There are plenty of TV shows that betray their audiences that are still worth watching, as a series has to have a dedicated fanbase and prove itself to be capable of great things to let the viewers down. However, many of these shows deserved a better ending, or their characters did at the very least. When a TV show disappoints the audience members with the direction the story takes, it can be difficult to come back from this.
The Man With No Eyes’ Identity – Yellowjackets (2021–Present)
The man with no eyes watching Tai in Yellowjackets
Yellowjackets is a recent series that’s been capturing audiences’ attention with its mysteries and plot twists, and the subtle ways it keeps the viewer uncertain about the line between reality and delusion. There are certain elements in Yellowjackets that feel borderline supernatural at times, like Taissa’s (Tawny Cypress) visions of the Man with No Eyes.
Questions like this are what have helped set Yellowjackets apart from other contemporary thriller series. However, these questions are only as strong as their answers, and the Man’s identity was a significant disappointment. Written off as a figure Tai saw in an ad in childhood, the Man with No Eyes isn’t scary or interesting anymore, just a reminder of how the show can let us down.
Spencer Having A Twin – Pretty Little Liars (2010–2017)
Troian Bellisario as Spencer and her twin sister in Pretty Little Liars
Trying to find logic and reason in a typical episode of Pretty Little Liars is often a fool’s errand, and not why fans of the show tune into the series. In PLL, people are constantly coming back from the dead, changing their identities, and swapping love interests, but nothing was more outlandish than the reveal that Spencer (Troian Bellisario) had a secret twin.
It’s not until the series finale that fans discover Spencer’s twin, Alex, has been impersonating her and has been one of the main antagonists of the season. While there’s plenty of shock factor attached to this story choice, it wasn’t earned, and didn’t end the show on a full-circle moment, since the twin storyline came out of nowhere.
Lorelai Marrying Christopher – Gilmore Girls (2000–2007)
Christopher and Lorelai Talking Seriously on Gilmore Girls
Out of all of Lorelai’s (Lauren Graham) love interests, Christopher (David Sutcliffe) is largely the most-hated, as he’s seen as the central figure who keeps Luke (Scott Patterson) and Lorelai apart. Though Luke and Lorelai had been having problems throughout season 6, when Lorelai went back to Christopher and then married him in season 7, it was difficult to stomach.
It could be argued that Gilmore Girls went downhill during Lorelai and Rory’s feud, but season 7 is widely regarded as one of the most controversial installments of the show. After watching Lorelai overcome her commitment issues and give everything to her relationship with Luke, seeing her regress with Christopher was heartbreaking.
The Finale – Lost (2004–2010)
Jack lying on the ground next to Vincent and looking up at the sky at the end of Lost
There are many parts of Lost that are questionable, as the classic sci-fi mystery show thrived on plot twists and surprising the audience. However, one of the most disappointing tricks that Lost ever pulled was in the series finale, which has become one of the most hotly debated conclusions to any TV show of the 21st century.
While it isn’t true that the characters were dead throughout the entire show, as some fans believed, the twist of the purgatory, the flash sideways, and the showdown with the Man in Black were all too confusing for most viewers. After spending so long developing the characters and their relationships, seeing them back at square one in the show’s last scene was satisfying.
The Mother Dying – How I Met Your Mother (2005–2014)
Tracy listening to Ted reading to her from a hospital bed in How I Met Your Mother.
Though How I Met Your Mother is a classic sitcom in many ways, it’s also something of a mystery box TV show. The series is sustained by the mystery of who the mother of Ted’s (Josh Radnor) children is and how he comes to meet her. There were many potential candidates over the years, but it eventually turned out that Cristin Milioti would bring the Mother to life.
However, Ted’s happiness is short-lived, as How I Met Your Mother wastes little time in killing off the Mother in a flashforward at the end of the series. Instead of Ted living happily ever after, as the show promised, the Mother dies, leaving room for Ted to get back together with Robin (Cobie Smulders) at the last second.
Cordelia Being Written Off – Angel (1999–2004)
Cordelia Doing Magic with Her Hand in Angel Season 4
Cordelia (Charisma Carpenter) was one of the best characters on Angel, developing into a complex and vivid member of the team after her tenure on Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Though Angel season 5 ended up being the series’s best installment, Cordelia barely got to be a part of it, as she was killed off following a prolonged coma and unfair treatment in season 4.
Carpenter has spoken out about her treatment on both Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel, discussing how some of the character choices for Cordelia felt retaliatory (via Variety). Many actors have spoken out in support of Carpenter, and it’s undeniable that Cordelia’s ending on Angel undermined her character and was a disservice to fans of the show and Cordelia’s role.
Alex Leaving The Show – Grey’s Anatomy (2005–Present)
Jo Wilson reading Alex Karev’s letter in Grey’s Anatomy.
When it comes to picking the most shocking death or tragic character moment on Grey’s Anatomy, it’s almost impossible to determine what affected characters and audiences the most. Of course, when Derek (Patrick Dempsey) died, Grey’s Anatomy changed forever. However, there was never a more out-of-character moment than when Alex Karev (Justin Chambers) abandoned the hospital.
After growing more as a character than everyone else on the show and committing to Jo (Camilla Luddington), his abrupt disappearance and decision to say goodbye with a letter made no sense. Even if Alex had wanted to leave Jo, he never would’ve done this to Meredith, and fans felt how forced this character exit was as soon as it happened.
Daenerys’ Downward Spiral – Game Of Thrones (2011–2019)
Daenerys attacks King’s Landing in Game of Thrones
Perhaps one of the most controversial story choices of all time, Daenery’s (Emilia Clarke) fate in Game of Thrones will never be forgotten. GOT season 8 sparked discussion from start to finish, but seeing Dany, whom we had been rooting for since the beginning, suddenly turn against her own beliefs and massacre King’s Landing came as a shock.
It could be argued that GOT laid some groundwork for Dany’s downfall throughout season 8, with subtle hints in the early seasons as well. However, the viewer never would’ve guessed that Game of Thrones would take it this far, straying so far from Daenerys’ characterization in the books and giving her an unsatisfying death.
Stefan Killing Enzo – The Vampire Diaries (2009–2017)
The Vampire Diaries is known for being a fantasy TV show that betrayed audiences many times over. However, Enzo’s (Michael Malarkey) death is one of the worst parts of the later seasons. TVD was losing steam since the end of season 6, but Enzo’s murder felt entirely needless, as it denied Bonnie (Kat Graham) her happy ending, though she was the character who deserved it most.
Additionally, the fact that it was Stefan (Paul Wesley) who ripped his heart out made it even more difficult to sympathize with one of the show’s main characters as his fate neared in the series finale. Bonnie and Enzo were an unexpected but perfect couple, and few characters had earned the kind of peace and comfort that audiences wanted for the pair.
Glenn’s Death – The Walking Dead (2010–2022)
Steven Yeun kneeling on the ground as Glenn looking at a baseball bat in The Walking Dead season 7.
As a post-apocalyptic drama revolving around trauma and violence that both zombies and humans are capable of, it’s not surprising that The Walking Dead has a body count. However, the way the series killed off Glenn (Steven Yeun), a fan-favorite character, was one of the most unforgivable moments in the show’s history.
The series made it seem like Glenn was dead earlier in the season, only to bring him back and then force the audience and his loved ones to watch Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) brutally murder him. Even by The Walking Dead’s standards, this was harsh, and it felt narratively unnecessary, casting a dark cloud on Glenn’s memory for the rest of the show.