TV shows with the most disappointing series finales
The finales for TV series can be bittersweet experiences – ranging from making viewers sad, glad, disappointed – or downright angry. You would think that we’d all be tuning in to catch the finales for our favorite series, but that’s not always the case. Now, a new study has been released detailing the TV shows with the most disappointing finales – and many of them are surprising.
The study, conducted by JeffBet, used IMDB to analyze 100 concluded TV shows that are considered by fans to have disappointing series endings. They looked at the average IMDb rating of each show and compared this with the average rating of each show’s final episode to determine which saw the most significant decrease in rating.
Killing Eve was found to be the TV show with the most significant decrease based on its final episode. While the British spy thriller boasts an average IMDb rating of 8.1, the finale left viewers extremely underwhelmed, receiving an average rating of just 3.4 out of 10 – 58% lower than the show’s average rating.
Ranking second is Game of Thrones, with its final episode scoring 56.5% lower than its average show rating. The finale received scored 4.0 while the average IMDb rating across the whole show was an impressive 9.2.
Two and a Half Men ranked as the third most disappointing TV show finale, 46.4% lower than its average user rating. The average user rating for Two and a Half Men is 7.1, while its finale scored a lowly 3.8.
Dexter placed fourth, with its finale episode rated 45.3% lower than its average episode rating. The show averaged a user rating of 8.6, while its final episode was rated 4.7.
Rounding the top five is Bloodline, where its final episode was rated 35.4% lower than the show’s average rating. Bloodline has an average episode rating of 7.9, while its finale scored just 5.1.
The Top 10 TV shows with the most disappointing finales
| Rank | TV Show | Average show rating | Finale rating | Scoring difference |
| 1. | Killing Eve | 8.1 | 3.4 | -58.0% |
| 2. | Game of Thrones | 9.2 | 4.0 | -56.5% |
| 3. | Two and a Half Men | 7.1 | 3.8 | -46.4% |
| 4. | Dexter | 8.6 | 4.7 | -45.3% |
| 5. | Bloodline | 7.9 | 5.1 | -35.4% |
| 6. | How I Met Your Mother | 8.3 | 5.5 | -33.7% |
| 7. | True Blood | 7.9 | 5.4 | -31.6% |
| 8. | Veronica Mars | 8.4 | 5.8 | -30.9% |
| 9.(=) | Star Trek: Enterprise | 7.5 | 5.3 | -29.3% |
| 9.(=) | The Flash | 7.5 | 5.3 | -29.3% |
| 10. | The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina | 7.4 | 5.3 | -28.3% |
Of the 100 TV shows analyzed, Quantum Leap received the highest TV finale rating compared to its average episode rating. Its concluding episode received a rating of 8.6, which was 36.5% higher than its average show rating of 6.3.
Speaking on the findings, a spokesperson for JeffBet said:
“Finales often leave a lasting impression on their audience and can shape the overall perception of a TV show. Shows where the final episode receives a lower rating than average often indicate a drop in quality or rushed storytelling, which fans quickly pick up on.”
“A memorable finale can enhance a show’s reputation, while a poorly received one can tarnish its legacy, influencing how fans remember a show long after it has finished.”
See the complete ranking of disappointing TV finales below.
