The decade is almost over and we have plenty of incredible TV to look forward to in the decades to come.
With new series of Doctor Who, Line Of Duty, Stranger Things, You, Money Heist and many, many others coming up, the binge watching is going to continue right through 2020.
From big shows like Game Of Thrones and The Big Bang Theory to underrated series such as Daredevil that ended way before their time and British classics like Waterloo Road, we have been spoilt for choice over the last ten years.
However these great programmes have all said goodbye either through coming to a natural end, or the frustrating Powers That Be swinging the axe.
As 2019 comes to a close, it’s a good time to reflect on the many memorable TV shows that came to an end over the last decade.
Who knows, we might not have seen the last of some of them…
Shadowhunters – 2019
Despite repeated attempts to save it, Shadowhunters took its last bow in May this year after being cancelled in 2018.
Freeform’s EVP of Programming and Development Karey Burke said last year that the decision to shelve the series was ‘purely economic’.
Speaking to the website Deadline she explained that it had a lot to do with the channel moving towards ordering shorter runs of shows, which led to makers Constantin Film losing their output deal with Netflix, which part-funded the series – and it wasn’t a cheap show to make.
The last episode was a fan-pleasing treat with Clary and Jace coming face to face and fan favourites Magnus and Alec getting married in New York
Big Brother – 2018
Channel 5 decided to axe the iconic reality series, both the celebrity and normal versions, in 2018.
It was announced with a message on social media on the day the next series, fronted by Emma Willis and Rylan Clark Neal, was due to begin.
The final series was won by Cameron Cole (pictured) who also came out as gay on the show.
At 19 years old he was the youngest ever Big Brother winner.
Ryan Thomas was the final celebrity winner.
Being Human – 2014
Back when BBC Three was still on actual telly, there was a great supernatural series called Being Human, all about a ghost, a werewolf and a vampire sharing a flat and dealing with life’s challenges.
While the line-up went through various changes, the one remembered most fondly is Russell Tovey, Lenora Crichlow and a pre-Poldark Aidan Turner.
Lost – 2010
When Lost began back in 2004, there wasn’t another show on TV quite like it. Told from multiple perspectives, it was all abut following the story threads to find out why these total strangers had crash-landed on a weird island.
After six seasons, six numbers and one of the most heartbreaking TV deaths ever, Lost was great while it lasted.
Sleepy Hollow – 2017
There was a bit of controversy in the lead up to Sleepy Hollow ending for good after four seasons.
In the season three finale of the supernatural series, based on Washington Irving ghost story, their main character Abbie, played by Nicole Beharie, was killed off, making Ichabbie shippers everywhere fly into a rage.
The last episode upped the stakes as the team literally went to Hell to ask the Devil for help killing Malcolm Dreyfuss.
While they manage to wound Dreyfuss and get his butt sent to Hell instead, there was the unresolved issue of Crane selling his soul to get a Philosopher’s Stone to help them in their quest.
Guess we’ll never know if he’ll get it back.
The Big Bang Theory – 2019
After 12 seasons we said goodbye to Leonard, Sheldon, Amy, Penny, Raj, Howard and Bernadette this year.
While some might argue that this long-running sitcom really ain’t all that, TBBT holds a special place in the hearts of fans who will no doubt be following what everyone in the cast does next.
In the last ever episode there was happy news all round as Leonard and Penny revealed they were going to become parents, and Sheldon and Amy finally landed that Nobel prize.
Oh and that pesky broken down lift got fixed.
Hannibal- 2015
This arch Bryan Fuller series, starring Mads Mikkelsen and Hugh Dancy, was basically Hannibal Lecter: The Early Years.
Twisted, dark and brimming with stylised violence, this short-lived drama about the relationship between Lecter and his criminal profiler patient was criminally underrated.
However we’re not sure we will ever forgive this show for what happened to Beverley Katz (watch at your own peril).
Daredevil – 2018
Netflix got axe happy last year and binned off all Marvel shows ahead of Disney launching its own streaming service, Disney+.
Daredevil was arguably one of the most popular thanks to its well-choreographed action scenes and a quietly powerful performance from star Charlie Cox.
But after three seasons it was no more, joining Luke Cage, Jessica Jones, Iron Fist and The Punisher on the rubbish heap.
The Fades – 2011
Writer Jack Thorne created a short-lived beauty with supernatural drama The Fades for BBC Three.
Teenager Paul, haunted by terrifying dreams, starts seeing spirits of the dead known as The Fades, people stuck in purgatory.
It is up to Paul and a group of saviours called the Angelics to take them out before they wreak havoc on the world of the living.
A truly original and entertaining plot coupled with stellar writing and the mixture of the supernatual and teenage angst, The Fades was a gem brutally cut short.
