Commentary with a Co-Ed: TV's best and worst cliffhangers this season

by Ashley Gouveia

Now that the TV season has come to a close, it’s time to give my thoughts on this year’s most shocking and disappointing cliffhangers.

All of you are aware of how much I hate those little season-enders that are supposed to keep the viewers guessing until the show returns. However, if a cliffhanger is executed correctly I could actually love to hate it.

Here are my picks for the ones that hit their marks and the others that failed to reach their potential.

Supernatural: Dean goes to Hell. Raise your hand if you didn’t think that the writers were actually going to send Dean to the pit. *raises hand* I had convinced myself that Sam was going to find a way out for his big brother in time to save him. Nope, I was wrong. Sam had to watch as hellhounds ripped his brother to shreds leaving Sam all alone without Dean to protect him. First off, amazing performances by both Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles. Secondly, this cliffhanger is one that served its purpose. It got all the fans talking about how Dean is going to get out and what will happen to Sam while he’s gone. Granted, I didn’t love to see my Dean getting gruesomely ripped apart, but that last shot of him in Hell kept me wanting more.

One Tree Hill: Lucas makes a choice…sort of. These are the types of cliffhangers I can’t stand. The ones where the cliffhanger is given to you in the commercial a week before the episode airs. We saw Lucas at an airport, calling someone and asking them to go to Vegas with him. These were the choices for his possible traveling mate: Peyton, Brooke or Lindsey. Now that was just from the commercial. The episode ended, and we had all the girls answering their phones at the same time when Lucas made the call. Everyone can guess who they think it might be, but I think it would’ve been a stronger ending if we actually saw who he was calling. That way the fans could discuss what happened that lead Lucas to that decision.

Ugly Betty: Betty makes a choice…kind of. I absolutely love this show on a regular basis, but this season’s cliffhanger left much to be desired. Betty felt like she had to make a choice between Henry and Gio. Who did she choose? My guess is as good as yours. Like the One Tree Hill cliffhanger, it could have been a better ending if we saw who she chose. If it was Henry, I wanted to see him at her doorstep waiting for her. If it was Gio, he should have been there with her favorite sandwich paper bagged and ready to sweep her off to Rome. I would have liked those endings a little better than the one we actually got. If we compare it to the season one cliffhanger, I think this one would lose.

Lost: Locke is in the coffin. It did take a while for this to finally be revealed. We first saw this coffin in last year’s season finale. The fans had their predictions on whose funeral Jack attended in the future. When it was revealed that it was Locke and he was using a different name I was genuinely pleased. I wish the episode could have kept going, but that’s what the cliffhanger is supposed to do. It made sense that it would be Locke who met his demise. I wasn’t disappointed with the ending. If anything, I want the show to return sooner so I can see what happens next.


Commentary with a Co-Ed is a weekly column at Tube Talk new every Friday

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