When it comes to storytelling, a satisfying conclusion often involves the characters getting what they deserve—be it redemption, punishment, or triumph. However, not all TV characters earn their happy endings, leaving fans scratching their heads. While happy endings are often satisfying, these characters highlight how unresolved flaws or poor storytelling can leave fans feeling shortchanged. Their endings may spark debate, but they also serve as reminders that sometimes, not every story deserves a perfect conclusion. Here are 20 TV characters whose resolutions felt undeserved, complete with insights into their storylines, character flaws, and the controversies surrounding their conclusions.
Walter White (Breaking Bad)
Happy Ending: Walter dies on his terms, securing his family’s financial future.
Why Undeserved: Despite being a ruthless drug lord who caused countless deaths, Walter’s death is almost heroic. His redemption arc feels unearned given the trail of destruction he left behind.
Insights: While fans admired Walter’s brilliance, his actions often veered into irredeemable territory, making his relatively peaceful ending questionable.
Frank Ockenfels 3/AMC
Daenerys Targaryen (Game of Thrones)
Happy Ending: Though her death was tragic, she fulfilled her destiny as a powerful ruler before her downfall.
Why Undeserved: Daenerys’s sudden descent into madness felt rushed, leaving many questioning whether her ending was actually “happy” or simply a result of poor storytelling.
Insights: Her character arc lacked consistency, undermining the impact of her achievements throughout the series.
HBO
Serena Joy Waterford (The Handmaid’s Tale)
Happy Ending: Serena avoids most consequences for her role in Gilead and manages to secure her child’s future.
Why Undeserved: As a key architect of Gilead’s oppressive regime, her limited punishment felt insufficient.
Insights: Serena’s moments of vulnerability make her compelling, but they don’t excuse her complicity in systemic atrocities.
Elly Dassas/Hulu
Dexter Morgan (Dexter)
Happy Ending: Dexter fakes his death and starts a new life as a lumberjack.
Why Undeserved: A serial killer walking away scot-free left fans outraged. His choices harmed everyone around him, yet he avoids accountability.
Insights: While the reboot Dexter: New Blood revisited his story, many felt his original ending undermined his moral complexities.
Carrie Bradshaw (Sex and the City)
Happy Ending: Carrie ends up with Mr. Big, her on-again, off-again love interest.
Why Undeserved: Big consistently treated her poorly, and Carrie often prioritized her love life over her friends’ needs.
Insights: Fans felt her ending romanticized toxic relationships rather than rewarding her with genuine happiness.
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Rory Gilmore (Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life)
Happy Ending: Rory’s story leaves her on a hopeful note, despite her aimlessness.
Why Undeserved: Rory’s selfish choices, including infidelity and neglecting career opportunities, made her resolution feel incomplete.
Insights: Many fans argue that Rory’s arc failed to reflect her once-promising potential.
Saeed Adyani/Netflix
Tony Soprano (The Sopranos)
Happy Ending: The ambiguous finale implies Tony might have survived.
Why Undeserved: As a mob boss responsible for numerous crimes, Tony’s potential survival felt unjust.
Insights: The finale’s ambiguity sparked debates, but some felt Tony escaping justice sent the wrong message.
HBO
Piper Chapman (Orange Is the New Black)
Happy Ending: Piper is released from prison and reconciles with Alex.
Why Undeserved: Piper’s privilege and selfishness often harmed others, yet she walks away relatively unscathed.
Insights: While her story highlights systemic inequality, her personal growth feels surface-level.
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Jaime Lannister (Game of Thrones)
Happy Ending: Jaime dies alongside Cersei, the woman he loved.
Why Undeserved: His redemption arc was undone when he returned to Cersei, abandoning his character growth.
Insights: Fans felt betrayed by Jaime’s regression after seasons of development.
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Emily Thorne (Revenge)
Happy Ending: Emily gets her revenge and marries Jack.
Why Undeserved: Her manipulative and often cruel tactics left many collateral victims.
Insights: While her motivations were sympathetic, her actions were often disproportionate to her goals.
Jordin Althaus/ABC
Sheldon Cooper (The Big Bang Theory)
Happy Ending: Sheldon marries Amy and wins a Nobel Prize.
Why Undeserved: Sheldon’s selfish and often insensitive behavior rarely faced consequences, yet he achieves everything he wants.
Insights: Fans argue his friends enabled his behavior without requiring meaningful change.
Sonja Flemming/CBS via Getty
Michael Scott (The Office)
Happy Ending: Michael finds love and leaves Dunder Mifflin on his own terms.
Why Undeserved: His inappropriate workplace behavior often harmed his employees, yet he faced little accountability.
Insights: Michael’s charm made him lovable, but his actions often crossed professional boundaries.
Chris Haston/NBC-TV/Kobal /Shutterstock
Ross Geller (Friends)
Happy Ending: Ross and Rachel finally get together in the series finale.
Why Undeserved: Ross’s jealousy and controlling nature made him an inconsistent partner.
Insights: Fans debate whether Ross and Rachel’s relationship was truly healthy.
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Don Draper (Mad Men)
Happy Ending: Don creates a successful Coca-Cola ad, symbolizing his return to the top of the advertising world.
Why Undeserved: Don’s self-destructive behavior caused pain to everyone around him, yet he faces no lasting consequences.
Insights: His ending feels more like a commentary on the emptiness of success than a true resolution.
AMC
Hannah Horvath (Girls)
Happy Ending: Hannah becomes a successful writer and mother.
Why Undeserved: Her narcissistic tendencies often alienated those closest to her, yet she faces minimal repercussions.
Insights: While Hannah’s growth is subtle, it doesn’t fully address her flaws.
Mark Schafer/HBO
Arya Stark (Game of Thrones)
Happy Ending: Arya sails off to explore new lands after avenging her family.
Why Undeserved: Her sudden pivot to exploration felt disconnected from her arc, which was built on revenge.
Insights: Arya’s ending lacked the emotional payoff fans expected after her grueling journey.
HBO
Dan Humphrey (Gossip Girl)
Happy Ending: Dan marries Serena despite being revealed as Gossip Girl.
Why Undeserved: His manipulative behavior throughout the series undermined his “good guy” persona.
Insights: Fans were frustrated that Dan’s toxic actions were rewarded.
The CW
Ted Mosby (How I Met Your Mother)
Happy Ending: Ted ends up with Robin after his wife’s death.
Why Undeserved: His pursuit of Robin contradicted the series’ central theme, undermining the emotional impact of the mother’s story.
Insights: The controversial finale left many fans feeling betrayed.
Everett Collection
Cersei Lannister (Game of Thrones)
Happy Ending: Cersei dies in Jaime’s arms, surrounded by love.
Why Undeserved: After seasons of ruthless behavior, her relatively peaceful death felt anticlimactic.
Insights: Fans wanted a more fitting comeuppance for one of the show’s most hated villains.
HBO
Joe Goldberg (You)
Happy Ending: Joe successfully starts a new life despite his history of stalking and murder.
Why Undeserved: His actions are never fully punished, leaving viewers unsettled by his continued survival.
Insights: Joe’s charm manipulates not only the characters in the show but also the audience, making his lack of consequences frustrating.
Netflix
