Television Shows That Were Cancelled After Major Cliffhangers! (1 Viewer)

[Jeffery_H]

Wonder how much money they lost with that awful ending to "The Sopranos". I was going to buy the series, but changed my mind with the way it ended. I certainly can't be the only one who passed on it.

Other shows that I HATED the ending to that are similar come to mind like Chuck. For me, many shows have ended on seasons that were not the "offical" ending. If they stopped Chuck after Season 3 it would've been much better to me as a much happier and solid conclusion.

The one BIG show that some will disagree with is MASH and the direction it went after Season 7. It would've been much better to wrap it up with the 2 hour movie/finale then with Radar still there and Klinger in his traditional cross-dressing nutty role. When he took the place of Radar and became serious it didn't work at all. Also, another example where the remaining seasons went drastically down hill, just going though the motions.

 

[Walter Kittel]

I admit I forgot about Alphas and Vegas. Those were both pretty egregious examples of hanging plot lines. I have to wonder if cast salary costs contributed to the demise of Alphas?

- Walter.

 

[Stan]

I admit I forgot about Alphas and Vegas. Those were both pretty egregious examples of hanging plot lines. I have to wonder if cast salary costs contributed to the demise of Alphas?

- Walter.

Alphas didn't really have any major "stars", except maybe David Strathairn, but with Hollywood, you never know. I always thought the actors signed 6-7 year contracts on the off-chance the show was mega successful so they couldn't leave. Typical "internet" info, so probably wrong. But then look at Melissa McCarthy. I think she was held to her contract on "Mike & Molly", but she's far more talented than a basic sitcom. Once it ends, I think she'll leave TV behind and continue her film career.

Almost wouldn't even consider the Alphas ending a cliffhanger, it just died, a quick and really lame ending, but very unfair to its fans.

 

[JamesSmith]

The second "V" series. Just when it was getting good too.

James

 

[George_W_K]

The Finder

 

[Chris Mannes]

ALF - Alf is captured, probably tortured, and never rescued.

http://www.cracked.com/article_18490_the-7-most-soul-crushing-series-finales-in-tv-history.html

That's has a pretty good write up on it, and others.

 

[todd s]

John Doe.

 

[Tony Bensley]

ALF - Alf is captured, probably tortured, and never rescued.

http://www.cracked.com/article_18490_the-7-most-soul-crushing-series-finales-in-tv-history.html

That's has a pretty good write up on it, and others.

Wow, those are some really terrible series endings, there!

I had forgotten about "The Last Farewell" LHotP episode, which graphically speaking, was probably the worst of the seven, although for better or worse, this was (apparently!) the intended series ending!

Certainly, among the the unresolved series cliffhangers that I've ever seen, THE GLADES was by far the worst, graphically speaking! No offscreen gunshot or implied off screen executions or mass extinctions that could potentially be explained away--The poor bugger is lying unconscious in his own pool of blood, and that's where the g*d*mn series ended!

CHEERS! (Which had a far better, if rather poignant series ending!)

 

[JeremyR]

It wasn't really a cliffhanger, but the rush to end what was one of my wife's and my favorite shows of last decade "Everwood" ended up with lots of unresolved plotlines. That was a fantastic show with a great cast (Treat Williams and Gregory Smith, and big time future star Chris Pratt). We were very disappointed when they didn't bring it to the CW from the WB.

But that paled in comparison for me to the cancellation after just one season of "Jack & Bobby" . It was such a neat idea for a series, and this show had some of the best writing IMO on TV. Another great cast with future movie and Percy Jackson star Logan Lerman , and also Bradley Cooper. The ending of that show sucked.

 

[Lord Dalek]

ALF - Alf is captured, probably tortured, and never rescued.

There was a TV movie sequel. He survived.

 

[Scott-S]

Not sure this is really a cliff hanger, and it wasn't "cancelled", but the last episode of Star Trek: Voyager really ticked me off. They spent 7 years trying to get home and then as soon as they get back, roll the end credits. It felt like there was zero payoff.

I agree with others, that the Glades last episode was really a horrible was to end a series.

 

[Chris Mannes]

There was a TV movie sequel. He survived.

Technically, it's still a TV show which was canceled on a cliffhanger. Plus, I just love the idea of a "family sitcom" ending with a main character being captured, tortured, and seemingly having no hope of rescue.

 

[Ed Lachmann]

In the waning days of Todd-AO Sound, I cut dialogue on a wonderful detective drama/comedy series called The Glades which ended abruptly with the hero lying coughing in a pool of his own blood, but still alive, on his wedding day shot by an unknown assailant...to be continued...so we thought. Instead out of the blue it was mysteriously cancelled the following week. I loved that show!

 

[Tony Bensley]

In the waning days of Todd-AO Sound, I cut dialogue on a wonderful detective drama/comedy series called The Glades which ended abruptly with the hero lying coughing in a pool of his own blood, but still alive, on his wedding day shot by an unknown assailant...to be continued...so we thought. Instead out of the blue it was mysteriously cancelled the following week. I loved that show!

I did too, Ed! Actually, my wife and I both did!

The problem with a show like THE GLADES ending with such a cliffhanger is that it can't even be argued the abrupt series ending was even remotely in tune to it's usual tone. Not only that, but I'll go one further in stating that even the season ending on such a cliffhanger itself seemed out of tune, but that's just my opinion!

If any series was ever in dire need of a 2 hour movie to properly sort things out, it's this one! Three years on, the actors from this quality detective drama aren't getting any younger!

CHEERS!

 

[JeremyR]

Not sure this is really a cliff hanger, and it wasn't "cancelled", but the last episode of Star Trek: Voyager really ticked me off. They spent 7 years trying to get home and then as soon as they get back, roll the end credits. It felt like there was zero payoff.

I agree with others, that the Glades last episode was really a horrible was to end a series.

Agree completely with Voyager. It would have been nice if they had saved a little bit of time for a reunion.

 

[Oliver Ravencrest]

Sliders ended with a cliffhanger. After their Timer is smashed, Remmy injects himself with a biological weapon to defeat the Kromaggs and uses a Kromagg Timer to open a weak vortex to return home. We never learn if he survives the trip and saves Earth Prime and the other Sliders are left stranded on another world. This one bothers me the most.

 

[Lord Dalek]

Agree completely with Voyager. It would have been nice if they had saved a little bit of time for a reunion.

At least you have the post-2003 novels.

 

[Joseph Bolus]

Regarding Voyager: The last episode started with the crew already home (although, admittedly, in what proved to be an alternate timeline).
That part is what was suppose to provide a glimpse of what life would have been like for them post rescue.

 

[Steve Armbrust]

I was going to say Alphas as well. I still have flashbacks of seeing Gary walking around with all the dead people while "Only Living Boy in New York" is playing. (Never watched TBBT, so don't know how they commented on it.)

 

[Walter Kittel]

But that paled in comparison for me to the cancellation after just one season of "Jack & Bobby" . It was such a neat idea for a series, and this show had some of the best writing IMO on TV. Another great cast with future movie and Percy Jackson star Logan Lerman , and also Bradley Cooper. The ending of that show sucked.

I see this show mentioned here and there on the HTF and I count myself amongst its fans. It really was a quality series that deserved much more than a single season. I honestly don't remember how the series concluded, but I was very, very disappointed when it was not renewed. I know that I should not be surprised, but when a show this well written gets canceled after one year and I see some of the junk that goes on year after year, I do have to wonder. Oh well.

- Walter.