The 10 Most Controversial TV Finales Ever

The Sopranos

The Sopranos is undoubtedly one of the most critically acclaimed TV shows of the 21st century, with the crime drama never dropping in quality over its eight season run. However, no series is completely perfect and there is one blemish on The Sopranos‘ otherwise spotless record: its ambiguous finale, which left many fans riled.

Let’s set the scene. The episode is building up to a tense climax as James Gandolfini’s Tony Soprano is joined in a restaurant by his family – but the camera keeps cutting to random bystanders who seem to be keeping an eye on Tony. It looks like things are building up to what’s been hinted at throughout the season: that Tony’s going to get “whacked.” So, what’s going to hap- Oh, ok, it’s faded to black.

Yes, The Sopranos finale ended just before we found out the fate of its central character. It’s a bold move, for sure, with many citing it as another reason for the show’s unique genius. Others, though, were left aghast that the series concluded on such an open-ended note that went against all the rules of storytelling. If The Sopranos‘ writers were trying to create the most divisive TV finale of all time, then congrats – they might have managed it.