Between “reboots” and prequels, is this the end of all ends?

Before, the end of a series was a crucial moment. Everyone had their say. And silence fell.

And then there was the reboot of Battlestar Galactica, Fullmetal Alchemist, Brotherhood or And Just Like That (the reboot of Sex and the City )...

So in the age of "endless sequels and adaptations, does it still matter how a story ends?" asks the Australian daily The Sydney Morning Herald .

“In 2013, Dexter ended with one of the worst endings in the history of series. After an eighth season without much interest, its antihero seemed to die in a storm. But in a final twist, we finally discovered that he was very much alive, holed up somewhere

in the woods.”

The Australian daily The Sydney Morning Herald

Eight years later, Dexter: New Blood still ended (it seemed) with the death of the eponymous character, murdered by his own son with a bullet to the heart.

But finally, surprise: Dexter wasn't dead, just seriously injured.

So here it is, back for a new reboot. “How did we get here? Why keep pushing back the last episode?” asks the American website Vulture .

“Not so long ago, the last episode of a series was its centerpiece. It brought to a close a long adventure of several seasons. It provoked many debates – sometimes heated – between fans, who were torn apart over whether this final part had 'concluded the series in style' or was all

“downright rotten.”

The American website Vulture

“In the old days, shows had to end on a note that would satisfy the majority of viewers, or they were deemed terribly disappointing (Lost) , incomprehensible (Battlestar Galactica) , absurd and pretentious (The Sopranos) , or completely out of step with the spirit of the entire plot (Seinfeld) ,” Vulture argues.

But the Sydney Morning Herald warns: “With the proliferation of adaptations ( reboots of Scrubs, Malcolm in the Middle and Friday Night Lights are currently in the works), producers risk undermining the cathartic effect and narrative power of truly good series finales.”

“Today, screenwriters always have the opportunity to make up for lost time with a sequel a few years later, without dwelling on the mistakes.

from the last episode.”

The Australian daily The Sydney Morning Herald

Vulture identifies two main causes for the end of endings. The first is "the extreme fragmentation of the TV series industry." A widespread fragmentation with the development of streaming platforms.

Consequence: “We no longer all watch the same series at the same time, as they come out, as before. And there are no longer enough viewers to create real social phenomena around a program.”

Then, according to Vulture , “the way of telling stories on TV has changed, so much so that the strength and quality of a final episode are less essential today.”

“Series are increasingly focusing on world-building and character psychology. It no longer depends on the hero's fate in the final episode—will he be killed or caught? Plot construction has evolved accordingly, and the sacrosanct cliffhanger at the end of each episode has disappeared,” the American site added in 2017.

“As platforms seek by all means to resurrect the most popular series of recent years to play on the nostalgia of viewers and bet on sure values, the scriptwriters risk resorting more and more often to the spring of the dream to [erase the conclusion of the original work] and justify the creation of a sequel,” adds the Sydney Morning Herald .

The good news is, if you don't like goodbyes, you won't have to: there's always a chance your favorite characters will rise from the ashes.—