The only thing worse than a show getting canceled prematurely is when a show gets to end on its own terms but completely misses the mark. In some cases, it can make you wonder why you even bothered to begin with, or at the very least, it may detract from the other good parts of the show. It's certainly harder to recommend a show with a flawed ending to anyone who may otherwise be interested in watching it.
These shows all had a finale that fell below the bar set by the show. Many of these TV shows are overall still great, and some may even still be worth a watch even if it means the ending isn't perfect. But one thing for certain is that these endings all felt a little disappointing for one reason or another, and didn't conclude the shows as gracefully as fans were hoping.
This article contains spoilers for each entry.
‘Dexter’ (2006-2013)
Dexter is probably the gold standard for how not to end a TV show. Not only was the last episode disappointing, but the whole final season was the show's least compelling. Furthermore, the show notably slumped before that, around Season 5 onwards (though Season 7 did have some fun moments). It was a bit of a downward spiral from a largely great first four seasons, and the series finale, "Remember The Monsters," was the culmination of it.
The stakes were lowered throughout Dexter's eighth season, the pace was sluggish, and the cast all looked tired. There was no energy beyond a couple of bizarre moments in the finale that were more confusing than shocking (like Dexter's sister suddenly being murdered and Dexter dumping her body in the same place he disposed of his victims, and then Dexter himself ending the show as a lumberjack for some reason). Dexter fans may be happy to know his story at least continued in the 2021 miniseries Dexter: New Blood, but the original show's conclusion is a miss on almost all accounts.
‘Game of Thrones’ (2011-2019)
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Game of Thrones might not have the worst series finale of all time, but it's easily the most controversial one of the past few years. Given that Game of Thrones was such a popular show, there were a huge number of viewers who despised the way it ended, and even those who didn't feel that strongly would be able to admit it was disappointing.
Game of Thrones' last couple of seasons did suffer a little compared to the earlier ones, once the writers had run out of books from the A Song of Ice and Fire series to adapt. The finale itself was the last straw. Certain plot developments (like Dany's tragic downfall and Bran becoming king) might have worked if they'd been built to more, but they were rushed to in the finale. While some events might've made sense on paper, the execution left a lot to be desired, leading to a disappointing ending.
‘Seinfeld’ (1989-1998)
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Seinfeld does deserve credit for trying something unique with its finale. Holding the main characters accountable for their selfish actions and general pettiness in a courtroom, with numerous side characters appearing as witnesses, is a funny and fitting idea.
The problem with "The Finale" is it's a great idea, but one that's not exactly pulled off well. It's one of the least funny episodes of the show, lacking any real built-up or layered jokes, and once the novelty of seeing minor characters show up to criticize the main characters wears off, it becomes a repetitive watch. Still, it's a memorable episode, given they all end up in jail, and a somewhat satisfying ending; if only it was as much fun to watch as almost any other episode of the otherwise excellent Seinfeld.
‘Arrested Development’ (2003-2019)
Defining where Arrested Development ended is up for debate, as is whether it has truly ended. It was canceled in 2006 after three seasons, had a fourth season in 2013, and then disappeared for five years before Season 5 aired in 2018 and 2019. Technically, Season 5 is the show's ending, and with Jessica Walter's passing in 2021, it's unlikely the show will be brought back yet again for another season. It wouldn't be the same without Lucille Bluth, and there's no way they could replace Walter.
That makes it disappointing then that Season 5 is what fans are left with as a final season. Season 4 was seen as something of a step-down from the classic first three seasons, but at least 4 got better as it went along, and ended up being a good season in its own right. But the fifth season just felt off, like the writers and cast didn't have the same passion for it anymore. New viewers of the show would be wise to step off at either the end of Season 3 or 4.
‘Sons of Anarchy’ (2008-2014)
The biker crime drama Sons of Anarchy was never a great show, but it was fun for a while. The first three seasons were quite good, but the show did feel like it extended itself a little too long, with a drawn-out and sluggish last few seasons.
The finale didn't represent a nosedive in terms of quality, but it didn't really redeem much. Like the lesser seasons of the show, it was overlong, melodramatic, and too dour and downbeat to keep anyone but the most devoted fans engaged. And killing off some main characters is a great way to add drama, but when a show knocks off about 90% of its cast by the final episode? It's difficult to not emotionally check out by that point.
‘Neon Genesis Evangelion’ (1995-1996)
Arguably the most notorious anime series ending of all time, Neon Genesis Evangelion would even go on to have another equally daring and controversial ending with the movie End of Evangelion, before officially ending in a slightly cleaner and more emotional fashion with 2021's Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time.
While there were budgetary reasons for the show narrowing its scale in its finale (and it made some sense to make it take place in the protagonist's head, given the psychological focus of the show), it still was a slightly disappointing finale. It leaves a lot of questions to be answered, and while its ambition is thrilling in its own way, it doesn't fully end the story that came before in the most satisfying of ways.
‘The Office’ (2005-2013)
The US version of The Office technically has a perfectly fine finale. It gives solid closure to all the characters and has the kind of funny and heartwarming moments fans would hope for. By itself, it's hard to truly fault, even if it's not the most amazing finale.
The problem is more the last two seasons a viewer has to get through to get there, which are oftentimes rough. And there's also the fact that ending either right after Jim (John Krasinski) and Pam's (Jenna Fischer) wedding, or right after Michael Scott (Steve Carell) leaves Dunder Mifflin, would make for a better and more fitting conclusion and can be watched without needing to endure The Office's eighth and ninth seasons. Quality-wise, they're unfortunately far below what came before.
‘Breaking Bad’ (2008-2013)
Breaking Bad's final episode, Felina, is actually very, very good. It wraps up Walter White's (Bryan Cranston) storyline and brings closure to all the other main characters. It's satisfying to a fault, maybe even being a little too clean. As a result, it lacks the unpredictability and boldness of Breaking Bad at its best.
It's admittedly a petty complaint to say something is too clean or satisfying, but nine years on, the Breaking Bad finale hasn't quite endured in the same way as other game-changing TV finales have (like Six Feet Under or The Sopranos). Still, it hardly makes the show as a whole worth avoiding; more that it robs a great show of having an equally great ending, and gives it a "merely" very good one instead.