Cliffhangers on TV shows are all fun and games until the network abandons ship and the plot ends for good, mid-story. Time and time again, loyal viewers get invested in a series, only to be left hanging with a jaw-dropping finale that feels more like a semicolon than a period. Twin Peaks introduced a paranormal dimension before it got scrapped; The Wilds stranded its coed castaways together just as the experiment was beginning; and…

Cancellations have always been a part of TV, but in today’s era of streaming churn, they’ve become more ruthless (and more common). We’ve rounded up 34 shows that were cut short before they had the chance to finish what they started.

ALF (1986–1990)

ALF (center, voice: Paul Fusco) surrounded by members of the Alien Task Force on ‘ALF’.

NBC

You can’t exactly end your show with ALF (a.k.a. Alien Life Force) getting captured by an Alien Task Force. To be fair, they didn’t plan to end it that way — obviously, it was canceled — but still, what are fans supposed to do with that? —Samantha Highfill

Angel (1999–2004)

James Marsters as Spike, J. August Richards as Charles Gunn, David Boreanaz as Angel, and Amy Acker as Illyria on ‘Angel’.

The WB

The ending of Angel was no joke: Cordelia (Charisma Carpenter) was dead; Fred (Amy Acker) was overtaken by Illyria (Acker again); Wesley (Alexis Denisof) was dead; and Lorne (Andy Hallett) went his own way after killing Lindsey (Christian Kane).

Then, just as Angel (David Boreanaz), Illyria, Gunn (J. August Richards), and Spike (James Marsters) were overrun by demons and dragons in an alley, all fans saw was Angel swinging his sword toward the screen as it faded to black. So we’ll assume he won? —S.H.

Archive 81 (2022)

Mamoudou Athie as Dan on ‘Archive 81’.

Netflix

From start to finish, Archive 81 never pretended to stay on the rails, and that’s exactly what made it great. Video archivist Dan Turner (Mamoudou Athie) accepts a shady freelance gig restoring fire-damaged tapes found in a now-destroyed building. With the 1994 footage belonging to Melody (Dina Shihabi) — a now-missing grad student who believed the residents were part of a dangerous cult — Dan is finding himself in the mix, decades later.

The show that takes this many risks is bound to divide viewers, but its bold, genre-bending first season made it a cult fave. And because the show doesn’t stop messing with your head, the finale offers a fever-dream of a cliffhanger, with Dan waking up in 1994, after the fires. Guess we’ll never find out how far down the rabbit hole Archive 81 could’ve gone. —James Mercadante

The Arrangement (2017–2018)

Christine Evangelista as Megan Morrison on ‘The Arrangement’.
Eric Milner/E! Entertainment

The Arrangement was a love story. Sure, it was a very complicated love story filled with Hollywood politics and one very powerful cult, but it was still a love story. That’s why its season 2 finale felt like such a cliffhanger.

After Kyle (Josh Henderson) found out that Megan (Christine Evangelista) had cheated on him, the newlyweds declared war on each other. And thanks to E!‘s decision to cancel the series, that’s the moment that will serve as the end of their love story. Oof. —S.H.

Bored to Death (2009–2011)

Isla Fischer as Rose and Jason Schwartzman as Jonathan Ames on ‘Bored to Death’.

HBO

You have to care a lot about a show to stick with it through an incest storyline. And for three seasons, a small number of fans cared a whole lot about Bored to Death, a quirky comedy about Jonathan (Jason Schwartzman), a struggling writer who attempts to become a crime-solving detective but really spends most of his time smoking weed with his best friend (Zach Galifianakis) and best boss (Ted Danson).

Jonathan’s biggest mystery was the identity of his biological father, and, to his sleuthing credit, he solved the case — but immediately realized it meant he had been sleeping with his half-sister (Isla Fisher). And then the season ended. And then the show was canceled. And now? We’re still waiting on that Bored to Death movie. Take note, HBO. —Stephanie Schomer

Chasing Life (2014–2015)

Italia Ricci as April Carver on ‘Chasing Life’.

