Summary
The series finale of a TV show says a lot about the story, and certain shows end in a certain way to ensure that a revival of the series can never happen. This could happen for many reasons, butusually, writers and creators format a finale to close the book on a show forever because the story is complete.There are plenty of grounds to revive a show, but few are strong enough to justify bringing back a series that reached its natural conclusion. It’s often the most critically acclaimed shows that tie a tight bow on their story.
Looking toward the future, many audience members appreciate original IP and unique stories rather than a rehashing of long-gone series that are no longer relevant.
While someended TV shows could realistically get revivedat any time, others are clearly never meant to get another outing. Revivals and reboots are a lucrative proposition, but they can also destroy the legacy of an amazing series that was well-loved on its own. Looking toward the future, many audience members appreciate original IP and unique stories rather than a rehashing of long-gone series that are no longer relevant. Additionally,the series finales that are formatted to be definitive are frequently ranked as the strongest episodes of the show.
10 Recently Ended TV Shows That Are Unlikely To Ever Be Revived
It’s natural for viewers to want a TV show to continue beyond its ending, but these recently concluded series are unlikely to ever get a revival.
10Killing Eve (2018–2022)
Enemies-to-lovers was taken to new heights in Killing Eve, and the finale shows how much love blossomed.
Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s follow-up to her major success withFleabagwas the espionage-thriller turned psychological romance,Killing Eve. The series stars Sandra Oh as the titular Eve, a spy on the trail of the notorious killer, Villanelle (Jodie Comer). However, the chase between them is made even more interesting because they are obsessed with each other. Their relationship soon turns into a twisted but compelling romance. However,for a spy and a killer, the course of true love can never run smoothly and is ultimately doomed.
Villanelle’s death angered many fans, as they felt that the pair deserved to have a happy ending and that the death of queer characters onscreen happens too often after they find love.
This comes to a head in the series finale, in which Eve lives, but Villanelle is killed. Villanelle’s death angered many fans, as they felt that the pair deserved to have a happy ending and that the death of queer characters onscreen happens too often after they find love. While this backlash makes sense in the context of TV trends,forKilling Eve, it’s been teased from the beginning that these women are playing a game that no one can win.Additionally, as Eve and Villanelle’s relationship is unique, the stories can’t be repeated with other characters in the future.
Killing Eve
Cast
Killing Eve is a black comedy thriller series starring Sandra Oh as British intelligence officer Eve Polastri who is assigned to track and capture a dangerous assassin named Villanelle, played by Jodie Comer. Bored with her life, Eve finds herself hired by an undercover MI6 division tasked with tracking down Villanelle - who, after just a brief time studying and following her, she becomes obsessed with her. However, the obsession becomes mutual as soon the two enter a game of cat and mouse that deviates them from their missions as they venture to learn more about one another.
9The Young Ones (1982–1984)
The little-known British comedy went out with a bang and dark finality.
Though it only ran for two seasons,The Young Onesmade quite an impact and is an excellent example of the core tenets of British comedy in the 1980s.The series is deeply in conversation with the disaffected nature of British youth in the 1980s,and Margaret Thatcher’s tenure as Prime Minister is frequently mentioned. Pushing boundaries by utilizing surrealist imagery and comedy in the episodes and poking fun at the conservative social rules of the upper class,The Young Onespushed boundaries for sitcoms and has become a cult hit.
Known for violence, slapstick comedy, and unexpected plot twists, there was only ever one way thatThe Young Onescould conclude. After a typical episode of mayhem and destruction, the core characters commandeer a bus and are driving it off when it suddenly plummets off a cliff, ending all of their lives. With all the main characters dead and such a dark ending,The Young Oneswas sending a message that its time had come to an endand that it had no plans to return in the future.
8Battlestar Galactica (2004–2009)
A reboot itself, the 2004 Battlestar Galactica went out on a definitive note.
Battlestar Galacticasees its protagonists land on an Earth-like planet and decide to give up their advanced technology to start fresh.
The 2004Battlestar Galacticais one ofthe SyFy Channels' best original showsand sees a new generation of human survivors fighting off the Cylons in a new adaptation of the 1978 series. Thoughthe original show only ran for one season,it made an impact on science fiction fans and was the perfect show to revive in the 21st century. In 2004,Battlestar Galacticapushed itself to be a dark and more complex version of the story, as sci-fi has evolved to be taken seriously as a genre within the past twenty years.
WatchBattlestar Galacticaon Prime Video.
It was sad to seeBattlestar Galacticaand the beloved characters say goodbye in the series finale. However, it was a bittersweet ending as the Galactica crew settled on ancient Earth. The finale was a three-part event and included many flashbacks, as well as a culmination of the fight against the Cylons.Battlestar Galacticasees its protagonists land on an Earth-like planet and decide to give up their advanced technology to start fresh. This comes full circle, as it’s shown thatthe planet truly is Earth and that their actions will eventually lead to another modern human society.
