Well, watched the last Nashville with the wife last night. It really sucks that when shows are cancelled late in the season like this that they can't find way to just shoot one last episode to tie things up. Cliff hangers are fun at the end of a season - not so fun when you can't resolve them. We went through the exact same thing with Vegas many years ago and I believe they ended up releasing the script to what would have been the next season premiere just so people would know if a character lived.
I still think it is bad form to end a season on any kind of cliffhanger
I feel like every season of a show should end in such a way that it could also double as a good end to the show
Suggest what the future of the story could be, rather than dangle it in front of the audience's face
Imagine the reputation Lost would've had if it got cancelled after season 1, and that was the ending
I'm fine with ending Seasons on a cliffhanger as long as two criteria are met.
1. They know they are coming back, so the cliffhanger will get resolved
2. They know how they are going to resolve the cliffhanger, and won't have to make something up during the hiatus
Farscape is excused from the first criteria as at the time they filmed their big cliffhanger, they had been renewed but then it got taken away from them. Plus the combined rage of the fanbase at that cliffhanger ended up willing a sequel into existence anyways, so it still got resolved.
Cliffhangers can also be good at keeping up discussion and keeping the show in the public consciousness during the hiatus. Who Shot Mr. Burns (or JR)? Plus most Buffy/Friends/Lost finales, etc.
I'm fine with ending Seasons on a cliffhanger as long as two criteria are met.
1. They know they are coming back, so the cliffhanger will get resolved
2. They know how they are going to resolve the cliffhanger, and won't have to make something up during the hiatus
Farscape is excused from the first criteria as at the time they filmed their big cliffhanger, they had been renewed but then it got taken away from them. Plus the combined rage of the fanbase at that cliffhanger ended up willing a sequel into existence anyways, so it still got resolved.
Cliffhangers can also be good at keeping up discussion and keeping the show in the public consciousness during the hiatus. Who Shot Mr. Burns (or JR)? Plus most Buffy/Friends/Lost finales, etc.
Without cliffhanger season enders we wouldn't have gotten one of the best pairs of Star Trek TNG episodes.
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Raijin QuickfootI'm your Huckleberry YOU'RE NO DAISYRegistered User, ClubPAregular
Catching up on The 100 finally. Guess I'm 6 episodes behind.
I don't care about anything going on. I'm watching for posterity at thus point.
Nashville's cliffhanger was at least ok in the sense that they had maybe 4 or 5 running storylines going into last night and amazingly (given they didn't know they were cancelled) they all tied up pretty nicely. The one thing they did was at the end they
had a main character's plane disappear mid-flight, so you don't know if she's alive or dead.
I'm fine with ending Seasons on a cliffhanger as long as two criteria are met.
1. They know they are coming back, so the cliffhanger will get resolved
2. They know how they are going to resolve the cliffhanger, and won't have to make something up during the hiatus
Farscape is excused from the first criteria as at the time they filmed their big cliffhanger, they had been renewed but then it got taken away from them. Plus the combined rage of the fanbase at that cliffhanger ended up willing a sequel into existence anyways, so it still got resolved.
Cliffhangers can also be good at keeping up discussion and keeping the show in the public consciousness during the hiatus. Who Shot Mr. Burns (or JR)? Plus most Buffy/Friends/Lost finales, etc.
Most Buffy seasons ended sans cliffhanger. One of the two you can argue did (season 5) was actually meant to be a series finale. It just became a cliffhanger because the series really couldn't continue like it had been after that. That's one thing I really love about the show.
Stargate SG-1 was really good about this in general as well. That also had something to do with never knowing if they were getting a renewal towards the end. It also created a big problem in them constantly killing off big bads and having to invent new ones. I think they are likely a good example of following the rules you set out and I greatly appreciated that even if it did take a movie to resolve their last plot line do to suprise cancelation shenanigans. Seriously Syfy wtf is with you just ending series after giving assurances there would be more time.
I'm fine with ending Seasons on a cliffhanger as long as two criteria are met.
1. They know they are coming back, so the cliffhanger will get resolved
2. They know how they are going to resolve the cliffhanger, and won't have to make something up during the hiatus
Farscape is excused from the first criteria as at the time they filmed their big cliffhanger, they had been renewed but then it got taken away from them. Plus the combined rage of the fanbase at that cliffhanger ended up willing a sequel into existence anyways, so it still got resolved.
