TV shows have long been one of the most popular mediums for long-form storytelling. The episodic nature of a show allows for a deep exploration of character arcs, while also focusing on smaller, self-contained narratives that keep viewers coming back for more. In many ways, TV shows can offer some of the most immersive and rewarding experiences for audiences, though sometimes their stories fall foul of their format. TV shows are dependent on being renewed year on year, and sometimes networks or studios pull the plug when there are questions left answered. This has led to finales that ruin TV shows unexpectedly, leaving frustrating cliffhangers to round off a show’s run.
The end of season cliffhanger is a common element of TV, as it keeps audiences guessing while the subsequent season is in production. Though they’re designed to keep viewers expectant for the future, shows sometimes end before these teases can be paid off. This ultimately leads to cliffhangers that are destined to go unanswered, which almost always proves to be incredibly annoying.
1) Angel
As a spin-off of one of the greatest horror TV shows of all time, Angel was always held to an incredibly high standard. Focusing on the titular vampire, Angel saw him leave Sunnydale behind and head to Los Angeles, where his work as a private investigator saw him battle various supernatural and demonic threats. Widely hailed as one of the best spin-offs of all time, the announcement of Angel‘s cancellation was an unpopular one.
Season 5 ended on a cliffhanger that saw Angel and his associates facing off against an army of demons known as the Circle of the Black Thorn. Just as the high-stakes action began, the show ended, and Season 6 never materialized as the team behind Angel had hoped. Fans were able to eventually learn the fate of the characters through a comic book continuation of Angel‘s story, but the show’s annoying cliffhanger ending remains notorious.
2) A League Of Their Own
Sharing its name with the acclaimed 1992 movie on which it’s based, TV’s A League of Their Own seemed to have all the makings of a successful show. Following the formation of a professional women’s baseball team in 1943, A League of Their Own‘s World War II-era drama and light comedy was able to feel both unique and familiar thanks to its source material. Sadly, it was cancelled after its first season, which ended on a cliffhanger involving Carson’s husband discovering her affair with teammate Greta.
A League of Their Own‘s romantic cliffhanger was a bitter one, as it promised to pay off Carson’s whole first season character arc. What made it even worse was that a four-episode second season was announced, and then scrapped before it materialised. The double cancellation only added to fans’ frustration, making A League of Their Own‘s ending an especially contentious and irritating one.
3) Pushing Daisies
Pushing Daisies has gone down in history as one of TV’s biggest missed opportunities. Despite only airing for a 22-episode run over two seasons, Pushing Daisies earned considerable critical acclaim and won several awards. Sadly, the Writers Guild of America strike in 2008 led to complications in Pushing Daisies‘ production that ultimately saw it cancelled, with some claiming that its unorthodox premise and presentation also contributed to the decision.
The show ended with Ned and Chuck deciding to reveal to Chuck’s family that she had been killed and resurrected, though it was never explored in the ill-fated show. Pushing Daisies‘ story was then intended on being continued in the form of a comic book or movie, but this too, never came to pass. However, in a world where TV show reboots and legacy continuations have become increasingly common, there are still many holding out for more Pushing Daisies.
4) My So-Called Life
The 1990s saw a wave of TV teen dramas introduced to screens worldwide, though not all were as memorable as others. One that is often forgotten is My So-Called Life, as it only ran for a total of 19 episodes. Even so, it won multiple notable awards, including a Golden Globe, and featured an impressive cast of stars including Claire Danes, Jared Leto, Wilson Cruz, and Jeff Perry. For those invested in its story, it also ended on a frustrating note.
My So-Called Life’s season one finale saw Angela (Danes) learn that the heartfelt apology letter written by her boyfriend Jordan (Leto) was actually penned by her friend Brian, who also had feelings for her. Angela’s revelation marked the beginning of what might have become a full-fledged love triangle. Sadly, the potential plotline went unexplored, as My So-Called Life was cancelled before its second season, which was ultimately attributed to a multitude of factors.
5) Agent Carter
Predating the MCU’s Disney+ TV shows, Agent Carter was the second MCU spin-off series. It followed Hayley Atwell’s Peggy Carter after the events of Captain America: The First Avenger, as she balanced her life working for the Strategic Scientific Reserve, a precursor to SHIELD, with that of a single woman in the 1940s. It ran for a total of 18 episodes over two seasons before being cancelled due to a decline in ratings.