ABC Family/Valerio Ziccanu Chessa

With a pretty self-explanatory title, Chasing Life told the story of April Carver (Italia Ricci), a young woman just getting started on her dream career when she was unexpectedly diagnosed with leukemia. And after years of fighting every battle cancer threw at her, April ended the second season by saying goodbye to her family, heading to Rome, and — heartbreakingly — contemplating accepting her fate.

For the first time, she pondered ending the chase and letting herself die in Italy. And then the show was canceled. BUT IT’S CALLED CHASING LIFE! —S.H.

The Event (2010–2011)

A view of the U.S. Capitol Building on ‘The Event’.

NBC

During the sci-fi drama’s series finale, aliens (yup, that was the show’s main twist) called Sleepers attempt to infect the world. And in the final minutes, their alien planet enters Earth’s orbit, threatening the humans who just barely managed to stop the spread of the virus.

The arrival promised a less frustrating, absolutely bonkers storyline, but for those who stuck with the series until then, it was disappointing to be denied an all-out, chaotic human-alien confrontation — in other words, to be denied, well, the Event itself. —Shirley Li

The Family (2016)

Joan Allen as Claire Warren, Alison Pill as Willa Warren, Rupert Graves as John Warren, and Liam James as Ben Murphy/Adam Warren on ‘The Family’.

ABC/Giovanni Rufino

Airing its series finale just days after the news of its cancellation, The Family ended with a bang. Well, multiple, actually. First, there was the very, um, targeted shooting of Doug (Michael Esper), followed by the mysterious death of Bridey (Floriana Lima). (Did Alison Pill‘s Willa kill her?!)

But the real kicker was the identity of Doug’s shooter: Adam (Luke Slattery)! He was alive after all. And in the episode’s last moments, he called home to tell Ben (Liam James) he was coming back for his family. —S.H.

Finding Carter (2014–2015)

Ben Winchell as Benjamin Wallace on ‘Finding Carter’.

MTV/Courtesy: Everett

After Max (Alex Saxon) witnessed Jared (Jackson Rathbone) shoving Carter (Kathryn Prescott), Finding Carter‘s sweetheart lost control. In a rare moment of anger, Max hit Jared over the head with a bottle. Sadly for both of them, it resulted in Jared’s death.

Even worse? Season 2 ended with Max turning himself in for the crime, and now that MTV has canceled the show, fans will never know whether Max is spending his life behind bars. Another cliffhanger: Ben (Benjamin Wallace), who ended the season lying on the road after having been beaten up by a drug dealer. —S.H.

FlashForward (2009–2010)

Joseph Fiennes as Agent Mark Benford on ‘FlashForward’.

ABC

Sure, the high-concept drama about a global blackout during which people glimpsed their futures started out compelling, but by the time it reached its first season (and series) finale, FlashForward was running on narrative fumes, ending with what amounted to a “huh?” of a cliffhanger.

A second global blackout had ensued. A montage showed what happened to some of the major characters. And then the FBI building exploded with Mark (Joseph Fiennes) still inside. Does he survive?! We’ll never know. —S.L.

Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies (2023)

Frankie Zuko’s hand on ‘Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies’.

Paramount+

Grease: The Rise of the Pink Ladies deserved way better than getting stranded at the Paramount+ drive-in. Set four years before Danny Zucko (John Travolta) and the T-Birds ruled Rydell High, the campy prequel takes viewers back to 1954 to chronicle the origin story of the school’s titular girl gang and its trailblazing founders.

Though billed as a niche feminist musical, EW’s critic noted the series was “built to appeal to as vast an audience as possible” — especially fans of the original. The season capped off with the arrival of Frankie Zuko, Danny Zuko’s maybe-brother-maybe-cousin cousin (?), hinting at even more in-depth Grease lore. Too bad Paramount+ not only canceled it but also removed it from streaming altogether. —J.M.

Hannibal (2013–2015)

Hugh Dancy as Will Graham and Mads Mikkelson as Hannibal Lecter on ‘Hannibal’.

NBC

Hannibal creator Bryan Fuller always knew his surreal rendition of the iconic serial killer was skating on thin ice, so each season finale was designed to provide both a thrilling cliffhanger and possible closure.

