Endings

Have you ever been reading a book or watching a show and when you near the end, like just getting into the climax or two episodes from the end of the season, and suddenly you don’t want to keep going? Because you know, the ending won’t be as good as you hope and, more importantly, then it will be over?

I run into this all the time. I’m really into a book or show, excited to find out what happens and how it ends. But then I’m disappointed at the end. Or reluctant to actually finish it. The more I’m enjoying it, the more I hesitate. Which is kind of silly.

If I don’t finish it or I do finish it, either way, its over. Okay, there’s that knowledge that if I don’t finish it, I can still go back to finish it at any time. But then the ending will suck even more. The further you get from it, the less you’re wrapped up in the story.

Another problem I’ve had with endings lately is that the end isn’t really the end. There’s always a sequel or another season. Which you have to wait for. Don’t get me wrong, I like more of the things I like. But I’m getting annoyed at the ending that is just a set up for later. Especially if the later is an indeterminate time in the future.

I’ve lost track of the number of book series I’m reading, waiting for the next book. The next book that never seems to come. Kingkiller Chronicles, Dresden Files, Cinder Spires, Stormlight Archive, plus several others that I’ve forgotten about because they’re not as well known authors.

So, while I dislike actually getting to the end of a book, I hate not having the chance even more. Thankfully, most of these books at least tell a complete story. Most of them. Far more than many TV shows.

Cliffhanger endings are the worst. Rush through the conclusion of a season-long story arc just so you can set up the next season. Or worse, don’t even conclude anything because it’s just going to carry over into the next season.

Agents of SHIELD did very well with this. Most season arcs wrapped up nicely in the final episode. Then there would be some hints or post credit scene that set up what was to come. Hints are nice and intriguing. Conversely, iZombie, which we just got into, did terribly with this. The ending was always well built up but never had room to breathe because the episode always ended on a major cliff hangar that set up the next season.

Anyways, this is just one long old-man rant about being grumpy that I have to wait for stuff. It’s not like I’m any better in my writing. My books endings fall into all the same tropes that I just complained about. And I always have to rewrite them because the first drafts were even worse.