An ending can make or break a series, but sometimes, it simply leaves an audience thinking... "That's it?" Instead of answering important questions, resolving plot threads, or completing character arcs, shows like these abruptly—and sometimes confusingly—fizzle out, leaving viewers wondering what (and why) they spent their time watching.

The reasons behind a show's disappointing ending are various and range from early cancelations to disputes between show runners to lead actors wanting to leave. Even though we can understand how these conclusions came to be, few things are more frustrating than an anticlimactic ending, and there are few endings less satisfying than the ones on this list.

Game of Thrones offered viewers a fantastical journey into Westeros, where Winter, White Walkers, and dragons remained a constant threat. Taking place over eight seasons, the show included some incredible moments, including the Red Wedding and Battle of the Bastards. However, for all its highs, Game of Thrones ended on a remarkably anti-climactic low.

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Although the ending to Game of Thrones was intense, that's not the same as being satisfactory. It was weirdly paced, not super in character, and overall, kind of a letdown. Sure, the ending could have worked, but ultimately, it had too many logistical issues and lacked proper build-up. Currently, the show's prequel, House of the Dragon, is dealing with similar issues, and we hope it'll learn from its predecessor and avoid Game of Thrones' disappointing fate.

How I Met Your Mother follows Ted Mosby (Josh Radnor) as he tells his children, fittingly, about how he met their mother. Each episode focuses on his quest to find "the one," as well as his adventures with several friends, including Robin (Cobie Smulders). While the comedy did an excellent job at portraying Ted's romantic life, the ultimate direction of the story was far from a happily ever after for viewers.

After 9 seasons of failed dates, missed opportunities, and the central question of, "Who's the mother?" it was revealed to fans that the mother of Ted's children was Tracy McConnell (Cristin Milioti)—and that she was dead. In a twist, Ted wound up with Robin instead, thereby undoing Ted, Robin, and Barney's arcs while also pushing aside the show's central mystery. It felt like a fake out to have an entire series about the kids' mother end up not really being about her at all.

Created by Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David, Seinfeld focused on a group of four friends in NYC and the zany antics surrounding their ordinary lives. Most of the episodes centered on a seemingly unimportant event, such as a date gone wrong, and the characters' bizarre approach to handling it. Famously, the series has been called "a show about nothing," and while initially funny, by the series' end, that summary felt far too accurate.

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Even for a show about nothing, the ending was a let-down. The four friends found themselves in jail after violating a Good Samaritan Law. To be fair, it wasn't out of character for this to happen to the foursome, and perhaps it could have worked with a bit more development, but ultimately, it felt far meaner and less funny than previous episodes. Fortunately, David referenced the finale in Curb Your Enthusiasm, thereby giving both shows a better send-off.

Four seasons long, Heroes tells the story of a group of seemingly ordinary people discovering that they have superpowers. It was meant to mimic the feel of a comic book, focusing on several different characters and their attempts to learn more about their powers, escape those who wanted them destroyed, and ultimately, save the world (and cheerleader). Initially, the show was hugely popular, but as the series went on, that popularity began to wane, ultimately leading to the series' cancelation and an ending that far too quickly and artificially tied up its loose ends.

The WGA writers' strike of 2007 was a huge reason why Heroes failed. It led to numerous rewrites and reshoots, culminating in delays, less intriguing plotlines, and lower ratings. It's unfortunate that Heroes ended so anticlimactically when Season 1 promised something special. However, luckily for fans, a reboot is currently in the works.

A year after their friend, Alison, disappears, a mysterious figure named "A" begins threatening Aria, Emily, Spencer, and Hanna. Seven seasons long, the show would pave the way for several spin-offs, including Ravenswood and Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin. While these spin-offs never quite matched the success of the original, they did all have something in common: lackluster endings.

