The 20 greatest cult TV endings of all time

SEINFELD

Years on TV:

1989-1998

Seasons: 9

The show: The “show about nothing” remains one of TV’s best-loved sitcoms because it was absolutely hilarious in how it portrayed the many absurdities of everyday life.

The finale: Fans really hated the last episode, which saw all the main characters jailed. According to Rolling Stone mag, the finale was co-creator Larry David’s “wry way of finally giving his lovably horrible protagonists their comeuppance”.

Reboot chances: Larry once refused to revive the show for a special live episode and a network boss said in April that Seinfeld is virtually guaranteed to never be rebooted.

THE SOPRANOS

Years on TV: 1999-2007

Seasons: 6

The show: The late, great James Gandolfini never skipped a beat as New Jersey-based mobster Tony Soprano, who regularly plumbed the depths of depravity under the guise of a “waste management consultant” for Barone Sanitation.

The finale: The show’s creator, David Chase, was widely criticised for a finale that many fans saw as a cop-out. The last episode, which agonisingly built the suspense around Tony meeting his family at a diner for dinner, ended abruptly with nothing but a black screen after Tony looked up to the camera, leaving us wondering if he was murdered.

Reboot chances: Exciting news! Chase is currently working on a spin-off prequel movie to the series, titled The Many Saints Of Newark.

THE AMERICANS

Years on TV: 2013-2018

Seasons: 6

The show: The Americans was a magnificently conceived spy thriller set in the 1980s that told the gripping story of Elizabeth (Keri Russell) and Philip Jennings (Matthew Rhys), Soviet KGB officers posing as an American couple living in suburban Washington, DC.

The finale: Unforgettable and emotionally powerful with its use of the U2 song “With Or Without You”, it saw Elizabeth and Philip on the run with their daughter, Paige (Holly Taylor), having reluctantly left behind their son, Henry (Keidrich Sellati).

Reboot chances: Not looking good. Co-creator Joe Weisberg, when asked about a possible revival or spin-off, said, “We feel it’s done.”

MASH

Years on TV: 1972-1983

Seasons: 11

The show: One of TV’s all-time greats focused on members of the 4077th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital during the Korean War in the 1950s. The show’s strength was how it used humour to deflect the horrors of war.

The finale: Beautifully crafted and bittersweet. Following a ceasefire, the characters finally got to go home, but it meant they wouldn’t be together any more.

Reboot chances: MASH star Loretta Swit (Major “Hot Lips” Houlihan) believes a reboot would be out of step with world events. “I don’t think anybody would think that’s [a reboot] a good idea,” she said.

ROSEANNE

Years on TV: 1988-1997, 2018

Seasons: 10

The show: The sitcom starring the often outrageous Roseanne Barr and John Goodman was cutting-edge because of its brutally honest portrayal of a blue-collar US family.

The finale: The ninth season was panned, with Roseanne revealing in the finale that the entire season had been a work of fiction within fiction and the heart attack her husband Dan Conner (Goodman) suffered at daughter Darlene’s (Sara Gilbert) wedding in season eight was actually a widow-maker.

Reboot chances: The recent hit revival ended in tears when ABC Entertainment cancelled the show after a racist tweet from Roseanne. The good news is that work is now underway on a Roseanne-less spin-off called The Conners.

TWO AND A HALF MEN

Years on TV: 2003-2015

Seasons: 12

The show: One of the most divisive sitcoms in years changed tack following the sacking of star Charlie Sheen in 2011. Single father Alan Harper (Jon Cryer) ends up living in a beachfront house with divorced internet billionaire Walden Schmidt (Ashton Kutcher).

The finale: A total shocker. The final episode brought back many familiar faces, but not Charlie, who was fired four years earlier. In the finale, another actor fills Charlie’s shoes and he’s squashed by a piano.

Reboot chances: Could not happen without Charlie, who, following the recent axing of the Roseanne reboot, tweeted that it was time for a new Two And A Half Men.

CHEERS

Years on TV: 1982-1993

Seasons: 11

The show: Starring Ted Danson as barman and ladies’ man Sam Malone, Cheers was a brilliant ensemble piece about a group of locals who meet at a pub to drink, relax and escape life’s ills.

