The Man in the High Castle had one of the most gripping setups on TV, but the final season unraveled fast. Juliana became harder to root for while more interesting characters were pushed aside. The Nazi dimension machine storyline ended with a vague, rushed finale that made little sense. After such a dark, unique build-up, the show closed on a confusing note. | © Prime Video
Dexter built years of tension around how Deb would handle learning the truth, only to waste it. Instead of the showdown fans expected, the story veered into a messy love subplot and a flat ending. Watching Dexter walk away to become a lumberjack felt like a bad joke. It was a finale that ignored the drama the show had built toward. | © Showtime Networks
Merlin spent seasons building up the prophecy of Albion, only to leave fans empty-handed. Arthur learned about Merlin’s magic right before dying, with no time to explore it. The finale jumped to old Merlin in a modern street, which felt rushed and hollow. After so much buildup, the ending came off like a cop-out. | © FremantleMedia Enterprises
Yellowjackets built its reputation on eerie mysteries, but not all of them paid off. Taissa’s visions of the Man with No Eyes had fans expecting something dark and supernatural. Instead, the reveal tied him to a childhood ad, stripping away all the intrigue. What once felt terrifying ended up feeling flat and disappointing. | © Netflix
Sherlock started as a modern take on classic mysteries, but season 4 lost the plot. The focus shifted from clever cases to soap opera drama, and killing Mary only made things worse. With Moriarty gone and Mycroft shoved into the spotlight, the show felt bigger but emptier. Fans were left wishing it had stuck to the mysteries that made it great. | © The CW
Mindhunter didn’t betray fans with its story – it did so by ending way too soon. Just as the show was hitting its stride, Netflix pulled the plug and left everyone without real closure. Viewers still bring it up whenever canceled series are mentioned, and it’s clear people wanted far more seasons to dive deeper into its world. | © Netflix
Pretty Little Liars was never known for tight logic, but the twin twist took things too far. Out of nowhere, fans learned Spencer had a secret sister who’d been impersonating her as a villain. The shock was there, but it felt cheap and unearned. Instead of tying the story together, the finale left viewers rolling their eyes. | © ABC Family
Gilmore Girls frustrated fans most when Lorelai ditched Luke and married Christopher. Sure, it was short-lived and Luke and Lorelai got where they needed to go after all but after years of build-up and growth, it felt like the show hit rewind on her character. Season 7 was already rocky, and this choice made it even harder for viewers to stay invested. | © Warner Bros. Television
Lost kept fans guessing with mysteries and twists, but its finale left many confused and let down. The reveal of purgatory and the flash-sideways timeline felt muddled and hard to follow. After years of investment, viewers expected answers, not more questions, and the ending made it seem like the characters’ journeys hadn’t mattered. | © ABC Studios
How I Met Your Mother kept fans hooked for years with the big mystery of who Ted would end up with. When the Mother finally appeared, she was everything viewers hoped for – warm, funny, and perfect for him. But the finale threw it all away by killing her off and pushing Ted back to Robin. After nine seasons of buildup, it felt like a bait-and-switch that undercut the whole story. | © 20th Century Fox Television
Angel gave Cordelia one of the most unfair send-offs in TV. After years of growth, she was sidelined with a coma and then killed off with barely any closure. Fans who loved her journey were left feeling like her ending wasn’t just tragic, but also disrespectful to the character and actress alike. | © The WB
Grey’s Anatomy has delivered plenty of heartbreak, but Alex Karev’s exit was one of the hardest to swallow. After years of growth and finally committing to Jo, he suddenly bailed with nothing more than a letter. It felt completely out of character, especially given his bond with Meredith, and fans were left frustrated by how forced the goodbye seemed. | © ABC
The Vampire Diaries had plenty of shocking twists, but Enzo’s death felt especially cheap. Bonnie had fought through endless heartbreak, and just when she found happiness, it was ripped away. Watching Stefan kill Enzo made his own redemption arc harder to buy, and it robbed fans of a satisfying ending for one of the show’s best couples. | © CW
The Walking Dead had no shortage of shocking deaths, but Glenn’s stood out for all the wrong reasons. Fans thought he was gone once already, only for the show to bring him back and then kill him off in the most brutal way possible. Watching Negan bash his head in felt cruel and unnecessary, leaving many viewers angry instead of devastated. | © AMC Studios
Game of Thrones built Daenerys as a hero for years, only to flip her into a villain in the final stretch. Her sudden massacre of King’s Landing felt rushed and out of character. Fans who had rooted for her since season one were left with a bitter ending that didn’t match the journey. | © HBO
Some TV shows can be great overall and still let their fans down in big ways. Whether it was a sloppy finale, a bad character choice, or a rushed ending, these moments felt like a betrayal after so much investment. Here are 15 shows that proved even good TV can break your trust.
