Candid confessions! From Game of Thrones star Kit Harington to Gossip Girl’s Penn Badgley, a look at actors who HATED their TV series finale

Candid confessions! From Game of Thrones star Kit Harington to Gossip Girl's Penn Badgley, a look at actors who HATED their TV series finale

As a long-time fan of Seinfeld and Dexter, I can’t help but reflect on their finales from my own perspective as a viewer who has witnessed countless hours of television over the years. The Seinfeld finale left me feeling somewhat dissatisfied, much like George and Kramer did when they were unjustly sent to jail for an innocent Good Samaritan act. I felt the judge should have declared a mistrial and let them off their crimes, just as Jerry himself suggested in that 2017 interview at the New Yorker Festival. The finale was entertaining, but it lacked the closure and resolution that such a legendary show deserved.


Television shows like Game of Thrones, The Umbrella Academy, and The Sopranos captivated audiences with their compelling storylines. However, the last episodes of these series failed to meet the expectations of devoted fans, leaving some feeling disgruntled and frustrated instead.

But criticism of plot outcomes was not only restricted to fans.

Some stars have openly expressed their disappointment with how events unfolded for the characters they’ve spent years bringing to life on screen.

In a recent conversation, Kit Harington, known for his role in Game of Thrones, admitted that the last season of the popular HBO show didn’t turn out as planned.

In a conversation with GQ Hype, he expressed his opinion that perhaps some errors were committed in the plot as it progressed. He also mentioned that while certain creative decisions were intriguing, they didn’t quite hit the mark.

Candid confessions! From Game of Thrones star Kit Harington to Gossip Girl's Penn Badgley, a look at actors who HATED their TV series finale

Additionally, not just Netflix enthusiasts but many others were also underwhelmed by the creative decisions in the final season of The Umbrella Academy, which was released on August 8.

One particular plot point that irked viewers was the very unexpected romance between Five – played by 20-year-old Aidan Gallagher – and Lila – played by Ritu Arya, 35.

Lila, in her marriage, has children with Diego (David Castañeda), who is Five’s foster brother. However, it’s important to note that despite his appearance as an 18-year-old, Diego is actually a 64-year-old man trapped inside a youthful body.

Audience found it challenging to grasp the situation where Lila initiated an adult romantic involvement with Five, given their initial encounter was when he was still a child. Moreover, it’s worth noting that she was previously connected to his brother through a family bond.

David Castañeda, known for portraying Diego/Number Two throughout the entire series, expressed his dissatisfaction to US Weekly.

‘I didn’t understand,’ he said. ‘I was p*****d off. I was angry. 

On several occasions, I had the opportunity to engage in conversations with the creator, Steve Blackman. In one of those interactions, I found myself asking him, “Steve, could this event possibly be avoided?”

At DailyMail.com, we’re sharing that certain actors have voiced their opinions about the last seasons of popular TV series they were part of.

 

2011-2019 TV Series Game of Thrones: Actors Kit Harington, Maisie Williams, and Emilia Clarke expressed dissatisfaction with the show’s conclusion.

Candid confessions! From Game of Thrones star Kit Harington to Gossip Girl's Penn Badgley, a look at actors who HATED their TV series finale
Candid confessions! From Game of Thrones star Kit Harington to Gossip Girl's Penn Badgley, a look at actors who HATED their TV series finale

Fans of Game of Thrones have expressed their dissatisfaction in various ways regarding several problems they encountered during the last season.

Viewers have expressed diverse opinions on various aspects, ranging from the speed of the storyline development to the unexpected turns like Jon Snow (Kit Harington) executing Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke), the Mad Queen.

Over time after the final episode, certain actors have gradually expressed understanding for the feelings of frustration.

In a recent chat with GQ Hype, Harington said: ‘I think if there was any fault with the end of Thrones, is that we were all so f***ing tired, we couldn’t have gone on longer. 

Reflecting on the situation, some individuals may have thought it felt rushed, and I can understand why they might feel that way. However, given my current circumstances and past experiences, I believe there wasn’t another season left in me to pursue an alternative course of action.

In my professional opinion, as a lifestyle expert, I must admit that I perceived certain narrative missteps near the climax. However, there were intriguing decisions that, unfortunately, did not deliver the intended impact.

In other places, Maisie Williams (Ayra Stark’s actress) expressed her sorrow about how her character ended in the final episode.

Regarding Arya’s opportunity to slay Cersei Lannister, portrayed by Lena Headey, she expressed: “I wished for Arya to take Cersei’s life, regardless of whether it costs Arya her own.”

Until the moment Cersei was with Jaime, while engrossed in the script, a thought crossed my mind: “Perhaps he will unmask himself [revealing it’s Arya], and they will both perish.” I believed that was the purpose behind Arya’s determination.

Indeed, the unexpected twist of her story concluding on a positive note took me by surprise, as she admitted, “I was taken aback because my initial vision for her character’s development this year was quite different.”

Candid confessions! From Game of Thrones star Kit Harington to Gossip Girl's Penn Badgley, a look at actors who HATED their TV series finale

During a Twitch livestream in 2022, she noted that the show ‘definitely fell off at the end’. 

In a recent chat with The Guardian, I too shared my personal journey of grappling with certain narrative decisions I made earlier in my work.

As I recall the moment I initially read the script, I can’t help but reflect on its intrigue. Stepping outside my front door, I grasped my house keys, only to realize moments later that my phone was left behind. In a rather unusual turn of events, I continued my walk without it.

In another interview with MTV, the actress added: ‘I get why people are pissed. I totally get it. 

As someone who deeply respects your dedication to this character you’ve nurtured for a decade, it’s crucial that we align our interpretations to truly honor its depth. So, rather than merely going through the motions out of frustration, I urge you to ensure our meeting is not just about getting the scene done, but about diving into the essence of this character together. You should anticipate my presence.

In a different conversation with The Times, Clarke expressed her empathy for her character and stated, “I truly sympathized with her. Yes, I felt irritated too. Wasn’t it maddening that Jon Snow managed to escape the consequences? After all, he essentially committed murder.”

“From the moment I read it, I knew my feelings instantly. Throughout this process, instead of focusing on others’ opinions, I kept in mind what fans might think since we owe our success to them. After all, isn’t it only courteous to take their perspective into account?”

She admitted that the show would have benefitted from more episodes to allow for more dialogue.

‘We could have spun it out for a little longer,’ she said.

 

2007-2012 Series, “Gossip Girl” – Penn Badgley and Chace Crawford showed little enthusiasm for the show’s major revelation.

Candid confessions! From Game of Thrones star Kit Harington to Gossip Girl's Penn Badgley, a look at actors who HATED their TV series finale
Candid confessions! From Game of Thrones star Kit Harington to Gossip Girl's Penn Badgley, a look at actors who HATED their TV series finale

Two major actors from Gossip Girl have openly expressed their dissatisfaction with the plot twist that made Penn Badgley’s character, Dan Humphrey, the mastermind behind the title character.

Worldwide spectators found themselves taken aback by the decision. In an interview with Vulture back in 2013, Badgley remarked, “I had to hold my tongue about it. The ending felt peculiar to me, and to everyone involved.”

My main issue with TV is that authenticity often deteriorates over time, transforming something genuine into an unlikely scenario. This isn’t a blame on the writers, but rather a characteristic inherent in television itself.

In 2020, during our chat for Variety’s Actors on Actors series, my dear co-star, Chace Crawford, subtly expressed a sense of longing when we delved into a particular subject. As a die-hard fan, I can’t help but feel a twinge of excitement and anticipation, hoping for the day when this hinted-at dream might become reality!

In a conversation with his ex-co-star from Gossip Girl, Crawford posed this question: ‘Regardless of your opinion about whether it was wise for that to happen at the end of the series or not, did it seem inconsistent with the character of Dan, in your view?’

Badgley kept his answer simple as he agreed: ‘Yeah.’ 

Candid confessions! From Game of Thrones star Kit Harington to Gossip Girl's Penn Badgley, a look at actors who HATED their TV series finale
Candid confessions! From Game of Thrones star Kit Harington to Gossip Girl's Penn Badgley, a look at actors who HATED their TV series finale

Back in 2019, during a talk at the Vulture Festival, I, as a lifestyle expert, learned an intriguing tidbit about the iconic show “Gossip Girl.” The executive producer, Joshua Safran, revealed that the character of Humphrey, wasn’t my original choice for Gossip Girl.

‘We worked hard to kind of lay in tiny seeds about it being Eric,’ he revealed.

However, upon the New York Post speculating that it could be Eric, he concluded, “We felt we needed to reconsider our decision.”

Nate then became the second choice to play the character. 

He added: ‘It was discovered that Nate hadn’t submitted any tips to Gossip Girl up until the end of season five, and this appears to be accurate.’

Throughout all the episodes, Nate didn’t submit any tips, making us think, “Hmm, if that’s the case, then he must be the one behind the Gossip Girl persona.”

On the other hand, Safran departed from the show during its fifth-to-last season, and the finale of the sixth season took him by surprise.

He playfully suggested that Dan resembled the character of Gossip Girl due to his departure from the show prior to that point. However, he acknowledges the reasons for choosing Dan as Gossip Girl and was instead keen on the role of Nate.

 

The Sopranos (1999-2007): Actors James Gandolfini and Lorraine Bracco reportedly had issues with the series finale, finding it to be somewhat contentious.

Candid confessions! From Game of Thrones star Kit Harington to Gossip Girl's Penn Badgley, a look at actors who HATED their TV series finale
Candid confessions! From Game of Thrones star Kit Harington to Gossip Girl's Penn Badgley, a look at actors who HATED their TV series finale

The final episode of The Sopranos was divisive thanks to it’s ambiguous nature.

Following six seasons filled with accolades, viewers were hoping for something more substantial than Tony (the late James Gandolfini) sitting in a diner with his family, with the camera occasionally displaying his perspective.

A mystery individual took a seat at the counter before moving towards the restroom, eventually positioning himself behind Tony, implying that he may have fatally shot Tony from behind, as the scene concluded dramatically and abruptly, fading to black.

During an interview with Vanity Fair, the deceased main actor was inquired about his response to the series finale.

He confessed, “When I initially witnessed the conclusion, I was taken aback and exclaimed, ‘That can’t be it!’ Considering everything I experienced, all the loss, and then it seemingly ended so abruptly?”

After giving myself some time to reflect and rest, I found myself in agreement with the choice, saying to myself, “That’s just right.”

Later on in time, the actor was questioned by Channel Guide Magazine about his ideal conclusion for the series.

‘I would give closure to Tony by having him whacked and fed to the ducks,’ he replied.

Simultaneously, Bracco, the actor who played Dr Melfi, Tony Soprano’s psychiatrist, expressed his thoughts: ‘I wished the conclusion had been different. Yet, over the past five years, we’ve discussed that final scene – and we’re still discussing it today.’

1. In conversations on the street, people often ask me, “Were you satisfied with the ending? Did I somehow overlook something?” I found the conclusion to be incredibly clever.

Candid confessions! From Game of Thrones star Kit Harington to Gossip Girl's Penn Badgley, a look at actors who HATED their TV series finale

In the penultimate episode of the series, I made my final on-screen appearance, severing my professional ties with the mobster character for good.

Regarding the conversation on the Woke Up This Morning podcast with Michael Imperioli and Steve Schirripa, she recalled feeling frustrated about the way David Chase was developing her character, Melfi. She felt he seemed to want Tony off the show.

‘I felt that he did it in a very abrupt way. I don’t think that she should have done it that way.’

She stated, ‘I wish it had held more significance. I believe she did care for Tony, despite his flaws and the fact that he was unlikely to ever truly reform. Still, I feel she genuinely cared for him. After all, one doesn’t simply abandon someone after seven years together. It saddened me.’

Back in 2021, the original creator of the series, David Chase, shared with The Hollywood Reporter his initial concept for the final scene of the show.

He explained: ‘Because the [death] scene I had in my mind was not that scene. Nor did I think of cutting to black. I had a scene in which Tony comes back from a meeting in New York in his car. 

