10 TV Show Finales That Totally Divided Fanbases

10. M*A*S*H*

Despite culminating all the way back in 1983, the oldest entry on our list also - at the date of writing - the most viewed finale in television history. Retaining an immensely tight grip on the record after accumulating over 105 million viewers.

So, with an accolade as impressive as that, why is it present on a list like this?

Although M*A*S*H* wasn't always the most pleasurable viewing, considering its lack of derision instead of complete seriousness for the most part, as well as the narrative literally revolving around an ongoing war, the finale, compared to even the most tumultuous storylines within the series canon, was distressing beyond comprehension.

Ramping the authenticity levels all the way to the sincerely gut-wrenchingly realistic depiction of war's aftermath, the finale focuses on Hawkeye and his platoon suffering exponentially from a variety of physical and mental iniquities, with PTSD being the most prominent.

Logically, this is a perfect - if most bittersweet - way to bring the events of a series about the totalitarian horrors of war, but the aftereffects likely stayed with viewers as much as they did with the characters long after turning the dial on their television set.