Cruel Cliffhangers: How Could You Leave Us Hanging Like That?!

This week kicks off TV season finales across the networks. We should expect big bangs, deaths and story wrap-ups as usual, but I'd like to take this time to point out some of the best shows that never got to say goodbye properly.

I'm talking about those gems that were cut WAY before their time. I know, it happens every year, but it doesn't make it any less painful. And so a look at some of those shows I miss AND wish had a chance to wrap up those loose ends and provide proper closure.

Pushing Daisies: The facts are these; this show was short-ended, primarily due to the writer's strike and certainly before it's expiration date. OK, so ABC plans to air the remaining three episodes starting May 30 (check local listings!) which may or may not provide some semblance of a wrap-up, but until I see it, I cry foul. I doubt they'll be able to provide the happily ever after I was expecting from this whimsical tale of Ned the pie-maker, who's ability to bring the dead back to life (and in turn killing something else) brought him back his true love Charlotte "Chuck"Charles. And I seriously doubt the supporting characters, which included a stellar Kristen Chenoweth, will get the attention they deserve. Alas, I suppose it merely wasn't meant to be after all. But that doesn't make it any more right.

Veronica Mars: While most shows were merely killed by season's end, this one was cut to black in the middle of its third. The last we saw of our fair Veronica, our little amateur sleuth had cast off her ex-boyfriend/current acquaintance Logan, who was obviously still struggling with feelings he had for her and her dad, Sheriff Keith Mars, was facing an uphill re-election battle that it looked like he was going to lose. Did he? And what ever became of our girl's last investigation into the secret society known as The Castle that was supposedly the source of a sex tape featuring Veronica and her then boyfriend Piz? These days most fans are pinning their hopes on a movie that has been discussed, but that cliffhanger still stings...

My So-Called Life: Does Angela Chase ever figure out that the letter she thinks is from Jordan Catalano is actually from Brian Krakow? Does Rayanne ever get clean? Did Rickey ever dance again? Guess we'll never know! After just ONE season, this now-cult classic about a high school teen and those who came in and out of her life was killed. I don't really care that the show managed to make stars out of most of its key players and I'm not interested in how everyone looks back on it now and realizes what it meant. All I want to know is if Angela's parents get divorced. Would they ever have revealed Tino? Does Angela's....



Carnivale: Seriously, WTF?! Never have I been so creeped out, perplexed and yet enamored with a show. I didn't know what the hell I was watching half the time, but I'll be damned if the show didn't always have my attention. The premise of a traveling carnival set in the Dust Bowl days seemed simple enough, but the show was shrouded in the supernatural. It was often classic Good versus Evil and it rocked a Twilight Zone vibe. Plus, the cast was awesome (particularly Clancy Brown and Nick Stahl, who played like a demented version of Daisies' pie-maker). Unfortunately, the show was canceled before we found out which side eventually prevailed, Good or Evil. The way things were going, Evil was ahead, but we may never really know...I say it's still worth a watch though. Because I couldn't find the cliffhanger, here's the genius opening credits:


Deadwood: And speaking of short-changed HBO gems, we never got a chance to see how this Western was won. To use a word dropped like every minute on the show, what C*cksucker thought it was a good idea to kill Deadwood in its prime? Oh yeah, that would be the creator himself, David Milch, who felt that John From Cincinnati would better be worth his time. Too bad no one else did. And I wouldn't hold my breath for the once-promised movies that were going to be made to wrap things up. I'll be honest, I still hold a little resentment for the way we were left hanging.

And these are but a few shows that popped to mind when I considered the topic, but I could go on and on. Of course, reflecting back is only more torturous, so I suppose I'll take comfort in the finales ahead. At least I know a show like Lost won't suffer the same fate. Because there's cruel and then there's just EVIL...