15 of the most famous cliffhangers in TV history

Gabbi ShawJan 16, 2024, 12:19 IST

"Grey's Anatomy."ABC

Cliffhangers are an important part of television history.
Iconic sitcoms, prestige TV shows, and soap operas have used cliffhangers in their storytelling.

Writing for television is all about how to keep your audience tuning in.

One way to do that is to get viewers emotionally invested … only to put their beloved characters in mortal peril, emotional hell, or a combination of the two.

Here are some of the most iconic cliffhangers in TV history — not all of which ended up satisfying viewers in the long run. But they all got people talking and kept them watching week after week.

The final shot of "The Sopranos" has been debated for years.

The finale of "The Sopranos."HBO

"Game of Thrones" had multiple cliffhangers throughout its eight-season run, but its most troubling was the stabbing of Jon Snow in season five.

Jon Snow died on "Game of Thrones" ... or maybe not?HBO

The sixth season of "The Walking Dead" used an inventive camera trick to hide who exactly Negan was beating to death with his beloved baseball bat, Lucille.

Jeffrey Dean Morgan as Negan on "The Walking Dead."AMC

You might not think of "Star Trek: The Next Generation" as a show capable of cliffhangers, but when Captain Jean-Luc Picard was turned into a Borg, viewers worldwide were desperate for the next season.

Patrick Stewart in "Star Trek: The Next Generation."Paramount Domestic Television

You might not think of "Star Trek: The Next Generation" as a show capable of cliffhangers, but when Captain Jean-Luc Picard was turned into a Borg, viewers worldwide were desperate for the next season.

When the door of the hatch was blown off its hinges in the season one finale of "Lost," it became clear this wasn't just a show about a group of plane crash survivors.

Locke and Jack on "Lost."ABC

Two seasons later, the rug was pulled out from under "Lost" fans again. Two words: Flash-forwards.

Jack on "Lost."ABC

In 1980, it was impossible to watch TV without CBS asking, "Who shot JR?"

JR Ewing on "Dallas."CBS

"The Simpsons" poked fun at "Dallas" with its own two-part episode, "Who Shot Mr. Burns?"

"Who Shot Mr. Burns?"Fox

Another cliffhanger involving a shooting is the first season finale of "The West Wing," which ends with a Secret Service agent asking who's been hit.

"The West Wing."NBC

The final cliffhanger involving a shooting on this list comes from the first season finale of "Twin Peaks" in 1990.

Kyle MacLachlan in "Twin Peaks."ABC

"Grey’s Anatomy" fans will never forget where they were when they discovered Derek Shepherd had a wife.

"Grey's Anatomy."ABC

And do you remember where you were when Ross said "Rachel" at the altar on "Friends"?

"Friends."NBC

Speaking of will-they-won’t-they duos, it seemed the central couple of "Alias" was going to figure it out before a two-year surprise time-jump ruined everything.

Jennifer Garner in "Alias."ABC

How could there be a "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" without Buffy? Fans were forced to ask this question after the fifth season finale.

"Buffy the Vampire Slayer."The WB

The sixth season of "ER" in 2000 employed a rare midseason cliffhanger when a patient attacked John Carter and Lucy Knight.

"ER."NBC

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15 of the most famous cliffhangers in TV history

The final shot of "The Sopranos" has been debated for years.

"Game of Thrones" had multiple cliffhangers throughout its eight-season run, but its most troubling was the stabbing of Jon Snow in season five.

The sixth season of "The Walking Dead" used an inventive camera trick to hide who exactly Negan was beating to death with his beloved baseball bat, Lucille.

You might not think of "Star Trek: The Next Generation" as a show capable of cliffhangers, but when Captain Jean-Luc Picard was turned into a Borg, viewers worldwide were desperate for the next season.

When the door of the hatch was blown off its hinges in the season one finale of "Lost," it became clear this wasn't just a show about a group of plane crash survivors.

Two seasons later, the rug was pulled out from under "Lost" fans again. Two words: Flash-forwards.

In 1980, it was impossible to watch TV without CBS asking, "Who shot JR?"

"The Simpsons" poked fun at "Dallas" with its own two-part episode, "Who Shot Mr. Burns?"

Another cliffhanger involving a shooting is the first season finale of "The West Wing," which ends with a Secret Service agent asking who's been hit.

The final cliffhanger involving a shooting on this list comes from the first season finale of "Twin Peaks" in 1990.

"Grey’s Anatomy" fans will never forget where they were when they discovered Derek Shepherd had a wife.

And do you remember where you were when Ross said "Rachel" at the altar on "Friends"?

Speaking of will-they-won’t-they duos, it seemed the central couple of "Alias" was going to figure it out before a two-year surprise time-jump ruined everything.

How could there be a "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" without Buffy? Fans were forced to ask this question after the fifth season finale.

The sixth season of "ER" in 2000 employed a rare midseason cliffhanger when a patient attacked John Carter and Lucy Knight.