# Worst end of series cliffhanger. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 12, 2017, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-end-of-series-cliffhanger/786494 "2017-05-12T23:33:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![E-DUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/e-dub/32/403_2.png) [@E-DUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-DUB)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2017, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-end-of-series-cliffhanger/786494/1 "2017-05-12T23:33:55Z")
So what’s worse that having a series finale that sucks? Having one that isn’t, but actually is. The reality is that given the way the TV biz works you’re going to have “end-of season” cliffhangers that turn into “end-of-series” cliffhangers. Usually you just blow if off with an “Oh, well”, but there are always a few that frost your cookies even _years_ later. Let’s hear your examples. ---
**Author:** ![D\_Odds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/d_odds/32/2882_2.png) [@D\_Odds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Odds)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2017, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-end-of-series-cliffhanger/786494/2 "2017-05-13T00:14:36Z")
_Farscape_. Resolved in _The Peacekeeper Wars_, but there was no reason not to excise the last 15-30 seconds after the finale and give fans a happy ending. I’m fairly sure that they didn’t know they were getting a 2-part mini-series when cancelled and the sets were torn down. ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2017, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-end-of-series-cliffhanger/786494/3 "2017-05-13T00:16:19Z")
The famous one is Twin Peaks, which ended with Agent Cooper (after lots of weirdness) seeing Bob’s face in the mirror as he smashes his head into it and laughs maniacally. I personally thought it was an awesome way to end the series, even though it hadn’t been intended. It made up for a number of sucky episodes that preceded it. I’m assuming the ending will be addressed to some extent when it restarts in a couple of weeks. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2017, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-end-of-series-cliffhanger/786494/4 "2017-05-13T00:41:31Z")
_Galaxy Quest_ We’ll never know what the Omega-13 device does! Speaking of omegas…the exact opposite of the OP’s question is the Finale cliffhanger of _Angel_. Just perfect. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2017, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-end-of-series-cliffhanger/786494/5 "2017-05-13T00:58:18Z")
Alf is supposedly dissected. I guess that’s kind of final, but if they’d have ever planned to bring back that [little death trap of a TV show…](http://www.cracked.com/article/135_6-beloved-tv-shows-that-traumatized-cast-members-life/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=fanpage&utm_campaign=new+article&wa_ibsrc=fanpage) ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2017, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-end-of-series-cliffhanger/786494/6 "2017-05-13T01:24:27Z")
> [@TroutMan](#): > > The famous one is Twin Peaks, which ended with > > Agent Cooper (after lots of weirdness) seeing Bob’s face in the mirror as he smashes his head into it and laughs maniacally. > > I personally thought it was an awesome way to end the series, even though it hadn’t been intended. It made up for a number of sucky episodes that preceded it. > > I’m assuming the ending will be addressed to some extent when it restarts in a couple of weeks. What everyone misunderstand about the final episode of _Twin Peaks_ is that it \* wasn’t\* a series finale and was never intended as such. It was a \* season\* finale, shot with the intention of using it as the start for the next season. The show was cancelled after it was shot and no one bothered to reshoot scenes. As a season finale, it’s perfectly fine. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2017, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-end-of-series-cliffhanger/786494/7 "2017-05-13T01:46:44Z")
The animated Roughnecks series (based on Starship Troopers) ended on an immense cliffhanger that was to have been resolved in a final season. Sony pulled the plug. ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2017, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-end-of-series-cliffhanger/786494/8 "2017-05-13T01:52:04Z")
Soap. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2017, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-end-of-series-cliffhanger/786494/9 "2017-05-13T02:03:39Z")
I always thought _Soap_ was the ultimate example of this. Every season ended with a cliffhanger, and the show got cancelled without the chance to resolve the last one. I found this recap: > [@](#): > > Jessica has been kidnapped by El Puerco’s enemy and brought back to Malaguay. If El doesn’t return to the island, she’ll be killed. Mary is upset that her baby is likely half alien. After being hypnotized and regressed to a past life, Jodie still believes that he’s an old Jewish man named Julius. The Governor of Connecticut wants Burt to run as his Lieutenant Governor but insists that Burt distance himself from his crazy family. Before he can decide, Burt is lured into an ambush by thugs who’ve been told to kill him. Danny and Annie’s affair is discovered by a despondent Chester who’ll likely soon die in a duel with El. Feeling humiliated, he decides to shoot the pair first. Jessica tries to cajole and convince her captors not to execute her but is unsuccessful. She’s placed in front of a firing squad and we hear the guns fire. The series ends with several unresolved cliffhangers. > **[Soap](https://tvseriesfinale.com/tv-show/soap/)** > > This groundbreaking serial sitcom, created by Susan Harris, tells the story of two sisters -- Jessica Tate (Katherine Helmond) and Mary Campbell (Cathryn Damon) -- and their families. There’s some interesting info there. Apparently Susan Harris, the show’s creator, would not have done a cliffhanger if she’d known it was ending. And if the show had come back, Jessica would have lived. ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2017, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-end-of-series-cliffhanger/786494/10 "2017-05-13T02:06:45Z")
