10 TV Finales That Changed The Way We Viewed Their Shows Forever

For better or worse, a TV show’s series finale has the power to shape its perception for years. Whether during a rewatch or in memory, the ending can forever alter how a show is remembered. The purpose of a finale is to provide closure and wrap up loose story threads. However, it is a delicate balance. A bad ending can retroactively taint earlier seasons, leaving a bitter taste that lingers. On the other hand, a satisfying conclusion that ties everything together can validate the time invested and elevate the show’s legacy.

A poor finale jars with expectations and character arcs, often feeling rushed or nonsensical. This permanently changes perceptions. In contrast, a meaningful, well-executed finale provides an emotional payoff. This is seen in the series ending of The Crown, where the end of an era is satisfying. It brings cohesion and neatly bookends the journey in a way that forever enhances the perception of the series as a complete work. Ultimately, the finale holds power over how a show will be remembered. A botched ending casts a shadow, while a great finale endures through future viewings and reminiscing.

10 The Hills

“All Good Things…” (Season 6, Episode 12)

The Hills was a popular 2000s reality show purportedly documenting the lives of young friends in Los Angeles. However, the much-anticipated 2010 finale stunningly revealed the show’s dishonesty. In the final scene, the camera pulled back to expose an artificial indoor set on a Hollywood studio backlot, revealing that none of the drama seen during the show’s six seasons was authentic. This betrayal of trust instantly and irreparably redefined the show. A program once considered genuine reality TV was unmasked as a fictional scripted drama. This shocking finale moment shattered assumptions and forced the dedicated audience to recognize they had been willfully misled.

9 Seinfeld

“The Finale” (Season 9, Episode 24)

The 1998 Seinfeld finale was highly anticipated, but faced pressure to incorporate the show’s ensemble satisfyingly. It brilliantly succeeded by bringing back iconic Seinfeld characters to testify to the main characters’ years of petty offenses. Seeing all the quirky foils, like the Soup Nazi, Bubble Boy, and Man Hands, reappear made the finale feel like a celebratory reunion that honored the show’s history. Having them all condemn the main four to jail reinforced why these supporting oddballs were so essential to the off-kilter Seinfeld universe. By cramming in fan favorites, the finale underscored how fully realized and rich Seinfeld‘s world was, enhancing its legacy as one of comedy’s great sitcoms.

8 Sex And The City

“An American Girl in Paris (Part Deux)” (Season 6, Episode 20)

Sex and the City centered on four female friends navigating life and love in New York City. Its appeal stemmed from their tight sisterly bond transcending the men that drifted in and out of their lives. This made the divisive finale featuring Carrie reuniting with Mr. Big feel abrupt and antithetical. This decision to emotionally invest in a formerly non-committal man now rendered as a stable husband retconned the show’s central theme. Rather than friendship and personal growth, conventional romance became the takeaway, forever altering perceptions of what Sex and the City purportedly valued.

7 Lost

“The End” (Season 6, Episode 18)

The divisive Lost finale revealed that the characters were actually dead the whole time and erased years of complex mythologizing. Rather than resolving long-dangling mysteries about the island and characters’ interconnected fates, it rendered much meaningless through a trite purgatorial twist. This rug-pull ending raised questions if there were ever any real answers or if the writers had simply made things up season to season. Without satisfactory explanations for central puzzles, rewatching Lost loses its appeal. The cop-out conclusion shattered the show’s intricately plotted facade, exposing loose threads and unfulfilled promises. For devotees who had zealously theorized solutions, the finale’s feel-good reunion proved a quasi-religious letdown.

6 How I Met Your Mother

“Last Forever: Part 2” (Season 9, Episode 24)

The premise of How I Met Your Mother promised a sweet story about finding the narrator’s destined wife. But the divisive finale unraveled much character growth to force an ending planned early on with “Aunt Robin.” After years investing in the quest for the Mother, she was abruptly killed off while Robin was reinstated as the ultimate love interest. What was once viewed as an innovative sitcom with relatable characters navigating adulthood and romance was reduced by the finale into a gimmicky bait-and-switch. Undoing seasons of arcs for an unrealistic ending left a sour taste, forever altering the perceptions of the show.

5 The Office

“Finale” (Season 9, Episode 25)

The Office popularized sitcoms filmed in mockumentary style, purportedly allowing a crew to document average workplace lives. After nine seasons, the finale finally addressed the invisible filmmakers by showing the aired documentary and panel. Suddenly the interviews, candid moments, and zany antics were explicitly staged for cameras within the show’s world. The finale exposed the docuseries concept as literal, no longer feeling like an organic glimpse into a paper company branch. This changed the immersive illusion the show had maintained. While Modern Family upheld its documentary framing as purely stylistic, The Office did it in a way that required reconciling a new filter through which to view prior events.

4 M*A*S*H

“Goodbye, Farewell and Amen” (Season 11, Episode 16)

M*A*S*H was a pioneering dark comedy set during the Korean War that tackled heavy themes like war’s psychological toll. After 11 seasons, the extended series finale drew a record 106 million viewers to close this groundbreaking show. Seeing the unflappable Hawkeye enduring PTSD trauma humanized the character and powerfully spotlighted the realities of war. Juxtaposing this with lighter farewell moments affirmed the show’s range in blending wry humor and pathos. Ultimately, this finale spotlighted M*A*S*H‘s depth in portraying complex characters grappling with the life-altering impacts of war. The ability to deftly balance lightheartedness and drama, even during the final gut-punch exemplified why M*A*S*H was ahead of its time and sealed its legacy as one of TV’s most impactful comedies.

3 Game Of Thrones

“The Iron Throne” (Season 8, Episode 6)

Despite being acclaimed for its intricate plotting and bold storytelling, the maligned series finale of Game of Thrones exemplified the show’s declining quality. Rushed story arcs, implausible twists, and unsatisfying fates for beloved characters contrasted sharply with early seasons. The baffling decision to award ruler-ship to marginal Bran felt unearned, highlighting the finale’s sloppy construction. Unlike the clever groundwork that defined the show originally, the finale’s clumsy wrap-up betrayed that very essence. The diminished care and logic of the concluding episode exposed the showrunners’ floundering without source material. The finale exemplified the arguable decline of Game of Thrones‘ later seasons, leaving a tarnished legacy for a once brilliant show.

2 The Sopranos

“Made in America” (Season 6, Episode 21)

The Sopranos‘ infamous cut-to-black finale shocked viewers expecting closure for Tony’s story, but creator David Chase deliberately subverted expectations by concluding with ambiguous tension rather than resolution. This jarring lack of payoff highlighted the show’s underlying themes about the anxieties of mortality and morality over past narrative satisfaction. Instead of wrapping up story threads, the finale left Tony trapped in paranoia, symbolizing the karmic hell he created through a criminal life. This is the same feeling viewers felt when their TVs cut to black, fear that something was missed or wrong. This opaque ending forced a reassessment of what The Sopranos fundamentally stood for.

1 Six Feet Under

“Everyone’s Waiting” (Season 5, Episode 12)

All five seasons of Six Feet Under were acclaimed for confronting mortality unflinchingly. Therefore, its finale montage revealing every main character’s death was thematically powerful while still gut-wrenching. Flashing forward to depict their final moments made the show’s constant reckoning with loss painfully tangible. Seeing beloved characters meet realistic, unglamorous ends drove home Six Feet Under‘s message about appreciating fleeting life. It was a melancholic celebration of characters and their briefly intersecting journeys. This artful, emotional finale affirmed death’s inevitability, but highlighted the importance of enjoying every moment. It cemented Six Feet Under as a cathartic examination of what really matters when facing the finite nature of existence.