8 Cheapest Season Finale Cliffhangers In TV History

6. Supernatural - Sam's Back (Again)

Supernatural Season 5
The CW

The Season 5 finale of Supernatural was very clearly supposed to be a series finale. Original creator Eric Kripke had been building up to this episode for five year, and his long-touted "five-season plan" would close out the show as he intended. The only problem? The CW had already renewed the horror show for another year.

The finale itself was still pretty epic, featuring a showdown with Satan, Sam sacrificing himself to save the world and some semblance of a normal life for Dean. Everything was wrapped up; for once, Supernatural was given closure.

Well, until the final stinger, which showed Sam back on Earth, seemingly alive and peering on Dean's new domestic bliss with a sinister grin.

Supernatural has had an issue with killing characters and bringing them back in a way that completely undermines any lasting consequences of the story for years, but this was almost to the point of parody. Barely five minutes of screen time passed between Sam's ultimate, emotional sacrifice and him showing up again.

It was intended to get fans wondering how and why he was back, but most people were simply left pondering why the writers were unable to let any dramatic moment linger for more than a second.

[Josh]

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Josh has over 11 years of experience as a published writer, having worked nine of those years as a full-time content producer at WhatCulture. In that period he has created hundreds of articles, videos and podcast episodes for multiple WhatCulture channels, specialising in gaming, horror and film & TV. He now primarily works as a senior content producer and presenter on WhatCulture Gaming where he co-hosts the WhatCulture Gaming Podcast, a top 3 UK most listened to gaming podcast that he co-created in 2018. Over the years he has reviewed several high-profile gaming releases, covered industry events with on-site reporting, opined on breaking news, and even kicked off his interviewing career by chatting to childhood hero, Tommy Wiseau.

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NCTJ-qualified journalist. Most definitely not a racing driver. Drink too much tea; eat too much peanut butter; watch too much TV. Sadly only the latter paying off so far. A mix of wise-old man in a young man's body with a child-like wonder about him and a great otherworldly sensibility.