10 Most Heartbreaking Cliffhangers in TV Historical past, Ranked

Nothing frustrates audiences greater than a TV show‘s cliffhanger. From stunning reveals, to romantic moments between beloved characters, cliffhangers have a behavior of leaving followers distressed with the necessity for solutions to their theories and overwhelmed with emotion. A few of the most gut-punching cliffhangers are even able to shattering viewers’ expectations, and their total notion of a collection.

Reveals like Game of Thrones have a behavior of leaving followers on the sting of their seats utterly distraught as they agonize over the place the collection will head. The virtually insufferable await a present’s reveal of the state of each characters and story cannot solely be heartbreaking, but in addition downright exhausting.

10

‘His Darkish Supplies’ (2019–2022)

Season 4

His Dark Materials, primarily based on Philip Pullman‘s famed guide collection, follows the willful Lyra Belacqua (Dafne Keen) as she traverses parallel universes and uncovers darkish secrets and techniques. On her journey, she meets a younger English boy referred to as William ‘Will’ Parry (Amir Wilson). In Season 3’s finale, Lyra and Could have grown a deep bond, however be taught that to keep away from disaster, all paths that enable journey between parallel worlds have to be closed, leaving Lyra and Will pressured to separate regardless of their profound love.

The second is really heartbreaking for followers, witnessing Lyra and Will, so younger and newly in love, pressured to sacrifice their happiness for the welfare of all worlds. Whereas the heartbreaking cliffhanger is definitely the conclusion of His Darkish Supplies, there may be nonetheless hope for a derivative. Philip Pullman’s companion trilogy, The E book of Mud, explores the occasions following the unique collection, and there have been talks of variations for the trilogy.

9

‘Associates’ (1994-2004)

Season 4

This iconic sitcom is a treasured collection for a lot of. Friends follows the adventures of six mates dwelling in New York Metropolis. Within the two-part Season 4 finale, the group heads to London for Ross Geller’s (David Schwimmer) wedding ceremony to Emily Waltham (Helen Baxendale). Realizing that she nonetheless has emotions for Ross, Rachel Inexperienced (Jennifer Aniston) attends the marriage with the intention of sharing her emotions with Ross, however in the end decides to not intervene. When it is time for I do’s, Ross shocks followers by saying Rachel’s identify as a substitute of Emily’s.

Followers around the globe gasped at Ross’s mishap, holding conflicting feelings in regards to the intense and awkward cliffhanger. Whereas some viewers watched in horror, others had been excited in regards to the potential rekindling of Ross and Rachel. The abrupt season’s finish left a mass of followers distraught, but in addition very desperate to be taught what got here subsequent.

8

‘Alias’ (2001–2006)

Season 2

Alias is a spy-action TV collection centered across the double CIA agent, Sydney Bristow (Jennifer Garner), as she navigates tough missions and private affairs. In Season 2’s finale, “The Telling,” Sydney confronts each her nemesis, Arvin Sloane (Ron Rifkin), and her mom, Irina Derevko (Lena Olin), who’re assembling a mysterious system. After a fierce battle, Sydney loses consciousness, solely to awaken two years later in Hong Kong.

The scene the place Sydney struggles to know her new actuality of dropping two years of her life—whereas going through the profound adjustments that occurred in her absence— is disorienting and upsetting, leaving each character and followers gutted. It’s a really heartbreaking cliffhanger that left the viewers questioning the character of time and the fragility of belief inside the collection’ story.

7

‘The 100’ (2014–2020)

Season 5

This drama-packed sci-fi collection follows a bunch of once-space-bound survivors’ return to Earth. There, they discover life and different surprising challenges whereas trying to rebuild society of their post-apocalyptic world. Within the Season 5 finale of The 100, “The Damocles: Half 2”, the group of survivors are again in area and have entered cryosleep. After awakening, they uncover that they’ve been asleep for over a century, and are actually with out two of their very own—Monty (Christopher Larkin) and Harper (Chelsey Reist).

Followers had been completely torn up as they witnessed how a lot time handed for his or her favourite group of survivors. Viewers acquired one other emotional blow upon discovering out that their beloved characters, Monty and Harper, left a parting message divulging their purpose for his or her absence, and what they left behind. The cliffhanger left followers in tears, but in addition antsy with pleasure to find what’s subsequent for the survivors who’re about to embark on a model new journey.

6

The Vampire Diaries (2009–2017)

Season 3

The Vampire Diaries is a success teen supernatural collection that captivated many viewers. The present follows Elena Gilbert (Nina Dobrev), a teen lady entangled in a single too many supernatural happenings. Throughout Season 3’s finale,“The Departed,” Elena is sadly concerned in a automotive crash the place she drowns. Unexpectedly, Elena had earlier consumed vampire blood, main her to awaken modified.

