Twists have been part of the entertainment business for as long as it’s been around. Street magicians would captivate audiences by pulling off elaborate tricks that could go in any direction. It didn’t take long for filmmakers to realize they could get in on the fun as well. Some directors, such as M. Night Shyamalan, make a career of throwing people off the scent. There’s just something about watching a movie in a theater with a big crowd and experiencing a twist. However, it’s just as fun to witness one from the comfort of home. In the history of television, there have been numerous incredible twists that dominate the water-cooler conversation.
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One problem with twists becoming such a major part of the TV landscape is that they become overdone. Sometimes, writers include them just for the sake of it, wanting to give their story a boost. What that leads to is a good number of TV twists that everyone saw coming from the jump.
1) Savitar Being Barry Allen (The Flash)
Season 3 of The CW’s The Flash follows the same model as the first two: a mysterious evil speedster shows up in Central City, and it’s up to Team Flash to unmask them. Unlike Zoom and Reverse-Flash, though, Savitar has a story that dates back centuries, being something of a speed god. However, by the time his suit comes off, it’s pretty obvious that he’s a version of Barry Allen, as the villain knows a bit too much about what goes on at S.T.A.R. Labs.
2) Jon Snow Coming Back to Life (Game of Thrones)
Jon Snow spends the first five seasons of Game of Thrones at Castle Black as a member of the Night’s Watch. It takes him years to take command, but once he does, he makes the controversial decision to bring the Wildlings over the wall to protect them from the Night King’s army. The choice doesn’t sit right with other members of the order, so they kill their Lord Commander. While Jon’s death is a shocking moment, it’s clear the show will find a way to bring him back, as he’s just too important.
3) Glenn Making It Out of the Dumpster (The Walking Dead)
Like Game of Thrones, The Walking Dead isn’t afraid to kill off beloved characters. They don’t always go out in lackluster ways, though, which is why Glenn’s trip to the dumpster is a tough pill to swallow. Well, while the show does its best to fake out its audience, Glenn’s “death” is so out of left field that there’s no chance it can stick. Unfortunately, he can’t avoid a grisly fate a second time when Negan’s bat starts swinging.
4) It Was Agatha All Along (WandaVision)
After years of showing up in Marvel team-up movies, Wanda Maximoff finally gets her own project with WandaVision. However, she’s not out saving the day; she’s stuck in a reality that works a lot like a sitcom. WandaVision‘s mystery takes several episodes to unravel, but it’s hard not to be suspicious of Wanda’s neighbor, Agnes. It turns out she’s actually an evil witch, Agatha Harkness, who is pushing Wanda farther down the deep end to steal her power.
5) Luke Skywalker Saves the Day (The Mandalorian)
Din Djarin is trying to be a good dad in The Mandalorian Season 2 by helping Grogu find his people. At one point, the little creature makes contact with someone, but the Star Wars show keeps the character’s identity a secret until the finale. Despite speculation that it could be Mace Windu or Plo Koon, the betting favorite, Luke Skywalker, shows up on Moff Giedeon’s ship and wreaks havoc.
6) Jack Pearson Is Dead (This Is Us)
The first episode of NBC’s This Is Us is a whirlwind, introducing the Pearson family and all of their problems. Things can only be so bad, though, because the patriarch of the family, Jack Pearson, is around. Well, he’s only present in the flashbacks, which makes it clear that he dies at some point, leaving his wife and kids without the most important person in their lives.
7) Chuck’s Death (Better Call Saul)
Saul Goodman is so popular in Breaking Bad that he gets his own spinoff, Better Call Saul, which follows the lawyer as he becomes the shady crook that works with Walter White. One of the few people grounding Jimmy McGill is his brother, Chuck, who wants his sibling to stay on the right side of the law. However, Jimmy’s dark actions in Breaking Bad make it clear that Chuck isn’t around to help him, foreshadowing his death in Season 3 of the prequel.
8) The Mother Is Dead (How I Met Your Mother)
Every season of How I Met Your Mother introduces plenty of women who could turn out to be the titular character. But it’s not until the end of Season 8 that Tracy enters the picture as a band member for Robin and Barney’s wedding. Despite trying to pull out from underneath the audience by killing her off, speculation had been going around for years that the mother wouldn’t make it out of the show alive. There’s no other reason she wouldn’t be present during Ted’s talk with their children.
9) Joey and Rachel Getting Together (Friends)
There are so many seasons of Friends that it’s for the main characters not to wonder what it would be like if they got together with one another. Toward the end of the show, Joey starts to develop feelings for Rachel, which seem like nothing but a crush at first. But Friends throws everyone for a loop by having them get together. Their relationship doesn’t last long, but it would’ve been more shocking if Joey hadn’t been constantly talking about having a crush on Rachel.
10) Raj and Penny Didn’t Hook Up (The Big Bang Theory)
It always seems like Leonard and Penny are going to get together in The Big Bang Theory. However, the show can’t help but add some drama by making it look like Penny hooks up with one of Leonard’s best friends, Raj. It’s a strange decision, given that Raj barely ever speaks to Penny because of his anxiety, which is why the show pulls back at the start of the next season, making the whole thing a misunderstanding.
Were you surprised by any of the TV twists on this list? What are some other moments that failed to fool you? Let us know in the comments below!
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Image courtesy of Marvel Studios. -
Image courtesy of Lucasfilm.
