There’s nothing worse for a TV fan than watching a series you’ve loved for years end on a sour note. You’ve laughed, cried, theorized, and waited patiently—only to be hit with a finale that either unravels everything or just doesn’t stick the landing. Some shows go out with a bang, but others leave us shouting at the screen and wondering. That’s how it ends?
Let’s take a stroll down memory lane and revisit 9 TV show finales that disappointed fans, frustrated them, or left them plain confused.
1. Game of Thrones
After eight seasons of politics, dragons, and battles, Game of Thrones wrapped up with Jon Snow killing Daenerys, Bran sitting on the Iron Throne (despite his protestations that he didn’t desire it), and Arya sailing off to see what’s west of Westeros. For many viewers, it was a hasty and baffling conclusion to what had once been television’s most engrossing show.
2. Lost
For several years, Lost held audiences in thrall to island secrets and character histories. But its series finale, which explained that most of what audiences were watching was some form of spiritual afterlife, disappointed many fans. The makers had long refuted a purgatory theory—only to present a variation thereof. For those expecting definitive answers, the conclusion was more infuriating than illuminating.
3. The Sopranos
The last shot of The Sopranos remains one of television’s most contentious moments. Tony is sitting in a diner, gazing up—and the screen fades to black. Some praised it as sheer brilliance. Others felt utterly robbed of closure. Either way, it caused controversy and debate and left many of its loyal fans cold.
4. How I Met Your Mother
After nine years of build-up, the “Mother” was finally revealed—only to be dismissed and murdered within minutes of the finale. Ted then returned to Robin, leaving many fans with a sense of having been bait-and-switched. For a show so storytelling-centric, the conclusion left folks scratching their heads and wondering what the point had all been.
5. The Walking Dead
The Walking Dead had lost some of its steam by the time the series ended. Instead of resolving long-term character storylines or arcs, the series finale spent more time hinting at spin-offs. Fans expecting closure instead received an advertisement for upcoming shows, so the conclusion felt like a setup rather than an actual ending.
6. Scrubs
Scrubs wrapped season eight up just right. And then there was season nine: the quasi-reboot with a largely new cast and different feel. It wasn’t terrible TV, but it wasn’t Scrubs. The legacy of the show would have been even greater had it ended a season sooner.
7. House
House concluded with his genius, but his self-sabotage led to staging his death to be with his terminally ill friend Wilson. Though the idea was a tip of the hat to Sherlock Holmes’ thespian flair, it didn’t quite pay off emotionally for audiences. Eight seasons of moral complexity and medical drama culminated in an abrupt and somewhat too-neat conclusion.
8. The X-Files
After a decade of alien conspiracies and paranormal cases, The X-Files attempted to wrap up everything with a courtroom thriller and more ambiguous government secrets. Sadly, the finale only raised more questions than answers, and even its subsequent revival seasons failed to clear up the mess. For a show that was so influential, it should have had a neater wrap-up.
9. Friends
Friends is a popular sitcom, but its series finale wasn’t controversy-free. Rachel forgoes her Paris dream job to be with Ross—a decision that didn’t sit well with fans who had watched her career develop over a decade. Although the gang’s final moment together in Monica’s apartment was sappy, some fans felt that the show played things too safe.