Cliffhangers can also be good at keeping up discussion and keeping the show in the public consciousness during the hiatus. Who Shot Mr. Burns (or JR)? Plus most Buffy/Friends/Lost finales, etc.
Most Buffy seasons ended sans cliffhanger. One of the two you can argue did (season 5) was actually meant to be a series finale. It just became a cliffhanger because the series really couldn't continue like it had been after that. That's one thing I really love about the show.
Stargate SG-1 was really good about this in general as well. That also had something to do with never knowing if they were getting a renewal towards the end. It also created a big problem in them constantly killing off big bads and having to invent new ones. I think they are likely a good example of following the rules you set out and I greatly appreciated that even if it did take a movie to resolve their last plot line do to suprise cancelation shenanigans. Seriously Syfy wtf is with you just ending series after giving assurances there would be more time.
Most Buffy seasons ended sans cliffhanger. One of the two you can argue did (season 5) was actually meant to be a series finale. It just became a cliffhanger because the series really couldn't continue like it had been after that. That's one thing I really love about the show.
Buffy Finale spoilers:
You are correct that they didn't cliffhanger as often as I was remembering, but at least three of them did end in cliffhangers (plus one from Angel). Also, they already knew they were moving to UPN for another season well before the Season 5 finale aired. In fact, I think they'd already announced they were doing a musical in Season 6 prior to the Season 5 finale airing.
Season 2: Angel is "dead," Buffy is suspended from school and wanted by police for the murder of Kendra, and she leaves town at the end abandoning her friends. Granted, they kind of forgot to resolve that "wanted for murder" bit.
Season 6: The whole thing with Spike (plus you could argue what's going to happen to Willow now).
One of my two favorite new shows this year, and with some absolute tripe getting renewed, too. Well, at least the Expanse got renewed, and Limitless still managed to have an ending.
For those of you who missed it during its run, check out Limitless once it's on Netflix or something. Very fun single season.
One of my two favorite new shows this year, and with some absolute tripe getting renewed, too. Well, at least the Expanse got renewed, and Limitless still managed to have an ending.
For those of you who missed it during its run, check out Limitless once it's on Netflix or something. Very fun single season.
It was at least a good one season run. I can accept where it left off as a good stopping point.
it left everything reasonably resolved at least as far as the major local issues were concerned. They can make NZT and Brian is permanently immune. He's actually one up Mora even at that point. The only really big hanging issues were senator Mora and the NZT fueled super crime wave that was now possible. Given the ending I personally had questions of where they were going to find dramatic tension and where they were going to go plot wise outside of the monster the week platform. But I was damn sure intrigued find out
I personally just loved the show because it dealt with a subject matter that's closer to home for me.
Like as someone who had to be medicated to be useful for a large hunk of their life, and arguably should probably still be medicated for that same defect (ADHD) this series dealt with some stuff that's mostly an internal conversation with myself for the past like decade. The questions arise when faced with a culture that demonizes addiction and drug dependence, but at the same time operates in such a manner that you feel, and in some cases are outright shown, you must do drugs to be a productive member of it. It will yell at you all day to not be an addict but to participate in it fully you have to maintain a drug dependence. One that can often look like, and easily become, addiction. This series kinda confronted that topic, and did it in a way where I very much connected with Brian.
one my fears was that given that Brian was now consequence free for NZT use that narrative and topic exploration might not survive.
Sleep on
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Raijin QuickfootI'm your Huckleberry YOU'RE NO DAISYRegistered User, ClubPAregular
edited May 2016
I hope the actor who played Brian gets some more work. I like him.
I should know his name
EDIT: JAKE MCDORMAN
Raijin Quickfoot on
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AtomicTofuShe's a straight-up supervillain, yoRegistered Userregular
Looks like the first episode of Preacher is free on iTunes, Amazon, and YouTube currently
Most Buffy seasons ended sans cliffhanger. One of the two you can argue did (season 5) was actually meant to be a series finale. It just became a cliffhanger because the series really couldn't continue like it had been after that. That's one thing I really love about the show.
