5 Disappointing TV Show Endings That Would’ve Been Fixed by an Extra Episode

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The fifth and final season of Netflix’s Stranger Things has finished, bringing the story of the Upside Down and the Hawkins group to an emotional close. The two-hour finale featured a huge battle where the characters finally defeated Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower) and the Mind Flayer. However, the ending proved divisive among viewers, with some criticizing Eleven’s (Millie Bobby Brown) unclear fate and the fact that the main characters seemed to face no lasting consequences. This dissatisfaction sparked a fan-driven conspiracy theory, dubbed “Conformity Gate,” where people searched for hints of a hidden episode. Those who believe the theory suggest the happy ending was a shared illusion caused by a surviving Vecna, pointing to strange details and inconsistencies in the finale as proof that the reality shown wasn’t genuine.

Although the ending of Stranger Things wasn’t universally loved, most people agree the final season looked fantastic, with impressive visuals and high production values. The show delivered the big-budget experience fans wanted, even if some of the story choices were frustrating. Many viewers would welcome an extra episode to address any issues with the ending. It’s a tempting idea, and other shows with controversial finales could have also benefited from an additional episode to clarify the story or make certain events feel more earned.

5) Dexter

The final episode of Dexter ended with the main character, Dexter Morgan (Michael C. Hall), pretending to die in a hurricane and starting a new life in Oregon as a lumberjack. This ending is still widely criticized because it didn’t give viewers a final showdown between Dexter and the coworkers he’d been deceiving for years. An extra episode could have focused on the investigation following the discovery of Dexter’s wrecked boat. Showing detectives Angel Batista (David Zayas) and Joey Quinn (Desmond Harrington) uncovering evidence Dexter left behind – or even security footage of him killing Oliver Saxon (Darri Ingolfsson) – would have offered a sense of closure and justice. This additional hour would have allowed the Miami Metro team to come to terms with Dexter’s betrayal and connect him to his past crimes. Instead of a quiet escape, the story could have explored the fallout of his double life through the eyes of those who had trusted him.

4) The 100

The ending of The 100 sparked a lot of debate because it introduced a powerful alien being, the Judge, who unexpectedly decided whether humanity deserved to live or be turned to crystal. This sudden turn towards the supernatural felt out of place for a show that, for seven seasons, focused on the realistic challenges of surviving a nuclear apocalypse and navigating tribal conflicts. An extra episode could have explored what happened to those who rejected the alien’s offer of transcendence and chose to rebuild their lives in the ruined world. This hour could have shown the practical details of their final days, focusing on how they created a peaceful existence without the threat of war or the hope of a magical afterlife. By focusing on the quieter moments between characters like Murphy and Emori, the show could have better explained their choice to embrace their humanity. Ultimately, an additional episode could have turned the confusing shift into a more meaningful exploration of what it means to be human and the importance of life’s limitations.

3) Killing Eve

The final episode of Killing Eve, “Hello, Losers,” ended with Villanelle (Jodie Comer) unexpectedly being killed shortly after she and Eve Polastri (Sandra Oh) took down the heads of The Twelve. This ending proved controversial, as it fell into the problematic “Bury Your Gays” trope – killing off a queer character right after she experienced happiness and connection. The suddenness of her death felt like a letdown after four seasons of building their relationship. One more episode could have addressed this by showing how Eve coped with the tragedy in the days that followed. Instead of ending on Eve’s scream of pain, an additional hour could have shown her confronting Carolyn Martens (Fiona Shaw) and demanding answers. This would have given viewers a sense of closure and justice that the actual finale lacked.

2) Battlestar Galactica

The final episode of Battlestar Galactica ended with the last humans reaching a young Earth and making the difficult choice to crash their ships into the sun. This decision sparked debate, as the characters gave up all their technology and medical advancements after a four-year struggle to survive. Some critics felt this was a convenient plot device to explain why no evidence of their civilization exists today. An additional episode could have shown the immediate challenges the survivors faced as they tried to build new lives, finding shelter and food without their ships. By highlighting the difficulties – like high death rates and the physical strain on characters such as Lee Adama – the show could have better emphasized the significance of their sacrifice. This extra hour would have helped connect the destruction of their past with the peaceful future they found.

1) Game of Thrones

The ending of Game of Thrones continues to be controversial because it focused more on quickly wrapping up the plot than on staying true to the complex characters and political world it had built over the years. Many viewers and critics felt the jump from Daenerys Targaryen’s death to a peaceful meeting of lords just weeks later didn’t feel earned and diminished the impact of the story. The finale didn’t show the chaos immediately following the battle in King’s Landing, or the challenges of controlling an occupying army like the Unsullied. An extra episode after the finale could have helped make the new situation feel more believable. This episode could have shown Bran Stark trying to rule a broken continent under a new system where leaders are chosen, and how the different regions, especially the newly independent North, adjusted to this change. By showing the struggles of governing, the show could have made the fantastical elements feel more realistic and demonstrated that the sacrifices made during the war led to a stable future, rather than a hasty conclusion.

What TV series finale felt rushed and could have used another episode to wrap things up properly? Share your thoughts in the comments and join the discussion in the ComicBook Forum!

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2026-01-08 21:41