Audiences of the collection had been thrown via emotional loops as they witnessed the extraordinary scene, which held a profound sense of irony—Elena’s dad and mom met the identical destiny, however in contrast to her, lacked the supernatural means to make sure their survival. The Season 3 finale signifies the tip of Elena’s human life, which holds an surprising quantity of heartbreaking unhappiness.

5

‘Fringe’ (2008–2013)

Season 3

Fringe follows a specialised FBI division that offers with puzzling occurrences, advanced scientific mysteries, and parallel universes. Throughout the Season 3 finale, Peter Bishop (Joshua Jackson) prompts a tool hoping to stop the destruction of two universes. Nevertheless, after he succeeds, he vanishes, and the remaining characters don’t have any reminiscence of his existence.

The episode “The Day We Died,” is a bit haunting for some followers. The scene the place Peter disappears is heart-wrenching, as he leaves behind a void that adjustments the collection’ dynamics. For Fringe’s viewers, it was a cliffhanger that created many questions, with essentially the most very important being why Peter disappeared within the first place.

4

‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ (1997–2003)

Season 5

This supernatural drama took over tv with its fascinating story, gaining an enormous following. Buffy the Vampire Slayer follows Buffy Anne Summers (Sarah Michelle Gellar), a younger girl chosen to battle towards supernatural foes, together with vampires and demons. Throughout Season 5’s finale, Buffy, in an effort to save lots of her sister and keep away from the apocalypse, confronts the god Glory, sacrificing herself and dying to save lots of the world.

Followers had been distraught at Buffy’s sacrifice. Viewers on the time discovered themselves mourning each character and present, for with out Buffy, there could possibly be no vampire slaying. The emotional impression of the second left by the episode “The Reward” highlighted themes of sacrifice, love, obligation, and loss, incomes the heartbreaking finale a spot on this checklist.

3

‘Misplaced’ (2004–2010)

Season 3

The collection Lost isn’t any stranger to advanced reveals and tantalizing cliffhangers. The present facilities on the survivors of a airplane crash, who’re stranded on a mysterious island stuffed to the brim with secrets and techniques. “By means of the Trying Glass,” Misplaced’s Season 3 finale, featured scenes of Jack Shephard (Matthew Fox) that originally appeared like flashbacks. Nevertheless, it is revealed that the scenes are literally flash-forwards.

Misplaced’s gut-wrenching twist left followers with none hope that leaving the island would resolve any of the character’s struggles. With the proof given by flash-forward scenes, viewers had been pressured to just accept that the longer term is fraught with troubling obstacles, leaving them each dreading what lies forward for the characters and eagerly awaiting what comes subsequent for the collection as an entire.

2

‘The Strolling Useless’ (2010–2022)

Season 6

The Walking Dead collection stands as top-of-the-line sci-fi reveals up to now. The collection follows a bunch of survivors as they navigate a world overrun by zombies and face threats from human forces. Throughout Season 6’s finale, the vicious chief, Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan), captures the group and decides to make an instance out of them by brutally killing a member. In an intense recreation of “eeny, meeny, miny, moe,” a sufferer is chosen, however followers are left hanging as screens flip black.

It’s a merciless factor to finish a season with such depth. Season 6’s “Final Day on Earth” had a ridiculous quantity of pressure buildup fraught with feelings, earlier than leaving followers utterly at the hours of darkness and stuffed with dread. The concern of whom the sufferer may be made this second one of the vital heartbreaking types of tortuous cliffhangers in tv historical past.

1

‘Sport of Thrones’ (2011–2019)

Season 5

Following the ability video games between nobles in a bid for the Iron Throne, Sport of Thrones had nearly a cult-like fan base. In Season 5’s finale, Jon Snow, a fan favourite and the commander of the Night time’s Watch, faces dissent over his selections concerning the Wildlings. Perceived as a traitor, Jon Snow (Kit Harington) is brutally stabbed by these he trusted, with the ultimate blow coming from the younger Olly (Brenock O’Connor), who Jon treasured most.

Season 5’s “Mom’s Mercy” is a kick within the abdomen for followers, as they witness the betrayal Jon Snow faces. His stunning dying, regardless of his fixed acts of honor, love, and loyalty, left viewers in emotional turmoil, igniting theories in regards to the character’s surprising destiny. To be left hanging on to what might come subsequent was downright tortuous for some viewers, main it to rank excessive on the checklist of essentially the most heartbreaking cliffhangers in TV historical past.

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