A miniseries is a guarantee. The audience doesn’t have to worry about waiting for the next season to air or about the show getting canceled right after a major cliffhanger. If the end of a miniseries is ambiguous, then it is an intentional choice by the filmmakers. If it wraps everything up, then audiences get a satisfying conclusion that won’t leave them guessing. Everyone wins.
The miniseries format also affords storytellers the ability to really pack a punch. The pacing is faster than that of a full series, and the plotting is much tighter. At the same time, there’s more room for story and character development in a miniseries than in a film. So, what makes a perfect ending when it comes to a miniseries? There’s no right answer. There are all kinds of ways to end a multi-episode television event. Here are a few that do it exceptionally well.
10’Roots' (1977)
Rootsis a harrowing eight-part ABC series based on Alex Haley’s novel of the same name. It follows Kunta Kinte, a boy stolen from his homeland who grows up as an enslaved man in mid-19th-century America. It stars LeVar Burton (Star Trek: The Next Generation) and John Amos (Die Hard 2) as Kunta Kinte at different ages. James Earl Jones (Star Wars) plays Alex Haley and acclaimed poet Maya Angelou makes an appearance as Nyo Boto.
“Satisfying” is not the right word forRoots, but that is because it is a fictional story about the very real slave trade that stains America’s history. Nonetheless,Rootsis a landmark show that dared to show things that had never been addressed on television before. The show received 37 Emmy nominations, of which it won nine. The final episode of the series is perhaps as hopeful as it could have been at the time and was an iconic television event. Audiences watched in record numbers and the episode remains one of the highest-rated episodes of any series ever. In 2016, aRootsremakeaired on The History Channel.
9’Lonesome Dove' (1989)
Lonesome Dove
Released as a four-part series on CBS,Lonesome Dovewas a huge success. Based on the 1985 Larry McMurtry novel of the same name, the western is about two former Texas Rangers living near the Rio Grande. It stars Robert Duvall (The Godfather), Tommy Lee Jones (No Country for Old Men), Danny Glover (Lethal Weapon), Diane Lane (Unfaithful), and Anjelica Huston (The Royal Tenenbaums).
Lonesome Dovereinvigorated the western genre during its time, garnering 18 nominations and seven wins at the 1989 Emmy Awards. The final episode is poignant and fitting. Critics hailed it as an impressive series. “Those who cherish the 1985 book should be pleased and gratified at the adaptation’s fidelity to it…“Tom Shales wrote for Washington Post, “It is an uncommonly rich and resonant production.”
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8’Pride and Prejudice' (1995)
Pride And Prejudice
Pride and Prejudiceis arguably Jane Austen’s most well-known novel, and the 1995 six-episode miniseries that aired on BBC One remains one of the top adaptations of Austen’s work to this day. It is a classic enemies-to-lovers tale set against the backdrop of Regency-era England. It stars Jennifer Ehle as the iconic Elizabeth Bennet andColin Firth as Mr. Darcyin a role that made millions fall in love with the actor.
Thirty years later, this miniseries remains a favorite adaptation among Jane Austen enthusiasts. While Austen’s work utilizes the will-they-won’t-they trope in much of her work, her characters always get what they want in the end. The end of the miniseries is therefore not about surprising audiences or completely rewriting the book, but giving audiences the happy marriage of two beloved characters. The show was nominated for six BAFTA Awards and four Emmy Awards, winning in the Costume Design for a Miniseries or a Special category.
7’Band of Brothers' (2001)
Band of Brothers
Band of Brothers is the celebrated 10-part HBO series that dramatizes the journey of E “Easy” Company across Europe during World War II. It is based on Stephen E. Ambrose’s nonfiction book andhas an all-starcast including Ron Livingston (The Conjuring), Damian Lewis (Billions), Kirk Acevedo (Fringe), Michael Cudlitz (The Walking Dead), among others.
The miniseries was nominated for 19 Emmy Awards, winning six of them. The final episode is incredibly moving, cutting to real-life testimony from World War II veterans as the final action takes place.Caryn James called the series “extraordinary"in The New York Times. “It balances the ideal of heroism with the violence and terror of battle,” wrote James, “reflecting what is both civilized and savage about war.”
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6’Over the Garden Wall' (2014)
Over the Garden Wall
Over the Garden Wallis a cozy fall-themed10-part animated fantasy series on Cartoon Network created by Patrick McHale. It is based on McHale’s 2013 animated short film entitledTome of the Unknownand is about Wirt (Elijah Wood) and Greg (Collin Dean), two half-brothers who find themselves lost in a strange wood. The supporting cast is voiced by Melanie Lynskey (Yellowjackets), Christopher Lloyd (Back to the Future), Jack Jones (American Hustle), with appearances by opera singer Samuel Ramey andThe Rocky Horror Show’s Tim Curry.
The conclusion ofOver the Garden Wallcan technically be interpreted in one of two ways, appealing to audiences looking for a happy ending as well as audiences interested in something a little darker. That said, the official ending seems to hit a balance most fans find satisfying. “The series clears everything up in the end,“writes Emily St. James for Vox, “tying up its surprisingly large number of storylines in a fashion that proves satisfying but not overly neat.“Over the Garden Wallwas nominated for Outstanding Animated Program and Outstanding Individual Achievement in Animation at the 2015 Emmy Awards, winning both awards.