Full table ranking:
| Rank | TV Show | Average show rating | Finale rating | Scoring difference |
| 1. | Killing Eve | 8.1 | 3.4 | -58.0% |
| 2. | Game of Thrones | 9.2 | 4.0 | -56.5% |
| 3. | Two and a Half Men | 7.1 | 3.8 | -46.4% |
| 4. | Dexter | 8.6 | 4.7 | -45.3% |
| 5. | Bloodline | 7.9 | 5.1 | -35.4% |
| 6. | How I Met Your Mother | 8.3 | 5.5 | -33.7% |
| 7. | True Blood | 7.9 | 5.4 | -31.6% |
| 8. | Veronica Mars | 8.4 | 5.8 | -30.9% |
| 9.(=) | Star Trek: Enterprise | 7.5 | 5.3 | -29.3% |
| 9.(=) | The Flash | 7.5 | 5.3 | -29.3% |
| 10. | The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina | 7.4 | 5.3 | -28.3% |
| 11.(=) | Scrubs | 8.4 | 6.1 | -27.3% |
| 11.(=) | The Good Wife | 8.4 | 6.1 | -27.3% |
| 12. | Pretty Little Liars | 7.4 | 5.4 | -27.0% |
| 13. | Misfits | 8.2 | 6.5 | -20.7% |
| 14. | Girls | 7.4 | 6.0 | -18.9% |
| 15. | Supernatural | 8.4 | 6.9 | -17.8% |
| 16. | The X-Files | 8.6 | 7.2 | -16.2% |
| 17. | Ozark | 8.5 | 7.2 | -15.2% |
| 18. | Castle | 8.1 | 7.0 | -13.5% |
| 19. | Seinfeld | 8.9 | 7.8 | -12.3% |
| 20. | The 100 | 7.6 | 6.7 | -11.8% |
| 21. | The Brady Bunch | 6.8 | 6.0 | -11.7% |
| 22. | Arrested Development | 8.7 | 7.7 | -11.4% |
| 23. | Sherlock | 9.1 | 8.1 | -10.9% |
| 24. | Northern Exposure | 8.4 | 7.5 | -10.7% |
| 25. | I Love Lucy | 8.5 | 7.9 | -7.0% |
| 26. | Happy Days | 7.4 | 6.9 | -6.7% |
| 27. | Bewitched | 7.6 | 7.2 | -5.2% |
| 28. | Weeds | 7.9 | 7.5 | -5.0% |
| 29. | Neon Genesis Evangelion | 8.5 | 8.1 | -4.7% |
| 30. | Reign | 7.5 | 7.2 | -4.0% |
| 31. | Skins (UK) | 8.2 | 7.9 | -3.6% |
| 32. | Dallas | 7.1 | 6.9 | -2.8% |
| 33. | The Undoing | 7.4 | 7.2 | -2.7% |
| 34.(=) | Battlestar Galactica (2004) | 8.7 | 8.6 | -1.1% |
| 34.(=) | Oz | 8.7 | 8.6 | -1.1% |
| 35. | ALF | 7.4 | 7.4 | 0.0% |
| 36.(=) | Prison Break | 8.3 | 8.4 | 1.2% |
| 36.(=) | My Name is Earl | 7.8 | 7.9 | 1.2% |
| 37.(=) | Heroes | 7.5 | 7.6 | 1.3% |
| 37.(=) | Will & Grace | 7.4 | 7.5 | 1.3% |
| 38. | The Sopranos | 9.2 | 9.4 | 2.1% |
| 39. | Twin Peaks: The Return | 8.5 | 8.7 | 2.3% |
| 40. | The Walking Dead | 8.1 | 8.3 | 2.4% |
| 41. | Merlin | 7.9 | 8.1 | 2.5% |
| 42. | 13 Reasons Why | 7.5 | 7.7 | 2.6% |
| 43. | M*A*S*H | 8.5 | 8.8 | 3.5% |
| 44. | See | 7.6 | 7.9 | 3.9% |
| 45. | Breaking Bad | 9.5 | 9.9 | 4.2% |
| 46. | Full House | 6.8 | 7.1 | 4.4% |
| 47.(=) | Twin Peaks | 8.8 | 9.2 | 4.5% |
| 47.(=) | Freaks and Geeks | 8.8 | 9.2 | 4.5% |
| 48.(=) | Entourage | 8.4 | 8.8 | 4.7% |
| 48.(=) | Pushing Daisies | 8.4 | 8.8 | 4.7% |
| 49. | Alias | 7.6 | 8.0 | 5.2% |
| 50. | Little House on the Prairie | 7.5 | 7.9 | 5.3% |
