TV shows with the best finales in 2024
TV shows with the best finales in 2024
There's nothing quite as gripping as an epic season finale of your favorite TV show, one that gives you the satisfaction of wrapping up long-winding storylines and answering lingering questions while introducing new curiosities that leave you wanting more.
Few "Game of Thrones" fans could forget the explosive fight for King's Landing in "The Winds of Winter," ending the HBO drama's sixth season. And any "Breaking Bad" devotee will remember watching Walter White and Jesse Pinkman race against time in "Face Off," the conclusion of the show's fourth season. No matter the series or genre, finales often define a show's entire season—for better or worse.
In a perfect world, season finales should provide both closure and anticipation for what's to come. However, some fail to walk that line. For instance, "The Walking Dead" ended its sixth season with "Last Day on Earth," an episode that clocked in at an hour and a half and left viewers more frustrated than intrigued. Other episodes—like "Fly," from the third season of "Breaking Bad"—have divided loyal fans.
That said, 2024 has seen a number of finales strike the right balance between conclusion and cliffhanger. Audiences have enjoyed several stellar curtain calls, from "The Beginning" (wrapping the first season of Prime Video's breakout hit "Fallout") to "And That's The End of It. There's Nothing Else," which closed out the second season of "Interview with the Vampire."
In honor of these and other standout finales of 2024, Stacker used data from EpisodeCalender and IMDb to identify and rank the 20 highest-rated season finales by viewers as of Nov. 18, 2024. Ties were broken by the number of followers the show had on EpisodeCalendar. Reality shows, game shows, and talk shows were not included. Miniseries and series finales were also excluded since those final episodes are a category on their own—like "Memoir," which ended the seven-season run of CBS' "Young Sheldon" on a high note, or "Part Nine" of the Apple TV+ show "Masters of the Air."
Read on to find out which season finales made the top 20, and watch out for spoilers.
20. 'Fargo' - 'Bisquik'
- IMDb user rating: 8.3
- Followers on EpisodeCalendar: 11,310
- Season 5, Episode 10
- Air date: Jan. 16, 2024
Inspired by the Coen brothers' 1996 cult classic, FX's anthology series "Fargo" centers on a loosely connected series of crimes in Midwestern towns over multiple decades. In the final episode of the show's fifth season, viewers finally got to see the vile Sheriff Roy Tillman (Jon Hamm) get his long-awaited comeuppance. But after all that action, "Bisquik" ended on an unexpectedly peaceful, healing note.
Erik Kain of Forbes wrote that audiences are not often "treated to a scene of absolution like this," calling it "a beautiful, surprising, wonderful moment of television that [he] didn't see coming."
#19. 'Presumed Innocent' - 'The Verdict'
- IMDb user rating: 8.4
- Followers on EpisodeCalendar: 522
- Season 1, Episode 8
- Air date: July 24, 2024
Starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Peter Sarsgaard, and Ruth Negga, the courtroom crime drama "Presumed Innocent" riveted viewers as soon as the first episode hit Apple TV+ in June 2024. The finale wraps up the season-long murder case against Rusty Sabich (Gyllenhaal) with a massive twist. It deviated from the 1990 film, which was also based on Scott Turow's novel of the same name, and divided fans and critics.
Linda Holmes at NPR described the finale, "The Verdict," as "a big dud," while Vulture's Rafaela Bassili called it "a good twist." She added, "The story's actors, writers, producers, and directors aim to outscore the audience, our theories and instincts. And regardless of how artfully it was done, I will say this: They got me."
#18. 'Shōgun' - 'A Dream of a Dream'
- IMDb user rating: 8.5
- Followers on EpisodeCalendar: 1,515
- Season 1, Episode 10
- Air date: Apr. 23, 2024
When this Japanese-language period drama premiered on FX in late February, few could have anticipated the impact that "Shōgun" would ultimately make on 2024's TV landscape. Though initially released as a limited series, "Shōgun" scored a surprise renewal for two more seasons. The series also won a whopping 18 Emmys at the 2024 ceremony in September.
The last episode of the first season saw protagonist John Blackthorne (Cosmo Jarvis) take a new path following a series of tragedies, while characters like the villainous Yabushige (Tadanobu Asano) finally got a dose of their own medicine. Daniel Chin of The Ringer called "A Dream of a Dream" a "beautiful, understated conclusion that prioritizes character over spectacle, coalescing the entire journey across the season."
