11 Television Series That Ended In The Most Controversial Way Ever

There is nothing more painful for a movie lover than when a truly strong show fails to nail its finish. Then again, nothing draws viewers in like a season finale that divides its fanbase.

This is where the most controversial series finales come into play: the mainstream societal culture that is as notorious as the shows that brought forth the series. An extraordinary show finale is a sure way to guarantee that a series' reputation will stand the test of time.

But what happens when the creators miss the point and get it all wrong? Numerous beloved shows have seen their sparkle dulled by the disgrace of a lackluster finale, which could be due to playing it too safe or taking an over-the-top gamble.

There is something horrendous about investing long periods of your life into fictitious families and friends, only to have them destroyed right in front of you. The problem remains that when a series reaches such a height of achievement, it becomes exceedingly difficult to meet the high expectations of fans when it finally comes to an end.

So we have decided to delve into some of the most questionable finales, and whether you love or hate them, the endings of these series truly leave an imprint. Clearly, there are significant spoilers ahead, so get ready to dive in.

1. Shameless

Frank Gallagher (William H. Macy) has COVID and soon dies while on a ventilator. As he passes away, he imagines himself rising while sitting in a hospital chair, narrating a letter filled with advice for his family.

Emmy Rossum left the show in season nine and did not return, but old footage of her appeared in Frank's brief family flashbacks. Aside from the final accession, the finale left much up in the air, but one thing that ended nicely is that Lip did what Frank never succeeded in doing.

Brian Bowen Smith/SHOWTIME.

2. Roseanne

When ABC's sitcom signed off with the titular heroine revealing that the whole final season had been her imagination, along with her husband Dan, viewers were shocked. Fans felt as though they had wasted their time in the worst way possible.

ABC

3. Dinosaurs

ABC chose to end this sitcom starring puppet dinosaurs in the most horrendous way. They had Sinclair family patriarch Earl trigger a catastrophic extinction event that would kill every main character and his entire species.

ABC

4. The Sopranos

The HBO drama delivered one of the most controversial finales ever. They had a smash cut to black just as something was about to happen to the antihero, Tony Soprano.

And just like that, we never knew what happened.

Hbo/Kobal/Shutterstock

5. Gossip Girl

This iconic drama's finale left much to be desired. How in the world was Dan Humphrey the Gossip Girl?!

CW

6. Game of Thrones

Daenerys suddenly became a fascist villain? Bran was the king?

The melted Iron Throne?! Many viewers were confused about how this could have been the best ending...

HBO

7. Girls

The way Lena Dunham's HBO comedy ended was just so... It featured a half-hour that concentrated on Hannah Horvath, with a bit of Marnie helping to raise Hannah's baby.

You could say it's a messed-up epilogue to serve as the show's finale.

HBO

8. Dexter

One would think that the titular murderer would eventually have to pay for his numerous sins, but instead, his poor sister Debra died, and he escaped to Miami to start anew. The series finale merely dished out the "We would like to do more with this character someday" nonsense.

Randy Tepper/Showtime

9. Lost

Not everyone was pleased with the way the ABC mystery ended without providing answers to what had been going on. Was the island purgatory? Dammit!

ABC

10. How I Met Your Mother

After nine seasons of Ted Mosby delivering one of the longest stories on planet Earth, viewers were horrified when it was revealed that she had been dead all along. And Ted was seeking his kids' permission to pursue their aunt Robin Scherbatsky.

It was a choice, huh?

Ron P. Jaffe/Fox

11. Seinfeld

When the NBC comedy ended in 1998, original co-creator Larry David chose to show how little the show's four main characters had learned and how awful they had been all along. Returning guest stars spoke about all the horrible things that had happened to them due to Jerry, Elaine, George, and Kramer's immense selfishness.

As a result, a judge threw them in jail, and viewers were enraged.

NBC

A series with a poor ending can be an extreme blow for a TV fan, whether it's seeing your favorite character die or discovering that it was all one person's dream all along. Which of these series left you boiling with the way it ended?

Drop your series with a controversial ending in the comments below.