How to end a TV show

Ending any story is hard, but that’s especially true of mystery-packed TV shows. Series like Lost initially hook viewers with constantly building secrets and questions, to the point that they can often seem incomprehensible. But the promise is that it will all pay off in the end — a feat that few shows ultimately manage. This creates tension as viewers try to put all of the pieces together while hoping that the show’s creators know what they’re doing in the long run. The latest example is From on MGM Plus , a Lost -style horror series that just wrapped up its penultimate season, with a fifth and final one coming in 2027. Naturally, endings are currently top of mind for the team behind the series. “Making this type of show, you’re making a contract with the audience,” says From ’s creator, John Griffin. “You’re saying, ‘Look, if you guys get invested, we promise we’re going to take you somewhere worth going.’” From tells the story of a group of people in a small town that they’re unable to leave, all while dealing with prowling monsters, a dwindling food supply, and other existential threats. The season 4 finale was perfectly indicative of how these shows often work, mixing intense drama and bizarre mysteries. A beloved character turned into a monster, and there were more than a few unexpected deaths, strange and violent weather patterns, potentially fatal dream sequences, and some upending of the rules that everyone has had to live (and die) by over the last four seasons. …