#17. 'The Legend of Vox Machina' - 'Souls in Darkness'
- IMDb user rating: 8.6
- Followers on EpisodeCalendar: 550
- Season 3, Episode 12
- Air date: Oct. 24, 2024
The anime series "The Legend of Vox Machina" centers on Vox Machina, a team of eight heroes who must save the magical realm of Exandria. The Prime Video show's third-season finale came with some surprises as Raishan (voiced by Cree Summer) put her soul into the corpse of a red dragon and thus became an invincible member of the undead.
"Souls in Darkness" earned generally positive reviews from critics and audiences, with some, like Winter Is Coming's Kim Richards-Gilchrist, who called the final episodes of Season 3 the best yet.
#16. 'The Lincoln Lawyer' - 'The Gods of Guilt'
- IMDb user rating: 8.6
- Followers on EpisodeCalendar: 681
- Season 3, Episode 10
- Air date: Oct. 17, 2024
Based on Michael Connelly's books of the same name, the Netflix series "The Lincoln Lawyer" stars Manuel Garcia-Rulfo as Mickey Haller, a criminal defense lawyer who solves cases out of his Lincoln Town Car in Los Angeles. In the Season 3 finale, Haller finally filled in the missing details of an already-thorny murder trial at the cost of one last casualty.
Still, the episode seemed set to wrap up on a relatively upbeat note—until a last-moment cliffhanger threw a wrench in the works for Haller. With the jury still out on a potential fourth season for this Netflix series as of the end of November 2024, audiences may be in for a wait to find out where Haller will go next—that is, if he even returns, as some are speculating.
#15. 'Abbott Elementary' - 'Party'
- IMDb user rating: 8.6
- Followers on EpisodeCalendar: 724
- Season 3, Episode 14
- Air date: May 22, 2024
This mockumentary about educators at a Philadelphia public school became a near-instant hit after premiering on ABC in December 2021—the show has since scored four wins among its two dozen Emmy nominations and continues to surprise and delight viewers. The Season 3 finale was no exception, finally sealing the deal on the will-they-won't-they romance between Janine (Quinta Brunson) and Gregory (Tyler James Williams).
Both critics and audiences were quick to cheer on "Party," with one IMDb reviewer calling the episode "pure magic all the way through."
#14. 'Call the Midwife' - Season 13 finale
- IMDb user rating: 8.6
- Followers on EpisodeCalendar: 1,185
- Season 13, Episode 8
- Air date: May 5, 2024
The long-running BBC drama "Call the Midwife" tells the stories of midwives and families in London in the 1950s and '60s. The series has enjoyed significant popularity both in its home country and abroad.
The 13th season finale likewise impressed viewers, delivering insight into Miss Higgins' (Georgie Glen) younger years, including an emotional reunion, and allowing Joyce Highland (Renee Bailey) a well-earned moment of triumph.
#13. 'Chicago Fire' - 'Never Say Goodbye'
- IMDb user rating: 8.6
- Followers on EpisodeCalendar: 5,860
- Season 12, Episode 13
- Air date: May 22, 2024
NBC's "Chicago Fire" focuses on Firehouse 51, whose firefighters, rescue squad, and paramedics must work together round-the-clock to save lives. The show's 12th-season finale left fans mourning the departure of star Eamonn Walker as Chief Boden.
Though Walker's exit was announced two weeks before "Never Say Goodbye" aired, many viewers still weren't ready to bid farewell to Boden—and even fewer were prepared for Boden's replacement to helm Firehouse 51: Herrmann (David Eigenberg). One IMDb reviewer questioned the choice, noting that they didn't know if they'd continue to watch the show as a result.
But good news for Boden fans: Walker will still make guest appearances in future episodes of "Chicago Fire," and, as viewers have now seen in Season 13, Hermann may not be long for the job.
#12. 'Chicago P.D.' - 'More'
- IMDb user rating: 8.7
- Followers on EpisodeCalendar: 4,575
- Season 11, Episode 13
- Air date: May 22, 2024
A spinoff of "Chicago Fire," "Chicago P.D." follows the Intelligence Unit tasked with investigating some of the most heinous crimes in the Windy City. The 11th-season conclusion brought a long-running serial killer storyline to a close, neatly wrapping up a few final details.