Battlestar Galactica
Battlestar Galactica is a science fiction television series that premiered in 2004. The plot follows the crew of the aging Battlestar Galactica as they protect a small fleet of human survivors from the renewed threat of the Cylons, in a quest to find the mythical 13th colony, Earth.
7The Sopranos (1999–2007)
After a nearly flawless run of seasons, The Sopranos ends with a hotly debated cliffhanger.
The creator ofThe Sopranos, David Chase, has said that his intentions were always for the audience to interpret the final black screen as Tony’s (James Gandolfini) death. After becoming truly irredeemable in season 6, Tony sits down for dinner with Carmela (Edie Falco) and AJ (Rober Iler) and is shot by what can be assumed to be the disciple of one of the many people he’s wronged. WhileThe Many Saints of Newark,the 2021 prequel film, expanded upon the story ofThe Sopranos, it never attempted to assume what would happen in the wake of Tony’s death.
ManySopranosfinale theories explain Tony’s death, but it’s mostly agreed upon that the show’s final moments should be taken at face value.The show could only end with Tony either dead or in prison,and Tony had evaded prison and the FBI so many times that seeing his downfall in this way would be incongruent with the rest of the story. There’s no way that a revival ofThe Sopranoscould ever come close to the magic of the original series, making it a good thing that Tony can’t come back, as no one could do the character justice.
The Sopranos
The Sopranos follows New Jersey mob boss Tony Soprano as he navigates the challenges of managing his family and criminal enterprise. He seeks guidance from psychiatrist Jennifer Melfi while dealing with complex dynamics involving his wife Carmela, cousin Christopher Moltisanti, and other Mafia associates. Released in 1999, this series delves into organized crime and personal struggles.
Mad Menseason 7 was split into two parts by the creators, so audiences had to wait a long time to find out what would happen to Don Draper (Jon Hamm) in the series' final moments. Some believed that Don would die, while others felt he would rise through the ranks of advertising royalty.There are few series finales as well-paced asMad Men’s ending,as the episode sees Don reconcile his mistakes through a spiritual journey and a phone call to the three most important women in his life: Peggy (Elisabeth Olsen), Sally (Kiernan Shipka), and Betty (January Jones).
. It closes with a shot of Don’s smiling face and then the iconic Coca-Cola ad from 1971, hinting that Don’s emotional work has led him to a creative breakthrough.
Of course,only Don would have a spiritual epiphany that would lead to capital gains,and this is exactly what’s implied by the last moments of the finale. It closes with a shot of Don’s smiling face and then the iconic Coca-Cola ad from 1971, hinting that Don’s emotional work has led him to a creative breakthrough. The other characters in the show get relatively happy endings after the many tragic events of the series, but they all have an air of finality and the sense that their lives will carry on as expected.
Mad Men
Mad Men is a drama series set in 1960s New York, focusing on the lives of competitive men and women working in Madison Avenue’s advertising industry. The show explores the social mores and cultural dynamics of the era while delving into the personal and professional challenges faced by its characters.
5St. Elsewhere (1982–1988)
In a shocking twist ending, St. Elsewhere changed the show’s meaning in its final moments.
When it first premiered,St. Elsewherewas the touchstone for serious medical procedural dramas and was hailed as a great example of realistic and gritty medicine onscreen. All of this changed inthe finale, which has gone down in history as one of the most infamously disappointing and subversive of all time.The ending has been parodied and referenced many times due to how divisive it was for fans of the show, but the writers and creators claim they altered the show’s story so dramatically for a reason.
In theSt. Elsewhereseason finale, the camera pulls back to reveal that the titular hospital never existed.The hospital and all the show’s characters were inside the imagination of a young boy,Tommy Westphall (Chad Allen). While this destroyed the stakes, conflict, and emotional resonance of the entire show, it also meant that it could never be rebooted. As the doctors were only a figment of someone’s imagination, it would make no sense for them to return in any capacity. However, when watchingSt. Elsewheretoday, it’s reasonable to skip the finale.
4Six Feet Under (2001–2005)
In arguably the best TV finale of all time, Six Feet Under goes out with a bang.
In a stroke of genius, theSix Feet Underseries finale subverts its formula in its final moments.
There was nothing else likeSix Feet Underon TV while it was airing, and the show is considered part of the era of peak TV that incorporated many of HBO’s best projects.Inextricably linked to death, each episode in the series revolves around the passing of a characterwho comes through the funeral home the main characters own. This set the stage for plenty of dark humor and dramatic situations in the life events of the constant characters in the story. In a stroke of genius, theSix Feet Underseries finale subverts its formula in its final moments.
