10 TV Show Endings That Get Better The More You Think About Them
3. Angel - Not Fade Away
The moody spin-off to Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel was always a show about conflict, following the eponymous vampire as he battles for his soul by doing good deeds that may help him atone his sins.
The show's epic season five finale, Not Fade Away, puts these themes of atonement and good versus evil front-and-centre, as Angel and his team band together one last time to defeat the amassing armies of Hell and prevent yet another Apocalypse.
In a brilliant moment of subverting expectations, though, the show cuts to black before the final battle, a cliffhanger that left many fans bitter considering they already knew this was the last episode they'd see. But when you consider the themes of the series, this shock end couldn't be more perfect.
As the rest of the show explores, the fight is never over for Angel and co. There will always be evil to face, and they'll always be there to face it. Another season would've been nice, but Not Fade Away's decision to cut away from the final fight makes for a poignant finale nonetheless, perfectly capturing the essence of the show.