Whether we're huge television watchers or not, most of us have at least one television show that we've really enjoyed.
And all too often, the show ends long before we're ready for that final episode, and we dream of a reunion episode or encore season.
Redditor Putrid_Cry19 asked:
"Which canceled TV show deserved another season?"
Anne with an E
"Anne with an E."
- Unusual-Neck9547
"Three seasons, and just when Gilbert and Anne realize their feelings, it gets canceled. Excuse me, what?!"
- thesnoodlee
"Especially when you have so much source material to work with. Heck, the old adaptation went along with an older Anne and followed her life."
- No_Eyed_Dear
The Black Donnellys
"The Black Donnellys."
- Lookslikeseen
"Did they even get a complete first season? That show was canceled 15 years ago, and I’m still mad about it!! The cast was amazing and all of them fit perfectly in their roles. The story was intriguing. I can’t figure out why it ended so abruptly."
- mandyama
"I always scroll far enough down on these posts until I find 'The Black Donnellys.' F**king great show and I was glad they at least put the final episodes online. They were pulled from TV mid-season and I remember just being really bummed it wasn't on."
- GrimwoldMcTheesbyIV
Lodge 49
"'Lodge 49:' it was the dose of weirdness, reality-bending metaphysics, philosophy, blue-collar camaraderie, and kindness I needed weekly. Great cast, great cameos."
"I guess AMC needed the empty slot so they could have more 'Walking Dead' spinoffs or shows where people talk about the previous show they just aired."
- AdamInvader
The Last Kingdom
"'The Last Kingdom.' They had to rush through so much in Season 5 that it overwhelms you, although it still manages to give a great send-off to the series. F**king Netflix canceling great shows but keeps renewing 'Big Mouth,' lol (laughing out loud)."
"Highly recommend 'The Last Kingdom' if anyone hasn't watched it."
- OneThicBoii
Sense8
"'Sense8.' The writers convinced Netflix to do a special series ending episode but it didn't do the show justice. You could tell it was a rushed ending. One more season and it could have been much better paced."
"If I remember correctly, the reason it was canceled was that it was extremely expensive to make."
- Interjessing-Salary
Stargate Universe
"Stargate Universe."
- Ulkrum
"I was hoping I'd see someone else say 'SGU.' I really did enjoy it, different from SG1 and SGA, but I was enjoying it. Really want to know what happened to Eli after everyone else went to sleep for a bit. Like come on, it's like Schrodinger's cat! I need to know."
- Mad-Ma84
"They literally left this show with the ability to pick it up again."
"S4 episode 1: Eli wakes everyone up from their Cyro sleep. Due to whatever mechanical failure or attack, these pods didn’t work and these characters have been killed off, some of them aged."
"Stargate opens up and new characters board the Destiny."
- Jon_F**kin_Snow
"And someone brings Eli a clean shirt. But just one."
- MrVeazey
The Tick
"The Tick."
- dreadrabbit1
"I agree. And it doesn't matter which version you're talking about, the answer is yes, that version deserved another season."
- Funandgeeky
The Punisher
"The Punisher, with Jon Bernthal."
- xXxLordViperScorpion
"Absolutely hands down! He was crazy good in it."
- MessagefromA
Carnivale
"'Carnivale.' I loved the world that was built in that show."
- m0rris0n_hotel
"This is one that gets me. Thanks for nothing, Management."
- the_murders_of_crowe
"This was the show I came looking for. I think the show creator had three more seasons lined up."
- coolmike69420
The Mick
"The Mick."
- Full-Ask3638
"I said the same!! I love that show."
- No-Teacher9713
"I came here to say this. That show was hilarious. As a Sunny fan, it was great to see Kaitlin Olson take even more of a lead role, and really helped me appreciate what she brought to the show. I was so bummed it got canceled."
- Childish_Calrissian
1899
"1899."
- TheGreyPotato
"I remember when everyone thought it wouldn't get canceled just because 'Dark' was allowed to be fully completed."
"'1899' had so much potential, especially after the ending scene of the Season One finale. Such a shame."
- HahaLookyHere
Santa Clarita Diet
"I'm still salty about 'Santa Clarita Diet' being canceled. I need to see what's next for Joel!"
- lemonjelly88
"Netflix: You should watch Santa Clarita Diet. You really should. You really, really should. Here are 15 gajillion recommendations!"
"Me: Okay, fine! ...Hey, this is really good. When's the next season coming out?"
"Netflix: Oh, we canceled that."
