10 TV Shows That Went One Season Too Long

24's original run concluded in its eighth season, and though the show was absolutely far past its peak by that point, it nevertheless gave Jack Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland) a fittingly ambiguous send-off as he went on the run from both the Russian and American governments.

Four years later, 24 was resurrected for a truncated, London-set half-season, Live Another Day, which dusted Bauer off for a wholly unnecessary final batch of 12 episodes.

Though Live Another Day boasted some strong character development for President Heller (William Devane), we got to see Chloe (Mary Lynn Rajskub) go all Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, and Stephen Fry even made a cameo as the British PM (if only we were so lucky), it ultimately paved the road for a depressing final send-off for Bauer.

Live Another Day's finale sees Jack surrender himself to the Russian authorities in exchange for Chloe's freedom, seemingly confining Jack to a lifetime of torture if not death at the hands of the Ruskies.

For a character who has suffered so much, it just felt a step too miserable, and underlined how totally unnecessary Live Another Day was, despite some of its dramatic merits.

Season 8's ending for Jack, of him disappearing into the void as an anonymous nomad firm in the knowledge that his family was safe, was far more satisfying.

And no, let's not even talk about that atrocious spin-off, 24: Legacy.