Someshowsare so popular and beloved that they get brought back in some capacity. It could be via a spin-off, a movie special, or a reboot, and what audiences had thought was the end actually wasn’t. This could be a good thing, with characters being resurrected, and some getting happier endings than they initially got. On the other hand, some characters' development goes completely out the window, and they become almost caricatures of themselves.
Samantha Jones not being part of theSex and the Cityrebootmade the creators change its name altogether, whileFirefly’sSerenitywas able to offer closure to a devoted fan base that got short-changed.Certain characters that did not need to be killed ended up dying to create new plot points,and others can find peace after seasons of dramatic events. And, with audiences craving nostalgia, and streamers happy to revisit a successful franchise, certain stories are never really over.
Arrested Development
Cast
Arrested Development, a television series premiered in 2003, follows the dysfunctional Bluth family who are coping with the loss of their fortune. Central to the narrative is Michael Bluth, the diligent son attempting to stabilize the family amidst their eccentricities and financial turmoil.
The delightfully dysfunctional Bluths were given two outings.They first burst onto the scene in 2003, brandishing their signature brand of sarcasm and wit. With clever and subversive writing, deadpan performances, and deeply flawed yet lovable characters,Arrested Developmentfound a devoted viewership. The critics were also on board, but the viewing figures weren’t as expected. The series ended after three years with most plot points neatly tied up and featured a satisfying in-person cameo from Ron Howard.
Getting the cast together was quite the coup and the world was ready for more of their unsettling humor.
Then in 2013,Netflix brought backArrested Developmentfor another run.Getting the cast together was quite the coup and the world was ready for more of their unsettling humor. It lasted another three seasons before getting canceled for a second time and airing the finale in 2019. The show continues to pull in viewers, so it’s not impossible for some of the characters to ever be seen again.
Dexter
Dexter is a television series following Dexter Morgan, a blood spatter analyst for Miami Metro Police who secretly leads a dual life as a vigilante serial killer. Released in 2006, the show focuses on Dexter’s internal conflict as he hunts down criminals who elude justice within the legal system.
Michael C. Hall’s crime-solving serial killer has a very successful eight-season run, winning multiple awards and drawing in big ratings for its network.It ended with a very poignant and poetic final kill, which pulled on the heartstrings of those who stuck with the show for the full 96 episodes. It was a somewhat divisive finale but satisfying enough compared to what was coming next.
Dexter: Resurrection - Release Date, Cast, Story, Trailer & Everything We Know
Dexter: Resurrection was announced at 2024’s SDCC, and Michael C. Hall is set to reprise his role in the sophomore season of New Blood.
Then in 2020 came the news thatDexterwould return for a limited series, which it did for 10 episodes over 2021/22, with its own contained storyline, and a completely new ending. This time, the protagonist didn’t get to ride into the sunset, instead meeting his demise upon finding out some rather distressing truths about himself. However,with yet another sequel in production, all is not quite as it seems.Dexteris also getting a prequel.
Prison Break
Prison Break tells the story of two brothers who must unravel a political conspiracy while escaping from one of the most secure places on Earth. When petty criminal Lincoln Burrows (Dominic Purcell) is falsely convicted of murdering the Vice President’s brother, his own brother, Michael Scofield (Wentworth Miller), has himself incarcerated in order to stage a daring prison break using the blueprints of the facility he has tattooed on his body.
A global success,Prison Breakcaptured the attention of viewers across the world.With high ratings and positive reviews, the show was able to tell its story for five seasons. The plots got gradually more outlandish, characters died and came back to life, and the stakes were higher than ever. Wentworth Miller and Dominic Purcell became household names and the show had its own video game and online series tie-ins.
The series finale and subsequent movie offered an in-depth explanation of each character’s ending, with Michael dying in the process.That should have been that, but in 2017 a new season was released, with most of the original cast back, whether they’d died or not. The show is still popular on streaming and with the trend of reviving beloved series, and seemingly no ground rules, it’s no surprise aPrison Breakrebootcould happen.
Firefly
Firefly is a science fiction television series set in the year 2517, focusing on the crew of the spaceship Serenity. As humans inhabit a new star system, the renegade crew, led by Captain Malcolm Reynolds, navigates conflicts and alliances while pursuing their own interests across lawless territories.
This cult show wasn’t able to live up to its full potential, unceremoniously getting canceled after 14 episodes.While Joss Whedon’s writing, Nathan Fillion’s acting, and the space Western concept were all well-received, the network was worried about the ratings and didn’t let the show find its footing. The mid-season cancelation meant that the ending was incomplete.
Fans of the show weren’t left hanging for long, and a film was made.
Serenityoffered a more fitting farewell and, even though the show was designed to run seven seasons,the viewers had to settle on a two-hour wrap-up.Nostalgia and an ever-present thirst for moreFireflycould potentially allow it to come back for one more outing.
Veronica Mars
Veronica Mars is a drama mystery series that stars Kristen Bell as the titular teen detective who learns the ropes from her father, a California police sheriff. Following a “crime-of-the-week” episode format, each episode sees Veronica tackling new cases while carrying on her High School life, with a more significant, overarching plot carrying between episodes. Veronica’s side career begins following the death of her best friend, which sets off a chain of events leading to several smaller cases.
Kristen Bell’s pint-sized detective took on Neptune’s mysteries for three seasons during its initial run. It had never taken off as some of the other CW shows did, but it had a solid fan base who rallied behind it until the end, and beyond. The ending wasn’t quite what they had wanted, or indeed deserved. With many of its stars going on to do great things, interest in the show was reignited on streaming.