The finale: The final episode was extraordinary for its melancholy. One by one, the cast members depart, leaving Sam alone in the dark with his one enduring love: the bar itself.

Reboot chances: Co-executive producer Rob Long has said he’s keen to jump on the reboot bandwagon.

“I’ve pitched a reboot ’til I’m blue in the face. I’d love to do it,” he told Variety.

30 ROCK

Years on TV: 2006-2013

Seasons: 7

The show: Tina Fey was brilliant as Liz Lemon, writer for a live sketch-comedy show who was forced to deal with the fallout when the TV network’s new vice president (Alec Baldwin) ordered her to hire unstable movie star Tracy Jordan (Tracy Morgan).

The finale: A great line in the finale sees Liz shout at Jack Donaghy (Alec), “Don’t you want to know how Mad Men ends?!” as he’s about to depart for a life at sea.

Reboot chances: Tina, who created and starred in 30 Rock, confirmed that she and co-showrunner Robert Carlock have talked about revisiting the show amid Hollywood’s reboot frenzy. Fingers crossed.

DEXTER

Years on TV: 2006-2013

Seasons: 8

The show: So chilling that it could leave you wanting to sleep with the light on, Dexter featured the seriously talented Michael C Hall in the title role – a blood-spatter expert who didn’t just solve murders, he also committed them.

The finale: The ending was hard to fathom, with serial killer Dexter Morgan living under a new identity as a lumberjack in Oregon.

Reboot chances: There’s half a chance the drama could right its series finale wrongs with a new take. Michael says he’s open to the idea.

FRIENDS

Years on TV: 1994-2004

Seasons: 10

The show: One of the biggest hits in the history of TV followed the merry misadventures of six 20-something pals as they navigated their working and social lives, all shacked up in an apartment block in New York City.

The finale: Ross (David Schwimmer) and Rachel’s (Jennifer Aniston) rocky relationship dominated the finale and consequently left us unsatisfied because it robbed the other amazing characters of meaningful screen time.

Reboot chances: Jennifer has revealed she “fantasises” about starring in a reboot. We, however, can’t see the appeal of 50-year-olds hanging out in a coffee shop.

BREAKING BAD

Years on TV: 2008-2013

Seasons: 5

The show: Arguably the greatest TV drama of all time, it was nail-bitingly intense due to the mastery of actor Bryan Cranston, who delivered a stunning performance as teacher-turned-drug-kingpin Walter White.

The finale: There seemed no way that Walter, a man who had inflicted such misery, could escape the law. It was fitting that when Walter died in a hail of gunfire, it was to the tune of Badfinger’s “Baby Blue”, which begins with the words, “Guess I got what I deserve.”

Reboot chances: Creator Vince Gilligan was adamant Breaking Bad would not overstay its welcome. The closest he came to delighting fans was giving the show’s dodgy lawyer, Saul Goodman, aka Jimmy McGill (Bob Odenkirk), the spin-off Better Call Saul in 2015.

SIX FEET UNDER

Years on TV: 2001-2005

Seasons: 5

The show: A show about a family funeral business in LA was never going to be a mainstream hit, but it was a brilliant blend of tragedy and black humour. Starring Michael C Hall and Rachel Griffiths, it featured a great plot device that saw nearly every episode start with the demise of someone who’d end up on the Fishers’ slab.

The finale: The show was about death, so it was fitting that the finale gave us glimpses of everyone’s passing. It ends with an elderly Claire (Lauren Ambrose) going into the light.

Reboot chances: Rainn Wilson, who played Arthur Martin, recently said he thinks Six Feet Under is “due for a reboot”.

HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER

Years on TV: 2005-2014

Seasons: 9

The show: Marshall Eriksen (Jason Segel) reveals his plan to propose to longtime girlfriend Lily Aldrin (Alyson Hannigan), prompting panic in their friend Ted Mosby (Josh Radnor) about the need to get moving if he’s any chance of finding true love. The great appeal of the show is Neil Patrick Harris as Ted’s mate Barney Stinson, who is never short of an outrageous opinion.

The finale: Fans were angry about the depressing finale. Ted and longtime crush Robin Scherbatsky (Cobie Smulders) end up together in the present day because the titular mother died of cancer.

Reboot chances: Forget it. Neil told Variety earlier this year that “there are better ideas” than bringing back the comedy. We agree.

