Is the TV cliffhanger still necessary? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

TMC · 03-21-2015, 12:38 AM

http://www.theatlantic.com/entertain...hanger/388255/

There are so many cliffhangers these days that they've lost their "gut-punch" value that they'd have 30 years ago.

king of comedy · 03-21-2015, 07:16 AM

The last good one was Who Shot Mr. Burns? on The Simpsons.

JO Sweet Heart · 06-21-2015, 07:57 PM

To me, if a show can be given the axe at any time, then I don't believe that a cliff hanger is necessary.

God bless you always!!!

Holly

irehtman · 06-24-2015, 06:35 AM

No, that will cause an extreme nerve damage on anyone and it will never get cured on time.

James28 · 06-25-2015, 02:10 AM

There are so many scripted TV shows using cliffhangers these days, it's mainly the heavily-serialized shows using this approach. The TV cliffhanger can lose value, or sometimes have no value at all just because so many shows are using them. Another reason why it's practically impossible to create a scripted TV show without at least one continuing story arc, as I have suggested in the past.

king of comedy · 06-25-2015, 04:25 PM

There was a cliffhanger to a show that was never solved. It was the one for the final season of Soap. It ended with Jessica being shot. The show was cancelled but we learned that she was in a coma and made a special "ghost" appearance on Benson.

Mace Dolex · 06-25-2015, 04:50 PM

It wasn't billed as a cliffhanger but I really liked the season finale of the 1993-1994 ending of Beverly Hills 90210, in that episode Dylan's unknowingly would lose his trust fund to a scam artist, Donna catches David cheating on her and Brenda Walsh leaving the zip code for good (in reality Shannon Doherty was leaving the show due to her on-set behaviour).

JO Sweet Heart · 06-25-2015, 08:55 PM

My most favorite show ended with a cliff hanger too. It was never said who shot Jim on The Glades.

God bless you always!!!

Holly

03-21-2015, 12:38 AM	#1
TMC Member Forum Idol Join Date: Jan 09, 2001 Posts: 126,393	Is the TV cliffhanger still necessary? http://www.theatlantic.com/entertain...hanger/388255/ There are so many cliffhangers these days that they've lost their "gut-punch" value that they'd have 30 years ago.

06-21-2015, 07:57 PM	#3
JO Sweet Heart Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Mar 11, 2012 Location: East Tennessee Posts: 7,880	To me, if a show can be given the axe at any time, then I don't believe that a cliff hanger is necessary. God bless you always!!! Holly
	__________________ Go here to check out my most favorite singer, James Otto, when you can!

06-25-2015, 02:10 AM	#5
James28 Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Apr 14, 2007 Posts: 3,982	There are so many scripted TV shows using cliffhangers these days, it's mainly the heavily-serialized shows using this approach. The TV cliffhanger can lose value, or sometimes have no value at all just because so many shows are using them. Another reason why it's practically impossible to create a scripted TV show without at least one continuing story arc, as I have suggested in the past.
	__________________ "When the run of a network TV show has ended, some go out with a bang, some with a whimper, but all are...Future Endeavored." "Stay Safe"? More like "Stay Sad". #2020Hurts

03-21-2015, 07:16 AM	#2
king of comedy Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Aug 31, 2012 Location: New Jersey Posts: 5,140	The last good one was Who Shot Mr. Burns? on The Simpsons.

06-24-2015, 06:35 AM	#4
irehtman Member Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Mar 15, 2013 Location: Montgomery County, Maryland Posts: 4,826	No, that will cause an extreme nerve damage on anyone and it will never get cured on time.

06-25-2015, 04:25 PM	#6
king of comedy Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Aug 31, 2012 Location: New Jersey Posts: 5,140	There was a cliffhanger to a show that was never solved. It was the one for the final season of Soap. It ended with Jessica being shot. The show was cancelled but we learned that she was in a coma and made a special "ghost" appearance on Benson.

06-25-2015, 04:50 PM	#7
Mace Dolex Member Senior Member Join Date: Aug 12, 2013 Posts: 2,669	It wasn't billed as a cliffhanger but I really liked the season finale of the 1993-1994 ending of Beverly Hills 90210, in that episode Dylan's unknowingly would lose his trust fund to a scam artist, Donna catches David cheating on her and Brenda Walsh leaving the zip code for good (in reality Shannon Doherty was leaving the show due to her on-set behaviour).

06-25-2015, 08:55 PM	#8
JO Sweet Heart Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Mar 11, 2012 Location: East Tennessee Posts: 7,880	My most favorite show ended with a cliff hanger too. It was never said who shot Jim on The Glades. God bless you always!!! Holly