Season 3 took this a little too literally, sending Will (Hugh Dancy) and Hannibal (Mads Mikkelsen) off the edge of an actual cliff. For now, that’s quite a Thelma & Louise conclusion to this bizarre love story. But any real fan has to be desperately aching to see how the rest of Fuller’s mad scheme would play out. —Christian Holub

Heroes (2006–2010)

Jack Coleman as Noah Bennett and Hayden Panettiere as Claire Bennett on ‘Heroes’.

NBC

Yes, yes, Heroes has since been “reborn,” but we can all agree it wasn’t really the same show — no Claire (Hayden Panettiere), no Sylar (Zachary Quinto), no Peter (Milo Ventimiglia). Plus, the driving force of Heroes Reborn came from a terrorist attack in its first episode, not the dramatic public reveal of Claire Bennet’s healing abilities. Fans wondering how the sudden publicity of superpowers would affect the lives of Peter, Hiro (Masi Oka), and our other favorites will just have to wonder forever. —C.H.

iCarly (2021–2023)

Jerry Trainor as Spencer Shay, Miranda Cosgrove as Carly Shay, and Nathan Kress as Freddie Benson on ‘iCarly’.

Paramount+

Paramount+ pulled off the impossible with its iCarly reboot, turning a kids’ show into a genuinely watchable, adult-ish sitcom (Disney, take notes). And it finally gave fans what they’d been waiting for: Carly (Miranda Cosgrove) and Freddie (Nathan Kress) getting together. But just when things were getting good, the season 3 finale tossed in a bombshell no one saw coming.

At the venue for Freddie’s mom’s (Mary Scheer) wedding — which gets called off when she and Lewbert (Jeremy Lowley) elope in Vegas — Carly and Freddie toy with the idea of tying the knot themselves. But before any “I dos” are exchanged, Carly and her brother, Spencer (Jerry Trainor), are blindsided by the offscreen arrival of their mom, who abandoned them their entire childhood and never once appeared on the original series. Why now? What does she want? Did Creddie actually get married? Paramount+, we have a butter sock with your name on it! —J.M.

Joan of Arcadia (2003–2005)

Amber Tamblyn stars as Joan Girardi on ‘Joan of Arcadia’.

Cliff Lipson/CBS

Joan’s (Amber Tamblyn) journey appeared to be just beginning at the end of season 2 of Joan of Arcadia, which pointed to a much bigger mission for its protagonist. In the finale, God informed Joan that there was a much greater threat on the horizon — an adversary — aiming to use his power for evil.

But, without a third season, fans never got to find out how the epic battle of good vs. evil would’ve played out. (What if God was one of us? Well, He would’ve called for a new season, that’s for sure.) —Megan Daley

A League of Their Own (2022)

Abbi Jacobson as Carson Shaw and D’Arcy Carden as Greta Gill on ‘A League of Their Own’.

Prime Video

For its reimagining of A League of Their Own (1992), Amazon took all of its queer subtext and made it canon, winding up the drama both on and off the diamond. While the Rockford Peaches came so close to winning the first All-American Girls Professional Baseball League championship, the eight-episode season focused just as much on catcher-turned-coach Carson (Abbi Jacobson) figuring out her sexuality. Though married to a man (Patrick J. Adams) back home, Carson falls for her teammate, Greta (D’Arcy Carden) — and the finale ends with the inevitable: Her husband catches them kissing.

When Amazon canceled the series, fans made enough noise to score a four-episode sendoff season, which ended up being scrapped, reportedly due to WGA strike delays. —J.M.

Legends of Tomorrow (2016–2022)

Donald Faison as Mike/Booster Gold on ‘Legends of Tomorrow’.
Bettina Strauss/The CW

The Arrowverse’s wackiest series is also the only one that didn’t get a satisfying conclusion after The CW unceremoniously canceled Legends of Tomorrow ahead of season 8. The season 7 finale made it sting even more: Donald Faison‘s mystery time traveler was revealed to be Booster Gold, who betrayed the Legends twice — stealing the Waverider, then turning them over to time cops.

