Here's Why So Many of Your Favorite TV Shows Are Ending Early

All good things must come to an end—especially when it comes to TV.

While it seems like there are some series that will outlive us all—what's good, Grey's Anatomy and Blue Bloods?—there's a new trend in Hollywood: shows ending their runs early, tapping out after a few critically acclaimed seasons rather than stretching out their stories.

Because, it may be better to burn out than fade away—just ask Lost co-creator Damon Lindelof, who has expressed regret over not bringing the ABC mystery to a close sooner.  "It was such a ratings hit that it became clear to me instantly that all conversations about ending the show would be over," he explained on Vulture's Into It podcast in August 2022. "ABC said, 'Oh, we were thinking more like 10 seasons.' The compromise ended up being six, but I personally wish that we could have done it in four. People don't want things to end."

Now, however, the creators of shows like the Emmy-winning Succession, which just kicked off its fourth and final season March 24, Barry and Never Have I Ever are mapping out their end games at the beginning, meaning the goodbyes are going to feel premature for some fans. Just look at the response to Jason Sudeikis hinting that Ted Lasso's third season would be its last hurrah. But, like his beloved titular character once said, "Our goal is to go out like Willie Nelson—on a high!"

So, grab your emotional support snack of choice and some Kleenex because we're running down all of the TV shows that will be ending soon: 

The Roy dynasty is coming to an end. 

Ahead of its fourth season's premiere in March, Succession's creator Jesse Armstrong confirmed this would be the HBO drama's final f--k off.

"I went into the writing room for season four sort of saying, 'I think this is what we're doing, but let's also keep it open,'" Armstrong told The New Yorker in an interview published Feb. 23. "I like operating the writing room by coming in with a sort of proposition, and then being genuinely open to alternative ways of going."

Revealing he came to the decision over the course of writing this current season, Armstrong explained, "I said to the cast, 'I'm not a hundred percent sure, but I think this is it.' Because I didn't want to bulls--t them, either."

Is it or isn't?

That is the question when it comes to whether or not Jason Sudeikis will continue the Apple TV+ series beyond is current third season. While there's been no official word on the beloved comedy's future, Sudeikis has hinted that he will be hanging up his whistle. "All I know is that the story we wanted to tell and the one that we're telling, that's what we're here tonight to celebrate," the creator and star told E! News at the season three premiere March 7. "What happens beyond this, I won't know until this is all done."

Before you start consoling yourselves with the soccer coach's famous shortbread biscuits, Sudeikis did offer a glimmer of hope. 

"I think we have a talented enough writing staff, an incredible cast, tremendous production and post-production crew," he shared. "They definitely have the ability and there's plenty of water left in that sponge to squeeze out."

Goodbye, You.

Shortly after the second half of season four dropped on Netflix, the streamer announced that the Internet's favorite stalker Joe Goldberg (Penn Badgley) will come to an end in season five. But the drama will be returning without one of its major creative forces as showrunner and co-creator Sera Gamble is stepping away from the series (though she will remain an executive producer). 

Prior to the renewal news, Gamble teased what fans could expect from a fifth season of You.

"We have spent four seasons constructing these characters who are violently wealthy, but not all of them are that smart or that ruthless," she explained to E! News. "If Joe is all of the things that he is and now has unlimited resources and access, he's become the thing that he envied and judged from afar. It gives us a lot of new opportunities." Gulp. 

It's the  final hit for Bill Hader's critically acclaimed dark comedy when it returns to HBO on April 16. 

In an interview with Variety, the Saturday Night Live alum explained that he felt "the story naturally ends" after its fourth season, even though he had mixed feelings about the decision because "we have such a good time doing it!"

While the network was disappointed to hear that they would be losing the show, HBO's executive vice president of HBO comedy programming Amy Gravitt stated that they trusted Hader's vision. 

"Every decision that he's made about the story, or the jump between seasons, has made sense," Armstrong said. "So I had to go with his gut on that. Obviously, now that we're here, we're feeling sentimental about it. But it really does feel like it's the right time to finish the show."

Take your Dew and go because Mindy Kaling's coming-of-age dramedy is wrapping up its run.

Netflix confirmed last year that the impending fourth season of Never Have I Ever will be its last, with Kaling and her co-creator Lang Fisher stating that they "are absolutely thrilled about" what's to come for Devi Vishwakumar (Maitreyi Ramakrishnan) and friends.

"We can't wait to reveal all the steamy romance and hilarious adventures we have in store for you," they teased in a joint statement. "Thanks to all our fans for your support—especially you #Bevi and #Daxton stans. We love you!"

Fans will soon be grieving the loss of the Hargreeves.

Netflix announced that the upcoming fourth season of the supernatural sibling drama will be its last, with showrunner Steve Blackman promising that viewers will "experience a fitting end" to the series based on the comic book of the same name. "But before we get to that conclusion," Blackman said, "we've got an amazing story ahead for season four, one that will have fans on the edge of their seats until the final minutes."

The time has come to leave Hawkins. 

After becoming a pop culture phenomenon when it debuted in 2016, the Netflix drama will end its run with the eagerly awaited fifth season, though a premiere date has not been announced. Despite season four having feature-length episodes, co-creators Matt and Ross Duffer said fans should expect shorter installments for the final chapters.

"The only reason we don't expect to be as long is, this season, if you look at it, it's almost a two-hour ramp up before our kids really get drawn into a supernatural mystery," Matt told the Happy Sad Confused podcast. "You get to know them, you get to see them in their lives, they're struggling with adapting to high school and so forth, Steve's trying to find a date, all of that. None of that is obviously going to be occurring [in season 5]." And, in an exclusive interview with E! News, executive producer Shawn Levy promised that season five "will answer all remaining questions," adding, "we are in the business of satisfying viewers."