Unfortunately, the same couldn't be said for actor Tracy Spiridakos' exit from the series as Detective Hailey Upton, which garnered some complaints from viewers. Lissete Lanuza Sáenz wrote on Fangirlish that "one episode cannot really be expected to do it all" but admitted that "as sad as it is to say, both [Spiridakos] and [Hailey] are probably better off."
#11. 'Mayor of Kingstown' - 'Comeuppance'
- IMDb user rating: 8.8
- Followers on EpisodeCalendar: 601
- Season 3, Episode 10
- Air date: Aug. 4, 2024
This Paramount+ crime thriller series takes place in Kingstown, Michigan, a fictional town dominated by its massive prison and governed by de facto mayor Mike McLusky (Jeremy Renner). Renner's return to the show following a 2023 snowplow accident generated widespread support from fans and critics alike, many of whom raved about the third season's fiery finale, which one IMDb user called "flawless."
Though "Mayor of Kingstown" has yet to earn an official Season 4 renewal as of Dec. 9, 2024, "Comeuppance" leaves plenty of room open for more stories to tell.
#10. 'Slow Horses' - 'Hello Goodbye'
- IMDb user rating: 8.8
- Followers on EpisodeCalendar: 996
- Season 4, Episode 6
- Air date: Oct. 9, 2024
Despite its title, the Apple TV+ series "Slow Horses" is anything but. This slick British spy thriller, starring Gary Oldman, follows the complicated denizens of Slough House, a last resort for failed intelligence operatives. Though perhaps not quite as action-packed as other Season 4 episodes, "Hello Goodbye" delivered big on a few surprise reveals—including the fact that Harkness is River's dad—while upping the ante for the forthcoming fifth season, which should be out sometime in the latter half of 2025.
Rooted in strikingly emotional performances, "Hello Goodbye" also ended on an unexpectedly touching note, which Louisa Mellor from Den of Geek called a "lovely little nod in a wonderful finale."
#9. 'The Diplomat' - 'Dreadnought'
- IMDb user rating: 8.9
- Followers on EpisodeCalendar: 657
- Season 2, Episode 6
- Air date: Oct. 31, 2024
Starring Keri Russell as Ambassador Kate Wyler, Netflix's "The Diplomat" has captivated critics and audiences with a winning combination of political intrigue and fast-paced storytelling. The second season kicked the action into overdrive, forcing Kate to hone her hard-won diplomatic chops and, in the finale, put them to good use in the face of both international and interpersonal crises.
Though "Dreadnought" ended on a cliffhanger, which received some mixed responses from critics and audiences, the episode still garnered positive reviews.
#8. 'For All Mankind' - 'Perestroika'
- IMDb user rating: 8.9
- Followers on EpisodeCalendar: 1,443
- Season 4, Episode 10
- Air date: Jan. 12, 2024
Apple TV+'s "For All Mankind" presents a futuristic vision of what may have happened had the global space race continued. The sci-fi drama's fourth season finale finally saw the longstanding tensions on both Mars and Earth pushed to a boiling point. Despite the episode running for a whopping 80 minutes, many critics and viewers had favorable things to say about it.
Richard Edwards of Space.com described "Perestroika" as "the best episode of the season." Time will tell where "For All Mankind" goes from here—the show was picked up for a fifth season, along with a spinoff called "Star City," about the space race from the Soviet Union's perspective.
#7. 'Fallout' - 'The Beginning'
- IMDb user rating: 8.9
- Followers on EpisodeCalendar: 1,829
- Season 1, Episode 8
- Air date: Apr. 10, 2024
Prime Video's adaptation of Bethesda's hugely popular video game quickly amassed an impressive following—and a second-season order—after premiering in April 2024. "Fallout" follows the inhabitants of a post-nuclear-war wasteland as they learn how to survive in a new, dangerous world.
The show's freshman season ended with an episode titled "Beginning," which, notably, offered at least a partial explanation for the apocalyptic events that ravaged the world. Vulture critic Jack King described the Season 1 "Fallout" finale as the show's "most poignant episode" yet.