BLUE HEELERS

Years on TV: 1994-2006

Seasons: 13

The show: It was led by Australia’s most famous TV cop, Tom Croydon (John Wood), but is best remembered for the star power of Lisa McCune, who won four Gold Logies for her portrayal of Constable Maggie Doyle.

The finale: Tom was in a pretty bad way, with disgraced former cop Adam Cooper (Damian Walshe-Howling) returning to Mount Thomas to make bogus criminal accusations against him.

Reboot chances: Fans would love it, but it would clearly be minus Maggie, who was shot and killed. Damian this year told the Nine Network, “I would go for it [a reboot] for sure,” so there’s a glimmer of hope.

THE OFFICE (US VERSION)

Years on TV: 2005-2013

Seasons: 9

The show: Set at paper sales company Dunder Mifflin, the show had a similar, brilliantly produced documentary style to that of the Ricky Gervais-led British original. Few expected the US version to work, but it was a huge success.

The finale: Memorable for the right reasons because it brought all the main characters back – even long-departed boss Michael Scott (Steve Carell) – for one last bow.

Reboot chances: If cast enthusiasm is a guide, it will happen. John Krasinski (who played Jim Halpert) wants another go, as does Ed Helms (Andy Bernard). Steve, however, is not up for it.

WILL & GRACE

Years on TV: 1998-2006

Seasons: 8

The show: Ground breakingly hilarious, the sitcom focused on the friendship between gay lawyer Will Truman (Eric McCormack) and interior designer Grace Adler (Debra Messing).

The finale: Many were disappointed with the finale, which revolved around Will and Grace having a huge falling out and gradually reconciling over about 20 years.

Reboot chances: It’s back! The 2017 update has been successful partly because it returned to its roots, with the two titular characters still living together in a two-bedroom apartment in Manhattan after 11 years away from the audience. A third season has already been announced.

MAD MEN

Years on TV: 2007-2015

Seasons: 7

The show: We loved its portrayal of 1960s New York, where alpha male Don Draper (Jon Hamm) struggled to stay on top of the heap in the brutal world of advertising.

The finale: Memorable because it gave us what we didn’t expect. Rather than a vision of Draper walking off into the sunset, the final scene ended with an iconic soft drink commercial. It was intriguing because it left Draper’s fate up in the air.

Reboot chances: There may be scope for another Mad Men because the series avoided tying up several key storylines. Bring it on.

LOST

Years on TV: 2004-2010

Seasons: 6

The show: Lost reignited the career of Party Of Five’s Matthew Fox, who was cast as one of a group of plane crash survivors on a mystery island.

The finale: It has been described as the most misunderstood finale of all time, with some fans wrongly assuming “they were dead all along”. The heartfelt final episode left us with the knowledge that the original Oceanic 815 plane crash did happen and that everything on the island through seasons one to six took place. The “flash sideways” universe introduced in season six was a way of showing the characters meeting after death.

Reboot chances: Showrunner Carlton Cuse says he would entertain the idea, but you can count out Evangeline Lilly (Kate Austen), who recently said, “The thing about reboots and remakes is that I don’t like them in general, period.”

THE X-FILES

Years on TV: 1993-2002

Seasons: 9

The show: When the show hit screens in 1993, the chemistry between David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson playing FBI special agents investigating unexplained, mind-bending cases − captured our imaginations.

The finale: The 2002 finale was special because it brought back Agent Mulder (Duchovny), giving fans a chance to see him and Agent Scully (Anderson) together again.

Reboot chances: A successful revival came with a 10th season in 2016, prompting an announcement last year of an 11th. The truth is still out there!

A COUNTRY PRACTICE

Years on TV: 1981-1993

Seasons: 13

The show: One of Australia’s greatest dramas, the show explored life in a small hospital in the fictional town of Wandin Valley. Who can forget its highest-rating episode, featuring the death of much-loved farmer Molly

Jones (Anne Tenney)? Certainly not us.

The finale: The Valley was ravaged by bushfires and the locals rallied to help each other. But there was optimism too, with people gathering for Terence (Shane Porteous) and Rosemary’s (Maureen Edwards) wedding.

Reboot chances: Network Ten aired a terrible reworked version in 1994. A new reboot is currently being considered.