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10 of the worst movie and TV present endings

April 18, 2025 6:12 am   Graphic Designing   Poetic   Comments

The ending is crucial a part of any story. If it’s satisfying, it leaves us with a way of closure and an general heat glow. If it isn’t, then today we take to the web with a rage the likes of which the creators have by no means skilled earlier than. Or possibly they’ve, seeing as every little thing makes somebody offended today.

So, what makes a foul ending? The entries on this checklist of the worst TV present endings are likely to have a number of of the next traits:

  • Unresolved plot strains: It is by no means good once we’re left with questions or really feel that one thing vital was ignored.
  • Abrupt tone shifts: One thing that feels inconsistent with the remainder of the sequence or movie can depart us very chilly.
  • Character betrayal: A betrayal is ok if it’s plausible, however not if it got here from nowhere and doesn’t match with something that’s gone earlier than.
  • An excessive amount of ambiguity: A bit is ok, but when it’s all of the present or movie has by the tip, it may possibly really feel very lazy and unsatisfying.
  • Rushed endings: Do not you hate it when the ending feels pressured or issues are tidied up too rapidly?

10 of the worst movie and TV present endings

Warning: right here there be spoilers.

1. Sport of Thrones (2011–2019)

a blonde woman (left) faces a brown haired man (right) a blonde woman (left) faces a brown haired man (right)

Keep in mind, in spite of everything these years, ready for these last two seasons of Sport of Thrones? The anticipation, the thrill, the… anti-climax. It was probably the most maligned endings in TV historical past. Critics and followers had been united in the truth that it was rushed, the characters had been inconsistent, and the resolutions had been unsatisfying. Daenerys’s fast descent into insanity and tyranny, though nodded to via the years, felt unearned, and Bran changing into king was… puzzling.

2. The Sopranos (1999–2007)

five men face the camera in a cemetery, all are in suits five men face the camera in a cemetery, all are in suits five men face the camera in a cemetery, all are in suits

This was a very divisive ending. The final scene reveals Tony Soprano sitting in a diner together with his household. We’re feeling the strain as a determine approaches, after which… cut-to-black. Agh. Irritating. Some individuals beloved the paradox, however many others had been fairly offended. This is likely one of the rarer endings that appears to have grow to be extra appreciated over time.

3. Misplaced (2004–2010)

a mix of men and women are standing, dishevelled, looking at something off cameraa mix of men and women are standing, dishevelled, looking at something off cameraa mix of men and women are standing, dishevelled, looking at something off camera

Misplaced had such promise within the early seasons however rapidly introduced extra mysteries than it was fixing, leaving audiences dissatisfied. When it got here to the ending, loads was left unanswered, and lots of felt irritated by the shortage of readability round most of the supernatural parts of the island. Some puzzled whether or not the creators hadn’t even actually identified how the present would finish and had gone with favorite fan theories.

4. Dexter (2006–2013)

a man (Dexter) stands toward the camera holding up a piece of cling filma man (Dexter) stands toward the camera holding up a piece of cling filma man (Dexter) stands toward the camera holding up a piece of cling film

Dexter was such a terrific present, with a lot of the strain hanging on questioning whether or not the serial killer (of dangerous guys) could be caught. The unique present ended with loads of ambiguity—he sails off right into a storm and begins a brand new life as a lumberjack (what?), and the later follow-up, New Blood (2021), promised to reply among the many, many questions we had been left with. It didn’t, and in reality it turned out to be equally divisive, with followers discovering the revival pointless.

5. How I Met Your Mom (2005–2014)

2 men are about to high 5 while one man stands with his arms around two women who are in various states of shock or bemusement 2 men are about to high 5 while one man stands with his arms around two women who are in various states of shock or bemusement 2 men are about to high 5 while one man stands with his arms around two women who are in various states of shock or bemusement

Audiences had been left feeling cheated on the finish of the long-running comedy sequence once they came upon that the ‘mom’ died shortly after assembly Ted, and your entire sequence had been about Ted and Robin getting collectively. The ending basically undermined loads of the character improvement through the years—notably Barney, who had grown tons and had that worn out in minutes!

6. Killing Eve (2018–2022)

a blonde woman holds a knife against a dark haired woman's throata blonde woman holds a knife against a dark haired woman's throata blonde woman holds a knife against a dark haired woman's throat

4 seasons of cat-and-mouse rigidity, to not point out some laborious transport of Villanelle and Eve, ended with probably the most lacklustre finales ever, killing off probably the most compelling characters in fashionable TV! It felt rushed and badly executed, to not point out giving in to the trope of homosexual characters falling in love solely to have one among them die.

7. Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Cranium (2008)

a man (indy) holds a crystal skull. We can see someone else from the back on the edge of the framea man (indy) holds a crystal skull. We can see someone else from the back on the edge of the framea man (indy) holds a crystal skull. We can see someone else from the back on the edge of the frame

Oh no, they made traditional Indy adventures bizarre. The 2008 movie featured a flip to science fiction so sharp we acquired whiplash. Though there have at all times been fantastical parts to the franchise, they had been at all times rooted in a specific interval of historical past, so pivoting to aliens simply felt, nicely, bizarre. The ending had not one of the appeal or emotional weight of the earlier movies and left many people pretending the movie had by no means existed! Do not get us began on the Dial of Future, both…

8. Spectre (2015)

three people are walking towards the camera, a man on the left in a suit, a man in smart clothes in the middle, and a woman in a smart dress to the right three people are walking towards the camera, a man on the left in a suit, a man in smart clothes in the middle, and a woman in a smart dress to the right three people are walking towards the camera, a man on the left in a suit, a man in smart clothes in the middle, and a woman in a smart dress to the right

This was the fourth Bond outing for Daniel Craig (one among our favorite Bonds, it needs to be mentioned), and it had all of the makings of a traditional Bond journey. And but. Blofeld is revealed to be Bond’s half-brother, he’s captured extremely simply, and Bond kind of slinks off to surrender the spy life for a little bit of home bliss. Because the Unbiased mentioned, the tip was ‘one way or the other each overblown and witheringly anticlimactic’. Ouch.

9. Peaky Blinders (2013–2022)

a man in a flat cap looks towards camera, with a table light in the foreground making the lighting atmospherica man in a flat cap looks towards camera, with a table light in the foreground making the lighting atmospherica man in a flat cap looks towards camera, with a table light in the foreground making the lighting atmospheric

Gritty storytelling, historic backdrop, unbelievable performances… Peaky Blinders had every little thing—besides a satisfying conclusion. The present left loads of plot threads dangling unfastened, partly a deliberate alternative as there’s a deliberate movie coming, but it surely nonetheless pissed off followers. The finale was additionally a bit lacklustre, with no dramatic, charged moments that had outlined the earlier seasons.

It acquired a bit bizarre, too, with an odd plot about Tommy being misdiagnosed, realising, and using off on a white horse. As The Guardian put it: ‘It was a story determination that undermined what ought to have been a full cease to a nine-year relationship and left you questioning the integrity of the franchise.’

10. The West Wing (1999–2006)

the cast of the west wing are standing in front of a US flag for a promo photothe cast of the west wing are standing in front of a US flag for a promo photothe cast of the west wing are standing in front of a US flag for a promo photo

The West Wing was cancelled by the community, so it was by no means going to have the ending that it might have had if it had been allowed to run its course. Oddly, although, the present’s creators opted for a leap ahead in time, which left loads of the characters’ tales feeling incomplete. After some in-depth character-building for seven seasons, the final episodes felt like a rushed, tying-up-loose-ends strategy.

Greatness is tough to maintain

We’ve seen from our checklist of the worst TV present endings that there are typically extra ‘dangerous’ endings in TV than movie, or at the least ones which can be broadly mentioned. One of the troublesome issues a few sequence is sustaining the magic over a few years and seasons. The longer the present runs, the trickier it may be to maintain it feeling recent and thrilling.

Expectations are laborious to maintain up with, notably when a fanbase has grown exponentially and folks have very sturdy (and differing) concepts of what needs to be taking place. With a long-running present, there may be loads of storylines that want closure and compromises, and also you’re by no means going to be in a scenario the place everyone seems to be joyful on a regular basis. You simply must hope not everybody hates it!

Why do dangerous endings stick in our throats (and our minds)?

We will grow to be a bit haunted by a foul ending, can’t we? In all probability as a result of there’s an enormous funding in time—extra so, after all, with a long-running TV present than with a movie. There’s additionally our emotional funding. We purchase into these characters or tales and have a relationship with the present, so if that ends poorly, it may possibly really feel as if we’ve been betrayed.

With the various and assorted discussions that now occur on-line instantly after the tip of a present or movie, it hangs round loads longer than it used to, so we’re reminded of it consistently in boards, as a part of lists and articles concerning the worst TV present endings… oh. Sorry about that.

After all, not all controversial endings are dangerous, and one particular person can love what one other particular person hates. Typically it takes a little bit of time and area, or possibly a rewatch, to understand an ending extra. Numerous effort goes into crafting a narrative and its conclusion, and no creator is getting down to annoy or disappoint the viewers. Typically they’re pushed due to cancellation, or possibly a key character quits and the storyline needs to be reimagined. Typically, although, they only don’t stick the touchdown!

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About this web page

This web page was written by Marie Gardiner. Marie is a author, writer, and photographer. It was edited by Andrew Blackman. Andrew is a contract author and editor, and is a replica editor for Envato Tuts+.

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