20 TV Shows Canceled on Huge Cliffhangers

Closure is such a scarcity in the cutthroat television industry. TV networks often cast off their lowest performers rather than outlaying any more expense to wrap up the shows’ loose threads. And before the news of their shows’ cancellation, TV showrunners often end their seasons with cliffhangers to keep viewers wanting more — and, in some cases, to try to strong-arm the networks into a renewal.

Those opposing forces mean fans of low-rated TV shows have to expect that they may never see their favorite small-screen stories to their narrative ends. Click through the gallery above for 10 series that ended on a suspenseful note — including a rare few that got to continue their stories years later.