Eventually, both old fans and new, were able to spearhead a successful Kickstarter campaign that resulted in a feature film being produced in 2014.It was able to bring closure to the beloved characters and provide more of a happy ending that viewers had hoped for.It was well-received and showed even more people how special it was. This led to a 10-episode series coming out in 2019, offering up one final ending for Veronica.
Gilmore Girls
In the fictional town of Star’s Hollow, single mother Lorelai Gilmore raises her high-achieving teenage daughter Rory. Mother and daughter rely on each other throughout their own life changes, romantic entanglements, and friendships.
The quirky and heartwarming stories from Stars Hollow were told by the Sherman-Palladinos for the first six years of its run.However, due to contract disputes, the seventh season went ahead with a different showrunner and new writers. Amy Sherman-Palladino had always teased that she had a plan for the final four words of the series, but since she was not at the helm of the show she had co-created, the ending was not as she had initially intended.
Due to the show’s ongoing popularity and newfound audience on Netflix, a four-part anthology was commissioned with the bulk of the cast returning.Edward Herrman’s passing, sadly, cast a shadow on the usually upbeat show, but with the original creators back onboard, the initially intended ending was back in play. With a few small tweaks to the characters, the final four words were said, and the Gilmore Girls' lives were about to change forever.
The X-Files
The X-files takes the police procedural formula and applies it to sci-fi mysteries. Conspiracy theorist Fox Mulder and skeptic Dana Scully team up to solve cases surrounding alien invasions and other unexplained, paranormal phenomena.
The hugely successful 1990s classic ran for nine seasons until 2003.X-Filesalso had two feature film releases, in 1998 and 2008, which already means the story had three endings of sorts. Add to that the reboot that ran from 2016 to 2018, and that’s another ending to add to the list. With the popularity of agents Mulder and Scully, it’s not a surprise that Hollywood was keen to revisit their adventures. Additionally, sci-fi continues to be the genre that keeps on giving.
Sometimes the right script can come along and change everything.
Gillian Anderson has stated that she’s done with Dana Scully for good, but seeing as the 11th season was well-received by critics and audiences, it would shock nobody if this stance was to ever change. Sometimes the right script can come along and change everything.
Breaking Bad
Breaking Bad, created by Vince Gilligan, follows a chemistry teacher turned drug kingpin named Walter White (Bryan Cranston) as he attempts to provide for his family following a fatal diagnosis. With nothing left to fear, White ascends to power in the world of drugs and crime, transforming the simple family man into someone known only as Heisenberg.
Universally regarded as one of thebest television shows of all time, it was always going to be bittersweet when it came to an end.But, after five award-winning seasons, and a lot of bags of blue crystals, Walt and Jesse said their final goodbyes. It was a fitting end to a successful run, with pieces falling into place and at least some justice being served. Walt had always had to die, but his family and Jesse got another shot.
That shot was explored further in 2019 withEl Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie.Audiences got to go on one more adventure with Jesse Pinkman and see him try and rebuild his life after everything that had happened throughout the series. It also allowed for a more optimistic way of honoring the character as he got to take center stage.Breaking Bad’s spin-off,Better Call Saul,was able to shed some more light on what happened to some of the other characters during its six-season run.
Doctor Who
Doctor Who: Doctor Who is a British sci-fi television series debuting in 1963, following The Doctor, a time-traveling alien Time Lord. The Doctor explores the universe in the TARDIS, accompanied by companions, confronting various adversaries and striving to save civilizations while addressing injustices.
The original production of this classic British show ran from 1963-1989 with seven different actors playing the doctor.As the Time Lord regenerated, a new face would take his place. Technically, it was still the same person, with the same memories, but as one actor departed, their story ended in its way.Doctor Whoas it was then, aired its final episode in 1989 and was briefly forgotten. A 1996 special aired with another new face and another new ending.
Doctor Who: Every Doctor & Who Played Them (In Chronological Order)
Doctor Who has been played by a crop of fantastic actors going back several decades, and each version has been both unique and memorable.
Then, in 2005, the show was reintroduced to a whole new generation.Christopher Eccleston occupied the TARDIS and kicked off its successful new run. Since then, there have been a further five actors who played the Doctor, including David Tennant, Jodie Whitaker, and, most recently, Ncuti Gatwa. As before, every time an actor leaves, it feels like the end of an era. New assistants and new adventures mean that the number of endingsDoctor Whohas is practically limitless.
Sex and the City
Sex in the City follows Carrie Bradshaw, a New York writer who finds inspiration for her column from the genuine, emotional, and often humorous exploits of life in the city. Joined by best friends Miranda Hobbes, Charlotte York, and Samantha Jones, Sex and the City follows the ups and downs of the characters' romantic relationships, being single, sex, and friendship as 30-something women.
Sex and the Cityaired on HBO for six seasonsand made its four stars household names.It won several awards and changed the way a whole generation would express their sexuality and talk about relationships. When it ended in 2004, the characters had their happy endings, and audiences seemed pleased with where everyone ended up. The most important thing was that Carrie, Samantha, Miranda, and Charlotte were friends. Then came the films.
The first one was a sweet nod to the series, though it managed to cast another shadow on Carrie and Mr. Big’s relationship, but everything seemed to work out in the end.The sequel was not quite as charming, and by then had lost a lot of what made the show so good in the first place.Behind-the-scenes issues with Kim Cattrall and the other three leads had also reached their peak.
By the time the revival came, Cattrall was no longer involved, and many of the things that made the show special did not return.And Just Like That…is still going, but it’s difficult to tell if they’ll be able to end it in a way that serves the characters that audiences have known for so long.