5’Station Eleven' (2021)
Station Eleven
HBO’s 10-part dystopian miniseries is based on the 2014novel of the same name by Emily St. John Mandel. The show takes place 20 years after a pandemic has ravaged civilization, focusing on the journey of a traveling performance troupe navigating a world that will never be the same. It stars Mackenzie Davis (Blade Runner 2049), Himesh Patel (Yesterday), David Wilmot (Anna Karenina), Matilda Lawler (Flora & Ulysses), Nabhaan Rizwan (Mogul Mowgli), Daniel Zovatto (Woman Of The Hour), Philippine Velge (The Serpent Queen), and Lori Petty (Orange Is the New Black).
Critics have hailed theStation Elevenseries finale as one of the best in recent memory, balancing heartbreak and hope in order to land just the right note. As a show that hinges on human connection, the conclusion feels appropriate — satisfying, but a little open-ended too, because life goes on. “In truth, not much needs to be explained aboutStation Eleven’s ending,” writes Alec Bojalad for Den of Geek, “because it’s basically perfect as is.”
4’Midnight Mass' (2021)
Midnight Mass
Midnight Massaired as a seven-part miniseries on Netflix that proved to be just as beautiful and poignant as it was horrifying. Set on a small island, a priest’s return from a trip abroad coincides with bizarre events that start affecting the community. Created byhorror icon Mike Flanagan, the show stars Hamish Linklater (Legion), Kate Siegel (The Fall of the House of Usher), Rahul Kohli (The Haunting of Bly Manor), Zach Gilford (Friday Night Lights), Annabeth Gish (The X-Files), Samantha Sloyan (The Fall of the House of Usher), Igby Rigney (The Midnight Club), Annarah Cymone (The Midnight Club), and Henry Thomas (The Haunting of Hill House).
Any Mike Flanagan series could probably make this list, but there is something special about the end ofMidnight Mass. It feels perfect in every sense of the word. The episode is brutal but incredibly moving, with an exquisitely fitting final line. The series as a whole has been widely celebrated, with an 87% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and comparisons to some of Stephen King’s greatest work.
3’Bodies' (2023)
Based on the 2014 graphic novel written by Si Spencer, Bodies is an eight-partscience fiction thrillerfrom Netflix. The story is a complex one, weaving mysteries together across four time periods. The same body is found on the same street in 1890, 1941, 2023 and 2053 — but where does the body come from? And what does that have to do with the fabric of time? The show stars Amaka Okafor (The Responder), Shira Haas (Unorthodox), Kyle Soller (Andor), Tom Mothersdale (Wolf Hall), Jacob Fortune-Lloyd (The Queen’s Gambit), Gabriel Howell (How to Train Your Dragon), Greta Scacchi (The Terror), and Stephen Graham (Adolescence).
Bodiesis one of those programs with a thousand moving parts that come so close to intersecting, but don’t quite touch until the very end. This build-up makes for an incredibly satisfying conclusion, with everything that has happened between 1890 and 2053 coming together in a phenomenal way. The show was nominated for one BAFTA Award and has an 82% score on Rotten Tomatoes.
2’Ripley' (2024)
Ripley is a gorgeously shot black and whiteneo-noir thrillerfrom Netflix divided into eight parts. It’s based on Patricia Highsmith’s incredibly popular novel,The Talented Mr. Ripley. Andrew Scott (All of Us Strangers) stars in the title role as a clever con artist who murders a friend and assumes the friend’s identity. Dakota Fanning (The Perfect Couple), Johnny Flynn (Emma), and Maurizio Lombardi (The Young Pope) costar.
The best part of the finale is the very end, when the twist is not revealed to the audience, but instead to the detective who has been searching for Tom Ripley. It’s a brilliant “aha!” moment that feels immensely satisfying after the eight-episode cat-and-mouse game. Everything falls into place, and even though Tom has gotten away, it’s a huge epiphany that is beautifully executed. It was nominated for 13 Emmy Awards and won four of them.
1’The Residence' (2025)
The Residence
Created by Scandal writer Paul William Davies,The Residenceis a delightfulAgatha Christie-style mysteryset in the White House. When someone is murdered during a state dinner, the brilliant detective Cordelia Cupp (Uzo Aduba) is brought in to solve the case. The eight-part Netflix miniseries is fast-paced and quick-witted, with a stellar cast that includes Giancarlo Esposito (Breaking Bad), Randall Park (Fresh Off the Boat), Isiah Whitlock Jr. (The Wire), Susan Kelechi Watson (This Is Us), and Ken Marino (Party Down).
In an age where cliffhangers and open-ended finales are popular,The Residenceis a concise, satisfying watch. Everything is explained at the end, with plenty of twists along the way. It’s one of those rare instances where the person audiences might hope is the killer actually turns out to be the killer, but not in a predictable way that hampers the narrative. Davies provides enough misdirection leading up to the end to make for a tense and entertaining reveal.
