Nailing an ending can be extremelychallenging for any TV show. After all, these shows have long-running narratives that can be quite a pain to resolve, with fans being absolutely brutal when these endings don’t wrap up all the plot threads in a nice and satisfying manner. This is perhaps why most people play it safe with their endings instead of trying to make things more artsy and open to interpretation.
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That being said, there are shows with ambiguous endings that fans still adore. In fact, some of these shows enjoy a higher level of critical and commercial appraisal mainly due to how brilliant these endings can be, at times. While this might not be the case with the following shows on this list, these shows are still held in high regard and considered by many to be some of the greatest TV series of all time.
10The Sopranos
The first TV show that comes to mind when talking about ambiguous endings isThe Sopranos. After all, the show’s final episode is notorious for having a confusing ending that felt almost like a broadcasting error.
However, this wasn’t the case, with this blackout ending being completely intentional. The fact that this ending has become one of the most legendary conclusions in television history is a testament to justhow belovedThe Sopranosis.
9Dexter
Regardless of what most people think aboutDexter, there’s no denying the fact that the series was the best and most riveting show during its heyday. Unfortunately, the last few seasons missed the mark royally, withDexter’s ending being particularly revolting.
This time,the ambiguous nature of the ending wasn’t well-received by fans. A lot of plot points were left up in the air, with Dexter’s future being a source of mystery. Thankfully,Dexter: New Bloodhas revitalized the series and given some much-needed context when it came to the serial killer’s current situation.
8Hannibal
It’s a shame thatHannibaldidn’t get more breathing room to conclude its riveting story. As it stands, the show received a meager three seasons that simply weren’t enough to cover the incredible story.
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The final season ofHannibalespecially suffers as a result of this rushed storytelling. The finale could’ve been a thing of beauty — and it is, at times — but the obtuse nature of this conclusion was more frustrating than enlightening for many.
Mad Menis a brilliant drama that takes a look at America and the advertising industry during the 1960s. The characters and overarching plot threads are absolutely brilliant, making for one of the greatest TV shows of all time.
Don Draper is a brilliant character whose personal arc takes a drastic turn near the end of the series. In the final moments of the series, it genuinely seems like Don has achieved his inner peace… although his future is still very much up in the air.
6Lost
Lostwas a phenomenon back when the series had creativity oozing out of every pore. However, after a while, the show lost the plot — ironically enough — and turned into a shell of a great show.
This was especially evident in the ending, which dropped most of its riveting plot threads for a lazy cop-out that made everyone’s investment in this show completely worthless. Perhaps things could’ve been better forLosthad it condensed the plot to a few seasons and removed most of the pointless filler content.
5Game Of Thrones
Game of Thronesis another example of a great show thatultimately lost everything that made it iconicand became a chore to watch near the end. The quality of this show dipped so immensely that the franchise lost its footing in pop culture and has simply become a remnant of the past.
Fantasy series likeThe Lord of the RingsandHarry Potterbecame legendary mainly because their quality was constant throughout the experience. However,Game of Throneswas such a massive disappointment that this rich and diverse world is barely talked about now, mainly due to a horrible ending that resolved nothing and came out of nowhere.
4Seinfeld
The greatest sitcom of all time had some excellent writing that made it such a cultural phenomenon. To this day,Seinfeld’s characters and tropes still hold a soft spot in the hearts of many fans.
The final episode of the show was a scathing look at the heinous acts of the main cast, leading to them being hauled off to jail. While this would’ve marked a dark chapter in the lives of these characters,Seinfeldbrushes off this notion with some classic jokes before fading away and leaving the fate of the characters up in the air.
3Squid Game
Netflix has slowly greenlit its fair share ofengaging Korean dramasand the like, but it’s hard to believe that this streaming giant could’ve expected the massive popularity ofSquid Game. This brutal Korean show takes an uncomfortable look at the evils of classism and how the rich constantly torment the poor every step of the way.
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Squid Gameis not a show for the faint of heart, with its ending making it clear that Seong Gi-hun wasn’t finished with the elite organization behind the evil actions of this killing game. Most Korean dramas don’t really feature multiple seasons, andSquid Gameis apparently going to end on this sinister note unless a second season is officially announced.
2Sherlock
There was a time whenSherlockwas revered by the masses as one of the greatest television shows of all time. Unfortunately, the latter half of this show failed to live up to the extremely high standards set by its first two seasons.
That being said,Sherlockis still a great show that fans should definitely watch all the way to the very end. However, since there’s been no word on a Season 5 for the longest time, it seems that this show is bound to end on a rather ambiguous and unsatisfactory note.
1Fargo
Each season ofFargodeals with a different narrative and completely new characters. Given the artistic and complex nature of this narrative, almost all seasons end on thought-provoking and open-ended notes.
What makesFargosuch a massive achievement is that none of these ambiguous endings take away from the overall quality of the show. Even its weakest season ismiles ahead of most modern TV shows.
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