• We’re currently investigating an issue related to the forum theme and styling that is impacting page layout and visual formatting. The problem has been identified, and we are actively working on a resolution. There is no impact to user data or functionality, this is strictly a front-end display issue. We’ll post an update once the fix has been deployed. Thanks for your patience while we get this sorted.

Whatever happened to happy endings?

I

It's Not Lupus

Senior member
It's almost a requirement for a popular TV show to end on a sad, shitty note. Happy endings are cliche, but now sad endings are overused, and plot twists are expected. The modern audience has seen it all.

But it's just so bad when a show has a sad ending just for the sake of not having happy ending. Dexter and now How I Met Your Mother come to mind. I get that it can be more about the journey than the destination, but why not have both?

Also, it was surprisingly refreshing how straightforward season 1 of True Detective was.
 
HIMYM ended happy in a way.
Yeah it was sad that we find out the mother passed, but he got with Robin in the end, which he had been trying to do forever.

I think its hard to end on a happy note when something is ending. People want closure, happiness isn't required.
 
KB said:
HIMYM ended happy in a way.
Yeah it was sad that we find out the mother passed, but he got with Robin in the end, which he had been trying to do forever.

I think its hard to end on a happy note when something is ending. People want closure, happiness isn't required.
Click to expand...
"How I Met Your Step-Mother"
 
Yeah! And What ever happened to predictability? The milkman, the paperboy, evening TV? Everywhere you look , everywhere you go there's a heart...a hand to hold onto.

Everywhere you look , everywhere you go. There's a face of somebody who needs you.

Everywhere you look, when you're lost out there and you're all alone, a light is waiting to carry you home...

Everywhere you look.



source: http://www.lyricsondemand.com/
 
Fritzo said:
Yeah! And What ever happened to predictability? The milkman, the paperboy, evening TV? Everywhere you look , everywhere you go there's a heart...a hand to hold onto.

Everywhere you look , everywhere you go. There's a face of somebody who needs you.

Everywhere you look, when you're lost out there and you're all alone, a light is waiting to carry you home...

Everywhere you look.



source: http://www.lyricsondemand.com/
Click to expand...

Tommy Wiseau's "The Room" meets "Full House"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ForaBSjKXic
 
First sad unnecessary ending was in killing off the father in "The Wonder years". I was like, WTF?!?!? And he still nevers gets Winnie.
 
My wife and I were discussing Castle the other day -- hoping maybe next season is the last before it really goes downhill. And they better not break them up to add drama either, just go out happy and on top.
 
I thought the end of Little House on the Prarie was lame. I think someone swindled the town away from the people of Walnut Grove or something so the town decided that it would be better to blow up the town themselves rather than have those people take it.

I think luckily most shows end without some big final episode.
 
Colt45 said:
the ending of dexter wasn't sad, it was retarded.


i think it reflects general mood.
Click to expand...

Yup!

It would have made more sense if he became a astronaut or something more retarded than what they made him.

Battlestar Galactica's (newer one) ending was....weird.

Breaking Bad's ending was pretty open ended.
 
BlitzPuppet said:
Yup!

It would have made more sense if he became a astronaut or something more retarded than what they made him.

Battlestar Galactica's (newer one) ending was....weird.

Breaking Bad's ending was pretty open ended.
Click to expand...

How do you mean? It seemed pretty final to me........
 
It wasn't so depressing. Yeah, maybe not the fairy tale, but most people who were fans of the show thought that Ted and Robin belonged together.
 
02ranger said:
How do you mean? It seemed pretty final to me........
Click to expand...

I think it was exceptionally well written. Mr. White had become the villain and got his credit. Sure, it was sad he died, but he tied up all this loose ends. His money will go to his family, Jesse will be free, and all his "debts" will be settled. Was it a happy ending? Sort of, depending on how you look at it. It was sad Mr. White was finished (and that the series was over), but it was happy in that everything was complete.

Most shows can't do that.


At least, those with a sad ending actually get a finale. The real sad endings are those shows cancelled mid season.
 
smackababy said:
I think it was exceptionally well written. Mr. White had become the villain and got his credit. Sure, it was sad he died, but he tied up all this loose ends. His money will go to his family, Jesse will be free, and all his "debts" will be settled. Was it a happy ending? Sort of, depending on how you look at it. It was sad Mr. White was finished (and that the series was over), but it was happy in that everything was complete.

Most shows can't do that.


At least, those with a sad ending actually get a finale. The real sad endings are those shows cancelled mid season.
Click to expand...

I thought it was an excellent finale too. There have only been a couple shows I watch I was really satisified with the ending to, and Breaking Bad was one of them. I also really liked the way House ended. I've got a much longer list of disappointing endings, though.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Back
Top