5 TV Cliffhangers That Had Terrible Resolutions

2. 24, "Day 2: 7:00 a.m. €“ 8:00 a.m."

Plot Summary: In the season two finale, the United States is on the brink of war with several Middle Eastern countries. Bombers are already on their way; once their payloads are released, the world will be in the middle of a global conflict. President Palmer wants to cancel the attack, but he has been removed from office, and the Vice President will only agree to turn the planes around if the evidence implicating the three Middle Eastern countries in question can be disproven. Jack Bauer €“ with the help of Sherry Palmer, the President's ex-wife €“ successfully record a confession from one of the conspirators, and the planes are called off at the last minute. President Palmer is reinstated, and he attends a news conference in downtown Los Angeles. The Cliffhanger: Max, one of the conspirators, makes a phone call to Mandy, an assassin last seen in season one. He tells her, "It's me. Go Ahead." At the press conference, Palmer makes a short speech, and then begins shaking the hands of the crowd. One of the people in the crowd is Mandy, who shakes his hand. Afterwards, she calls Max and tells him, "It's done." After a few moments, Palmer feels dizzy, and looks down at his hand. It's...bubbling. The president collapses and the people go into a panic. The only sounds heard over the episode's final clock are Palmer's heartbeat and his voice, gasping for air. The Resolution: Season three jumps ahead three years after the assassination attempt on Palmer's life. Wayne Palmer, the President's brother and now his chief of staff, briefly mentions that the men who tried to assassinate him were brought to justice. Palmer now has a scar on his hand and arm, but the assassination attempt on his life and the connected plot to launch the United States into a global war is never mentioned again. The Backstory: Critics and especially fans complained loudly about the producer's decision to ignore the season two cliffhanger. Eventually, the plot of the 24 videogame was written to take place between seasons two and three and resolve these loose ends, but this was too little, too late. 24 had already set a precedent for abandoning plot threads €“ even major ones €“ whenever the producers felt like it. As a result, the series was never as good as it was during seasons one and two.