| 51. | House | 8.7 | 9.2 | 5.7% |
| 52. | St. Elsewhere | 8.0 | 8.5 | 6.2% |
| 53. | Dinosaurs | 7.5 | 8.0 | 6.6% |
| 54. | The Following | 7.4 | 7.9 | 6.7% |
| 55.(=) | Mad Men | 8.7 | 9.3 | 6.9% |
| 55.(=) | Battlestar Galactica (1978) | 7.2 | 7.7 | 6.9% |
| 56. | Roseanne | 7.0 | 7.5 | 7.1% |
| 57. | Friends | 8.9 | 9.6 | 7.8% |
| 58. | Lost | 8.3 | 9.0 | 8.4% |
| 59.(=) | Jericho | 7.9 | 8.6 | 8.8% |
| 59.(=) | The Office (US) | 9.0 | 9.8 | 8.8% |
| 60. | Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman | 6.7 | 7.3 | 8.9% |
| 61. | The Mentalist | 8.2 | 9.0 | 9.7% |
| 62. | Felicity | 6.9 | 7.6 | 10.1% |
| 63. | Community | 8.5 | 9.4 | 10.5% |
| 64. | Fringe | 8.4 | 9.3 | 10.7% |
| 65.(=) | Gilmore Girls | 8.2 | 9.1 | 10.9% |
| 65.(=) | Chuck | 8.2 | 9.1 | 10.9% |
| 66. | Ally McBeal | 6.9 | 7.7 | 11.5% |
| 67. | Sons of Anarchy | 8.6 | 9.6 | 11.6% |
| 68. | Buffy the Vampire Slayer | 8.3 | 9.3 | 12.0% |
| 69.(=) | Crazy Ex-Girlfriend | 7.9 | 8.9 | 12.6% |
| 69.(=) | Saved by the Bell | 7.1 | 8.0 | 12.6% |
| 70. | The Bradys | 5.3 | 6.0 | 13.2% |
| 71. | Cheers | 8.0 | 9.1 | 13.7% |
| 72. | Xena: Warrior Princess | 6.7 | 7.7 | 14.9% |
| 73. | Everybody Loves Raymond | 7.3 | 8.4 | 15.0% |
| 74. | Monk | 8.1 | 9.4 | 16.0% |
| 75. | ER | 7.9 | 9.2 | 16.4% |
| 76. | Teen Wolf | 7.7 | 9.0 | 16.8% |
| 77.(=) | Jane the Virgin | 7.9 | 9.3 | 17.7% |
| 77.(=) | 90210 | 6.2 | 7.3 | 17.7% |
| 78. | Desperate Housewives | 7.6 | 9.1 | 19.7% |
| 79.(=) | Ghost Whisperer | 6.5 | 7.8 | 20.0% |
| 79.(=) | Gossip Girl | 7.5 | 9.0 | 20.0% |
| 80. | Angel | 7.9 | 9.5 | 20.2% |
| 81. | Sex and the City | 7.3 | 8.8 | 20.5% |
| 82. | The Vampire Diaries | 7.7 | 9.3 | 20.7% |
| 83. | Being Human | 7.5 | 9.1 | 21.3% |
| 84. | Smallville | 7.5 | 9.2 | 22.6% |
| 85. | Charmed | 7.2 | 9.1 | 26.3% |
| 86. | Glee | 6.8 | 9.0 | 32.3% |
| 87. | Quantum Leap | 6.3 | 8.6 | 36.5% |
Methodology: A list of 100 concluded TV shows cited as having disappointing finale episodes were collected from a range of online articles. The average score for each TV show and the average score for the final episode were taken from IMDb. TV shows were then ranked by the largest percentage difference between the average score and the final score.
~~~
(Source: https://www.jeffbet.com, via: Yardbarker, Game Rant, Variety, Screen Rant, Collider, MovieWeb, Ranker, Independent, Glamour, Rolling Stone, IMDB)
(All images credited to Facebook)
Posted by Richard Webster, Ace News Today
Follow Richard on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram
