The Proper Way to Put a TV Show to Rest

The worst part about getting attached to a TV show is that you never want it to end. We love the idea that our favorite shows will go on forever. In theory, this is great. In reality, it’s impossible to execute. No matter how much the creators and fans want more content, there are only so many stories to tell.

Sure, if the actors are on board, this could mean a show still lasts quite a few seasons. Take “Orange Is the New Black,” for example. Jenji Kohan and the cast just announced that season seven, to be released in summer 2019, will be the last season of the show. With the exception of getting rid of a few fan favorites, the show managed to keep its cast largely intact — at least enough that the story could continue cohesively. Another great example of this is “Game of Thrones.” Sure, the show lost some great characters, but we never saw a prominent character (say, Jon Snow) leave the show prematurely. 

Not all shows (and fans) can be so lucky. For the number of shows that willingly end on a high note, there are just as many that hang on to every last thread they can until the show falls apart. As a fan, it’s sad to watch. A few years ago, Nina Dobrev left “The Vampire Diaries” at the end of season six, just as the show was reaching the height of its popularity. So, despite the fact that she played arguably the most pivotal character on the show, the CW renewed the show for two more seasons without her. Needless to say, it wasn’t pretty. Of course, the rest of the cast continued to give fantastic performances and the quality of the show never wavered, but there were not any compelling stories to be told without Dobrev’s presence, and the show ended on an incredibly low note.

In recent months, two actors from Showtime’s “Shameless” — Emmy Rossum and Cameron Monaghan — have announced their departure from the show. In their announcements, both made it clear that they hoped the show continued without them because there were so many more stories to be told. It’s a nice sentiment, but it’s just not true. The characters that these two portray are essentially a large part of the glue that holds the show together. Without them, there is no reason for it to continue. However, instead of ending the show after nine seasons on a high note, the network will make the grave mistake of continuing until ratings show it failing without its main characters.

I’m sure anyone can think of another show that has gone down the same route. As terrible as it is, it makes sense. Networks know that devoted viewers will tune in for at least one terrible season, if not more, in hopes that the show will return to its former glory. Those views are often more important than the integrity of the content. They would rather pour their effort into a show they know will generate buzz than try their hand at a new show that has to find a new audience. 

Just because it’s logical does not make it less of a cop-out. As fans, we should demand more from the creators of our favorite shows. As much as we want to see our favorite shows continue for as long as possible, wouldn’t we rather see them end on a great note — with the entire cast, an interesting story and 100 percent of our investment? I know I would. 

Katherine Campione is a UF journalism senior. Her column appears on Fridays.