No matter how engaged fans might be in a series all the way through, it can be hard for that final episode to please everyone. Many finales have fallen short of the expectations of viewers with some very recent examples, including Game of Thrones.
But while everyone is entitled to their own opinions, there are some Reddit users who are ready to jump to the defense of some much-maligned series finales. In some cases, they find the negative response to just be a little more than the show deserved while others argue that these finales actually made for the ideal ending.
Seinfeld (1989-1998)
Though Seinfeld is a rare example of a show that never seemed to dip in quality, many fans were left disappointed with the finale. The last episode finds the main characters on trial where their endless examples of bad behavior are explored through the eyes of many of the show's supporting characters.
Many found the usually fun and lively show ended on a sour note with the characters going to prison. But Redditor Chamoxil argued that the entire show was about how awful these characters were and the finale was "a perfect, dark ending to that show."
Quantum Leap (1989-1993)
The sci-fi show Quantum Leap introduced an interesting premise as the main character, Sam Beckett, is stuck in the past, "leaping" into the bodies of different people with each new episode. As he attempts to sort out the problems of these people, he hopes that he will eventually return to his own body.
At the end of the last episode, a title card explains that Sam never did return home and was left leaping forever. While the finale could be rewritten in the upcoming Quantum Leap reboot, Redditor OkComputron admitted they "liked the mysteriousness of the episode."
BoJack Horseman (2014-2020)
The animated series BoJack Horseman might have seemed like a silly concept about anamorphic animals working in Hollywood. However, the show ended up addressing a lot of complex and heavy subject matter, mostly surrounding its very flawed titular character.
The finale ended with BoJack and Diane having an honest conversation on a rooftop. Many felt the finale failed to bring closure to a lot of the main character's issues and left too much unresolved. But Redditor Sneezes felt the ending "was fitting and very personal."
Dexter (2006-2013)
The new limited series Dexter: New Blood seems to have been made in part because of the overwhelmingly negative reaction to the original series' finale. The show about the titular serial killer who hunted other killers ended with Dexter sailing out into a hurricane only to be shown living an isolated life as a lumberjack in the final scene.
The final season of the show was largely dismissed by fans and the finale simply capped off the disappointing end. But while RusevReigns acknowledges the issues with the final season, they also defended it as a "fitting conclusion for the characters."
The Wonder Years (1988-1993)
For several seasons, The Wonder Years allowed fans to watch the main character of Kevin grow from a boy into a young man. It was the quintessential coming-of-age show and one of the most popular aspects was the relationship between Kevin and his childhood crush Winnie.
As PvtHudson093 points out, even after all these years some fans are "still are unhappy that Kevin didn't end up with Winnie in the end" as the closing narration explains that they eventually went their own ways. But that didn't stop that particular Redditor from enjoying it.
Battlestar Galactica (2004-2009)
The reboot of Battlestar Galactica was a highly acclaimed sci-fi series that dealt with big ideas within the genre story. It followed the remaining survivors of humanity living in an intergalactic society and searching for a new home.
However, the finale found the heroes discovering Earth with the help of divine powers that operated like a literal deus ex machina. Some fans found the religious overtones of the finale to be heavy-handed but fans like MR_TELEVOID found plenty to like as they admitted they are "still obsessing about it a decade later."
How I Met Your Mother (2005-2014)
Along with offering the typical sitcom laughs and touching moments, How I Met Your Mother also presented an intriguing mystery as to who the mother was. However, many found that the finale betrayed that central love story it had been telling for years.
After the identity of the mother is revealed, it is also revealed that she passed away leaving Ted as a widow. Through the encouragement of his children, he decides to rekindle his romance with Robin. Many fans were unhappy with this development, but Accomplished_Visit24 appreciated that it "didn't go down the typical sitcom happy ending route."
The Sopranos (1999-2007)
Seeing as The Sopranos was a show set within the world of gangsters with more than a few mob hits being carried out, there was understandable tension throughout the finale as to the fate of Tony. But the final scene of the show simply featured Tony and his family eating in a diner and as Tony looks up, the screen suddenly cuts to black.
Many fans initially thought the cable had cut out only to be angered by the ambiguity of the ending. But New_Mycologist_3002 was quite happy with that ending and goes so far as to suggest the "whole final season was building up to that moment."
Game Of Thrones (2011-2019)
Though Game of Thrones was the biggest and most popular show on television for a number of years, the final season of the show left a bad taste with fans. The finale remains the show's lowest-rated episode with many fans criticizing the character decisions and anti-climactic conclusion.
While there are few fans who would call it a perfect ending and most admit the rushed feel of the final season, some feel the story choices make sense. Redditor neighbor-jim simply feels the negativity "was way overblown."
Lost (2004-2010)
Though Lost had fans gripped with its various mysteries at first, by the final season, there was a consensus that the show had spiraled out of control. Many felt it was painfully obvious that there was no plan from the beginning and therefore the finale cobbled together an answer that revealed the characters were in purgatory.
Many people felt the show had gotten too complicated that the ending failed to clarify very much. However, there are die-hard fans like Redditor quat1e that were perfectly satisfied with the ending and admit "I remember crying like a baby on the last episode."