10 TV Moments We Waited Years To See (That Didn't Live Up To Expectations)
2. Ted Finishes His Story - How I Met Your Mother
There's no denying that How I Met Your Mother boasted one of the most ingenious hooks of any sitcom ever - in a flash-forward, protagonist Ted Mosby (Josh Radnor) explains to his children how he met their mother, with each episode taking baby steps on Ted's journey to finally meeting The One.
Though the vast majority of the show's episodes ultimately just used the conceit as a neat framing device, fans nevertheless stuck with the show for nine seasons in order to see how Ted's story would finally wrap up.
At the end of season eight, it's finally revealed that Ted's eventual wife is Tracy McConnell (Cristin Milioti), a revelation which was largely well-received by fans...until season nine's final episode unceremoniously trampled all over it.
The series finale blindsided fans with a cruel twist ending, that Tracy actually died of a terminal illness six years before Ted sat down to tell his children this story.
The kids then realise that the story has actually always been about Robin (Cobie Smulders), and promptly encourage their father to pursue her.
Fan reaction to the finale was intensely negative to both the random fridging of Tracy and undeserved romantic pairing of Ted and Robin, such that the producers later released an alternate ending on DVD where Tracy lives and stays happily married to Ted.