As it was a show that grappled so heavily with endings, there was pressure forSix Feet Underto deliver an amazing finale, and it’s universally agreed upon that it did.The episode sees each of its characters go through major life events and portrays all of their deaths,ending with Claire (Lauren Ambrose), the youngest Fisher sibling. ThoughSix Feet Underwas never the kind of show that would get a reboot, the writers used the conceit of death to maintain that the series' five seasons were all that there should be.
Six Feet Under
Created by Alan Ball, Six Feet Under is a Black Comedy and Drama series that stars Peter Krause, Frances Conroy, Rachel Griffiths, and Michael C. Hall. Running for five seasons between 2001 and 2005, the plot revolves around a dysfunctional family that owns and operates a funeral home.
3Parks And Recreation (2009–2015)
The sweet goodbye and flash-forward format serves as a nostalgic farewell to the sitcom.
The 2000s were a great period for sitcoms, andParks and Recreationwas one of the best airing on NBC at the time. Starring Amy Poehler as the eternally positive government employee Leslie Knope,the series follows her friends as they navigate trying to get good work done in an eccentric small town in Indiana.Leslie’s big ambitions are a recurring theme in the show. The series finale uses flashforwards to showcase each character’s happy ending. For Leslie, it’s implied that she makes it to a high government office and grows old with Ben (Adam Scott).
Parks and Recreationseason 2 saved itselfby abandoning its original tone, leading to a string of strong seasons with plenty of heart that differentiated itself from other popular sitcoms. The show was never afraid to be vulnerable and sensitive and pull on the heartstrings of its audience. While it still had plenty of funny moments,Parks and Recstood apart because of its heart,and the series finale capitalized on this. It’s impossible to make it out of the final episode with a dry eye. As each character’s life is chronicled, there’s no reason to go back to Pawnee.
Parks and Recreation
Parks and Recreation is a television series that premiered in 2009, focusing on Leslie Knope, a mid-level bureaucrat in Pawnee, Indiana. She encounters various challenges from bureaucrats and citizens while striving to beautify the town through her role in the Parks and Recreation Department.
2Succession (2018–2023)
Though many fans never wanted the series to end, there’s no coming back from its finale.
For four seasons,Successionregaled audiences with the most disgusting and deplorable actions from the obscenely wealthy that the writers could think of. While this turned off certain viewers, the dedicated fanbase that was cultivated couldn’t get enough of the Roys and the horrible things they did to each other.WhenSuccessionseason 4 was announced as the last of the show, it came as a shock,as the series had only grown in popularity since its release. However, the final season moved at lightning speed and managed to give each character their due.
TheSuccessionseries finale leaves the Roys with everything and nothing, as their wealth remains intact, but the power they craved so desperately has been taken from each of them
Logan’s (Brian Cox) death earlier in the season was a strong indicator that the series had every intention of wrapping upthe story with this season. Without Logan, the Roy children were left scrambling to fill the massive hole Logan left in the company and attempt to reconcile while simultaneously stabbing each other in the back. TheSuccessionseries finale leaves the Roys with everything and nothing, as their wealth remains intact, but the power they craved so desperately has been taken from each of them. The company has been taken from them, and there’s no getting it back.
Succession
Succession is a Black Comedy and Satire television show created by Jesse Armstrong. It stars Hiam Abbass, Nicholas Braun, Brian Cox, and Kieran Culkin and follows the story of an aging conglomerate owner as he deals with his declining health and the sudden realization that one of his children will soon inherit his position and run his company.
10 TV Show Revivals That Released Long After Fans Had Moved On
Whether they’re welcomed or not, there are plenty of TV shows that come back years after coming off the air, long after fans had checked out.
1BoJack Horseman (2014–2020)
Netflix’s adult animated series evolved with each season, ending with an unforgettable episode.
By the end ofBoJack Horseman, the audience’s relationship to the titular character was more than complex. The question of Bojack’s future and whether he could be redeemed was on everyone’s mind, but the show let the audience draw their own conclusions. Though every season ofBoJack Horsemanis strong, the last few were darker than fans of the early episodes could ever have anticipated. The series became a searing interrogation of fame, power, and generational trauma.In the final moments of the show, a shot from the season 1 finale is paralleled,saying one last goodbye to the audience.
The central characters from the series are scattered, living their own lives, and are brought back together for one final event, which is implied to be the last time they might ever see each other. There is an air of forgiveness after years of BoJack’s behavior, but that doesn’t mean his relationships will ever be the same or that people will forget. His development is complete, andthe characters in the show no longer need each other.Everyone has a new path, and they have diverged forever.
BoJack Horseman
Once the famous star of a hit sitcom, BoJack Horseman has fallen on tough times. Stuck in a major career slump and longing to relive his glory days, BoJack attempts to once more become relevant in an industry that has long since turned its back on him. With a few dysfunctional friends at his side, BoJack begins his long-overdue career comeback.
