Read update
- Television is better than it had been in a long time, and many outstanding shows have ended or will end in 2023—Such as Succession, whose finale immediately became one of the highest-rated TV series endings in all of IMDb. As such, it's fun to remember other shows that have proved endings can be done right, and then some.
Content Warning: The following article contains spoilers.When a TV show ends, it tends to be a huge event. It's the conclusion of stories of sprawling character arcs and complex storylines, usually spanning years, which typically means that the series finale becomes a cultural phenomenon that all fans are excited to see unravel.
From Friends to Better Call Saul, there are a good variety of shows with outstanding finales that bring their stories to a resounding close. Of course, fans have been sure to head to IMDb to show their love for these endings, leading some to be among the highest-rated episodes on the platform.
Updated on August 18, 2023, by Diego Pineda Pacheco:
Television is better than it had been in a long time, and many outstanding shows have ended or will end in 2023—Such as Succession, whose finale immediately became one of the highest-rated TV series endings in all of IMDb. As such, it's fun to remember other shows that have proved endings can be done right, and then some.
13 'Dark': "Das Paradies"
Season 3, Episode 8 (2020)
IMDb rating: 9.6/10
Dark, an enthralling German mystery drama, follows the supernatural family saga sparked by the disappearance of two teenagers in a German town. From the moment it was released, fans fell in love with its mind-bending story full of jaw-dropping twists and turns.
The highest-rated episode of the whole show on IMDb happens to be its finale, "Das Paradies". Users on the platform praise the suspense and excitement generated by the episode and the grandiosity of its themes, and how it brings such a challenging story to finish to such a satisfying close.
12 'Friends': "The Last One"
Season 10, Episode 17 (2004)
IMDb rating: 9.6/10
The cultural phenomenon that was Friends will probably never be matched. It remains, even all these years later, one of the most fun and influential sitcoms that television has ever seen. It explores the lives of six 30-something friends living in Manhattan throughout its ten seasons.
Part of the magic of Friends is watching the characters mature and evolve. By the time the tenth season came around, they were all at a point where it was clear that it was time to say goodbye. Fans of the show on IMDb perfectly encapsulate how joyful yet emotional it always is to say goodbye to characters you've come to know and love for years.
11 'Succession': "With Open Eyes"
Season 4, Episode 10 (2023)
IMDb rating: 9.6/10
When it was announced that Succession, which explores the conflicts of the Roy family and the media conglomerate they control, would be ending with its fourth season, fans were as shocked as they were excited to see how the story would wrap up. Perhaps it was for the best that it didn't go on for longer, because the final season of the show happens to be among the highest-rated seasons of television on IMDb.
Full of unpredictable yet fully logical surprises, and the kind of exquisitely tragic character moments that fans of the show had come to expect, the finale was lauded for how tense, funny, and emotionally crushing it was.
10 'Hannibal': "The Wrath of the Lamb"
Season 3, Episode 13 (2015)
IMDb rating: 9.7/10
The Hannibal TV show is a dark, gripping crime drama about the relationship between the iconic villain and a young FBI profiler. It only got better and better as it went along until it was tragically canceled after its third season.
Although the series deserved a proper ending, audiences loved this finale. Gruesome and poetic, the episode perfectly balanced the dark and elegant tone of the show with a few strangely beautiful scenes loved by all fans of the Hannibal mythos, which made the show's sudden cancellation all the more tragic.
9 'Person of Interest': "Return 0"
Season 5, Episode 13 (2016)
Episode rating: 9.8/10
One of the most consistent crime dramas that ever aired on television, as well as one of the most creative (and, frankly, underrated) sci-fi thrillers the small screen has seen, Person of Interest is about an ex-CIA agent and a programmer who save lives via a surveillance AI.
Person of Interest is more relevant today than it ever was, and that's reflected in its phenomenal finale. An emotional rollercoaster with a beautifully fitting conclusion, it was all that fans could have wanted and more.
8 'Chernobyl': "Vichanya Pamyat"
Season 1, Episode 5 (2019)
IMDb rating: 9.8/10
Chernobyl, an HBO original miniseries about the tragic 1986 explosion in the titular Soviet city, is generally counted among the best shows ever made. All of its episodes have outstanding ratings on IMDb, including one of the best-ever TV pilots and an equally flawless finale.
