12 TV Show Finales That Broke Viewers' Hearts

1. "The Leftovers" (2014-2017)

Considered an underrated gem by many, "The Leftovers" delivered a powerful and heart-wrenching final season that left many viewers in an existential crisis. The series finale, "The Book of Nora," was a masterful blend of emotion and mystery, offering closure while maintaining the show's inherent ambiguity. Carrie Coon's phenomenal performance as Nora Durst, a woman navigating her grief after losing her entire family, was the beating heart of the finale. And by beating heart, we mean one that's been put through a juicer.

2. "Six Feet Under" (2001-2005)

"Six Feet Under," a show that revolved around a family-run funeral home, was never shy about confronting mortality. However, its finale, "Everyone's Waiting," was an emotional sledgehammer that left viewers sobbing. The closing montage, a flash-forward revealing how each character dies, is an unparalleled tear-jerker. It's a haunting, brutally honest portrayal of life and death that will leave you emotionally drained and contemplating your own mortality – all the fun stuff, basically.

3. "The Shield" (2002-2008)

"The Shield" was a gritty cop drama where the line between good and bad was about as blurry as Bigfoot in every photograph ever taken of him. The series finale, "Family Meeting," was a devastating punch to the gut. Vic Mackey, played by Michael Chiklis, was not your conventional hero, but his downfall was tragic nonetheless. Stripped of his authority, family, and friends, he was left alone with his guilt and sins, a haunting punishment that was worse than any jail sentence.

4. "Penny Dreadful" (2014-2016)

"Penny Dreadful" was a masterful blend of classic horror literature and Victorian sensibilities. However, its sudden and heartbreaking finale left many fans shocked. The death of Vanessa Ives, played by the magnificent Eva Green, was a sucker punch to the audience's gut. The show's conclusion was a grim reminder of the oft-forgotten truth that not all stories have happy endings. Just like that annoyingly optimistic guy at your office party, you want to believe in the power of positivity, but sometimes reality hits you hard.

5. "The Americans" (2013-2018)

"The Americans" is a Cold War-era spy drama that's as much about family as it is about espionage. Over six seasons, we watched the Jennings – two Soviet spies living as a suburban American couple – grapple with divided loyalties, escalating danger, and parenthood. The final episode, "START," is a masterclass in tension and emotional release. Forced to abandon their children to avoid arrest, the final scene of Philip and Elizabeth in a Russia they barely recognize, isolated and lost, is devastatingly silent. The show never explicitly answers if they did the right thing, but the heavy sorrow in that final scene suggests a harsh verdict.

6. "Hannibal" (2013-2015)

Bryan Fuller's take on Thomas Harris' infamous characters, Dr. Hannibal Lecter and Will Graham, is a haunting exploration of identity, morality, and surprisingly deep emotional bonds. The final episode, "The Wrath of the Lamb," is a beautifully filmed descent into hell. In the climax, Will embraces his darkness, joining Hannibal to take down the Red Dragon. The pair's final plunge over the cliff, locked in a morbid embrace, is both shocking and poetic.

7. "Blackadder Goes Forth" (1989)

Not every comedy leaves you rolling on the floor with laughter. Sometimes they leave you curled up on the floor in a fetal position. "Blackadder Goes Forth," the fourth season of the British comedy "Blackadder," concluded with an unexpectedly poignant finale. The final scene, where our misfit soldiers go "over the top" into the deadly no man's land of WWI, is a stark reminder of the senseless human cost of war. It's a brilliant blend of comedy and tragedy that leaves you laughing through your tears, or possibly crying through your laughter.

8. "The OA" (2016-2019)

The sci-fi mystery drama "The OA" was a unique and divisive show, but its abrupt cancellation after a cliffhanger second season finale left fans devastated. In "Overview," the series' final episode, The OA (Brit Marling) and her friends leap to another dimension, one where they're actors on a TV show called... "The OA." Meta, right? The narrative potential of this shocking twist and its abrupt end left viewers reeling.

9. "Rectify" (2013-2016)

"Rectify" is a criminally underrated show about a man readjusting to life after being released from death row. Its finale, "All I'm Sayin'," is emotionally intense and beautifully open-ended. Daniel, played by Aden Young, finally experiences a semblance of peace and acceptance in his new life. However, the viewer is left in a world of deep emotions when the show subtly implies that Daniel may have been guilty all along.

10. "Fleabag" (2016-2019)

"Fleabag" is a sharply funny and deeply poignant British comedy-drama that left its mark on viewers. The second and final season concludes with Fleabag, a character so real she doesn't need another name, saying goodbye to the Hot Priest and to us, the audience. Despite the many laughs throughout the series, its conclusion is a sad reminder of the imperfection of life and love. Fleabag walks away, leaving the viewers with a final, tearful fourth-wall break.

11. "Halt and Catch Fire" (2014-2017)

A criminally under-watched drama, "Halt and Catch Fire" was a deeply human show set against the backdrop of the tech industry's rise. Its series finale, "Ten of Swords," is emotionally charged, charting the course of the characters as they navigate personal loss and the inevitable changes of time. The death of Gordon Clark earlier in the season haunts the finale, particularly in the scene where his daughters find a browser history full of the websites he visited to understand their interests.

12. "The Knick" (2014-2015)

Steven Soderbergh's medical drama "The Knick" set in the 1900s is a gripping watch. The two-season show ended on a bleak note with the death of its lead character, Dr. John Thackery, in the finale "This Is All We Are." His desperate and self-performed surgery for addiction is an agonizing watch and a grim reflection on the destructive nature of obsession.