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The 10 Most Controversial TV Finales Ever

It's often said not to judge a TV show by its pilot episode, as those are notoriously difficult to get right. However, at the other end of the process, a finale is probably even harder to write. By that point, you have a whole series that's depending on you not screwing things up. It's not surprising, then, that so many popular shows have delivered hugely controversial finales over the years.

Sherlock

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Have we actually seen the last of Sherlock? That’s a thorny subject that none of the cast and crew seem to be able to agree on – and the fans desperately hope isn’t true. What is for sure, though, is that the season 4 finale was designed to be a potential closer that, if it ended up being the last outing, ended things on a high note. Unfortunately, not everyone would say that it did.

A far cry from the far-fetched, yes, but still plausible detective drama it began as, “The Final Problem” was Sherlock at its most ostentatious and James Bond-like. In fact, with its inclusion of a secret sibling turned arch-enemy (who’s actually been pulling the strings behind the scenes), it had more than a little similarity to the equally divisive Bond film, Spectre. 

Fans were also torn over how it left the relationship between Sherlock and John. Famously, a large subset of viewers believe that the pair should become a couple. In the end, the duo were shown raising a baby together, while any romantic tension was hinted at but left undefined. Writers Moffat and Gatiss no doubt aimed to reach a middle ground, but probably just ended up frustrating both camps.