Joseph DeMartino
Senior HTF Member
(Admin note - thread title changed to reflect the possible spoiler content, some were spoiled for me, for instance (but I have to read most posts in this area), since I haven't seen all the episodes in question, and some are referring to previews for the respective show's season finales next week, and makes this thread's content a little premature, so read at your own risk!!!)
This year's official end-of-season cliche (in the final episode or one of the last two or three leading to the cliff-hanger) appears to be "kill or almost kill a regular or important recurring character - preferably a loved one"
So far we've had the following:
Lost - not one but two regulars killed by gunfire in the run-up to the season finale, and possibly more to come.
The Ghost Whisperer - co-star demoted to "ghost" in the two-part season ender.
CSI series regular shot and critically wounded in part 1 of season ender. Promo suggests that one of his co-stars is designated to make medical decisions for him and may have to make the call on pulling the plug.
Criminal Minds A cliche two-fer as a series regular is last seen reaching for her weapon while a bad guy levels a gun at her head. Then they fade to black just before we hear the sound of a single gunshot.
CSI: NY Ringing a variation on the theme, this show featured a former regular being killed and let the team solve her murder.
CSI: Miami Completing the CSI trifecta, NYPD: Blue (South) kicks off its 2 part season ender by shooting the wife of a series regular (or maybe fiancee, not sure yet if the shooting is before, during or after the ceremony.)
Numb3rs The promo shows the Judd Hirsch character, father to the FBI agent and the math whiz, shot and on the ground.
Crossing Jordan On the morning of her best friend's wedding, medical examiner Jordan Kavannaugh wakes up in bed with her sometime boyfriend - covered in his blood and holding the gun that killed him.
(Bones did the "hot chick wakes up after a black out covered in dead guy's blood" a couple of weeks ago, but since the dead guy was someone Dr. Brennan just met in that episode and I don't think she actually slept with him, that one wouldn't have counted even if it had been one of the last two or three episodes of the season.)
Anyone else have any to contribute to the list? That's pretty much all the scripted TV I watch (except for a couple of sitcoms, but you don't really expect dead-body cliffhangers on those, although now that I think about it, I'm not sure I'd put it past Two-and-a-half Men)
Regards,
Joe
This year's official end-of-season cliche (in the final episode or one of the last two or three leading to the cliff-hanger) appears to be "kill or almost kill a regular or important recurring character - preferably a loved one"
So far we've had the following:
Lost - not one but two regulars killed by gunfire in the run-up to the season finale, and possibly more to come.
The Ghost Whisperer - co-star demoted to "ghost" in the two-part season ender.
CSI series regular shot and critically wounded in part 1 of season ender. Promo suggests that one of his co-stars is designated to make medical decisions for him and may have to make the call on pulling the plug.
Criminal Minds A cliche two-fer as a series regular is last seen reaching for her weapon while a bad guy levels a gun at her head. Then they fade to black just before we hear the sound of a single gunshot.
CSI: NY Ringing a variation on the theme, this show featured a former regular being killed and let the team solve her murder.
CSI: Miami Completing the CSI trifecta, NYPD: Blue (South) kicks off its 2 part season ender by shooting the wife of a series regular (or maybe fiancee, not sure yet if the shooting is before, during or after the ceremony.)
Numb3rs The promo shows the Judd Hirsch character, father to the FBI agent and the math whiz, shot and on the ground.
Crossing Jordan On the morning of her best friend's wedding, medical examiner Jordan Kavannaugh wakes up in bed with her sometime boyfriend - covered in his blood and holding the gun that killed him.
(Bones did the "hot chick wakes up after a black out covered in dead guy's blood" a couple of weeks ago, but since the dead guy was someone Dr. Brennan just met in that episode and I don't think she actually slept with him, that one wouldn't have counted even if it had been one of the last two or three episodes of the season.)
Anyone else have any to contribute to the list? That's pretty much all the scripted TV I watch (except for a couple of sitcoms, but you don't really expect dead-body cliffhangers on those, although now that I think about it, I'm not sure I'd put it past Two-and-a-half Men)
Regards,
Joe