10 Actors Who Hated the Endings of Their TV Shows

We watch a lot of TV, so we’re used to shows having endings that don’t quite hit the mark – whether it’s a character’s journey that fizzles out, a twist no one liked, or a finale that leaves everyone disappointed. It’s tough to make everyone happy, and those involved in creating TV shows know that better than anyone. Sometimes a show wraps up nicely and people remember it fondly, but other times, even the actors and creators aren’t satisfied with how things ended.

It’s not uncommon for actors to disagree with how their characters’ stories unfold. Some have even spoken up about it publicly. After spending years – sometimes decades – portraying a fictional person, actors naturally become attached and feel let down if the story doesn’t end well. While a disappointing ending still hurts, it can be reassuring to know the actor playing the role felt the same way. It’s like realizing you’re not alone in your frustration!

It’s not surprising that actors from shows with famously disappointing endings are now speaking out about them. Even some episodes that weren’t terrible upset the cast, whether it was because of how they were made or how a character’s story concluded. Regardless of the specific issue, these actors are happy to share what they think – and at least we can all agree that’s interesting!

10 Actors Who Hated How Their Own TV Shows Ended

Bonnie Bartlett, St. Elsewhere

I still remember watching the finale of St. Elsewhere and being completely shocked – it’s become legendary for being so unexpected! I always felt so bad for Bonnie Bartlett, who played Ellen Craig, the doctor’s wife. She was just as disappointed with that “it was all a dream” snow globe ending as the rest of us were. I read an interview with her in Entertainment Weekly during a cast reunion, and she told me how upset she was. She really thought it was a terrible way to end such a great show, and honestly, I have to agree with her!

Gillian Anderson, The X-Files

When Fox announced the return of The X-Files in 2016, fans were thrilled. However, the revival only lasted two seasons, and the final episode of season 11 felt like a second series finale – a letdown for almost everyone, including Gillian Anderson, who had played Dana Scully for all 11 seasons. Both viewers and critics disliked the episode “My Struggle IV,” finding its story choices repetitive and unoriginal. The episode revisited old storylines, including Scully losing her son, the death of the Cigarette Smoking Man, and even Scully becoming pregnant again. After the negative reaction online, Anderson responded with a GIF of Scully looking defeated and the message, “Boy oh boy do I ever hear you.”

Scott Bakula, Star Trek: Enterprise

The final episode of Star Trek: Enterprise wasn’t just poorly received, it felt like a disservice to the show and its star, Scott Bakula. Bakula, who played Captain Jonathan Archer, was disappointed that the series ended with an episode that felt small and focused on Star Trek: The Next Generation. His crew only appeared as holograms to support a storyline centered around TNG‘s Commander Riker. Enterprise struggled to gain a strong fanbase, and the finale cemented its place as one of the less memorable Star Trek series. Brannon Braga, the showrunner, later admitted that filming that episode was the only time Scott Bakula had ever been unkind to him.

James Gandolfini, The Sopranos

James Gandolfini, the actor who played Tony Soprano, was just as baffled by the show’s famously abrupt ending as many viewers were. The final scene shows Tony, his wife, and son in a diner, with Tony anxiously watching for trouble. Just as the diner door chimes, signaling someone’s arrival, the screen suddenly goes black. Gandolfini initially reacted with confusion, saying, “What the f—?” after investing so much in the series and witnessing so much death, only for it to end so suddenly. However, after some thought, he came to appreciate the ending, and after nearly two decades, many viewers feel the same way.

Penn Badgley, Gossip Girl

A major part of what made Gossip Girl popular was the mystery of who “G.G.” really was, so when the show finally revealed the answer, many viewers were let down. Even Penn Badgley, who played Dan Humphrey, wasn’t a fan of the twist, and he discussed it with his co-star Chace Crawford in an interview with Variety. Crawford pointed out that the reveal didn’t quite fit Dan’s character, and Badgley agreed. Over the years, those involved with the show have never been able to decide if Dan was always intended to be the secret antagonist, or if the decision was made later after fans started guessing correctly about the original choice.

