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C hace Crawford is the first to admit that, unless you’re a Gossip Girl fan, it’s hard to name another one of his roles. The 34-year-old played Nate Archibald in the teen drama series for six seasons and has been living in the privileged playboy’s shadow ever since the show ended in 2012. Now, seven years later, that’s about to change.
He returns to TV screens this week in The Boys , a provocative Amazon series set in a universe where superheroes milk their powers for celebrity status. Here, strait-laced Marvel creations such as Captain America and Ant-Man are swapped out for cocaine-snorting characters more likely to use their shape-shifting abilities for debauched antics than saving lives. It’s worlds away from Gossip Girl and, when it comes to Crawford, one can’t help but suspect that’s the point.
His opening scene alone feels like an unceremonious attempt to remove the shackles of his former character: minutes after we’ve been introduced to Crawford’s hunky hero The Deep, he meets a new superpowered recruit played by Erin Moriarty. With niceties exchanged, he drops his trousers. “I’m not talking about sex,” he sputters, as she staggers away in disgust, “just a little bit of pole-smoking.” It’s an out-of-nowhere shocker, not least in a post-#MeToo age , that effectively sets the show’s tone.
“It’s certainly more interesting than the stuff I’ve played in the past,” Crawford says on a sofa in London’s Soho, eyebrows raised. “It’s a nice change-up.”
Chace Crawford as The Deep in new series ‘The Boys’ (Amazon) Not that Gossip Girl is a blemish on his CV. Quite the opposite, in fact. While it was not in the same league as other TV shows of the time (Breaking Bad , Mad Men , Lost ), its pitch-perfect casting, alluring New York locations and hilarious plot twists ensured the teen drama was better than it had any right to be. Over five years, the series became a cultural phenomenon and has been referenced in everything from Skins to Parks and Recreation to Emma Stone film Easy A .
Given that Crawford appeared in every episode (121, to be exact), it comes as no surprise that he often devised ways of keeping his performance fresh; he was rebuffed by the writers every time.
“There was just more of a formula to it and I understood that after a while,” he says. “I think with any TV show after three or four years, it’s like, ‘How many ways can you skin a cat?’ I mean we’d all hooked up with each other by the end. I think they did a really good job with maintaining its popularity within that formula, but as an actor you always want to be doing different things.” He pauses. “But we were in our twenties in New York City, so I wasn’t complaining too much.”
27 films and TV shows that were forced to change their titleShow all 27 1 /2727 films and TV shows that were forced to change their title 27 films and TV shows that were forced to change their title Annie Hall (1977) Original title: Anhedonia
Annie Hall began life as Anhedonia, which is the scientific term for the inability to experience pleasure. But the title Annie Hall was eventually settled on, inspired by actress Diane Keaton's real name, Diane Hall, and her nickname, Annie.
United Artists
27 films and TV shows that were forced to change their title Dynasty (1981-89) Original title: Oil
The hit series, which revolves around the family of an oil magnate, was originally supposed to be titled… wait for it… Oil. But it was then changed to Dynasty to compete with rival soap Dallas.
CBS Television Distribution
27 films and TV shows that were forced to change their title Back to the Future (1985) Original title: Spaceman from Pluto
Steven Spielberg genuinely thought the title Spaceman from Pluto was a joke suggestion, so it didn’t last long, and was soon replaced by the now iconic name Back to the Future. He contacted the Universal Studios head Sid Sheinberg who had suggested the Pluto title, with a message thanking him for sending his wonderful "joke" name, saying the office "got a kick out of it". Ouch.
Universal Pictures
27 films and TV shows that were forced to change their title The Breakfast Club (1985) Original title: The Lunch Bunch
The original script for this classic high-school movie went by the very naff name The Lunch Bunch, but thanks to the son of one of director John Hughes's friends, who had a school detention class called The Breakfast Club, the title was changed.
Universal Pictures
27 films and TV shows that were forced to change their title Fatal Attraction (1987) Original title: Affairs of the Heart
The much friendlier sounding Affairs of the Heart wasn’t a great match for the psychological thriller that brought us the bunny boiler, and after it received a poor reception from audiences, the film’s title was changed to Fatal Attraction.
Paramount Pictures
27 films and TV shows that were forced to change their title Licence to Kill (1989) Original title: Licence Revoked
This Bond film was, at one time, called Licence Revoked, but test audiences associated the title too much with driving, so thankfully it was changed to something far punchier.
United Artists
27 films and TV shows that were forced to change their title Saved by the Bell (1989-93) Original title: Good Morning, Miss Bliss
NBC’s Good Morning Miss Bliss centred on Hayley Mills as the eponymous teacher but, after the comedy briefly moved to the Disney Channel and then back to NBC, it was re-tooled to focus on the teenage students instead, therefore taking on a new name: Saved By The Bell.
CBS Studios International
27 films and TV shows that were forced to change their title Goodfellas (1990) Original title: Wiseguy
The Scorsese classic is an adaptation of a mobster novel called Wiseguy, which was originally also the title of the film, but the name had to be changed because it had already been taken for an 80s TV series.
Warner Bros
27 films and TV shows that were forced to change their title Pretty Woman (1990) Original title: 3000
Originally a dark drama about class and sex work, Pretty Woman’s first title was 3,000 – the amount of money that Richard Gere's character Edward spends on a week of Vivian's (Julia Roberts) time. Disney changed the name as it came across as “too science-fictiony”, as well as the tone of the movie which was turned into a rom-com fairytale.
Buena Vista Pictures
27 films and TV shows that were forced to change their title Friends (1994-2004) Original title: Six of One
The beloved sitcom went through many different name changes, with all the following titles considered: Friends Like Us, Six of One, Across the Hall, Once Upon a Time in the West Village, and Insomnia Cafe. It’s now hard to imagine the show becoming such a monumental hit with any of those names.
Warner Bros Television Distribution
27 films and TV shows that were forced to change their title Pulp Fiction (1994) Original title: Black Mask
Pulp Fiction was initially inspired by the detective crime stories in the seminal magazine Black Mask, hence its first name. The publication was a pulp magazine, which goes some way to explaining the new title.
Miramax Films
27 films and TV shows that were forced to change their title Titanic (1997) Original title: The Ship of Dreams
In a line from the classic 1997 film, the older version of Rose says: "Titanic was called the ship of dreams, and it was, it really was." It was also the original title of the film, before the simpler name of Titanic was chosen.
20th Century Fox
27 films and TV shows that were forced to change their title That '70s Show (1998-2006) Original title: Teenage Wasteland
Early ideas for the 70s sitcom’s name included Teenage Wasteland and The Kids Are Alright, but because the creators couldn’t get song title rights from The Who, they were forced to change the name of the show.
Carsey-Werner Distribution
27 films and TV shows that were forced to change their title American Pie (1999) Original title: Teenage Sex Comedy That Can Be Made For Under $10 Million That Your Reader Will Love But the Executive Will Hate
It was a bold move from screenwriter Adam Herz when he submitted his spec script to studios under the title Teenage Sex Comedy That Can Be Made For Under $10 Million That Your Reader Will Love But The Executive Will Hate. But the risk paid off, with the film, eventually named American Pie, grossing nearly a quarter of a billion dollars worldwide.
Universal Pictures
27 films and TV shows that were forced to change their title Drop Dead Gorgeous (1999) Original title: Dairy Queens
The black comedy was originally supposed to be called Dairy Queens. However, the company that owns fast food chain Dairy Queen apparently didn't love the idea of being associated with the movie, so they filed a lawsuit and, lo and behold, Drop Dead Gorgeous was born.
New Line Cinema
27 films and TV shows that were forced to change their title 8 Simple Rules (2002-03) Original title: 8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter
This family sitcom originally had a longer name, but when star John Ritter – who played the concerned father in the show – suddenly died after filming the third episode of the second series, the show changed its format and name to 8 Simple Rules and Ritter’s death was written into the plot.
Buena Vista International Television
27 films and TV shows that were forced to change their title Cars (2006) Original title: Route 66
The animated hit was initially called Route 66 after the iconic road in America, but the title was changed to Cars to avoid confusion with a 60s TV show of the same name.
Buena Vista Pictures
27 films and TV shows that were forced to change their title Hannah Montana (2006-11) Original title: Alexis Texas
Miley Cyrus’s Disney comedy was originally called Alexis Texas but, because a porn actor shares the same name, it had to be changed in case children looked up the show’s title and accidentally found pornography.
Disney-ABC Domestic Television
27 films and TV shows that were forced to change their title The Big Bang Theory (2007-19) Original title: Lenny, Penny and Kenny
The Big Bang Theory’s original rhyming title was forced to change after the character Kenny’s name switched to Sheldon, who was then brought to life by Jim Parsons.
