12 Sci-Fi TV Shows Let Down By Terrible Endings

Both the original eighties iteration of alien invasion miniseries V and the more recent 2009 reboot of the same property suffered from abortive early endings as their parent networks decided to jump ship rather than fund another season which might have actually—shock horror—provided some clarity and closure for fans.

However the 2009 reboot of the franchise is the one we’re spotlighting because of its unfortunate trajectory being a perfect example of “good show, awful ending” issue which seems to plague so much sci-fi TV. Whilst the first season of the show was a taut, tense, and surprisingly dark take on the material as the villainous V took their time seizing control of earth from under unsuspecting human noses, the second season began to delve into oddly existential questions to its detriment.

The show meandered through an interminable subplot in which the V unsuccessfully attempted to extract a human soul (seriously), only for the ending to suddenly off half the cast and reveal that the V were indeed unstoppable and their takeover of earth was an inevitability. The twist struck a low note with frustrated viewers, many of whom were relieved to hear the show wouldn’t return for another season.