Cliffhanger Season 2004: A Mini Diatribe, And A Poll, take 2

[Rover_Wow]

We all know that April showers bring May flowers, and May flowers bring pilgrims , but you know what May sweeps bring (for TV viewers, anyway)? Season finales (or even series finales: "Friends", I'm looking in your direction). And what do some season finales bring? TeeVee.org's Jason Snell has the answer:

It's May, and you know what that means -- time for May sweeps, when the great community of television viewers is tormented by a process that is outmoded, silly, ineffective, and horribly wasteful.

No, not sweeps themselves, although they are a silly addiction that's going to drive the networks to their death. I'm talking about season-ending cliffhangers.

Watch enough TV, and you'll tremble with fear at the mention of the words "season-ending cliffhanger." Every year, the last episode of just about every series on television -- be it drama or sitcom -- ends with a purportedly shocking conclusion that leaves the storylines up in the air until the season premiere in the fall.

Or until someone leaks the spoilers to Entertainment Weekly. Whichever comes first.

The article then goes on to show the bad side of season-ending 'hangers, and Snell even cites an example of how Whedon avoided using one for the first season of his first show Buffy, just to make his point.
It's been 24 years since the daytime soap "Love of Life" was cancelled with a 'hang, with a woman, who had just recalled a repressed memory about a boating accident that happened because someone was trying to kill a snake, suddenly collapsing while testifying during an important trial. It appears that TV producers have not been the wiser to the ultimate potential drawback of season-enders: cancellation (yes, Snell does mention it too). Just last year, we had Farscape, John Doe, and Fastlane all ending with 'hangers (Fastlane having multiple 'hangers, to boot). But OTOH, the fact that 'hangers are still being used today means there must be some good in them...So let's kick off Cliffhanger Season 2004 with a poll: Basically, are season-ending 'hangers any good? If you vote, might as well just leave a comment as well.
But let me close with another excerpt from Snell:

Enough with the suspense already. We don't need it. It needlessly harms your series, and cripples the opening episode of your next season. It's not worth it.

[EroSennin]

Ofcourse they work. The fact that studios know that every fan of the series is gonna be glued to thier seat coming next fall dieing to know how its gonna end is a good incentive for them. Yes it sucks big time for series that get canceled but for those that dont its a boost to the ratings come the fall premiere.

I personally love and hate them. They drive me crazy for those few months but the anticipation and waiting to see what happens makes me want to watch even more.

[krazymed]

Only shows that are for certain having another season should do cliffhanger endings to draw viewers. Too many shows do it, and then not return, only angering the fans of those shows. Too often the idea of producing a cliffhanger is that the network will let the episode flow into the next season, thus givning shows another season. But that has rarely been the case. Cliffhangers should be reserved for good shows that can afford to use them.

[Lord Dalek]

Yes they are. One should only think of the many great season ending clifhangers from the X-Files.