5 Worst TV Finales That Ruined The Entire Show In Retrospect

May 19, 2024, 1:10 p.m.

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5 Worst TV Finales That Ruined The Entire Show In Retrospect

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Summary Series like How I Met Your Mother and Dexter suffered from disappointing finales, tarnishing their overall legacy for viewers.

My Name Is Earl's cliffhanger ending left fans frustrated, as it felt like the show was building towards nothing conclusive.

Killing Eve's shift in quality over time culminated in a lackluster finale, disappointing audiences who had been fans of its captivating storytelling.

Often, the legacy of a television series rests on how well it delivers in the end with its grand finale, and sadly, a bad finale can end up ruining the entire show. After years of build-up that audiences followed season after season, witnessing a disappointing finale was truly a devastating turn of events. The final episode of a TV series has a lot to live up to, and through lackluster storylines, nonsensical behavior, or moments that undo years of hard-earned character growth, they can leave viewers dumbfounded, disappointed, and dismissive of the entire show in retrospect.

A famous example included the How I Met Your Mother finale, which set itself a lofty challenge by building the show's ending into its title, meaning audiences had anticipated its conclusion since the pilot episode. Other popular series suffered from diminishing quality over the years, and by the time it got to the final episode, the show just didn’t come together in a way that felt satisfying to viewers and made it hard to go back and rewatch old episodes in retrospect. It’s notoriously difficult to end a television series in a way that makes everybody happy, but these series missed the mark, and their finale tarnished the legacy of everything that came before it.

TV Show Final Episode IMDb Score My Name Is Earl (2005 - 2009) S4E27: "Dodge's Dad" 7.9 / 10 Killing Eve (2018 - 2022) S4E8: "Hello, Losers" 3.4 / 10 Dexter (2006 - 2013) S8E12 :"Remember the Monsters?" 4.7 / 10 How I Met Your Mother (2005 - 2014) S9E24: "Last Forever: Part Two " 5.5 / 10 Game of Thrones (2011 - 2019) S8E6: "The Iron Throne" 4.0 / 10

5 My Name Is Earl (2005 - 2009)

My Name Is Earl ended on a cliffhanger

The concept behind My Name Is Earl had a clear ending as Earl Hickey made his way through a list of everyone he ever wronged to try and fix his bad karma. While viewers eagerly awaited for Earl to make amends for all his past deeds, this moment was stolen from them as My Name Is Earl ended on a cliffhanger while the title card read “to be continued.” The unfinished nature of My Name Is Earl ruined the whole show in retrospect, as it felt like every episode was slowly building towards nothing.

Not only did the My Name Is Earl finale leave the issues of Earl’s list unfinished, but it also introduced a cliffhanger that Joy had an affair and Darnell was not Earl Jr.’s biological father. The abrupt ending left viewers surprised and frustrated, and although the creators tried to work out a plan with other networks to continue making the show, this didn’t work out. While Jason Lee mentioned the possibility of a My Name Is Earl movie to wrap up the ongoing storylines in 2011 (via E Online), this never happened.

In the end, Greg Garcia, the creator of My Name Is Earl, moved on to another sitcom, Raising Hope, where he lightly poked fun at his previous series' lack of an ending. In an episode, a television playing in the background had a news reader who said: “A small-time crook with a long list of wrongs he was making amends for has finally finished, and you'll never guess how it ended.” While Garcia has outlined how he planned for My Name Is Earl to end, in retrospect, watching an unfinished series felt disappointing.

My Name Is Earl Where to Watch *Availability in US stream

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buy Not available Not available Not available My Name is Earl is an NBC comedy series that ran between 2005 and 2009. The series centers on Earl Hickey, a resident of rural Camden, who uses his wealth to do good deeds around his town after recovering his stolen $100,000 lottery ticket. The series stars Jason Lee alongside Ethan Suplee, Jaime Pressly, Nadine Velazquez, and Eddie Steeples. Cast Ethan Suplee , Jason Lee Release Date September 20, 2005 Seasons 4 Network NBC Streaming Service(s) Disney+

4 Killing Eve (2018 - 2022)

Killing Eve ended in a way that left viewers underwhelmed and disappointed

When Killing Eve first aired in 2018, it was an extraordinary mix of incredible characterization and sexual tension, all rooted in a fantastic spy thriller series. Under the guidance of its showrunner, Fleabag’s Phoebe Waller-Bridge, the story of MI5 agent Eve Polastri and the sociopathic assassin Villanelle was unlike anything else on television as it deconstructed its game-of-cat-and-mouse narrative through the captivating dynamic of its two main characters. While this made for an incredible watchable series, Killing Eve deteriorated throughout its run before the show was ruined entirely with a lackluster finale.

