Certain TV shows had unbelievably dark endings that left us shocked long after the credits rolled. Some ofthe most important TV shows of all timethrew audiences off by wrapping up their respective titles with an unexpected and shocking change in tone, regardless of the story or genre.
Dark endings aren’t limited to dramas or thrillers, of course. Many ofthe most satisfying sitcom finalesin TV history are also haunting, and they’re even more impactful because they don’t reflect the overall atmosphere of the show. Whether they’re incrediblysad TV show endingsor are simply messed-up and unsettling,many TV conclusions are memorable for several reasons.
7Breaking Bad
Season 5, Episode 16 - “Felina”
WhileBreaking Bad’s finalewas expected to be tragic, especially considering the subject matter, it’s still jarring how dark it is. In “Felina,”Walter White’s actions finally catch up to him after five seasons of evading the law,breaking the hearts of his family, and being responsible for several people’s deaths.
The finale does a fantastic job of wrapping upBreaking Bad’s story,but many find the image of Walt’s body on the ground and the very last shot of Jesse screaming as he escapes etched into their minds after finishing the episode.
It’s great that Walt finally admitswhatBreaking Badis really about, and he confirms to Skyler that it was never really about the family, despite his claims.Walt gives Skyler a lottery ticket with the coordinates of Hank’s body,and this moment is particularly unnerving, as there are plenty of other ways he could’ve helped his wife to negotiate with the police.
6How I Met Your Mother
Season 9, Episode 24 - “Last Forever, Part 2”
How I Met Your Mother’s controversial endingis one that audiences still talk about to this day. Althoughthere are hints that the Mother dies throughout the show,a lot of viewers fail to pick up on them until it’s too late, and their hearts have been broken after seeing “Last Forever, Part 2.”
After a long 9-season journey,How I Met Your Motherthrew audiences off by revealing that Tracy had died long before Ted began his storyto their children. It’s awful, especially as a lot of the last season is dedicated to developing Tracy’s character. However, that isn’t the only dark thing about it. Ted ending up with Robin is very dark, upon reflection.
Barney and Robin’s relationship inHow I Met Your Motheris one that audiences are massively rooting for by the end of the show, andit’s shocking that after only a few years of marriage, the pair call it quits.Robin’s later breakdown as she realizes what she’s missed out on with Ted, paired with Barney’s sleazy behaviour yet again, is rather dark, too.
5Veep
Season 7, Episode 7 - “Veep”
Veep’s series finaleshifts the tone of the show greatly, and it’s rather unusual how dark it is.The aptly titled finale, “Veep,” sees Selina finally achieve her dreamsafter she wins the election. However, it comes at a price, something that is very apparent to her, and the shot of her staring ahead as she realizes this is a little haunting.
Selina throws pretty much everyone around her under the bus,including her constituents. She sacrifices same-sex marriage simply to keep her biggest campaign donor happy, and she also fails to live up to her promise of picking Kemi as her Vice President. However, this isn’t even the darkest part ofVeep’s ending.
Veepensures to still provide one last joke before the end, in which the death of Tom Hanks overshadows Selina’s legacy.
The finale later jumps 24 years into the future.The story quickly refocuses on the news coverage of Selina’s funeral,which discusses her rather lackluster single term as the POTUS. This moment reflects on the wild political process behind politics itself, butVeepensures to still provide one last joke before the end, in which the death of Tom Hanks overshadows Selina’s legacy.
4Arrested Development
Season 5, Episode 16 - “The Fallout”
It’s always strange when a comedy has an unexpectedly dark conclusion.Not everything aboutArrested Development’s ending is dark,but two core revelations result in one ofthe best sitcom finale scenes ever. ThroughoutArrested Developmentseason 5, the story primarily focuses on the murder of Lucille Austero, with Buster being the number one suspect.
Buster is adamant he didn’t kill his ex-girlfriend, but at the very end of “The Fallout,” he suddenly admits to the crime after Austero’s body is discovered. It’s baffling, especially considering the complicated narrative throughout the season about whether Buster also killed his grandmother as a child or not. What makes this dark, though, is thatBuster truly has audiences fooled until the last second.
The other dark thing aboutArrested Development’s ending, which occurs over the last few episodes of season 5, is the revelation that Lindsay is Lucille Bluth’s sister, not daughter.Lindsay returns upon learning her biological mother is dead at the end of “The Fallout,”but she seems unfazed that Buster murdered her or that her parents lied, and she has a giggle with Lucille instead.
3St. Elsewhere
Season 6, Episode 22 - “The Last One”
St. Elsewhere’s ending is remembered asTV’s most controversial series finaleever. The show is mainly a typical medical drama, andwhile it has its darker moments across its 8 seasons,St. Elsewhere’s shocking finale plot twist completely redefines its meaning.In the final scene of “The Last One,” it’s revealed that the entire show is the figment of Tommy Westphall’s imagination.
It’s a massive shock to learn that the autistic teenager has simply been daydreaming while looking at a snow globe. What’s so strange about this, however, is thatTommy is a minor character inSt. Elsewhere.As he’s Donald’s son, naturally, he is mentioned in passing, but he only appears in 17 ofSt. Elsewhere’s 137 episodes.
This is a fascinating take on the“it was all a dream” TV show trope, mainly becausethere is now such a thing as the Tommy Westphall shared universe,which suggests over 400 different TV shows come from the character’s mind. What makes this ending even darker, though, is that Mimsie the Cat from the end tag flatlines at the last second.
2The Sopranos
Season 6, Episode 21 - “Made In America”
The Sopranos’ endingis one that the world is still talking about even 17 years later. Afterthe rivalry between the Lupertazzi and the Soprano families reaches its thrilling climax,Tony’s therapy sessions also come to an end. In the last scene of the finale, “Made in America,” Tony waits for his family to join him at the diner.
The vagueness of this ending is what makes it so compelling and memorable.
This tense moment makes audiences believe someone else is joining Tony, a threat who is certain to kill him. However, as the diner door rings and Tony looks up, the screen cuts to black. But the vagueness of this ending is what makes it so compelling and memorable. It was controversial how, after six seasons,The Sopranosdidn’t explicitly show whether or not Tony’s actions caused his downfall.
1Dinosaurs
Season 4, Episode 7 - “Changing Nature”
Dinosaurs’ series finaleis arguably the darkest final episode in TV’s history. The cute and cuddly family sitcom, which follows a family of animatronic dinosaurs, wrapped up after four seasons with a truly harrowing scene.
Dinosaurs’ controversial finale, “Changing Nature,” sees the Sinclair family learn that all plant life in Pangaea has been killed. The characters decide to use bombs on volcanoes to create rain clouds, which will help revive the plants, but instead, they trigger the Ice Age.The Sinclairs stare out the window as the snow falls,in an incredibly tragic moment that depicts their deaths.
“Changing Nature” is the highest-rated episode ofDinosaurson IMDb, with a 9.0/10 rating.
Looking back, this is a really powerful message, but it doesn’t meanDinosaurs’ ending isn’t traumatic to anyone watching,especially children. It’s a strange and unexpected way to finish a generally wholesome TV show, but there’s no doubt that “Changing Nature” leaves an impact on viewers for a long time after.