Warner Bros Television Distribution
27 films and TV shows that were forced to change their title Samantha Who? (2007-09) Original title: Sam I Am
Clearance issues with the estate of Dr Seuss led ABC to change the name of its Christina Applegate-led show, as the original title, Sam I Am, drew on the first lines of Dr Seuss’s classic Green Eggs and Ham.
Disney – ABC Domestic Television
27 films and TV shows that were forced to change their title The Good Wife (2009-16) Original title: Leave the Bastard
The Good Wife’s creators got a call from CBS pushing them to change the title just as it went into production. The network did actually consider Leave the Bastard, but ultimately decided to play it safe with The Good Wife.
CBS Television Distribution
27 films and TV shows that were forced to change their title Shutter Island (2010) Original title: Ashecliffe
Ashecliffe, the name of the hospital in Martin Scorcese’s thriller starring Leonardo DiCaprio, was originally going to be the film’s title before it was changed to Shutter Island.
Paramount Pictures
27 films and TV shows that were forced to change their title New Girl (2011-18) Original title: Chicks and Dicks
New Girl was initially pitched as "a young ensemble comedy about the sexual politics of men and women”, hence its original, provocative title: Chicks and Dicks. Not only did this name attract the wrong kind of attention, but New Girl better reflected the content of the sitcom, which ended up revolving around Zooey Deschanel’s Jess.
20th Television
27 films and TV shows that were forced to change their title Edge of Tomorrow (2014) Original title: All You Need Is Kill
The Tom Cruise action movie was originally known as All You Need Is Kill, the title of the book on which the movie is based, but filmmakers changed the title because they felt the word "kill" was too problematic. "I think the word 'kill' in a title is very tricky in today's world…" producer Edwin Stoff said. “We see it enough in real newspaper headlines, and I don't think we need to see it when we're looking at a movie." After a lucklustre box office opening, the film's name was changed once again, in marketing and for home release, to Live, Die, Repeat.
Warner Bros Pictures
27 films and TV shows that were forced to change their title Lovesick (2014-18) Original title: Scrotal Recall
The relationship comedy drama starring Johnny Flynn was renamed after one series because, perhaps unsurprisingly, it was suffering from a lack of word of mouth, with people reluctant to say the word “scrotal”.
Clerkenwell Films
27 films and TV shows that were forced to change their title Stranger Things (2016-) Original title: Montauk
The original title of the Netflix hit was Montauk, as the plan had been for it to be set in a village of the same name in New York. However, when creators the Duffer brothers later relocated the show’s action to the fictional town of Hawkins in Indiana, the name changed to Stranger Things. Intriguingly, Montauk also happens to be the title of a short film which the Duffer brothers were accused of plagiarising.
Netflix
27 films and TV shows that were forced to change their title Arrival (2017) Original title: Story of Your Life
The sci-fi film starring Amy Adams originally went by the title of the novella it was based on, Story of Your Life, but because producer Shawn Levy thought it "sounds a bit like a One Direction song” and "multiword titles can be really problematic”, the movie changed its name to Arrival.
Paramount Pictures
Crawford still sees his co-stars, namely Leighton Meester (Blair Waldorf), Jessica Szohr (Vanessa Abrams) and Ed Westwick (Chuck Bass) with whom he lived in Manhattan as the show began. He brushes over questions about his pal’s recent controversies – the actor was cleared of rape allegations last summer – but suggests he should catch up with his former housemate while he’s in town.
He never watched Gossip Girl when it was first broadcast, telling me he “…had no idea what was going on in any other storyline, because I just didn’t care”. Now, a whole new audience is viewing the show for the first time following its addition to Netflix – something that perhaps inspired HBO’s new streaming service to greenlight a rebooted 10-episode series starring a new cast.
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Try for free “It’s so wild to me. The same age demographic is now discovering it and coming up to me on the street. I still appreciate the love, but it’s just funny how it’s not gone away. I honestly expected it to leave me behind at some point.”
Would he return in the reboot if asked? It turns out he’s working on a separate idea.
“I always say I’m open to it, but in reality, we’re all a lot older so what do you do there? It’d be tough to get everyone back together, but maybe we could do a movie. It could be a riskier, grittier version. Or just give it another 10 years and we’ll be playing the parents of the new cast.”
