Ending a great television show is one of the hardest challenges in storytelling. After years of building unforgettable characters, intricate relationships, and a devoted fanbase, a finale carries the impossible task of delivering emotional closure while living up to expectations that have been growing for years. Some shows are lucky enough to stick the landing. Others become cautionary tales, sometimes remembered less for everything they did right than for the way they ultimately stumbled over the finish line.
In many cases, the warning signs appear long before the final episode. Rushed final seasons, uneven pacing, questionable character decisions, and increasingly over-stuffed storylines that often leave writers with an impossible amount to resolve in far too little time. That final episode is simply the final nail in the coffin. So, while none of these finales erase the brilliance of the shows' past, they do become frustrating reminders that even the greatest of shows aren't guaranteed a satisfying conclusion.
8. 'Squid Game' (2021–2025)
After rebelling against the games at the end of Season 2, Seong Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae) finds himself pulled back into the deadly competition. And though appearing dejected, he still finds himself trying to save as many people as he can while exposing the organization behind the competition. The series ultimately builds toward a tragic end rather than one of justice, closing the story on a far more somber note than most expected.
While the first season was praised for its razor-sharp social commentary, the final season never quite recaptures that magic. The rebellion is wrapped up surprisingly quickly, almost every character receives rushed and convoluted arcs, and Gi-hun's final sacrifice divided audiences who hoped for a more satisfying payoff after everything he endured. Despite some emotionally effective moments, the finale felt more interested in making an outright statement rather than delivering the gripping, character-driven conclusion that made Squid Game a global phenomenon. And let's not talk about that final A-List cameo please.
7. 'Sex Education' (2019–2023)
With the closure of Moordale Secondary, season four finds most of the students beginning a new chapter at the ultra-progressive Cavendish College, where Otis Milburn (Asa Butterfield) continues to offer relationship advice while navigating his increasingly complicated long-distance romance with Maeve (Emma Mackey). And as the gang continues to prepare for adulthood, the show attempts to wrap up years of friendships, romances, and personal growth.
What once felt refreshingly honest and genuinely revolutionary in its depiction of teenage relationships gradually loses its way in the final season. For one, the hyper-progressiveness often feels so exaggerated that it borders on self-parody and cringe, with numerous scenes prioritizing awkward shock value over the grounded emotional storytelling that made Sex Education a hit. Worse still, the show severely underutilizes much of its original ensemble in favor of introducing an influx of new characters just as audiences wanted to spend more time with the old ones (especially since many were bizarrely regressing in development). And sure, while there were some touching moments in the finale—particularly between the parents and children—it was hard to ignore the frantic attempts at resolution. From the bittersweet ending for Otis and Maeve to the lack of meaningful closure for many fan-favorite relationships and friendships, the final episode felt anything but satisfying.
6. 'The Umbrella Academy' (2019–2024)
The dysfunctional Hargreeves siblings once again find themselves trying to prevent reality from collapsing after another timeline-altering catastrophe leaves them powerless and scattered across an unfamiliar world. As enemies return and long-buried family wounds resurface, the siblings search for a way to save existence itself one final time, knowing this mission may require the ultimate sacrifice.
Unfortunately, the fourth season of The Umbrella Academy feels noticeably smaller and more rushed than its predecessors, with only six episodes attempting to resolve years of increasingly complex mythology. Beloved characters receive surprisingly thin storylines, major revelations arrive with little setup, and emotional moments rarely have enough time to breathe. The finale's bittersweet ending is certainly ambitious, but many viewers felt it reduced years of character development to a conclusion that seemed more interested in tying up timelines than satisfying the emotional journeys that made the show so beloved in the first place.
5. 'Stranger Things' (2016–2025)
The fifth and final season sees Hawkins plunged into its greatest crisis yet as the Upside Down finally begins consuming the town. In the case of our surviving heroes, they all unite for one last battle against Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower), whose endgame threatens not just Hawkins but the entire world. And with years of mythology converging, the season attempts to deliver an epic farewell worthy of one of the biggest cultural phenomenons of the fantasy genre.
Instead, the finale left many fans feeling that bigger didn't necessarily mean better. Despite its blockbuster scale, the final season often rushed through important emotional beats while devoting an enormous amount of time to spectacle and nostalgia. Several original heroes got sidelined in favor of unnecessary new characters, important relationships received surprisingly little resolution, and the significant number of half-baked sacrifices significantly lowered the sense of danger and stakes. Add in questionable character decisions (hello bizarre coming out s...).
For more on how finales can go wrong, check out our list of the most intense series finales ever ranked. And if you're still mourning Game of Thrones, you might appreciate our take on why Jaime Lannister deserved a better ending.