With a four-season run, the cracks were already starting to show in Season 2 as Waller-Bridge moved on to other projects and Killing Eve never again reached the heights of its original outing. While the performances of Sandra Oh and Jodie Comer remained exceptional, something was missing even as it continued to uproot sexist tropes and act as a refreshing contrast to many other spy thriller movies and TV shows. For all its faults, Killing Eve could have been forgiven if it delivered when it came to the finale, but sadly, it did not.

The final season of Killing Eve felt like a diluted version of the first that focused more on shock value than the interesting character interplay that originally drew viewers to the show. In the last episode, Villanelle died after killing The Twelve as Eve floated in the water with her body, which closed the door on any chance of the two having a happy ending. Killing Eve resolved its ongoing stories in this final episode, but it did so in a way that felt wholly out of character for most of its cast and left audiences underwhelmed after four seasons of buildup.

Killing Eve Where to Watch *Availability in US stream

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buy Not available Not available Not available Killing Eve is a black comedy thriller series starring Sandra Oh as British intelligence officer Eve Polastri who is assigned to track and capture a dangerous assassin named Villanelle, played by Jodie Comer. Bored with her life, Eve finds herself hired by an undercover MI6 division tasked with tracking down Villanelle - who, after just a brief time studying and following her, she becomes obsessed with her. However, the obsession becomes mutual as soon the two enter a game of cat and mouse that deviates them from their missions as they venture to learn more about one another. Cast Adrian Scarborough , Sandra Oh , Nina Sosanya , Edward Bluemel , Kirby Howell-Baptiste , Danny Sapani , Fiona Shaw , Kim Bodnia , Harriet Walter , Steve Pemberton , Sean Delaney , Henry Lloyd-Hughes , David Haig , jodie comer , turlough convery , Raj Bajaj , Gemma Whelan , Camille Cottin , Darren Boyd Owen McDonnell Release Date April 8, 2018 Seasons 4 Network BBC Expand

3 Dexter (2006 - 2013)

Dexter ended without giving the audience what they wanted

The final episode of the original Dexter series was famously one of the most hated finales of all time. Although the series was once one of the best crime dramas on television, where viewers tuned in to watch the secret serial killer Dexter Morgan (Michael C. Hall) carry out his form of justice on those he deemed deserved to die, throughout eight seasons the show’s quality began to dip. All these issues came to a head in the final episode, which appeared to please nobody.

When watching Dexter as it aired, there were two main ways that it looked like it would end: Either Dexter would die or be caught by the police and face the consequences of his countless killings. When neither of those things happened, and instead, Dexter was revealed to be alive and well and living a new life as a lumberjack, many were left scratching their heads. Not only were the final moments disappointing but watching Dexter pull the plug on his sister Deb and throw her body into the ocean greatly alienated Dexter’s audience.

For eight seasons, Dexter had built towards its grand conclusion, and since the very beginning, viewers had been waiting to find out how he would finally be caught for the crimes that he had justified to himself. Never pursuing this plotline felt like a wasted opportunity, and even though there was a chance to make up for past mistakes with the sequel series Dexter: New Blood, once again, audiences were disappointed. Although the earliest seasons of Dexter are still riveting television, it’s hard, in retrospect, to enjoy them knowing how it all ended.

Dexter Where to Watch *Availability in US stream

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buy Not available Not available Not available Based on the character created by author Jeff Lindsay, Showtime's Dexter follows Miami Metro Police Department's most skilled blood spatter analyst, Dexter Morgan, as he attempts to satisfy his Dark Passenger's need to kill by hunting down criminals who have escaped justice. However, using the rules his adoptive father taught him to remain undiscovered, Dexter must walk the fine line of seemingly blending into society while continuously feeding his dark urges. Dexter faces several serial killers as his facade slowly crumbles around him; with every problem solved by his Dark Passenger, another one arises for his suburban fatherly life. When Dexter takes things personally or feels that the law is failing, he takes matters into his own hands and even compromises the investigations of his co-workers. Dexter aired on Showtime for eight seasons before receiving a mini-sequel series called Dexter: New Blood, which picked up ten years after the show's events. You can buy each season for just $9.99 for Prime Day. Cast David Zayas , Michael C. Hall , Lauren Velez , C. S. Lee , James Remar , Jennifer Carpenter , Desmond Harrington , Julie Benz Release Date October 31, 2010 Seasons 8 Network Showtime , CBS

