4 Fantasy TV Shows That Ended on Frustrating Cliffhangers

Cliffhangers can fuel further interest in a fantasy show, but some have ended on frustrating ones — and because of it, we’ll never know where they were headed. In the streaming era, a cliffhanger can be a risky way to end a season. On the one hand, leaving the characters and storylines in a precarious place can incentivize viewers to pick up the next chapter. On the other, cancellations are all too common. And fantasy shows, in particular, tend to be cancelled before they can truly find their footing.

Cancelled fantasy series have led to some of the worst cliffhangers, leaving viewers guessing at where things were going. Sure, there are plenty of fantasy shows that crashed in their final seasons, but at least they got proper endings. By contrast, these titles were cut short at the worst time. Just as they decided to up the ante, their fates were sealed. Now we’re left frustrated and wondering what could have been.

4) Kaos

Netflix’s Kaos seemed like a sure success, especially with Jeff Goldblum taking on the role of Zeus. However, Netflix cancelled the series after its eight-episode first season, bringing an abrupt end to its darkly comical take on Greek mythology. It’s a shame because the show had serious potential — and it also left off on a call to war. Just as Zeus discovered he was no longer untouchable or immortal, Hera placed a mysterious phone call, ordering one of her children to “gather the troops.” With Kaos cancelled, hopes of learning Zeus’ fate or deciphering Hera’s command were dashed. The show became one of several Netflix projects to have a cliffhanger ending by circumstance rather than choice.

3) Shadow and Bone

Another Netflix fantasy show cut tragically short was Shadow and Bone, and its Season 2 finale left fans on the ultimate cliffhanger. What made it worse was the fact that the finale took a sharp turn from Leigh Bardugo’s source material. Even fans of the books didn’t know how things would play out, and viewers couldn’t seek answers within their pages. The end of Shadow and Bone Season 2 saw Alina Starkov becoming Nikolai Lantsov’s betrothed, then gaining shadow powers similar to the Darkling’s. This shocking twist didn’t get further explanation, as Shadow and Bone Season 3 never happened. On top of that, we never learned what became of the other characters. With many of them embarking on different paths than in the books, their fates were left very up in the air.

2) Cursed

Netflix struck again with Cursed, its fantasy series that blended the best parts of The Witcher and Arthurian legend but offered no true resolution in its final episode. Cursed was cancelled after a single season on the streamer, and that season ended with Katherine Langford’s Nimue being shot, then falling into a body of water. For the Lady of the Lake, it wasn’t a wholly surprising send-off. Yet Cursed left her story feeling unfinished, and it didn’t exactly wrap the larger conflicts within its fantasy world. Thomas Wheeler and Frank Miller’s book revealed that Nimue survived her fall, raising even more questions about the show’s ending. Unfortunately, her story hasn’t continued on the page, making Cursed a frustrating experience in both formats.

1) The InBetween

The InBetween was a supernatural fantasy show that flew under the radar, and perhaps because of that, NBC’s cancelled fantasy series ended on a frustrating cliffhanger. Although Cassie defeated Ed Roven before the show’s first and only season was through, the finale teased yet another threat. Following Brian’s surgery, Cassie saw a glimpse of him in the mirror that suggested he’d been corrupted as well. This promised to put the show’s lead in a more personal predicament, but The InBetween never got the chance to deliver on it. It would have made a compelling twist had The InBetween Season 2 been allowed to happen. It’s another example of a show trying to keep audiences engaged with a clever season ender, only to be stuck with its twist as a series conclusion.

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