Michael C Hall, Dexter

Michael C. Hall was deeply unhappy with how the original Dexter series ended, and he actually helped bring the show back twice to try and create a more satisfying conclusion. The original finale involved Dexter killing his sister, who was in a vegetative state, and then faking his own death to escape the consequences of his past crimes, ultimately becoming a lumberjack in Oregon. In an interview with The Daily Beast, Hall admitted that many viewers – including himself – were left wondering what happened to his character after such an abrupt ending.

Ian Somerhalder, The Vampire Diaries

Many viewers were pleased with the generally positive conclusion of The Vampire Diaries. However, Ian Somerhalder shared that he and co-star Paul Wesley had hoped for a different ending for their characters. They both believed the vampire brothers should have died, allowing the human characters, including Elena Gilbert, to finally have peace. Somerhalder explained he thought it would have been a more fitting conclusion, but ultimately, the show went in a different direction. He jokingly admitted he ‘lost that battle’.

Everyone, Game of Thrones

Beyond St. Elsewhere, the finale of Game of Thrones is probably the most disliked series ending in recent history, disappointing both viewers and the actors involved. A now-famous video from the table read of the final scenes perfectly captures the reaction: the entire cast sat silently with their heads down, avoiding eye contact. Kit Harington, who hadn’t seen the script yet, was visibly shocked as he realized his character, Jon Snow, would kill Daenerys Targaryen. Since then, several cast members have spoken about their feelings. Harington later admitted there were “mistakes made,” Lena Headey said she was “gutted,” Isaac Hempstead-Wright initially thought it was a prank, and Emilia Clarke confessed she needed to take a long walk – and ended up with blisters – after reading the final scenes, needing five hours to process everything.

Alexis Bledel, Gilmore Girls

When Netflix revived Gilmore Girls in 2016, it sparked hope that the show would finally get the ending its original creator, Amy Sherman-Palladino, had intended. Sherman-Palladino had left the series before its initial conclusion, taking with her the show’s planned final four words. Fans eagerly anticipated the revival to discover her original ending. However, the finale proved disappointing for many. In the last moments, Rory Gilmore tells her mother, Lorelai, that she’s pregnant. Actress Alexis Bledel expressed her disappointment in an interview, saying she’d hoped Rory would achieve success after all her efforts. Lauren Graham, who played Lorelai, agreed, stating that the ending felt like a cliffhanger and wasn’t a fitting conclusion to the series.

Sarah Hyland, Modern Family

Sarah Hyland, known for her role on Modern Family, wasn’t in many episodes during the show’s last season. Although viewers saw her character, Haley Dunphy, become a mother of twins in the finale, Hyland felt it wasn’t the ideal ending. In an interview with Cosmopolitan, she shared that she’d hoped to see Haley succeed professionally, perhaps as a powerful stylist or fashion entrepreneur. Hyland believes it would have been great to showcase a mother who also excels in her career, demonstrating that women can be both dedicated parents and successful professionals – something she felt would have been particularly fitting for Haley’s character.

10 TV Shows About “Young” Versions of Iconic Adult Characters

Muppet Babies (1984-1991)

The Muppets are already known for being adorable, but Muppet Babies takes that charm and imagines the characters as toddlers! This animated series, which ran for eight seasons, shows the Muppets as young children, making them even more relatable to little viewers. It’s a clever way to get kids interested in the Muppets franchise by letting them see what the characters were like when they were young. The idea actually started as a dream sequence in The Muppets Take Manhattan, and the show quickly followed the movie’s release. Disney Junior later revived the series with a new look in 2018.

The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles (1992-1996)

The idea of a young Indiana Jones first appeared in the opening scene of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, featuring a memorable performance by River Phoenix as a teenage Indy. Later, in 1992, The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles debuted, an adventure series meant to be educational. It starred Sean Patrick Flanery and Corey Carrier, portraying the future archaeologist at different stages of childhood. However, the show didn’t resonate with viewers, who preferred the adult Indiana Jones and his more mature adventures. Ultimately, it was canceled due to low ratings and high production costs, as episodes were filmed on location around the globe.