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Agent Carter‘s second season ended on a tantalising cliffhanger which saw the SSR chief Jack Thompson shot by an unseen assailant, who then stole files pertaining to Carter before disappearing. The fate of Thompson and the identity of the assassin were never revealed due to Agent Carter‘s cancellation, which stands out as doubly frustrating due to the ways in which the MCU continued to prosper in the years that followed. Though Peggy Carter’s story has since been picked back up by the MCU, Agent Carter‘s cliffhanger ending will likely never be resolved.
6) Santa Clarita Diet
Over the years, there have been multiple cancelled Netflix shows that have left audiences feeling aggrieved with the streaming giant, with Santa Clarita Diet just a single name among them. A dark comedy-horror, Santa Clarita Diet followed married realtors Sheila (Drew Barrymore) and Joel (Timothy Olyphant) after Sheila dies and returns as a zombie. After a three-season run, Santa Clarita Diet was axed by Netflix.
The show’s Season 3 finale left many questions unanswered. After believing it to be the only way to save Joel’s life, Sheila bites him, and he awakens, seemingly now a zombie himself. However, as Santa Clarita Diet was cancelled, Joel’s fate will seemingly never be fully explored, and the show’s ending will remain an incredibly disappointing and frustrating one.
7) My Name Is Earl
Despite having ended all the way back in 2009, My Name is Earl is still considered one of the most underrated comedy shows of all time. Its four-season run saw it earn multiple accolades, including an Emmy win and several nominations. The show concerned the titular character’s attempt to fix his bad karma using the funds from a $100,000 lottery win, hoping to right a lifetime of petty crime and selfish deeds. Unfortunately, its fourth season ended with shocking revelations that were destined to go unexplored.
My Name is Earl established early on that Earl’s two sons by ex-wife Joy were not his, as detailed on multiple occasions throughout the show. However, Season 4’s finale revealed that Dodge was in fact fathered by Earl, and Earl Jr.’s father was not Darnell as previously explained. These genetic reveals opened the door for many questions, but My Name is Earl‘s cancellation prevented audiences from ever getting any real answers.
8) How I Met Your Father
After How I Met Your Mother ended on an obvious twist that surprised no-one, there were high hopes for the spin-off How I Met Your Father. HIMYM was once considered one of the best sitcoms of the modern era, which many considered a springboard to success for the Hilary Duff-led spin-off. How I Met Your Father was not as successful as its predecessor, and was cancelled after its second season.
The show’s core premise was announced by its title, but it never got as far as revealing the identity of the father of Sophie’s son. Its story hinted at multiple possible fathers, with Charlie seeming to be the most likely contender. However, the season two finale revealed that this wasn’t the case, explaining that Charlie and Valentina eventually had a son together. How I Met Your Father was then cancelled due to a decline in ratings in the midst of the 2023 WGA strike, ending on a cliffhanger concerning its unresolved central mystery.
9) Hannibal
Hannibal earned itself a reputation as an incredibly interesting and original adaptation of already well-known characters over its three-season run, with Mads Mikkelsen stealing the show as the eponymous serial killer Hannibal Lecter. Its story, which focused on the relationship between Lecter and FBI profiler Will Graham, was packed with twists and turns, making Hannibal a particularly tense thrill-ride. However, its final twist left its story on an almost literal cliffhanger when the show was cancelled ahead of its planned fourth season.
Hannibal‘s finale saw Will Graham finally succumb to his dark side just as Hannibal had wanted, and Season 3 ended with Graham throwing both himself and Hannibal from the top of a cliff and into the sea. As the show ended on that unresolved note, their fate was never revealed. Whether the pair survived or not and whether their relationship continued to blossom is a frustrating question now doomed never to be properly answered.
10) Shadow and Bone
Netflix’s Shadow and Bone might not be one of the best fantasy TV shows of all time, but it still proved incredibly popular during its run. Adapted from Leigh Bardugo novel series of the same name, Shadow and Bone‘s story takes place in the fantasy setting identified as the Grishaverse, following orphan Alina Starkov as she discovers her latent magical ability could be the key to saving her war-torn world. After running for two seasons, Shadow and Bone was cancelled by Netflix, much to the dismay of its audience.
The show’s second season had departed somewhat from the source material, making its story slightly more original and unexpected. This led to the finale’s cliffhanger ending in which Alina embraces shadow magic, seemingly corrupting her abilities. As this and several other developments did not occur in the books, fans were left frustrated by the lack of closure when the show was cancelled on such an enticing cliffhanger ending.
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