The shaven-headed Crawford leans forward, adjusting the sleeves of his leather jacket. He’s laidback, friendly. Born in Texas in 1985, he modelled during secondary school, then studied broadcast journalism at college before dropping out to pursue an acting career. Five years and numerous screen tests later, he scored the Gossip Girl role. With his charisma and boyish good looks, many believed Crawford’s small screen success would translate to a movie career when the show came to an end. However, following the show’s finale, the high-profile film roles – save for an appearance in 2012 comedy What To Expect When You’re Expecting – never transpired. He blames typecasting.
“It’s frustrating when you know you’re not getting cast because you look… well, because you’re a heartthrob from this thing,” he says. “I know this happens and it’s okay.”
Chace Crawford with Blake Lively in hit CW series ‘Gossip Girl’ (Warner Bros Domestic Television Distribution) True enough, Google “Chace Crawford” and you’ll find a flurry of headlines talking about his face, muscles or, if he’s really lucky, relationship status. Consequently, his unexpectedly comic turn in the criminally underseen Hulu show Casual (2017) and memorable performance as Manson Family cult member Tex Watson in drama Charlie Says (2018) both fell by the wayside. He agrees it’s a shame, but says he’s used to it. But let’s not beat about the bush: does he find it frustrating that his acting skills are overshadowed by the fact he’s, in the words of Derek Zoolander, really, really good-looking?
”Well, it’s definitely strange. I guess there are worse problems to have, but it can be a little tiresome because I don’t like attention being drawn to me. I have a specific look and it’s my job to play against that.”
The best TV cliffhangers of all timeShow all 38 1 /38The best TV cliffhangers of all time The best TV cliffhangers of all time Breaking Bad – "Gliding Over All" (2012) Karma for killing Gale comes for Walter White in season five. The meth maker believes his days of cooking are long over. Having lunch with his family, everything seems perfect. And then everything goes wrong. So, so wrong. Hank (Dean Norris) goes to use the toilet and picks up a copy of Walt Whitman's Leaves of Grass – a gift from Gale to Walter White. “To my other favorited WW. It's an honour working with you. Fondly, GB.” And with that, as Hank realises Walt’s true identity, the end of Heisenberg’s empire begins.
AMC
The best TV cliffhangers of all time The Sopranos – “Made In America” (2007) The debate over whether certain final scenes of television shows are actually good will rage on and on. The Sopranos remains front and centre of the conversation. It's a seemingly banal occasion – a restaurant dinner scene. We watch on as Tony sits there, observing other customers. Carmela arrives, then AJ and Meadow, who the last we see, is parking her car outside. A bell rings, Tony looks up and the screen cuts to black. It’s an ending that’s inspired essays offering varied interpretations but ultimately, it remains a beautifully-executed few minutes of television – and a cliffhanger that’ll never have a resolution.
HBO
The best TV cliffhangers of all time EastEnders – The Kat and Zoe revelation (2001) “You can’t tell me what to do ‘cause you ain’t my muvva” / “YES I AM!” - not the work of Shakespeare, granted, but surely one of the biggest moments in soap history. The nation’s jaws collectively dropped as they learned that Kat Slater (Jessie Wallace) wasn’t Zoe’s sister at all, but her mum.
BBC
The best TV cliffhangers of all time Game of Thrones – "The Rains of Castamere" (2013) Game of Thrones knew George RR Martin was willing to kill off leading characters, but nothing prepared non-book readers for The Red Wedding. Robb Stark (Richard Madden), Talisa Stark (Oona Chaplin) and Catelyn Stark (Michelle Fairley) are attending the wedding of Roslin Frey (Alexandra Dowling) and Edmure Tully (Tobias Menzies) when things go terribly, terribly wrong for the Starks. The Freys turn on them, killing Robb, Talisa and their unborn child. Then, as the blood spills everywhere, Catelyn’s throat is slit. Cut to black. Devastating.
HBO
The best TV cliffhangers of all time Dallas – "A House Divided" (1980) The cliffhanger that kickstarted the end of season cliffhanger trend. Larry Hagman’s oil baron JR Ewing had made plenty of enemies in Dallas. By the end of season three, one of them took justice into their own hands, shooting JR in the back twice. However, rather than reveal the culprit, the team behind Dallas left the case unsolved. And over the next eight months – the time between seasons – the whole world was asking “Who shot JR?” Unsurprisingly, considering the hysteria around the mystery, 350 million people tuned in to watch the revelatory episode “Who Done It”.