Young Hercules (1998-1999)

Before becoming a famous actor known for roles like his appearances on Saturday Night Live and space adventures, Ryan Gosling starred as a young version of a classic Greek hero in the show Young Hercules. This series was a spin-off of Hercules: The Legendary Journeys and focused on Hercules as a teenager, training to be a warrior at a special academy with his mentor Cheiron and other young heroes and villains. Although it had 50 episodes, the show only lasted one season. (Interestingly, another spin-off focusing on a warrior princess proved to be much more successful.)

Smallville (2001-2011)

Perhaps the most well-known show about a young version of a famous character is Smallville, a superhero story disguised as a typical high school drama. The creators, Alfred Gough and Miles Millar, famously decided against capes and flying, keeping the action realistic. Smallville focused on the everyday challenges of high school life, with the occasional supervillain threatening the world. This version of Clark Kent never becomes Superman, but instead, the show explores young Kal-El’s journey of self-discovery, learning who to trust, and figuring out his future.

Clone High (2002-2024)

This idea might be a bit of a stretch, but let us explain. Early in their careers, Phil Lord and Christopher Miller came up with a funny animated sitcom called Clone High. The show imagined a high school filled with teenage clones of famous historical figures – Joan of Arc in English class with Abraham Lincoln, Cleopatra eating lunch with JFK and Gandhi, and so on. It was a playful parody of teen dramas like Degrassi and Dawson’s Creek that didn’t necessarily offer accurate history lessons, but it was definitely entertaining.

Bates Motel (2013-2017)

Ever wonder what made Norman Bates the way he was in Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho? If so, you might have seen Bates Motel, the prequel series that explores young Norman and his mother, Norma, as they run a motel and, unfortunately, kill people. Though it’s a backstory to the original movie, Bates Motel is set in modern times—likely to save money on production. The show successfully ran for five seasons, with the final season loosely based on the plot of Psycho, featuring Vera Farmiga as Norma and, yes, even a version of the famous shower scene.

The Carrie Diaries (2013-2014)

If you enjoyed And Just Like That… and were curious about other Sex and the City related shows, you might remember The Carrie Diaries. This prequel followed a teenage Carrie Bradshaw (played by AnnaSophia Robb) as she navigated life in 1980s New York City, working at a law office and a magazine. The show introduced a young Samantha in its second season, and the creator, Amy B. Harris, shared that a young Miranda was planned to join the cast if the show hadn’t been cancelled. It makes you wonder how long it would have taken for all the girls to meet young Charlotte!

Gotham (2014-2019)

As a huge superhero fan, I remember when Smallville was on the air, WB was already cooking up another origin story – this time for Batman! They were planning a show about young Bruce Wayne’s life before he became the Dark Knight. It didn’t happen right away, though. Years later, Fox finally gave us Gotham when everyone was really into those darker, grittier superhero shows. While young Bruce is in it, the show actually focuses on James Gordon, who eventually becomes police commissioner and Batman’s ally, and the early days of all those iconic Batman villains – the Joker, Penguin, all the mob bosses – as they fight to control Gotham City.

Young Sheldon (2017-2024)

I still remember when CBS announced Young Sheldon, a spinoff of The Big Bang Theory! Honestly, I was skeptical – a prequel focusing on a young Sheldon Cooper? But it totally worked! The show became a huge hit, running for seven seasons, and it was fascinating to watch him navigate high school and even college as this incredibly gifted, but socially awkward, kid. We knew he eventually turned out okay, but it was a fun surprise waiting almost two seasons to finally hear him say that famous catchphrase of his!

Young Sherlock (2026- )

Although a third Sherlock Holmes film is currently on hold, director Guy Ritchie is working on a mystery series called Young Sherlock. The show follows a young Sherlock Holmes as he attends Oxford University and becomes embroiled in a murder investigation that could jeopardize his future and his new friendship with James Moriarty – who will eventually become his greatest enemy. Based on the young adult book series by Andrew Lane (and officially approved by the estate of Arthur Conan Doyle), the show explores Holmes’ early life, revealing details about his formative years and eccentric family.

2026-04-01 17:30