Buffy Finale spoilers:
You are correct that they didn't cliffhanger as often as I was remembering, but at least three of them did end in cliffhangers (plus one from Angel). Also, they already knew they were moving to UPN for another season well before the Season 5 finale aired. In fact, I think they'd already announced they were doing a musical in Season 6 prior to the Season 5 finale airing.
Season 2: Angel is "dead," Buffy is suspended from school and wanted by police for the murder of Kendra, and she leaves town at the end abandoning her friends. Granted, they kind of forgot to resolve that "wanted for murder" bit.
Season 6: The whole thing with Spike (plus you could argue what's going to happen to Willow now).
I'd actually argue that even some of the more cliffhangery finales of Buffy could have worked as series finales, albeit bittersweet ones.
Season 2:
The main plot gets wrapped up. Buffy prevents hell on earth. Angel is "killed." Spike takes Dru and leaves town. Obviously, Buffy's status is the big cliffhanger, but the show theoretically could have ended there and it would have just been kind of a "technically victorious but still sad" ending. Buffy saves the world but has to leave.
Also, I could be misremembering, but I think that there was a throwaway line at the beginning of Season 3 that the cops were no longer after Buffy.
Season 5
Could have totally been an ending to the series, it'd just be a series that ends with the death of the main character. Everything else was pretty well wrapped up at that point and the tone of the episode is very much that of a (potential) series finale.
Season 6
Spike is a definite cliffhanger, and I'd say probably the biggest cliffhanger just in terms of "it doesn't make sense to end the story here." Even then, it's a cliffhanger solely involving a single secondary character. Otherwise, they mostly dealt with everything else.
I guess my point is that even when Buffy did cliffhangers, they balanced it pretty well with wrapping things up in a satisfying way. It wasn't like a Smallville situation where a bunch of seasons end with multiple characters in life or death situations or Clark in the middle of a big fight or something.
Most Buffy seasons ended sans cliffhanger. One of the two you can argue did (season 5) was actually meant to be a series finale. It just became a cliffhanger because the series really couldn't continue like it had been after that. That's one thing I really love about the show.
Buffy Finale spoilers:
You are correct that they didn't cliffhanger as often as I was remembering, but at least three of them did end in cliffhangers (plus one from Angel). Also, they already knew they were moving to UPN for another season well before the Season 5 finale aired. In fact, I think they'd already announced they were doing a musical in Season 6 prior to the Season 5 finale airing.
Season 2: Angel is "dead," Buffy is suspended from school and wanted by police for the murder of Kendra, and she leaves town at the end abandoning her friends. Granted, they kind of forgot to resolve that "wanted for murder" bit.
Season 6: The whole thing with Spike (plus you could argue what's going to happen to Willow now).
I am uncertain of when the UPN deal became official, but I know for certain season 5 was written to be a series finale before it got picked up. Basically they weren't certain if season 6 was in the works so they wrapped it all up just in case, but being Whedon is wrap up left a lot of area to explore. I also agree with what the earlier poster said about season 2 being workable as a finale if a touch unsatisfying.
I had forgotten they did that bit at the end of season 6. Not much of a cliff hanger imo as just a loose plot thread. There isn't a burning question of what happens next so much as a major development to be fully explored. We kinda know the broad strokes of what it would look like too because the series kind of explored the concept already.
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AtomicTofuShe's a straight-up supervillain, yoRegistered Userregular
StraightziHere we may reign secure, and in my choice,To reign is worth ambition though in HellRegistered Userregular
The finale of Buffy season five is so good and the next two seasons aren't really that good, comparatively, so sometimes I pretend that they don't exist
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BillyIdleWhat does "katana" mean?It means "Japanese sword."Registered Userregular
I have now started watching Terriers for the first time. This seems pretty good!
Posts
I still think it is bad form to end a season on any kind of cliffhanger
I feel like every season of a show should end in such a way that it could also double as a good end to the show
Suggest what the future of the story could be, rather than dangle it in front of the audience's face
Imagine the reputation Lost would've had if it got cancelled after season 1, and that was the ending
If there was a pill like in Limitless there'd be no reason not to take it though.
1. They know they are coming back, so the cliffhanger will get resolved
2. They know how they are going to resolve the cliffhanger, and won't have to make something up during the hiatus
Farscape is excused from the first criteria as at the time they filmed their big cliffhanger, they had been renewed but then it got taken away from them. Plus the combined rage of the fanbase at that cliffhanger ended up willing a sequel into existence anyways, so it still got resolved.