Now they’re all under arrest…and Sara (Caity Lotz) had only just learned that she was pregnant with Ava’s (Jes Macallan) baby. You’re telling us we’ll never see what Avalance is like as parents?! If we had our own Waverider, we’d go back to April 29, 2022, and convince those CW execs to renew the show, because this has to be a mistake in the timeline. —Sydney Bucksbaum

Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman (1993–1997)

Teri Hatcher as Lois Lane and Dean Cain as Clark Kent on ‘Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman’.
ABC

The classic baby twist is always interesting. That is, if you actually get to watch it play out. For fans of Lois (Teri Hatcher) and Clark (Dean Cain), the series ended when the pair found a baby with a red cape and a Superman symbol as a potential descendant of theirs from the future. And then the show was canceled. So. Many. Questions. —S.H.

My So-Called Life (1994–1995)

Devon Gummersall as Brian Krakow and Claire Danes as Angela Chase on ‘My So-Called Life’.

MTV

When Jordan Catalano (Jared Leto) couldn’t find the right words to apologize to Angela (Claire Danes), he recruited Brian Krakow (Devon Gummersall) — who harbored a crush on Angela Chase — to pen a love letter. Angela found out Brian actually wrote it, but Brian denied it, and she left with Jordan by the end of the finale while casting a furtive glance at Brian.

Those sincere and heartbreaking closing moments left that love triangle hanging, and even though the show’s creator, Winnie Holzman, told Vulture in September 2014 that Angela and Brian would have spent seasons pining for each other, we never saw any of that happen. —S.L.

No Tomorrow (2016–2017)

George Basil as Jesse and Joshua Sasse as Xavier Holliday on ‘No Tomorrow’.

The CW

With a title like No Tomorrow, it was probably a foregone conclusion that this CW show would be canceled. Guess we’ll never find out if Xavier (Joshua Sasse) and the kids at NASA can find a way to stop the asteroid from hitting the earth, or if Evie (Tori Anderson) is really meant to be with dreamy “Doctor Without Borders If We’re Meant to Meet Again We’ll Meet Again” Graham (Elliot Knight) rather than the doomsday predictor X-man, or if a pending apocalypse is actually great for Cybermart’s sales (people tend to bulk buy in times of crisis, after all). Guess you can check “tear your hair out over unanswered questions” off your apoca-list. —Ruth Kinane

Off the Map (2011)

Nicholas Gonzalez as Mateo and Caroline Dhavernas as Dr. Lily Brenner on ‘Off the Map’.

Mario Perez/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty

If you want to talk about ending on a cliffhanger, just look at Off the Map. The final scene of this series, which only lasted one season, ended with Lily (Caroline Dhavernas) discovering Mateo (Nicholas Rodriguez) lying on the ground after being shot, as his family’s cocaine field burned in the background. Talk about unanswered questions. —S.H.

Pitch (2016–2017)

Kylie Bunbury as Ginny Baker and Mark-Paul Gosselaar as Mike Lawson on ‘Pitch’.
Ray Mickshaw/FOX

Creators Dan Fogelman and Rick Singer definitely ended the first season of their poorly rated series about the first woman to play in Major League Baseball under the assumption that there would be a second season.

After five months of waiting, Fox finally dropped the ax on the series, which is a shame because it ended with one hell of a cliffhanger: Ginny (the perfectly cast Kylie Bunbury) sliding into an MRI machine after injuring herself in a game. How badly is she injured? Is this the end of her career? Alas, we’ll never find out. —Chancellor Agard

Popular (1999–2001)

Leslie Bibb as Brooke McQueen on ‘Popular’.

Richard Cartwright/Touchstone Television/Courtesy Everett 

If Popular dropped today, Ryan Murphy‘s first TV baby would be a streaming hit with enough TikTok edits to strong-arm execs into a renewal. The WB’s campy, two-season dramedy series follows Type-A cheerleader Brooke McQueen (Leslie Bibb) and sardonic outsider Sam McPherson (Carly Pope), two teen girls from opposite sides of the social food chain who suddenly become stepsisters. 