- GarbledReverie
"I love how well Timothy Olyphant portrays a man who's on the edge of a complete breakdown whilst Drew Barrymore is living her best life. Such a great show."
- unluckypig
"One of my all-time favorite shows. I will never forgive Netflix for robbing us of seeing what happens to zombie Joel."
"Timothy Olyphant and Drew Barrymore's chemistry was so on point. This show made me realize what kind of a relationship I want with my spouse, lol (laughing out loud). They were the best 'relationship goals' I've ever seen on TV!"
- thathunzygirl
"This is my answer for every single AskReddit post that asks about canceled TV shows. I will never freaking forgive Netflix for canceling 'Santa Clarita.'"
- spooteeespoothead
My Name Is Earl
"'My Name is Earl.'"
- ftran998
"Greg Garcia did an AMA where he shared how he envisioned the ending:"
"'I had always had an ending to 'Earl,' and I’m sorry I didn’t get the chance to see it happen. You’ve got a show about a guy with a list, so not seeing him finish it is a bummer. But the truth is, he wasn’t ever going to finish the list.'"
"'The basic idea of the ending was that while he was stuck on a really hard list item, he was going to start to get frustrated that he was never going to finish it. Then he runs into someone who had a list of their own, and Earl was on it. They needed to make up for something bad they had done to Earl. He asks them where they got the idea of making a list, and they tell him that someone came to them with a list and that person got the idea from someone else...'"
"'Earl eventually realizes that his list started a chain reaction of people with lists and that he’s finally put more good into the world than bad. So at that point, he was going to tear up his list and go live his life. Walk into the sunset a free man. With good karma.'"
- edlee98765
"Oh wow, that's such a good wrap-up for the show that even just reading it feels like some solid closure. Wish it had gotten made, but it's the perfect capstone for the series."
- l3rn
The Last Man on Earth
"'The Last Man on Earth.'"
- Historical_Ad2890
"I f**king loved this show. I get that the style of humor and awkwardness wasn’t for everyone, but godd**n, this show made me laugh more than most shows do."
- The_Number_None
"I need closure closure closure."
- Klutzy-Addition5003
The Dirk Gentlys Holistic Detective Agency
"Dirk Gentlys Holistic Detective Agency."
"A lot of people didn't like the 2nd season, which is completely fair. It's hard to live up to the expectations of such a solid first season."
"The reason I personally would like a 3rd season is that the cliffhanger is so. d**n. tasty. Also, I want more Rowdy 3 (6?), Alan Tudyk, and Tyler Labine."
"I recognize that it deviates completely from the source material, and I understand why a lot of people are upset by that. There are a lot of examples where I hated the adaptation (looking at you, 'World War Z'), but I personally believe this is a perfect example of how you take inspiration and run with it."
"A dark, gritty version where Dirk was the fat slob the books described him as might also be fantastic, and I'd probably watch the shit out of it."
"However, I think this adaptation captures the whimsical nonsense of Douglas Adam's writing perfectly, and I'm ok with it. It's just a shame that the show was attached to such a scumbag. Otherwise, we might have seen that third season that gave us all the answers they teased."
- GrownThenBrewed
"That show is still my absolute favorite."
"With absolute bangers like:"
"'The Rowdy Three!'"
"'But there are four of them!'"
"'I'm WILDLY aware.'"
"They captured Douglas Adams's whimsical nonsense so perfectly in that show."
"I feel like the second series went completely off the rails, but I still loved it."
- Conductor_Cat
"This was so gloriously, bizarrely brilliant. It was completely different from the (excellent) books, but it took on some of the core ideas and added a bunch of its own, then ran with them in multiple directions all at once."
"It was a joy to watch and made me feel an almost childlike wonder. It surprised and delighted me; a modern-day fairy-tale for grown-ups. Gutted me when it was canceled."
- wretched_cretin
Teen Titans
"This may seem a bit childish, but Teen Titans. The original one from 2003."
- Sadblackcat666
"It’s a bummer because every character got one season where they were the focus of the ongoing plot. Season One was Robin, Season Two was Terra, Season Three was Cyborg, Season Four was Raven, and Season Five was Beast Boy."
"It was set up perfectly to have a sixth season focused on Starfire and we never got it."
- JRBehr
"I rewatched the whole series fairly recently. It really was such a unique show for the time. I remember seeing reruns on Boomerang after the series had finished airing on CN. It's unfortunate that they no longer air anything from the original series or movie."