Constantine. A big arc is set up, the angel who’s been aiding John for the whole season reveals he was working with the powers of darkness, not the powers of light. And then…no renewal. (Or even the full season.) (Hopefully the animated series that CW’s apparently planning will be in the same continuity, and we can get a goddamn resolution.) ---
**Author:** ![breezman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4491bb/32.png) [@breezman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/breezman)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2017, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-end-of-series-cliffhanger/786494/11 "2017-05-13T02:12:37Z")
Benson. Who won the election? ---
**Author:** ![E-DUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/e-dub/32/403_2.png) [@E-DUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-DUB)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2017, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-end-of-series-cliffhanger/786494/12 "2017-05-13T02:53:04Z")
I’ll concur on Benson and throw in “Crime Story”. The last ep had many of the main characters on a plane that was about to crash. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_John\_Marcej](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Richard\_John\_Marcej](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_John_Marcej)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2017, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-end-of-series-cliffhanger/786494/13 "2017-05-13T03:16:38Z")
The American version of _Life On Mars_. On one hand, even though ABC canceled it with just 13 episodes, it was good they let them stick on an ending. But the ending was… ---
**Author:** ![Reluctant\_A](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/839c29/32.png) [@Reluctant\_A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reluctant_A)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2017, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-end-of-series-cliffhanger/786494/14 "2017-05-13T05:10:00Z")
_Fastlane_ still chaps my hide. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_John\_Marcej](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Richard\_John\_Marcej](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_John_Marcej)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2017, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-end-of-series-cliffhanger/786494/15 "2017-05-13T05:13:33Z")
> [@breezman](#): > > Benson. Who won the election? Didn’t they “kind of try” to tie up loose ends of _Soap_ on _Benson_? I was never a regular viewer of the show but I recall they had a scene where Benson talks to the ghost of Jessica Tate. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2017, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-end-of-series-cliffhanger/786494/16 "2017-05-13T05:19:23Z")
_Alien Nation_, but it was resolved in a TV movie a few years later. _My Name Is Earl_ ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2017, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-end-of-series-cliffhanger/786494/17 "2017-05-13T14:32:15Z")
> [@Amateur\_Barbarian](#): > > The animated Roughnecks series (based on Starship Troopers) ended on an immense cliffhanger that was to have been resolved in a final season. Sony pulled the plug. …was on my tablet when I wrote that, and get tired tapping on glass. After titanic battles across known space, the third season ended with the entire Bug fleet, the largest yet seen, headed for Earth and the human forces pulling in all their ships to guard the homeworld. It’s gonna be the mother of all battles, folks, so tune in next **pip** …" ---
**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:** [May 13, 2017, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-end-of-series-cliffhanger/786494/18 "2017-05-13T15:24:28Z")
> [@Richard\_John\_Marcej](#): > > The American version of _Life On Mars_. > On one hand, even though ABC canceled it with just 13 episodes, it was good they let them stick on an ending. But the ending was… Awake starring Jason Isaacs was a pretty neat show that also ended on a massive mind-screw cliffhanger. ---
**Author:** ![E-DUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/e-dub/32/403_2.png) [@E-DUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-DUB)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2017, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-end-of-series-cliffhanger/786494/19 "2017-05-13T17:24:47Z")
Silenus wrote: "Speaking of omegas…the exact opposite of the OP’s question is the Finale cliffhanger of Angel. Just perfect. " I gotta agree, when I watched it I was like, “They can’t end it like _that_.” Then I realized that was the point. The battle never ends. ---
**Author:** ![WildBlueYonder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ce7236/32.png) [@WildBlueYonder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildBlueYonder)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2017, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-end-of-series-cliffhanger/786494/20 "2017-05-13T19:11:16Z")
Mike and Molly was stupid So was King of Queens and Medium, Medium most of all. Kill the husband…yeah good one. I think the sort of long running series if they get canceled should be able to come back with some sort of finale I liked how ER went off. (sort of) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-end-of-series-cliffhanger/786494.md?page=2)