CBS
The best TV cliffhangers of all time The Simpsons – "Who shot Mr Burns?" (1995) Showrunner Matt Groening had long wanted to do an episode where Mr Burns was shot, and the culprit was not revealed until the next episode. Taking inspiration from Dallas, the animation concluded Part One with the nuclear power plant owner being shot by an unknown assailant. Then, after a Summer of waiting, fans were finally treated to the answer. The two-part episode has gone down as a classic and is often heralded as the series’ best.
FOX
The best TV cliffhangers of all time Doctor Who – "The Parting of the Ways" (2005) Choosing one standout Doctor Who cliffhanger is almost impossible – especially when you consider that all 37 (and counting) seasons have frequently used the plot device. While the introduction of John Hurt’s Doctor certainly ranks among them, one of best came at the end of the rebooted first series. Having absorbed a bunch of vortexes, the Doctor is struggling and on the verge of regenerating. Turning to Rose (Billie Piper), Christopher Eccleston’s incarnation of the iconic character utters the timeless lines: “Before I go, I just want to tell you, you were fantastic. Absolutely fantastic. And you know what – so was I.” Queue shoddy CGI and the introduction of the soon-to-be nation’s favourite Doctor, David Tennant. “So, where was I? That’s it – Barcelona.”
BBC
The best TV cliffhangers of all time Breaking Bad – "Full Measure" (2010) Gale (David Costabile) is one of the nicest characters on Breaking Bad. He is not interested in wealth or fame, but in science. However, niceties and a good cup of coffee are not enough to stop him getting in Walter White’s (Bryan Cranston) way. When the choice between their lives has to be made, Walter chooses his own and sends Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul) to do the dirty work. Season three ends with Jesse killing Gale – an incident that eventually brings down the drug kingpin Gus Fring.
AMC
The best TV cliffhangers of all time The West Wing – “What Kind of Day Has it Been” (2000) The West Wing’s biggest cliffhanger came in the season one finale. The episode works its way back from the beginning as we see a Secret Service Agent sense danger from a nearby window at a town hall meeting with the president in attendance. When the episode catches up, gunfire rings out and each member of his senior staff is thrown to the floor. Cut to black as we hear an agent ask over the radio: “Who’s been hit?”
NBC
The best TV cliffhangers of all time Smallville – “Covenant” (2004) It wasn’t until the third season finale of Smallville that Superman fans’ patience was rewarded as viewers saw Clark (Tom Welling) appear naked in the middle of a Kryptonian symbol burned into the field of his family’s farm. “You shall be reborn,” Jor-El can be heard saying to Clark Kent, but he wasn’t the alone one; the ending marked a radical turning point for the series.
The WB
The best TV cliffhangers of all time Twin Peaks – “The Last Evening” (1990) Twin Peaks’ season two finale – the mystery drama’s last episode for 27 years – may have featured the most chilling cliffhanger, but the biggest gasp of the series came at the end of season one as the seemingly untouchable Dale Cooper (Kyle MacLachlan) responds to a knock on his hotel room door, only to be gunned down by an unseen assailant.
ABC
The best TV cliffhangers of all time Buffy the Vampire Slayer – "The Gift" (2001) The 100th episode of Buffy ended with one of the show’s most shocking moments (and no, we’re not talking about the musical episode). Season five concluded with the eponymous ass-kicker sacrificing herself to save the world by jumping into a demonic portal. The episode ends with a slow zoom onto Buffy’s tombstone, which reads: “Beloved sister. Devoted friend. She saved the world. A lot.“
The WB
The best TV cliffhangers of all time True Blood - "Plaisir d'Amour" (2008) It's easy to forget that True Blood began life as an acclaimed Emmy-nominated drama, and it was a cliffhanger such as this that made it so: Sookie Stackhouse (Anna Paquin) falls asleep with the friendly neighbour dog Dean for company. Upon waking up, Dean is gone and in his place is local barman Sam Merlotte ( Sam Trammell). Turns out he's a shapeshifter.
HBO
The best TV cliffhangers of all time The Walking Dead – "Last Day on Earth" (2016) After eight episodes of build-up, the comic book’s deadliest villain, Negan, reared his head in a scene fans were dreading. With the majority of the main cast lined up at his mercy, Negan – in retaliation for the death of one of his gang – decides which one to kill by using “Eeny Meeny Mino Moe”. After selecting his victim, the camera switches POV and Negan bludgeons the unseen character to death leaving fans with a six-month wait before finding out who had met their maker.