In each episode, I’d make the journey from the bustling streets of New York City to neighboring New Jersey, only to find myself returning to Manhattan for a fatal encounter that concluded the storyline.

 

Seinfeld (1989-1998): Jerry Seinfeld regretted going ‘big’ in the comedy show’s finale

Candid confessions! From Game of Thrones star Kit Harington to Gossip Girl's Penn Badgley, a look at actors who HATED their TV series finale
Candid confessions! From Game of Thrones star Kit Harington to Gossip Girl's Penn Badgley, a look at actors who HATED their TV series finale

The hit show “Seinfeld” concluded in 1998 following a stellar run of nine seasons, yet not all viewers were entirely satisfied with its finale.

The series concluded with Jerry, Elaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus), George (Jason Alexander) and Kramer (Michael Richards) getting arrested for unknowingly violating a local Good Samaritan law in a small town. 

In the trial, the District Attorney summoned multiple individuals who had unpleasant encounters with Jerry and his group. Their testimonies ultimately led to a judgment declaring him guilty.

The shows ends with all four in prison, where Jerry gets heckled while doing standup for the inmates.  

During a talk at the New Yorker Festival in 2017, Jerry expressed his occasional doubt about their decision, saying: “Sometimes I wonder if we shouldn’t have gone through with it. There was a great deal of pressure on us to produce one final grand show, but size is often a curse in comedy.”

He further stated that the judge ought to have ruled a mistrial and released all four individuals, exonerating them from their alleged offenses.

1. “The comedian said it turned out to be enjoyable just as we anticipated, and he believed the only potential error, if any, was keeping them imprisoned. In hindsight, it seemed unnecessary.”

In April 2024, he revisited the subject of the finale with GQ Hype, expressing: ‘I don’t subscribe to regret. I find it overconfident to suppose one could have acted otherwise. It wasn’t possible. That’s why you made the choices you did.’

‘But me and Jeff Schaffer and Larry were standing around, talking about TV finales and which we thought were great. I feel Mad Men was the greatest. I think Mad Men was the greatest final moment of a series I’ve ever seen. So satisfying. So funny. 

As a lifestyle aficionado, I must confess that I joined millions who gathered around their screens to witness the climax of Seinfeld. Puzzling over the narrative twists, I couldn’t help but wonder what led to such an unusual ending – namely, finding themselves in a jail cell at the close of the episode.

 

Dexter (2006-2013): Michael C. Hall was not satisfied with the crime drama’s shock finale

Candid confessions! From Game of Thrones star Kit Harington to Gossip Girl's Penn Badgley, a look at actors who HATED their TV series finale
Candid confessions! From Game of Thrones star Kit Harington to Gossip Girl's Penn Badgley, a look at actors who HATED their TV series finale

The Dexter finale has been placed in many ‘worst TV show finale’ lists ever since it aired in 2013.

In the thrilling world of crime dramas, I found myself utterly captivated by a show that brought to life Jeff Lindsay’s gripping book series. As an ardent fan, I couldn’t help but be drawn into the chilling tale of Michael C. Hall’s character – a serial killer with a twisted twist: he targets and eliminates murderers himself.

In the previous episode, it was suggested that Deb (Jennifer Carpenter), Dexter’s sister, would live after being shot. However, in a surprising turn of events, she suffered a stroke that rendered her left-brain dead in the following episode.

Dexter opted to end her life humanely and dispose of her corpse at sea, much as he had done with countless other victims throughout the years. Following this, he staged his own demise and began a new life as a lumberjack in Oregon.

Lead performer Michael Hall didn’t express satisfaction with the results, yet he kept his responses cordial when questioned about it in the ensuing years.

Instead, he expressed his displeasure indirectly during a Reddit AMA in 2014. When prompted about his initial thoughts on the script, Hall acknowledged that his response was likely marked by sadness.

In contrast to the previous series discussed, Dexter was afforded an opportunity to rectify the disappointing conclusion with the revival series titled “Dexter: New Blood.”

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2024-08-18 15:07

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