Cliffhangers can also be good at keeping up discussion and keeping the show in the public consciousness during the hiatus. Who Shot Mr. Burns (or JR)? Plus most Buffy/Friends/Lost finales, etc.
Without cliffhanger season enders we wouldn't have gotten one of the best pairs of Star Trek TNG episodes.
I don't care about anything going on. I'm watching for posterity at thus point.
Most Buffy seasons ended sans cliffhanger. One of the two you can argue did (season 5) was actually meant to be a series finale. It just became a cliffhanger because the series really couldn't continue like it had been after that. That's one thing I really love about the show.
Stargate SG-1 was really good about this in general as well. That also had something to do with never knowing if they were getting a renewal towards the end. It also created a big problem in them constantly killing off big bads and having to invent new ones. I think they are likely a good example of following the rules you set out and I greatly appreciated that even if it did take a movie to resolve their last plot line do to suprise cancelation shenanigans. Seriously Syfy wtf is with you just ending series after giving assurances there would be more time.
Especially when it comes to Stargate shows.
Buffy Finale spoilers:
Season 2: Angel is "dead," Buffy is suspended from school and wanted by police for the murder of Kendra, and she leaves town at the end abandoning her friends. Granted, they kind of forgot to resolve that "wanted for murder" bit.
Season 6: The whole thing with Spike (plus you could argue what's going to happen to Willow now).
One of my two favorite new shows this year, and with some absolute tripe getting renewed, too. Well, at least the Expanse got renewed, and Limitless still managed to have an ending.
For those of you who missed it during its run, check out Limitless once it's on Netflix or something. Very fun single season.
Steam
It was at least a good one season run. I can accept where it left off as a good stopping point.
I personally just loved the show because it dealt with a subject matter that's closer to home for me.
Like as someone who had to be medicated to be useful for a large hunk of their life, and arguably should probably still be medicated for that same defect (ADHD) this series dealt with some stuff that's mostly an internal conversation with myself for the past like decade. The questions arise when faced with a culture that demonizes addiction and drug dependence, but at the same time operates in such a manner that you feel, and in some cases are outright shown, you must do drugs to be a productive member of it. It will yell at you all day to not be an addict but to participate in it fully you have to maintain a drug dependence. One that can often look like, and easily become, addiction. This series kinda confronted that topic, and did it in a way where I very much connected with Brian.
I should know his name
EDIT: JAKE MCDORMAN
Steam
He was fairly good. I haven't like heard him outside of the Brian character so I'm not sure how much of that is the actor or that I like Brian
I'd actually argue that even some of the more cliffhangery finales of Buffy could have worked as series finales, albeit bittersweet ones.
Season 2:
Also, I could be misremembering, but I think that there was a throwaway line at the beginning of Season 3 that the cops were no longer after Buffy.
Season 5
Season 6
I guess my point is that even when Buffy did cliffhangers, they balanced it pretty well with wrapping things up in a satisfying way. It wasn't like a Smallville situation where a bunch of seasons end with multiple characters in life or death situations or Clark in the middle of a big fight or something.
I am uncertain of when the UPN deal became official, but I know for certain season 5 was written to be a series finale before it got picked up. Basically they weren't certain if season 6 was in the works so they wrapped it all up just in case, but being Whedon is wrap up left a lot of area to explore. I also agree with what the earlier poster said about season 2 being workable as a finale if a touch unsatisfying.
I had forgotten they did that bit at the end of season 6. Not much of a cliff hanger imo as just a loose plot thread. There isn't a burning question of what happens next so much as a major development to be fully explored. We kinda know the broad strokes of what it would look like too because the series kind of explored the concept already.
I definitely liked it more than I thought I would, which was not at all
Steam
It was very grim!
But was it final?
Why I fear the ocean.
One of us, gooble gobble
"Let's turn that frown upside down. Take it to Vegas."
three baller as hell shows that only had a single season
I ever tell you that Natalie Morales sent me a happy birthday text once?
every chance you get
i thought for a second this was one of those replacements people use for gamer gate
They had huge balls to add a character to a FOX show named Pucci, though.
That was a steep emotional rollercoaster ;_;