AMC
The best TV cliffhangers of all time The Leftovers – "Ten Thirteen" (2015) Lost co-creator Damon Lindelof's HBO drama was set in a world that saw two per cent of the world’s population disappear into thin air during a tragic event known as the Sudden Departure. Season two presented an intriguing mystery: the disappearance of three teenage girls from a Texan town that nobody had vanished from. It was the season's penultimate episode that cleared up this plot line as Matt Garvey (Chris Zylka) breaks into a heavily-guarded trailer – only to be met with the three teenage girls staring back at him. What’s more is they’re dressed all in white, a callback to the disbanded cult from the first season.
HBO
The best TV cliffhangers of all time Lost – “Deus Ex Machina” (2005) In episode 11, the writers had introduced a hatch buried underground and, week in week out, the fans waited patiently for any detail about the mysterious structure the writers were willing to give them. The end of episode 19 saw a desperate John Locke (Terry O’Quinn) banging on the door, just as desperate to get inside as the viewers were... only for a light to come on from within. This ending remains an unforgettable moment for those who watched it at the time of broadcast.
ABC
The best TV cliffhangers of all time Lost – “Two for the Road” (2006) “I’m sorry.” “For what?” BANG. On paper, not so effective but on screen, it equated to one of Lost’s most gasp-inducing cliffhangers. Viewers watched behind their eyes as Michael (Harold Perrineau), desperate to save his son from the mysterious Others, shoots Ana-Lucia (Michelle Rodriguez) and, in a cruel twist, Libby (Cynthia Watros), who has accidentally stumbled upon the whole thing while looking for some blankets.
ABC
The best TV cliffhangers of all time Lost - 'Through the Looking Glass – Part 2" Whether you love or hate Lost, there’s no denying that the season three finale deployed one of the most breathtaking rug pulls in television history as writers Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse revealed a shake-up long in the running: flashbacks featuring a suicidal Jack Shephard (Matthew Fox) were, in fact, flashforwards to the future. The Oceanic Flight 815 plane crash survivor made it off the island he’d been so desperate to get off for three whole seasons, but was, disturbingly, desperate to get back. The ending set the benchmark for all future finale and was so huge it made newspaper headlines.
The best TV cliffhangers of all time Line of Duty – Series four premiere (2018) The fourth series of Line of Duty didn’t hold back on the shocks. In fact, its first episode featured a cliffhanger ending to rival the best of them. With DCI Roz Huntley (Thandie Newton) dead on his floor, her murderer – Forensic Coordinator Tim Ifield (Jason Watkins) – sets about dispatching her body, but as his chainsaw nears her face, Roz’s eyes suddenly open.
The best TV cliffhangers of all time Heroes – ”The Butterfly Effect” (2008) After season one, Heroes became pretty dreadful television. But this cliffhanger looms in the memory for being so left-field it warrants applaud: having captured serial killer Sylar, Angela Petrelli – parent to superheroes Nathan and Peter – tells him she can provide him with the love and guidance he needs. Angry, Sylar tells her she’s not his mother to which Angela drops the bombshell: “But I am dear, I am.” A head-scratching mid-season reveal that had fans chomping at the bit for the next episode.
NBC
The best TV cliffhangers of all time Grey’s Anatomy – “Who’s Zoomin’ Who?” (2005) After spending an entire season watching the blossoming romance between medical intern Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo) and Dr Derek Shephard (Patrick Dempsey), the world of viewers was rocked upon discovering the shock revelation that Derek was married all along.
ABC
The best TV cliffhangers of all time Green Wing – “Emergency“ (2004) Channel 4 sitcom Green Wing took the term “cliffhanger” quite literally for each finale of its two series. While it became a tad gimmicky the second time around, the first remained a genuinely surprising way for a comedy series to end: having discovered that the colleague he’d just slept with was his mother, drug-addled anaesthetist Guy Secretan (Stephen Mangan) steals an ambulance, drives it to the country and loses control. After crashing, the episode ends with Guy and several other characters dangling – you guessed it – off a cliff.
Channel 4
The best TV cliffhangers of all time Dexter – “The Getaway” (2009) A particularly nail-biting fourth season was shaping up to end well: after weeks of playing cat-and-mouse with the Trinity Killer (John Lithgow on Emmy-winning form), Dexter finally put an end to his murderous ways and returned home ready to pack up and join his wife Rita on their vacation. Only Rita’s still at home... dead in the bathtub. Trinity killed her before Dexter got to him. A heartbreaking end to a standout season.