"Season Five absolutely ended in a way that demanded something more, and the movie did not scratch that itch."
- ChrisTheKnight03
This is a great reminder of how entertainment can bring people together, first as a fandom and later for the nostalgia.
And there are quality selections here that absolutely should have gotten more time, and deserve a watch from those who haven't seen these shows before.
Perhaps the main thing that keeps people returning to their favorite tv shows is the characters.
Be it heroes we love to see in action, the villains who we love to hate, or the friend group we wish we were a part of, nothing brings people greater joy than being part of their world for 30 minutes to an hour each week, or devoting an afternoon to bingeing.
Indeed, it's often the family shows people tend to resonate with the most, sometimes wishing their family could be more like what they see on television.
Particularly when it comes to fathers.
Be it a carefree, fun-loving goofball like Modern Family's Phil Dunphy or a sensitive neat freak like Full House's Danny Tanner, TV dads have earned a special place in the hearts of viewers.
"Who is the best TV dad?"
Man's Best Friend, And Everyone's Favorite Dad!
"Bandit Heeler."- AlisonSandraGator
The Father Will Was Always Missing
"Uncle Phil."- Sagranda
"Uncle Phil."- N7-Rogue-Spectre
fresh prince of bel air uncle phil GIF by Nick At NiteGiphyAs Wise As He Is Kind
"Uncle Iroh."
“'I was never angry with you. I was sad, because I was afraid you had lost your way'."- briareus08
Determined To Take Over The Tri-State Area!
"Dr. Heinz Doofenshmirtz."
"Sure, he's evil, but he loves his daughter."
"He will spend decades hunting down a rare doll just because she once said that she wanted it."
"He'll also zap an older guy into another dimension for hitting on her."- TechyDad
Creepy, Cooky, Mysetrious, Spooky, And One Great Dad!
"Gomez Addams."- Back2Bach
"Gomez Addams from the original 'Addams Family' show."
"A devoted and passionate spouse."
"A loving and supportive father."
"Cheerful, creative and energetic."
"Never a bad word for anyone that I can recall."- ElectricHelicoid
GiphyThe Burgers Are An Added Bonus
"Bob Belcher."- International-Roll27
Realtor/Magician Extrodinaire!
"Phil Dunphy."- OakNogg
A Great Father In Any Galaxy
"Commander Adama."
"He would have stayed in that system forever to find his son." - Reddit
A Great Dad Before He Started Breaking Bad
"Hal from 'Malcolm in the Middle'."- PrincessBambi_2000
malcolm in the middle ifc GIFGiphySuch A Great Dad, He Became The Main Character!
"Dan Conner."
"He gained so much respect from me when he stood up for Jackie when her boyfriend beat her."
"Plus, I just really love John Goodman."- daddyspader
Veronica's Source Of Inspiration
"Keith Mars from 'Veronica Mars'."- procrastinatorsuprem
Boldly Going Where No Dad Has Gone Before
"Captain Ben Sisko."- WARMASTER5000
Everyone's Favorite Whistling Sheriff
"'Andy Griffith'."
"Opie Tayler would never have turned into such a great kid without his Pa."- AtheneSchmidt
Andy Griffith GIFGiphyNo one can choose their parents, and thankfully, most people feel lucky with the parents they were given.
But every now and then, who doesn't wish their father was a joy inducing blue Dingo?
How many times have you sat down to binge-watch the show the world has been talking about where the hype is off the charts?
Then 20 minutes in you're re-evaluating your choices in friends.
To say some TV shows have been overrated is an understatement.
My list is long, but Reddit also had a lot to say.
Redditor Marambal17 wanted hear about which television shows left viewers feeling empty, so they asked:
"What's the most overrated TV series of all time?"
I still don't get the love for 'The Big Bang Theory.'
I'm lost.
YUCK
Mood Riverdale GIF by Netflix PhilippinesGiphy"Riverdale... holy s**t it sucks."
kyybby
"To be fair, I feel like most people at this point watch that show to see what nonsense the writers come up with."
No_Aioli_6364
Meredith Who?
"Grey’s Anatomy… I mean how many series did they milk out of the show?"
Cometqueen
"Yeah, I stopped watching after Sandra Oh left."
GingerSchnapps3
"The first few seasons were borderline masterpieces. Very well structured, with developed, likeable characters, intersecting storylines, tense drama, comedic output, handling of evolving romance, and a phenomenal soundtrack. That’s where most of the acclaim comes from."
RobotYoshimis
I hate shows like this...
