20 shows that ended on a major cliffhanger

The cliffhanger to end all cliffhangers, The Sopranos practically invented the format. The show’s finale has been written about time and again, and it’s even been discussed in TV documentaries. The true fate of Tony Soprano has also been debated ad nauseam, but in 2021, David Chase, the show’s creator, confirmed what many had long suspected: Tony died. 

Edie Falco has starred in two television series with insane cliffhangers. In addition to The Sopranos, Falco starred as the titular Nurse Jackie in the bygone Showtime series, which ended in a similar fashion to her previous gig. Unlike The Sopranos, Nurse Jackie execs haven’t publicly shared the character's fate, but since Showtime ordered a reboot of the show, and Falco has reportedly signed on, we can assume Jackie’s fate was what we wanted. 

Sometimes it’s okay for a show to end on a cliffhanger, like when you know that you’re going to see your favorite character again in an upcoming spin-off. Such is the case for The Walking Dead fans who will get to see Rick return in The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live. 

It was six years before El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie premiered so fans could have their questions answered about Jesse Pinkman. But before the film, everyone was wondering what exactly happened to him at the end of the series, and the gap between projects gave fans plenty of time to theorize. 

An MCU show, WandaVision ended with a cliffhanger. For fans who only watched this show, it was frustrating. But for fans who consume every bit of Marvel content, it was an exciting ending knowing that strings would be tied up. 

When cliffhangers allude to a dark fate, it’s frustrating and sad. When they hint at an exciting future for the character, they’re exhilarating. Thankfully for fans of The Shield, the latter was the case. Fans can only assume Mackie was headed for better days, but it’s the assumption most are going to carry. 

Mork & Mindy’s ending was partially satisfying but mostly frustrating. The writers meant for the show to have a fifth season, but they weren’t given one, and they had to work with the material they had to try to offer fans some sort of resolution. They ended up switching the order of the episodes to achieve this, but the ending still felt unsettled. 

Series finale cliffhangers are almost always frustrating to viewers, but they’re particularly irksome to sitcom fans. Sitcoms are supposed to have every single plotline tied in a neat bow when it’s all said and done, which made the Moesha ending that much more maddening. Who was pregnant? What happened to Myles? These are the questions that plague Moesha fans. 

Hannibal ended in a literal cliffhanger … or a cliff diver, rather. In the final episode of the series, Hannibal and his mentee, Will, jump off a cliff together, their true fate never to be learned by fans. It can be assumed that the two died, but it’s Hollywood, so who knows whether death became them?

Pushing Daisies is one of those cliffhangers that will have fans waiting for resolution until they’re given a reboot of sorts. Some have called for a movie, while the show’s creator has suggested a musical. The narrator even said the show’s ending was a beginning, so there may still be hope for a Pushing Daisies revival. 

Everyone’s favorite character with no bellybutton (and probably the only character with no bellybutton), Kyle XY, had a horde of loyal fans who were ultimately dissatisfied with the ending since it was canceled before any resolution could happen. The world may never know the fate of Kyle and his family. 

Fans of Dexter were horribly disappointed by its original ending, feeling that the titular character’s arc was not resolved. Most die-hard fans were thrilled about the series reboot, only to be disappointed once again by its ending. Dexter is a prime example of how infuriating life can sometimes be when you’re a fan of television. 

If TV creators and writers want to create a show that people will talk about for years after it’s ended, they need to look to Lost as the blueprint. Fans are still debating the series finale, and they likely will for as long as it’s available to stream. 

The 24 finale was an emotional rollercoaster for fans. After an eight-season run, the Kiefer Sutherland-led show left fans devastated by the death of a major character and hoping for another season to explain what happened to Jack Bauer. Fans were never given that ninth season, though, and Jack’s fate was left for fans to decide. 

Many fans were satisfied by the end of Prison Break. Michael did get what seemed like a happy ending, but others felt they deserved more from the story. What happened to Michael after he returned home? Was he happy? Not exactly a major cliffhanger, but not everything was quite as buttoned up as it seemed. 

Netflix’s GLOW is not unique in that it ended with a cliffhanger. It is unique, however, in that the streaming service had every intention of giving viewers a fourth season. The show’s fourth season was in production when the COVID-19 pandemic began, ultimately scrapping the entire season. 

A popular show during the late 2000s, Heroes ended without resolution, much to the dismay of its fanbase. The show wasn’t renewed for another season, and the cliffhanger of learning that superhumans exist, which would likely have been explored in the following season, never had any follow-up. 

Over 10 years after it was first canceled, Veronica Mars returned for a fourth season. Fans were thrilled about the announcement, but its ending disappointed, well, just about everyone who watched it. Veronica was about to get her happy ending when her life quite literally blew up in her face. Not a traditional cliffhanger, but fans never knew for sure whether Veronica ended up okay. 

A semi-recent series to end on a cliffhanger, Agent Carter, a Marvel story, left fans wondering what exactly happened to Peggy. But if there’s ever a cinematic universe for a cliffhanger to happen in, Marvel is the one, as there are so many projects that fans might eventually learn the fate of their favorite characters, which did happen for fans in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. 

Another victim of premature cancellation, My Name is Earl wasn’t supposed to end after season four, leaving fans wondering who Earl Jr.’s biological father is. The show’s creator, Greg Garcia, was expecting a fifth season and never had the chance to fully decide on the paternity of the character, but Garcia said the writers floated the idea of it being someone famous.