Showtime
The best TV cliffhangers of all time Battlestar Galactica – “Kobol's Last Gleaming: Part 2” (2005) When things are going supremely well towards the end of a season finale, you know something big is about to go down. Battlestar Galactica proved no different. After destroying the Cylon Basestar – a warship belonging to the enemy – crew member Boomer, who viewers had learnt was a Cylon in the mini-series that aired the year before, fires a round into the chest of Commander Adama (Edward James Olmos), the show’s main character.
ABC
The best TV cliffhangers of all time Babylon 5 – “Z’ha'dum” (1996) Having been warned for two seasons that Z’ha’dum means death, fans expected big things from an episode called “Z’ha’dum”. They weren’t wrong. It ended with the show’s lead character jumping to his death. The episode was so big the episodes leading up to it teased “Z minus 14 days” and “Z minus 7 days.”
PTEN
The best TV cliffhangers of all time Friends – "The One with Ross’s Wedding" (1998) While Ross (David Schwimmer) and Rachel’s (Jennifer Aniston) “will they, won’t they” courtship arguably went on far too long, there was one moment during the season four finale that left fans with their jaws on the floor. Just after Rachel had accepted Ross was happy with fiancé Emily (Helen Baxendale), everything goes catastrophically wrong. Instead of saying Emily’s name during the wedding vows, Ross says the iconic line: “Take thee Rachel”. After the wedding, as the season finished, everyone was left wondering whether the pair would finally rekindle their romance for good.
NBC
The best TV cliffhangers of all time The X-Files – "Anasazi" (1995) “I’m in a boxcar, buried inside a quarry, and there are bodies everywhere,” says Mulder to Scully during the season two finale. And just as Mulder solves the riddle of how those people died, the roof of the boxcar slams shut, trapping him inside. Worse still, the Smoking Man then arrives with a unit of soldiers. When they open the boxcar, Mulder’s somehow nowhere to be seen and they decide to blow the freight to smithereens. Did Mulder survive? Did he get away?
FOX
The best TV cliffhangers of all time Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life – "Fall" (2016) “It certainly wasn't the ending I expected,” Rory Gilmore actor Alexis Bledel said of the finale. “Fitting but frustrating”, was how Vanity Fair referred to the episode. The Gilmore Girls sequel, A Year in the Life, concluded with a four-word exchange between Rory and her mother, Lorelai (Lauren Graham). “Mum”, the daughter says, sitting in a park’s bandstand. “Yeah”, she replies. “I’m pregnant,” Rory says. Queue hundreds of fans wanting more from the story, which had, ultimately, come full circle.
Netflix
The best TV cliffhangers of all time 24 – “Day 5: 10:00pm – 11:00pm” (2006) 24 was filled to the brim with huge cliffhangers, but this one – arriving at the 16 episode mark – stands out for sparking what would be the show’s best run of episodes. President Charles Logan (Gregory Itzin) is revealed to be the mastermind behind the shocking assassinations of David Palmer and Michelle Dessler, which kickstarted the season. And thus the show’s most memorable villain was born.
FOX
The best TV cliffhangers of all time Star Trek: The Next Generation – "Best of Both Worlds" (1990) Another science fiction show filled to the brim with cliffhangers. Star Trek: The Next Generation had many, but few can measure up to Picard (Patrick Stewart) becoming a Borg. The season three finale sees the Enterprise’s crew having no choice but to turn on their former captain, with Riker (Jonathan Frakes) ordering Worf (Michael Dorn) to open fire on Picard’s Borg ship. Fans had to wait three months to discover whether Picard could be saved – and the fandom almost imploded in the meantime.
Paramount
The best TV cliffhangers of all time The OC – "The Dearly Beloved" (2005) Marissa Cooper (Mischa Barton) and Ryan Atwood (Benjamin McKenzie) would have done anything for each other. When Ryan’s brother Trey (Logan Marshall-Green) gets in the way, attacking Marissa, Ryan has no other course of action but to settle things “once and for all” between them. As the brawl ensues, Marissa somehow ends up shooting Trey. And as the bullet goes through him, Imogen Heap’s song “Hide and Seek” – AKA the “Mmmmh, what you say?” song – suddenly starts playing. It’s hard not to laugh. The pop song cuts through the scene, completely at odds with what’s happening on screen. No wonder, then, that Saturday Night Live famously parodied the scene in one of their most-beloved skits of all time.
