12 Sci-Fi TV Shows Let Down By Terrible Endings

You didn’t think we could possibly forget this one, did you? The Prisoner’s trippy finale was so widely and unforgettably derided that decades later The Simpsons would go on to parody its answer-free mindf*** in the season twelve episode The Computer Wore Menace Shoes—and get original show creator and star Patrick McGoohan to do a quick guest spot, too.

Of course, it wasn’t always that easy for fans to find McGoohan, since the creator went into hiding for weeks after the initial broadcast of The Prisoner’s surreal ending for fear of being tracked down by furious fans.

So, what did the show do to earn such ire? Well, after setting up a strange allegorical village wherein our hero, a British spy, is mysteriously imprisoned, the show’s final chapter saw him escape—only to leave viewers with more questions than before. Involving a massive conspiracy, gorilla masked henchmen with our hero’s face, and a deflating security balloon, the show’s closing scenes were utterly inscrutable and left curious viewers fuming as it became clear that none of the show’s mysteries would be answered any time soon.