Throughout Pretty Little Liars, several characters were revealed to be A, and during Season 7, the question turned to the identity of "Uber A." Unfortunately, the answer wasn't satisfying to many fans, feeling emotionally underwhelming, as well as a bit random. Plus, the "Liars'" endings felt vague and impersonal, adding to the overall sense that the ending was more of a sudden stop than a purposeful conclusion.

Lawyer and law professor Annalise Keating (Viola Davis) works at Middleton University where her students compete to win an internship with her. Over the course of the show, Annalise and her students become embroiled in several murders, and they must use their knowledge of the law to help not only their clients, but also themselves. Each season had something to offer viewers, as did the ending itself—only, instead of feeling like a series' finale, it felt like a season finale with more to explore.

Many things about How to Get Away with Murder's finale worked, including the karmic fates of many of the characters. However, the FBI's corruption was a muddier aspect of the episode, and several questions remained unanswered. Plus, after wrapping up the trial against Annalise, the show flashed forward to her funeral, many years later. This opened up entirely new questions about the characters and what had happened during that time. Overall, it wasn't a bad episode, but knowing how good it nearly was makes it feel much worse.

Based on Stephen King's novel of the same name, Under the Dome took place in the fictional town of Chester Hill and followed the residents as they adapted to life under a mysterious, unbreakable dome. The show's first episode was a hit, breaking viewership records and winning over critics and fans alike. However, by the show's third season, much of the show's excitement was gone, and once the finale came around, viewers weren't entirely sure what they were watching anymore.

Under the Dome's finale didn't make much sense, and it failed to answer many of the show's central questions. To be fair, the show was canceled early, which might have led to some of the finale's strangeness as it tried to wrap up loose ends. However, Under the Dome had started to frustrate viewers long before this final episode, and in that sense, the finale did wrap things up by offering audiences more of the same.

The Promised Neverland takes place at Grace Field House, a farm that's disguised as an orphanage. Unbeknownst to the children living there, they're fated to be fed to monsters. When one of them, Emma, learns what's to come, she works with her friends, Norman and Ray, to try and plan an escape. But getting all of the children out won't be easy, and even if they succeed, there are far more threats lurking beyond the gate.

The ending to The Promised Neverland is largely considered one of the worst in anime history. To be fair, the manga ending was similar, but in that case, there was far more of a build-up and payoff. When it came to the anime, huge chunks of the original story were cut, making the ending feel confusing, rushed, and like not much of substance had happened. In that sense, it's not just The Promised Neverland's finale that felt anti-climactic, but the entire second season.

One of the best TV shows of the 21st century, Lost told the story of a group of survivors from Oceanic Flight 815. After crash-landing on an island, they began to experience bizarre events, like rogue polar bears and attacks by a Smoke Monster. As the mysteries continued to unfold, fans were eager to see what everything was building up to—but by the time we reached Lost's ending, it had us feeling a bit, well, lost.

Sure, some fans appreciated Lost's ending, but for a significant portion of viewers, it felt incomplete and unsatisfactory. Lost left viewers with many unanswered questions, including what the ending itself was supposed to mean. Certainly, the show offered some intriguing mysteries, but the biggest mystery of all is why it offered so much build-up only to end so anticlimactically.

A show about a serial killer (Michael C. Hall) who only killed other killers, Dexter was a huge hit from the moment it aired in 2006. Each episode followed Dexter as he tried to balance his murderous Dark Passenger with his desire to fit in and be normal. However, toward the end of the series, Dexter was forced to kill his sister, abandon his partner, and leave his old life behind. On the surface, this all sounds interesting, but in practice... not so much.

To this day, fans still aren't entirely sure why Dexter ended with the titular character working as a lumberjack in Alaska. These same fans were excited by the announcement of New Blood, which many viewed as a chance to get the series' ending right. While the ending to Dexter: New Blood is superior to the first ending in many ways, fans were still largely underwhelmed by it. Hopefully, the latest sequel, Dexter: Resurrection, will give viewers a more fitting conclusion.