how they would wrap everything up that they’d planned from the beginning. Maybe it would have worked if the show had just been a few seasons, but after everything that went on, the ending just didn’t work for most people. It’s good to have a plan for overall answers for the end, but it’s also necessary to be able to improvise if things have come up in the middle part of the story. ---
**Author:** ![cormac262](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f14d63/32.png) [@cormac262](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cormac262)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2014, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movies-tv-shows-books-presented-lots-of-mysteries-and-actually-wrapped-them-up-in-the-end/705070/10 "2014-11-19T17:16:44Z")
> [@DCnDC](#): > > How so, exactly? At the end of the movie we know _absolutely nothing_ about what actually happened. All we really know is Kevin Spacey’s character is not who he says he was. My thoughts exactly. We know the Big Reveal, but because of that we have no idea how much of the “story” actually took place or was made up. If you look at the “hard evidence”, all you really have are a bunch of bodies (including those who could corroborate the story) and no coke. EVERYTHING else may or may not have taken place as “described”. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2014, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movies-tv-shows-books-presented-lots-of-mysteries-and-actually-wrapped-them-up-in-the-end/705070/11 "2014-11-19T18:27:06Z")
> [@DCnDC](#): > > How so, exactly? At the end of the movie we know _absolutely nothing_ about what actually happened. All we really know is Kevin Spacey’s character is not who he says he was. Thirded. I almost listed this as an example of a movie that does NOT work, like LOST. By the way, I hardly think cancellation for shows should count as bad wrap up, since they didn’t get their chance. I would prefer to judge shows that actually finished. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2014, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movies-tv-shows-books-presented-lots-of-mysteries-and-actually-wrapped-them-up-in-the-end/705070/12 "2014-11-19T18:37:54Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > Thirded. > > I almost listed this as an example of a movie that does NOT work, like LOST. > > By the way, I hardly think cancellation for shows should count as bad wrap up, since they didn’t get their chance. I would prefer to judge shows that actually finished. I do. In the case of The Pretender & John Doe the producers went online and explained some things. The Leftovers is another such show, but looks like, as with Lost, many things will never be explained. ---
**Author:** ![Sr\_Siete](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6de8d8/32.png) [@Sr\_Siete](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sr_Siete)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2014, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movies-tv-shows-books-presented-lots-of-mysteries-and-actually-wrapped-them-up-in-the-end/705070/13 "2014-11-19T18:55:20Z")
> [@Sam\_Lowry](#): > > I don’t know if that’s a good solution either. How I Met Your Mother wasn’t really a mystery show, but the writers did have a solution on how they would wrap everything up that they’d planned from the beginning. Maybe it would have worked if the show had just been a few seasons, but after everything that went on, the ending just didn’t work for most people. We never got to know what happened with the goat in that Christmas party. That’s so much worse than anything Lost did! ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2014, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movies-tv-shows-books-presented-lots-of-mysteries-and-actually-wrapped-them-up-in-the-end/705070/14 "2014-11-19T19:09:28Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > By the way, I hardly think cancellation for shows should count as bad wrap up, since they didn’t get their chance. Yeah, but it disqualifies them for “pretty much wrapped things up nicely,” which is what the OP asked for. Any good mystery novel or movie _should_ wrap things up nicely at the end, but it gets harder when you try to think of one that “presents **lots** of mysteries” instead of just the central who- or howdunit. ---
**Author:** ![lost4life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c4cdca/32.png) [@lost4life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lost4life)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2014, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movies-tv-shows-books-presented-lots-of-mysteries-and-actually-wrapped-them-up-in-the-end/705070/15 "2014-11-19T19:14:55Z")
Does **The Hangover** count? ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2014, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movies-tv-shows-books-presented-lots-of-mysteries-and-actually-wrapped-them-up-in-the-end/705070/16 "2014-11-19T20:16:50Z")
A related thread: > **[Great TV Mysteries... Never solved](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=692725)** > > List your favorite mystery that you never got an answer for, and presumably there is no answer for. I’m not talking about something like “Who shot JR?” I’m talking about an event in the series that seemed important at the time, but the answer was... ---
**Author:** ![Dale\_Sams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/779978/32.png) [@Dale\_Sams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dale_Sams)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2014, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movies-tv-shows-books-presented-lots-of-mysteries-and-actually-wrapped-them-up-in-the-end/705070/17 "2014-11-19T20:21:02Z")
NuBSG makes a decent effort to do so in their show “The Plan” ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2014, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movies-tv-shows-books-presented-lots-of-mysteries-and-actually-wrapped-them-up-in-the-end/705070/18 "2014-11-19T20:49:50Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > Yeah, but it disqualifies them for “pretty much wrapped things up nicely,” which is what the OP asked for. I was and am the OP you are referencing. 😕 My point is that we are looking for ones that did end things well, wrapping things up. No point in complaining about canceled shows, since we don’t know how they would have ended. ---
**Author:** ![Weedy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/weedy/32/301_2.png) [@Weedy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weedy)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2014, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movies-tv-shows-books-presented-lots-of-mysteries-and-actually-wrapped-them-up-in-the-end/705070/19 "2014-11-19T22:18:57Z")
book: Foucault’s Pendulum ---
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2014, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movies-tv-shows-books-presented-lots-of-mysteries-and-actually-wrapped-them-up-in-the-end/705070/20 "2014-11-19T22:25:03Z")
As I recall, the movie version of **LA Confidential** managed to tie all of the plot’s loose strands at the end. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movies-tv-shows-books-presented-lots-of-mysteries-and-actually-wrapped-them-up-in-the-end/705070.md?page=2)