"Vichanya Pamyat", the series's finale episode, is not only very educational and insightful, but also boasts a super impactful dark tone and one of the best trial scenes that television has ever been graced with.
7 'The Office': "Finale"
Season 9, Episode 23 (2013)
IMDb rating: 9.8/10
Perhaps the funniest and most beloved sitcom of the 21st century thus far is The Office, about the everyday work life of a small paper company office in Scranton, Pennsylvania.
Of course, like most other episodes in the show, the finale is delightfully creative and laugh-out-loud funny. It's also incredibly touching, sweet, and emotional, the perfect way to say goodbye to the iconic ensemble of characters. Character arcs receive closure, plot points come full circle, and the laughs never stop coming.
6 'Better Call Saul': "Saul Gone"
Season 6, Episode 13 (2022)
IMDb rating: 9.8/10
Better Call Saul, the prequel spin-off to Breaking Bad that tackles the years leading up to lawyer Jimmy McGill becoming Saul Goodman, started off slow. By the time it ended, though, many dedicated fans felt that it was on the same level of quality as the original show, if not sometimes even a little bit better.
The show's final season was a breathtaking experience, which took a very unexpected tonal shift in its last few episodes. This shift solidified itself as the best possible way to end the series in "Saul Gone," which gives closure to Saul and Kim's arc in the most fitting and beautiful way possible.
5 'Mr. Robot': "Hello, Elliot"
Season 4, Episode 13 (2019)
IMDb rating: 9.8/10
In this brilliant crime drama, a young hacker named Elliot becomes the key player in a strategy to bring down the corrupt corporation that he works for. Surprisingly profound and complex, it's a show whose fans typically call one of the most underappreciated in recent years.
There are plenty of exceptional episodes between the remarkable pilot and finale of Mr. Robot, but it doesn't really get much more incredible than "Hello, Elliot". It has emotionally satisfying payoffs, an excellent ending for each storyline, and even manages to sneak in a few nice surprises.
4 'Six Feet Under': "Everyone's Waiting"
Season 5, Episode 12 (2005)
IMDb rating: 9.9/10
Only the most tremendous dramedies are able to tackle serious topics such as death, and be amusing while never sacrificing depth or complexity. That's exactly what you get in Six Feet Under, an HBO dramedy about a dysfunctional family who runs a funeral home in L.A.
Most shows would argue that you shouldn't reveal the fate of absolutely every character, but Six Feet Under isn't concerned with such pretensions. With a moving and intimate tone capable of making even the toughest of viewers shed a tear, the show explores the fate of each of its main characters in one of the most satisfying endings ever seen on television.
3 'Avatar: The Last Airbender': "Sozin's Comet, Part 4: Avatar Aang"
Season 3, Episode 21 (2008)
IMDb rating: 9.9/10
Avatar: The Last Airbender, Nickelodeon's anime-influenced masterpiece of a show, is no less than the highest-rated animated show on IMDb, and you needn't go further than its finale to find out every reason why.
The episode is absolutely stunning and utterly unforgettable, with top-notch technical qualities that include stunning animation and beautiful music. But the thing that the episode succeeds most at is giving the narrative perfect closure, with no shortage of emotional scenes and iconic turns of events.
2 'Star Wars: The Clone Wars': "Victory and Death"
Season 7, Episode 12 (2020)
IMDb rating: 9.9/10
Perhaps the most beloved Star Wars show ever is The Clone Wars, an anthology series depicting multiple conflicts and stories taking place in the titular period of the franchise's chronology, spanning numerous characters and pivotal moments in the franchise's mythos.
The final arc of the show is absolutely heartbreaking. The last episode is jaw-dropping, an astonishingly great television episode with gut-wrenching power and nonstop emotion. There's no arguing that "Victory and Death" deserves its fame as one of the best pieces of Star Wars media of all time.
1 'Breaking Bad': "Felina"
Season 5, Episode 16 (2013)
IMDb rating: 9.9/10
Breaking Bad is the kind of show that needs no introduction. Often lauded as the greatest television drama ever conceived, it's a staggering achievement with no significant weak points in its narrative.
"Felina," the final episode in the series, had a titanic task on its hands. To give five whole seasons of fascinating arcs, themes, and characters a satisfying ending while doing some unexpected things wasn't easy, but creator Vince Gilligan pulled it off. The show's ending is the perfect close to the narrative, full of poetic justice and memorable sequences.