5 TV Cliffhangers That Had Terrible Resolutions

Viewers waited too long for these resolutions to be screwed over like this...

The subject of the best television cliffhangers of all time is a frequent topic of online discussion. Fans and critics alike remember episodes that have become television touchstones because of their dramatic final scenes, followed by the chilling promise, "To Be Continued..." The advertising slogan used to promote the cliffhanger of Dallas' third season, "A House Divided," is probably more entrenched in the public consciousness than any of the episode's actual story (the tagline, of course, being, "Who Shot JR?"). Likewise, the subject of television shows which were cancelled on a cliffhanger ending rather than a conclusive finale has also been a frequent topic of online discussion. Farscape fans still smart from the blow of "Bad Timings," which promised a continuation in the face of cancellation, even though the series ultimately received a miniseries wrapping things up. Less discussed, however, has been the subject of cliffhangers that ultimately had terrible resolutions. Anyone who watches television €“ unless they are supremely discriminating €“ has probably seen an example of this. Viewers wait for an entire summer (or longer) only to find out that the writers of their show of choice couldn't care less over the cliffhanger they used to string you along over the hiatus. Take a look as we examine five of the worst cliffhanger resolutions in television history.
Contributor
Contributor

Michael is one of the founders of FACT TREK (www.facttrek.com), a project dedicated to untangling 50+ years of mythology about the original Star Trek and its place in TV history. He currently is the Director of Sales and Digital Commerce at Shout! Factory, where he has worked since 2014. From 2013-2018, he ran the popular Star Trek Fact Check blog (www.startrekfactcheck.blogspot.com).