"The Curse of Oak Island. They build up the conclusion of each episode so much with conjecture and folklore to excite you, only for the outcome to be very minimal and unimpressive. Holy s**t? A piece of wood from 1704??? WE ARE FINDING THE TREASURE TOMORROW."
Hinkhall27
"I hate shows like this, and that Bigfoot show, because if they’d found anything in real life, it would have already made international news, so watching these types of shows is absolutely pointless. On a side note, I would absolutely kill to know why and how The Money Pit was made."
Beckyd123
Phonies
"Those stupid real life drama shows on MTV. They have to be staged! 'Hey baby, do you want to star on this MTV show with me to find out if Im cheating?" No freaking way they are real."
wolf805
"They’re not. People get paid to be on them."
"Source: My sister and her bf got approached at a mall and offered $1000 to be on the one where your parents hate your bf so you go on a date with three new guys and you get to choose a new guy or your old one. They didn’t do it."
misskissholder
Go Away
Dragon GIF by The Masked SingerGiphy"The Masked Singer."
TheEmbarcadero
"Everytime a commercial comes on for it I pause and go 'How the f**k is that still on the air, who watches that garbage!?'"
ComplexPackage117
I go back and forth with this show.
But my patience is running thin.
Oh Grandma
days of our lives tango GIFGiphy"The longest running show, THIS IS THE DAYS OF OUR LIVES."
Then_Collar2208
"It's just 'Days of our Lives' and the catchline is 'Like sands through the hourglass so are the days of our lives.'"
"Yes, I had a grandma who watched it daily."
9966
This is not love...
"The Bachelor and Bachelorette."
xNED37x
"An important part of this conversation is the community and media that surrounds these shows: the podcasts, the discussions with friends, watch parties, Instagram drama, or just watching together with a consistent group. My wife is a full Bachelor series watcher."
"But I get the sense that a big part of it is being able to connect with her friends and plug into comforting routines like listening to Bachelor podcasts on her morning run. I occasionally will watch an episode with her, and an episode here or there can be entertaining, but it is everything around the show that makes it a success."
robinhoodlum
Talentless
"The Got Talent. All you gotta do is make up a story about how your dead granny used to love that song and you are doing that to pay a homage to her, yadda yadda yadda, golden buzzer, yay you won, big surprise."
PensadorDispensado
"I used to really like the show, and watching people who have put forward the kind of effort to master their craft. Now days, I can't stand to watch it. Why do I need to find out you lived in an impoverished shack with three diabetic donkeys and an abusive chihuahua to enjoy your close up magic?"
TheUnbeliever
Just Die Already
"Sorry but I absolutely hate The Walking Dead. The way they stretch the storyline, and add what I call music videos that usually start when one character says to another: let’s go back to the store! And they go through the woods avoiding zombies, so cool! I was done somewhere around season 3."
neoquijote
Stop Crying
Season 3 Nbc GIF by This Is UsGiphy"This is Us. Just come up with one take of woe after another then play sappy piano music."
WWDB
"Trauma porn."
Annie_Mous
Some of the biggest issues with these shows are them not bowing out sooner.
Know when to go.
More often than not, what keeps us tuning into a TV show week after week, or in one lengthy binge, are the characters.
Indeed, who wasn't filled with joy to get that iconic side-eye from Fleabag, being serenaded by Friends' Phoebe Buffay, or wish that Grey's Anatomy's Meredith Grey come to their rescue one day?
Not all characters are so innately loveable, however.
Indeed, sometimes we watch a show in spite of the presence of certain characters, and that's only if they aren't so unbearably annoying that watching their show seems an unbearable chore.
And we're not talking about villains or antagonists here.
Indeed, these are the main, sometimes title characters, who are often the biggest liability of their respective series.
"Who is the most annoying character in the history of television?"
Can't She Keep Her Hands To Herself?!?
"Didi from 'Dexter’s Laboratory'."- SeaworthinessHairy12
Shameless-ly Annoying
"Debbie Gallagher."- asialovesye
[Insert Tasteless Mafia Joke]
"Janice Soprano."- CALiSpeed2·
More Like Scrappy Don't!
"Scrappy Doo."- Libra_Zebra
Her Presence Was Anything but Glee-ful
"Rachel Berry from 'Glee'."- Substantial_Wish_182
Shocked Lea Michele GIFGiphyHow To Make An Infamously Annoying Character Even More Annoying?
