As I scroll through Netflix, boredom fills my mind. Oh look: “Bridgerton” has a new season! The finale of “Stranger Things” is finally being released. Wait, is that it? From instances as early as the infamous “Game of Thrones” season finale, it’s clear that as pieces of media–especially TV series–get dragged on, the worse they get. As time goes on, the lack of creativity and money-hungry producers increases, and eventually, we viewers have to say “enough is enough,” because soon, that’s all TV will become.
Shows are often dragged on for one reason, and one reason only: money. Series that don’t have a predetermined ending may guarantee a studio a few extra bucks, but they ultimately sacrifice quality for quantity. Some iconic shows that had a planned ending include “Breaking Bad” and “The Sopranos.” There’s a reason why these shows did so well: there was a written storyline that was achieved, and that was that. No extra seasons, no ambiguous ending. They just, well, ended.
Contrastingly, shows with endings that their communities have collectively disregarded–which were written as the series progressed–have been series such as “Stranger Things,” “Riverdale,” and “Outer Banks.” Something common amongst the former is that they were all released around the early 2000s, whereas the latter have been within the past decade. So, based on those few, but impactful examples in pop culture, it’s evident that TV has been on its decline, and more and more producers are filled with greed as time progresses.
The process of not finishing a show before releasing its first season is not inherently bad, but the execution is what ruins it. This is extremely prevalent in “Stranger Things,” arguably most famous for its insanely long runtime (five seasons in 10 years, by the way…). Additionally, The Duffer Brothers exposed themselves in the documentary about the show, which allegedly showed an opened ChatGPT tab on one of their computers as they were creating the script. On top of everything, and while the term ‘writing’ can be debated, it’s confirmed that The Duffer Brothers were literally still writing the script when the first episode of the finale was being filmed. So, fans were understandably disappointed with the anti-climactic ending.
People were so disappointed with the “Stranger Things” finale that the theory of “Conformity Gate” went viral on TikTok, where fans gaslighted themselves into believing that a “secret final episode” would be released on Jan. 7, which obviously did not happen. Between zero original main character deaths amongst all five seasons of a show with an omnipotent psychic monster trying to destroy the earth, to an ambiguous ending around the fate of the Eleven—the person the show is centered around—everything was entirely predictable and lackluster. While it can be disputed, this purposefully vague ending would allow discussion even past the wait between seasons, ultimately continuing the stream of income—that derived from dragging the series on—even though the show is over.
Another key show that has been ruined is “Riverdale.” This show’s ending was so poor that the phrase “The Riverdale Effect” was coined by some fans on social media. The show starts as a simple and realistic murder mystery amongst a friend group, trying to solve their classmate’s death. Then, by the seventh season–yes, seventh–everyone has magical powers and, honestly, who even knows what’s going on anymore. At least, unlike “Stranger Things,” the producers were able to push out seven seasons in six years, which simultaneously might have been its downfall.
This effect continues onto “Outer Banks,” one of the most popular shows of the 2020s. It follows the class dynamics of the Outer Banks—a group of islands in N.C.—focusing on the main “Pogue” (poor) friend group, with some additions from the “Kook” (rich) side of the town as the seasons progress. The first season covers the group going on a treasure hunt after accidentally stumbling upon a connection to the island chain’s notoriously sunken ship, trying to avoid the police and opposing hunters along the way. Other than the fantastical elements of random kids finding this fortune, the show developed into discussing the real issue of class differences in the Outer Banks and their effects on the residents. Then, similarly to what happened in “Riverdale,” magic comes into play, completely spiraling from what the show once stood for; while the idea of a group of teenagers finding millions of dollars worth of gold bars is outrageous, at least it began somewhat relatable.
Magic is not real: everyone knows that, and that’s why so many shows turn to it. Magic can explain everything, from continuity errors and plot holes to the escape from rewriting plot details so it actually makes sense. It’s the scapegoat for all that goes wrong in a show, which, at the same time, could have been avoided if magic had never been added in the first place, and the series simply ended.
As explicitly stated, it’s clear that the world of TV is on its downfall. Whether it’s just lazy writing or in the name of money, TV shows such as “Stranger Things,” “Riverdale,” and “Outer Banks,” quite frankly, as the internet likes to say, lost the plot. From filming the season finale without it being written, rapid-fire releasing seasons, and using magic to explain whatever went wrong previously, any non-limited-series show has been, unfortunately, short of anything remarkable, at least on the positive side of things.
Shows should be remembered for their excellence in writing, acting, and design, not for their buildup and a lackluster ending; it should be about what they are, not what they could have been. So, as the years progress, and more and more people become disappointed with what media is being produced, perhaps creators will take a hint, and the quality will be back on the incline, but, after all, only time will tell.