Just as Brooke and Sam start warming up to each other, Murphy does what Murphy does best: The finale ends with Brooke getting hit by a car driven by her drunk, jealous frenemy Nicole (Tammy Lynn Michaels). With Brooke’s fate forever dangling, fans are left to self-soothe by imagining a world where she pulled through, because killing off a major character in the second season would just be out of pocket…even for Murphy. —J.M.

Pushing Daisies (2007–2009)

Lee Pace as Ned and Anna Friel as Charlotte ‘Chuck’ Charles on ‘Pushing Daisies’.

ABC

Even the lyrical tones of Jim Dale’s narration couldn’t soften the blow of Pushing Daisies‘ untimely demise, which came after a shortened second season that literally opened the door to a whole new show. We left Ned (Lee Pace) and Chuck (Anna Friel) on her aunts’ doorstep, waiting to reveal that she was alive.

Although an epilogue gave viewers a sense of what was to come, the unanswered questions — How did Ned explain himself? Did he ever tell Olive (Kristin Chenoweth) about his gift? — still hang in Coeur de Coeurs’ colorful air. The facts were these: We’re still not over this show. —Kelly Connolly

Reunion (2005)

Alexa Davalos as Samantha Carlton, Sean Faris as Craig Brewster, Will Estes as Will Malloy, Dave Annable as Aaron Trumbull, Chyler Leigh as Carla Noll, and Amanda Righetti as Jenna Moretti on ‘Reunion’.

M. Ansell/20th Century Fox Film Corp./Courtesy: Everett 

Remember Reunion? Canceled due to low ratings, not many people do. The show followed six friends and one grisly murder, with flashbacks starting in 1986 and building to a death in 2006. With a lead-in from The O.C. and a cast including future stars Dave Annable and Chyler Leigh, it was poised to be one of the 2005–06 TV season’s greatest mysteries.

But after only nine episodes aired, Fox pulled the plug. Four more were ordered but never broadcast in the U.S., and the killer was never revealed. Fans were left wondering who killed Samantha (Alexa Davalos), the speed-addicted half of the group’s perfect couple. During a TCA press panel, Fox president Peter Liguori reportedly said that Samantha’s daughter — whom she had given up for adoption years earlier — was the most likely suspect. But without a finale or detailed storyline, we’re left without closure. —Jessica Goodman

Revolution (2012–2014)

Billy Burke as Miles Matheson, Elizabeth Mitchell as Rachel Matheson, Giancarlo Esposito as Lt. Tom Neville, and Tracy Spiridakos as Charlie Matheson on ‘Revolution’.

Nino Munoz/NBC

Although NBC‘s postapocalyptic drama waned in viewership and quality during its second season, that doesn’t make Revolution‘s lingering cliffhangers any less painful. The nanotech that had been responsible for leaving the world without power was slowly taking over and causing people to see visions of their loved ones telling them to travel to Bradbury, Idaho.

The finale ended with a shot of Bradbury seeing power restored and crowds of people walking toward the light. (True, a four-part comic was released in 2015 to give some conclusion, but it’s not quite the same as a third season.) —Dalene Rovenstine

The Secret Circle (2011–2012)

Four new Balcoin kids on ‘The Secret Circle’.

The CW

For The Secret Circle fans, seeing Phoebe Tonkin in The Originals every week was a little bit heartbreaking, because we know the CW show she really belonged on. The supernatural drama — which also featured Britt Robertson, Thomas Dekker, Shelley Hennig, Jessica Parker Kennedy, and Chris Zylka — had a dark magic that worked its way into our hearts, and then was brutally ripped away the day after the finale aired. The biggest question we still need answered: What is going on with the four mysterious new Balcoin kids?! —D.R.

Southland (2009–2013)

Michael Cudlitz as John Cooper on ‘Southland’.

TNT

Southland was canceled after its fifth season, which ended with the show’s biggest cliffhanger to date. Not only did Sammy (Shawn Hatosy) find out about Ben’s (Ben McKenzie) dark side, but John Cooper (Michael Cudlitz) — still recovering from being kidnapped, mind you — walked out to ask his neighbors to turn off their loud generator when they got on his bad side.

Fed up with life in general, John began to beat his neighbors, and by the time the cops showed up, they saw a gun in his hand and fired. The final shot? A bleeding John is lying on the pavement as sirens blare in the background. Cudlitz might’ve assured us that John survived, but we’d have liked to see it. —S.H.

Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles (2008–2009)

Thomas Dekker as John Connor on ‘Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles’.

FOX

Even with Lena Headey and Summer Glau starring, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles had a rough go at finding a stable audience throughout its two-season run. The 2009 finale — which ended up being a series finale — saw John Henry (Garret Dillahunt), Weaver (Shirley Manson), and John Connor (Thomas Dekker) flee to the future. But once there, no one had ever heard of John Connor. Without a resolution, the characters and the audience are living in the darkest timeline. —D.R.

The Tomorrow People (2013–2014)

Peyton List as Cara Coburn on ‘The Tomorrow People’.

The CW

From day one, it was teased that Stephen Jameson (Robbie Amell) was a special type of Tomorrow Person, but it wasn’t until the season finale that we realized just how special. When Stephen witnessed Cara (Peyton List) being shot and killed, the sadness he felt somehow reversed time, up until the point that he was able to go back and stop the shooter from killing Cara.

What that meant for Stephen and everyone involved, we’ll never know, because the show was canceled. (Not to mention, we’ll never know how the “shipper” couples ended up.) —S.H.

Twin Peaks (1990–1991)

Frank Silva as Bob and Kyle MacLachlan as Dale Cooper on ‘Twin Peaks’.

ABC

Twin Peaks gave us the blueprint for modern prestige TV, so this is easily one of the most diabolical cancelations on this entire list. David Lynch‘s surreal horror-mystery began with the haunting tagline, “Who killed Laura Palmer?” and eventually delivered the answer early in season 2.

But viewers who tuned out afterward missed the show’s descent into deliciously bizarre territory, leading to one of the most chilling, unresolved finales in TV history: Agent Dale Cooper (Kyle MacLachlan) becomes possessed by the malevolent BOB and trapped in the extradimensional Black Lodge, while his doppelgänger runs loose. Thankfully, Lynch returned to the story 25 years later with a 2017 revival season…though it offered just as many new questions as it answered. —J.M.

V (2009–2011)

The Visitors on ‘V’.

ABC

The alien occupation drama lasted two seasons before getting axed. In its series finale, Erica (Elizabeth Mitchell) managed to escape the release of the Bliss, the Visitor Queen Anna’s (Morena Baccarin) special telepathic ability to mind-control the masses, only to leave the bunker at the end of the episode to find that everyone above ground has been pacified — and that more alien motherships are on their way.

Like The Event, V ended with a promise of an epic war between the underground humans and the Visitors, but that never made it to the screen. —S.L.

The Whispers (2015)

Lily Rabe as Claire Bennigan on ‘The Whispers’.

ABC

From day one, The Whispers was about Drill, an alien force that was using children to do its dirty work. Spoiler: Its dirty work was sending a signal home to tell all of its kind to travel to Earth so that they could take it over and, well, you know how world domination goes. And if abducting all the show’s children wasn’t enough of a cliffhanger, the season/series ended with Claire Bennigan (Lily Rabe) sacrificing herself to save her son. In other words, the star of the show was just abducted by aliens…and we’ll never know what happened next. —S.H.

The Wilds (2020–2022)

Sarah Pidgeon as Leak Rilke and Sophia Taylor Ali as Fatin Jadmani on ‘The Wilds’.
Kane Skennar/Amazon Studios

When The Wilds left us hanging in the season 2 finale, we were all about it initially. But then Amazon did the unthinkable and canceled it, and now we’ll never know what Gretchen (Rachel Griffiths) had planned for the next “phase” of her sick Dawn of Eve/Twilight of Adam experiment that was basically just terrorizing two separate packs of teens in her pursuit of creating a “Gynotopia.”

By the end of the finale, Gretchen had cleared out and went on the run with her team, bringing together both groups on what they discovered was actually yet another deserted island with no way of contacting their parents or the outside world. Even worse, they’d been left alone with sexual assaulter/possible sociopath Seth (Alex Fitzalan) overseeing the next “phase.” Their nightmare is only just beginning, but we’ll never see if/how they survive what else is coming. —S.B.