7 TV Finales That Pissed Off The Fans
4. The Sopranos: The Screen Goes Black
The Sopranos ran for six stellar season, never dipping in quality throughout its life, but it did hit viewers with a suckerpunch right at the end.
There were many potential outcomes from protagonist Tony Soprano. Would he die, go on the run, or end up behind bars? All of these possibilities were teased while the series was on the air, but endings are apparently beneath creator David Chase.
Rather than complete the story in a traditional fashion - which is good enough for most shows - Chase abruptly served viewers with a jet black screen. Some thought their cable boxes had malfunctioned, while many of those who cottoned on to the stunt were annoyed by the prospect of having to work things out for themselves.
The popular consensus is that Tony was shot in the back of the head in the diner, but why go all weird and avant-garde at the end? The Sopranos is a traditional gangster show for the most part, albeit one with great depth and many layers, so this felt like a jarring shift that came out of nowhere.
Although there are fans and critics out there who loved the way Chase whacked convention right at the end, there's an argument to say The Sopranos should have had an actual ending.