Luckily for us, Jack’s writing is now available to watch in the brilliant Channel 4 drama The Accident, available to stream on All 4.
24- 2010
You’re hearing those countdown beeps in your head right now, aren’t you?
Kiefer Sutherland and 24 gave us Jack Bauer, one of the most iconic fictional characters ever.
Working under CTU (Counter-Terrorist Unit) Jack’s story was told in ‘real time’, with 24 episodes in each season, each one representing an hour of Jack’s day.
It managed to combine drama with some good old-fashioned, stick-it-to-the-bad-guys-and-blow-stuff-up action, no similar show has come close (looking at you The Transporter).
With the most recent incarnation 24: Legacy getting a lukewarm response, hopefully it’s a sign that TV execs won’t go there again. Leave it in it’s purest form, damn it!
How I Met Your Mother – 2014
Ted Mosby (Josh Radnor) recounts to his kids the adventures of how he met their mum in this four-time Emmy winning show.
The character recalls his epic quest for a soul mate and his story is largely told through a series of flashbacks, with good mates Marshall Eriksen and Lily Aldrin, and playboy Barney Stinson by his side.
It ran for nine seasons and the ending unfortunately left fans furious. Ted finally met the mother of children Tracey…only for it to be revealed that she died six years earlier.
Ted then ends up reuniting with the other love of his life Robin with the finale ending with his kids’ seal of approval.
Maybe they should stick to watching the alternative ending instead?
Glee – 2013
Love it or hate it, Glee will always be an iconic show.
It was a musical teen drama, and coming off the wave created by High School Musical (which wrapped up its trilogy in 2008, the year before Glee started) it was straight out of the gate, becoming a cheesy instant hit thanks to the pop song covers and one Mr Schuester.
Later seasons might not have been as popular, and the death of star Cory Monteith cast a sad shadow, but it still makes amazing duvet-day viewing.
Waterloo Road – 2015
Now to another very different school drama. Waterloo Road, which ran for 10 series until 2015, is an icon of British telly. So much so that the BBC recently made the entire series available to stream on iPlayer over Christmas.
Set in the fictional school it followed the dramatic and OTT lives of the various teachers and students.
Sambucca Kelly, Justin Fitzgerald, Shona and Rhona, Grantley Budgen – unforgettable characters beloved by fans.
Anyone who is still hankering for major school dramz should look no further than Ackley Bridge.
Sense8 – 2017
The two-season show has become a cult favourite, with the finale special released on Netflix last year.
It follows the tale of eight strangers who find themselves connected telepathically, seemingly at random, and often times for different corners of the world. As they discover their powers, they end up trying to find each other and the bigger game at play begins to unfold in front of them.
Sense8 was praised for his diverse cast and when news of its cancellation was announced, fans launched a petition to save it.
But chief content officer for Netflix Ted Sarandos insisted it was over, revealing that the show’s audience was ‘passionate’ but not large enough to keep Sense8 going. Booo.
Game Of Thrones – 2019
Oh boy. Wherever you stood in the debate about whether the last ever episode was fantastic or a hot mess, Game Of Thrones will go down in history as one of the biggest TV shows of all time, with the biggest impact on pop culture.
Launching before binge-watching became a thing, it kept viewers tuning in week after week, season after season, creating buzz and solid ratings. There aren’t a lot of shows that can say that.
Season eight was GoT’s last and saw Jon Snow murder his lover Daenerys out of fear she would become a tyrant. It ended with Bran Stark becoming ruler of Westeros, arguably Game Of Thrones’ most controversial moment – which is saying something.
Gotham – 2019
This Batman prequel started loud but sadly began to fizzle out as it went on, despite the shoehorning in of recognisable, watchable villains, including the Joker.
It set up its own world nicely as we followed the back story of Jim Gordon before he became Batman’s PA, and managed to give us a retelling of the hero’s story without going over old ground too much – like the murder of Bruce Wayne parents.
A fully fledged Batman made an appearance towards the end of the run to appease DC fans who had stuck with it for so long, but it was likely too late.
It doesn’t give us much hope for Pennyworth, to be honest.
The OA -2019
No one can quite work out what The OA is supposed to be, and now we’ll never know.
Back in August the sci-fi drama was suddenly axed by Netflix without so much as a by your leave.
There won’t be a season three – despite star Jason Issacs’ excitement about it – or the previously rumoured movie according to reports.
Creator Brit Marling took to Twitter to thanks fans for their support.
‘We’re humbled, to be honest floored, by the outpouring of support for The OA,’ she said.
‘Your words and images move us deeply. Not because the show must continue, but because for some people its unexpected cancellation begs larger questions about the role of storytelling and its fate inside late capitalism’s push toward consolidation and economies of scale.’
At the time of writing, a petition to get The OA renewed for season three has reached 90,069 signatures. Nice.
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