2 How I Met Your Mother (2005 - 2014)

How I Met Your Mother ended after building up unrealistic expectations

While it may be true that the controversy surrounding the How I Met Your Mother ending was impossible to avoid no matter what happened, the finale left countless viewers disappointed, and in retrospect, it ruined people’s perception of the entire show. By undoing the main characters’ arcs, quickly introducing the mother before swiftly killing her, and finishing at a point viewers could have guessed from the pilot episode alone, the ending of How I Met Your Mother left much to be desired. The finale felt like a disservice to years of character growth, which makes it hard to rewatch older episodes today.

The disappointing finale of How I Met Your Mother stemmed primarily from two sources, as Ted and Robin getting together harmed other important storylines in the show. First, Ted ending up with Robin undermined her relationship and eventual marriage to Barney, whose romance started as far back as the fourth season and was essential to Barney’s character and growth. Second, audiences waited nine seasons to meet the mother, Tracy McConnell, but she was quickly killed, and before audiences had time to process it, Ted and Robin were reuniting.

The unique storytelling concept of How I Met Your Mother meant that its ending would always be a problem, as each development in the story was supposed to build toward its grand conclusion. This meant that the expectations set throughout the 208 episodes would always be unsurmountable. While this was an understandable issue, it did not change the fact that it’s almost impossible to discuss How I Met Your Mother today without the conversation veering towards its disappointing finale.

How I Met Your Mother Where to Watch *Availability in US stream

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buy Not available Not available Not available How I Met Your Mother is a sitcom created initially for CBS by Carter Bays and Craig Thomas. Five friends living in New York City navigate their twenties and thirties as they try to find love, success, and purpose. The show is framed through one friend's eyes, Ted Mosby, as he retells the story of how he met his wife to his children. Cast Cobie Smulders , Josh Radnor , Jason Segel Neil Patrick Harris , Alyson Hannigan , Bob Saget Release Date September 19, 2005 Seasons 9 Network CBS

1 Game of Thrones (2011 - 2019)

Game of Thrones ended on a rushed and haphazard note

It’s no secret that a lot went wrong in the final season of Game of Thrones, and this was best encapsulated by how badly received the finale was by audiences and critics alike. While Game of Thrones was a groundbreaking television series that was massively popular worldwide, by the time it got to the seventh and eighth seasons, the show had already surpassed its original books by George R.R. Martin, and plotlines and characterizations started to fall apart. With a rushed production and a lack of source material, the final episode of Game of Thrones ruined the entire show in retrospect.

With self-referential allusions to Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire, Bran becoming King and sitting on the Iron Throne, and the absurdly out-of-character actions of many of the most important players, the finale of Game of Thrones was a major disappointment. There were just too many deviations from previously established character arcs, plot points like Jon Snow’s resurrection felt nonsensical, and the rushed nature of it all ruined everything that came before. These were just some of the many reasons for the bad reception to the disappointing finale.

The biggest issue regarding the Game of Thrones finale was that it all came too quickly, as showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss wrapped up the series a few seasons too early. The nature of Martin’s books was categorized by a much slower pace, and once Game of Thrones surpassed the books, it felt like a frantic race to the finish line. If Benioff and Weiss had been given a bit more time to plan things out, maybe they could have stuck a landing much better.

Game Of Thrones Where to Watch *Availability in US stream

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buy Not available Not available Not available Created by David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, Game of Thrones is a TV series based on the book “A Song of Ice of Fire” by George R. R. Martin. It tells the story of the ongoing battle between the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros - as they fight for control of the coveted Iron Throne. Friction between the houses leads to full-scale war. All while a very ancient evil awakens in the far north. Amidst the war, a neglected military order of misfits, the Night's Watch, led by House Stark's Jon Snow, is the first to encounter icy horrors that threaten all realms of men. The series premiered on HBO in the United States on April 17, 2011, and quickly became one of the biggest event series in the "Golden Age" of TV. Winner of 38 Primetime Emmy Awards, Game of Thrones has attracted record viewership on HBO and has a broad, active, international fan base. Cast Emilia Clarke , Lena Headey , Richard Madden , Michelle Fairley , Kit Harington , Maisie Williams , Alfie Allen , Peter Dinklage Release Date April 11, 2011 Seasons 8 Streaming Service(s) HBO Max

Source: E Online