Stuck Upside-Down
A lot of time and emotional energy goes into long-term TV show fandom, especially after years of multi-seasonal commitment. Aside from the hours of literal watchtime, television also has a way of engulfing audiences' thoughts offscreen. Spinning plot twists into fan theories, viewers speculate what might come next, compounding the effect of baked-in cliff hangers and tension-building storytelling tactics. Throughout the duration of a show’s runtime, viewers standby with gritted teeth, devouring on-screen tales about their favorite characters whose lives of turbulence, drama, and adventure fuel our entertainment hour, while also spending their unconscious moments speculating what might happen next.
Uncertainty aversion, the neuroscientific phenomenon of speculative conclusion, is a natural process in the brain that predicts potential outcomes. “Humans are wired to reduce uncertainty,” says Nan J. Wise Ph.D. from Psychology Today. ”Even if it means choosing a known negative outcome over an ambiguous one.” Ambiguity and the unknown are uncomfortable, which is why the human brain seeks solutions and conclusions, regardless of whether scenarios yield a positive or negative outcome. This process occurs in the subconscious, so even as they’re passively enjoying a pre-written TV show with a steaming plate of pasta and a glass of wine, our brains follow the the built-in thread of a logical narrative, hoping to find a conclusion at the end to satisfy our basal needs.
If a story ends inconclusively, audiences are left unsatisfied, fighting uncertainty, aversion, and the lingering discomfort of an unresolved emotional rollercoaster. Bad endings in a TV series, at least, provide the closure of an ending, but an open-ended, unfinished finale makes audiences feel betrayed.
After having spent so much emotional energy investing in a beloved series, it’s devastating for audiences to watch the writers of a show give up. When writers throw away hinted side quests, leave character origins unanswered, and leave the alleged “final” episode as a cliffhanger, it feels like taking a bite of an undercooked piece of chicken… Disgusting, and frankly disappointing.
Via u/memesuser
Make It Make Sense
As an avid TV enthusiast, bookworm, and storymonger, I would say that Stranger Things’ reception is its only truly groundbreaking characteristic. Beside the impeccable casting chemistry, Stranger Things is not the best show ever made. It’s lackluster on the production side, skates along over years of disjunct plot holes, has awkwardly unnatural dialogue, and afterthought writer tropes. Did I still watch every single episode of the show? Yes, but for the final season, I was very reluctant.
Assuming that Stranger Things would follow in the footsteps of every other major TV show from the last 10 years, I wagered that they would leave the acclaimed “ending” as inconclusive as Murray’s hairline. That kind of end-of-series disappointment wasn’t something my cinephile’s ego could survive, because I had already spent years following a half-baked, uber-hyped story, driven by equal parts confusion, blind faith, and desperation.
The show needed to end, and it needed to make sense.
Via u/MaxMiller
Like Game of Thrones, which ruined its eight season reputation with an egregiously rushed and unsatisfactory conclusion, I certainly expected Stranger Things to follow suit with a lame ending. Viewers anticipate, but still fear, the looming industry trend of irresolution. Mimicking the Marvel-style ending, where the vanquished villain’s hand twitches just before cutting to credits, this type of ending generates buzz, but it leaves audiences without closure.
Via u/sydwingold
However, Stranger Things surprised me, and in a good way, with their season finale. Following a two-part release of their final season, the final episode called, “The Rightside Up,” spent two hours tying up loose ends, the right way. Character arcs were realized, villain origins explained, heroes actualized, and overall, the ending was just that… An ending. It felt so alien to watch a modern show boasting of an actual conclusion, and, no surprise here, it made me feel really good. An actual ending validated the years spent devoted to the story.
Don’t get me wrong, there are so many things that are still wrong with Stranger Things as a whole, but bringing the series to an end with a conclusive storyteller’s ending was a breath of fresh air, and arguably the best thing Stranger Things has done for their fandom. While Eleven’s Season 5 lookmaxxing, Dustin’s rebellious come-up, Steve Harrington’s luscious hair, and Vecna’s totally-snatched 14” waist, were all amazing, they could never stand up to the satisfaction of a well-rounded ending. What a sigh of relief!
The Strangest Thing
Although there is chatter on the fandom forums of a top-secret Stranger Things Season 5 Episode 9 reveal, which is speculated to showcase an even more conclusive conclusion to the story, fans can still live quite happily with the existing verdict. By tying up their story, they give audiences an actual ending. Stranger Things can now step into the shoes of other modern TV show greats, like Better Call Saul and Succession, despite their rocky middle seasons.
As it turns out, the last thing audiences see is the last thing they remember, so when shows end on a satisfying conclusion, viewers revere the entire saga as a net positive, even if it means they’re looking in the rearview mirror with rose colored glasses. Here’s hoping that this bold finale inspires future shows to follow suit, because audiences don’t need more unfinished shows. We need a beginning, middle, and an end to the fictional stories to bring us peace.