"Jakovasaur."- daddios_amigos
Reality Can Be Far More Unpleasant Than Fiction...
"Any Kardashian."- User avatarlevel 1z____ro
"Kim Kardashian."- Aromatic_Ad8890
Kim Kardashian GIF by E!GiphyJust Keep On Walking...
"Lori Grimes ('Walking Dead')."- LaReinaTormenta
To Think He Was Meant To Make A One-Off Appearance...
"Urkel."- mikeyeah17
His Name Says It All...
"Buzz Killington."- Boston_Strong_CQB241
Those Curls Didn't Fool Anyone...
"Nellie Olson."- Elliebell1024
little house on the prairie 70s tv GIF by absurdnoiseGiphySeriously, Who Would Cheat on Aiden With Big?!?!?!
"Carrie Bradshaw!"- DarkDaysintheSunCity
No One Wants House Calls From Them...
"Dr Phil or Dr Oz."- JacksEmptyWallet
Some shows have writing strong enough to make you overlook characters who border on insufferable.
Other times, one can't help but scratch their heads at the popularity of certain shows with their utterly repelling main characters.
Seriously, did anyone find Rachel Berry remotely likable?
TV audiences put a lot of pressure on screenwriters to pen the perfect ending to a series, and it's no surprise.
Dedicated viewers have invested their limited time season after season watching their favorite characters evolve and overcome any hardships thrown their way.
Writers owe it to fans to close out the show that's kept them on the payroll in a respectful manner.
A perfect example of one of the best TV series finales is HBO's Six Feet Under, where all the main characters got the proper send-off in a poignant manner to give fans a sense of closure.
But not all series have achieved this benchmark so effectively.
Curious to hear examples from disappointed TV viewers, Redditor AbelNB asked:
"What TV Show had the worst ending?"
FYI: Spoiler alerts that can actually help prevent you from wasting your time.
These fantasy shows were way beyond the realm of being plausible.
Hocus Pocus
"Merlin has a pretty horrible ending. Seasons 4 and 5 really felt like the show was beginning to be something special and then it just ends."
– jamers_the_great
Puppet Alien
"Nobody will remember this, but the correct answer is ALF."
"It was supposed to be a cliff hanger, but the show got cancelled, and they ended the series with ALF being captured and taken away to be disected. GOOD NIGHT KIDS!"
– Fritzo2162
End Of The Race
"Dinosaurs ended on a mass extinction event caused by the dad or something. GOOD NIGHT KIDS!"
– MelQMaid
Defeated
"Xena:Warrior Princess."
"20 years later and I am still pissed off."
– EfficientDismal
These TV viewers were left with unresolved plot lines.
Classified Bummer
"X-Files."
"Tried to tie several story arcs together that directly contradicted one another and did it with a clip show."
– Thegerman959
Closure From A Different Show
"Like Quantum Leap, My Name Is Earl ended on a cliffhanger which was cancelled soon after S4 . The only resolution given was on the first episode of Greg Garcia's next project Raising Hope where a TV news broadcast in the background said a man in Camden County completed his list."
"NBC had a knack for making bonehead decisions..."
– Final-Ad-2033
House Of Cards
"Should have ended when he got the presidency. It was all weak after that - Frank had a goal in the first few seasons, it's what drove him. Then he gets it, and his motivation is just... keeping what he has."
"Perfect end scene was when he did his signature knock on the president's desk. Cut to black. End show."
– SeraphStarchild
This Bombed
"Jericho. That show had so much potential and they just loosely wrapped it up leaving me very unfulfilled with no conclusion or closure."
– iamkylo214
Ambitious shows have a tendency of not delivering at the end.
"Heroes. God the writer's strike really had that show go wildly off the rails."
– RozRae
Pretty Little Mess
"Pretty little liars, the creator never even knew how it would end. I hate that show because it was great for the first maybe 2 seasons then just terrible from then on."
– Weirdo_trans_guy
Schlock Holmes
"BBC Sherlock"
"The whole reason I loved that show was the mystery being explained by cold hard logic and the powers of observation. The entire last season was basically Sherlock sister has mind control which takes effect within seconds. Total BS and I hate it. That was my favourite tv series of all time and I felt physically ill when they just murdered the whole season like that."
– benawen
I held off on watching Game of Thrones because I didn't want to give in to the hype.
After hearing so many fans gripe about the disappointing series finale, I'm glad I didn't waste my time.
But I wonder, is the journey still worth the commitment, even if the destination leaves you feeling all dressed up and nowhere to go?