Fox
The best TV cliffhangers of all time The Office US – "Casino Night" (2006) Jim (John Krasinski) and Pam (Jenna Fischer) were the ultimate “will they, won’t they” couple, their chemistry electrifying the early seasons of The Office. Things peaked for the first time during the season two finale. Following Casino Night at Dunder Mifflin, Jim finally takes Pam aside to reveal his true feelings, telling her: “I’m in love with you.” She is, at the time, engaged to Roy (David Denman), and decides to reply to Jim: “What are you doing?” While all hope for the pair seems lost, Jim finds Pam (calling her mother) before the episode’s end and kisses her. Cruelly, the showrunners decided to cut to black after the moment, leaving fans wondering for months whether the couple would return to screens happily together (spoiler: they do not).
NBC
The best TV cliffhangers of all time Alias – "The Telling" (2003) JJ Abrams loves ending things on a twist. Before creating the mystery-box filled Lost, the filmmaker created Alias, and the season two finale marks one the show’s greatest endings. The episode sees Sydney (Jennifer Garner) discover that Francie (Merrin Dungey) is not Francie at all, but a duplicate. The two then brawl, ending with Sydney shooting Francie and then collapsing due to exhaustion. We immediately jump to Sydney waking up in Hong Kong. After reuniting with her lover Michael Vaughn (Michael Vartan), Sydney realises things are amiss as Michael is wearing a wedding ring. Turns out, she has been missing for almost two years. Cut to black, and the world asking “What just happened?”
ABC
The best TV cliffhangers of all time Spooks – "Smoke and Mirrors" (2003) The season two finale of Spooks shocked the nation. While the episode begins with the CIA taking on a seemingly straightforward mission – to prevent a member of the Cabinet being assassinated – we soon discover that everything’s not as it seems. The formerly-presumed dead Herman Joyce (Tomas Arana) is still alive and masquerading as Herb Zeigler. Not only that, but the villain has masterminded an elaborate plan to make it seem as if Tom (Matthew Macfadyen) has assassinated the Chief of the Defence Staff. With everything working against Tom, the agent finds himself backed into a corner. And when Harry (Peter Firth) loses faith, Tom decides to shoot Harry with his shotgun. Does Harry die? Will Tom ever be found innocent? The questions were many.
BBC
The best TV cliffhangers of all time Dragon Ball Z – Next time on Dragon Ball Z There’s really no definitive Dragon Ball Z cliffhanger, as almost every single episode in the series finishes with one. From Vegeta staring menacingly at the camera to the villainous Cell launching a deadline attack on Goku, the series leaves you anywhere and everywhere. When that voice-over comes in with “Next time on Dragon Ball Z”, you can guarantee any child watching will be hooked and instantly wanting to watch the next episode.
Cartoon Network
The best TV cliffhangers of all time Pushing Up Daisies – “Kerplunk” (2009) Pushing Up Daisies was unceremoniously brought to an end after just two seasons, with showrunner Bryan Fuller having to quickly conclude the whimsical series with very little notice. The epilogue was added late into the writing process and sees the narrator offer some closure to each characters’ story. Yet, with Ned (Lee Pace) and Chuck (Anna Friel) standing on her aunts’ doorstep, waiting to finally reveal that she’s alive, fans could see that there were originally supposed to be many more seasons to come – and they still want them desperately.
The best TV cliffhangers of all time Sherlock – "The Reichenbach Fall" (2012) Following a war of words with Jim Moriarty (Andrew Scott) on the roof of a building (in which Moriarty shoots himself in the head), Sherlock (Benedict Cumberbatch) decides to seemingly commit suicide by jumping off the building. However, not all is at it seems, as Sherlock is seen alive before the episode end. Fans of the series – plus Martin Freeman’s Watson – were left questioning what exactly happened to Sherlock, with all being revealed in the following special.
The best TV cliffhangers of all time Barry – "berkman > block" (2019) HBO’s blackly comic drama, starring Bill Hader as a hitman who starts taking acting lessons, is full of edge-of-your-seat twists and episode-ending cliffhangers. But none are quite so ominous as the season two finale, which saw Fuches (Stephen Root) tell Gene (Henry Winkler) about Barry’s true identity.
HBO
The Boys will probably help. Sure, his character walks around with his biceps on show, but let’s not forget he’s also a sexually-harassing slime-ball more in tune with Westwick’s Gossip Girl character than Nate. It seems, almost a decade on, he’s found his way around the typecasting debacle.
“No one likes to be put in a specific box. You don’t want to be known for just your looks or just this or that – you want to be able to get lost in the roles and have some range. That’s really all I can hope for in life after Gossip Girl .”
The Boys is available to stream on Amazon Prime now
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