#6. 'The Dragon Prince' - 'Stardust'
- IMDb user rating: 9
- Followers on EpisodeCalendar: 520
- Season 6, Episode 9
- Air date: July 26, 2024
Netflix's fantasy anime series "The Dragon Prince" chronicles a longstanding war between the realm of Xadia and the Human Kingdoms. The sixth season wrapped up with the freeing of central villain Aaravos, who is almost guaranteed to cause some major problems in the upcoming seventh and final season, which debuts on Dec. 19, 2024.
Besides plenty of emotional scenes in the Season 6 finale, "Stardust," the big bad's escape made quite an impression on viewers.
#5. 'Invincible' - 'I Thought You Were Stronger'
- IMDb user rating: 9
- Followers on EpisodeCalendar: 1,392
- Season 2, Episode 8
- Air date: Apr. 4, 2024
This Prime Video comic book adaptation, featuring the voices of Steven Yeun, Sandra Oh, and Mark Hamill, puts a new spin on the superhero genre. The second season finale came with new revelations for the central characters, as well as plenty of the high-octane action sequences that have become the show's signature. IGN reviewer Siddhant Adlakha wrote that "I Thought You Were Stronger" set the stage for "an especially intriguing Season 3," which premieres on Feb. 6, 2025.
#4. 'The Boys' - Season 4 finale
- IMDb user rating: 9.1
- Followers on EpisodeCalendar: 5,709
- Season 4, Episode 8
- Air date: July 18, 2024
Since premiering in 2019, Prime Video's superhero series "The Boys" has amused, horrified, and fascinated audiences in equal measure, following a group of "supes" more villainous than heroic. The conclusion of the show's fourth season saw Homelander (Antony Starr) taking over both the government and the Vought International company, throwing in at least one bloody, superpowered surprise for good measure.
The Season 4 finale garnered mixed reviews from critics, with some claiming the episode didn't go far enough and others calling it a "thrilling" setup for "The Boys'" fifth and final season. But viewers generally loved it—one IMDb user even called the finale the "best episode in the whole entire show."
#3. 'Interview with the Vampire' - 'And That's the End of It. There's Nothing Else'
- IMDb user rating: 9.3
- Followers on EpisodeCalendar: 516
- Season 2, Episode 8
- Air date: Jun. 30, 2024
Based on the same novel by Anne Rice that inspired the Oscar-nominated 1994 movie, the TV series "Interview with the Vampire" weaves through time and space to tell the tale of a vampire's never-ending afterlife. The AMC series gathered significant steam throughout its second season and wrapped up with the hair-raising episode, "And That's the End of It. There's Nothing Else."
Louis' (Jacob Anderson) quest for vengeance carries him around the world and into the present day in the Season 2 finale, the title of which might understandably raise some fans' fears of a cancellation. However, AMC renewed the drama for a third season in June 2024.
#2. 'Hacks' - 'Bulletproof'
- IMDb user rating: 9.3
- Followers on EpisodeCalendar: 527
- Season 3, Episode 9
- Air date: May 30, 2024
Max's hit show "Hacks"—about a fading comedy legend (Jean Smart) and a young, outcast comedy writer (Hannah Einbinder)—has been a critical darling ever since it premiered in 2021. The dramedy's third season ended with a bang, as Einbinder's Ava and Smart's Deborah were forced to confront some hard truths about their personal and professional relationships.
In addition to earning glowing reviews from critics, "Hacks" made waves in September 2024 when it won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series.
#1. 'My Hero Academia' - 'Battle Without a Quirk'
- IMDb user rating: 9.3
- Followers on EpisodeCalendar: 1,557
- Season 7, Episode 21
- Air date: Oct. 12, 2024
This hit anime series about a superhero-obsessed teen has drawn a massive fanbase since its premiere in 2016. In fact, "My Hero Academia" has been called one of the most popular anime of all time and one of the best anime on Netflix.
With more than 160 episodes to choose from, many call the Season 7 finale a standout. The season finale, featuring several major showdowns, also had its fair share of sentimental moments. One fan on IMDb described the narration, animation, and music as "amazing," adding, "It all easily gets 10 out of 10. There is literally nothing in this generation that can even compete." The viewer promises the final cliffhanger will excite fans for the show's upcoming eighth and final season, premiering in 2025.
Story editing by Jaimie Etkin. Copy editing by Kristen Wegrzyn. Photo selection by Lacy Kerrick.
