When a fan favorite TV series comes to an end, writers and producers have to be very careful to make sure the series gets the ending it deserves and the one that fans want. Of course, this doesn’t always go to plan, and some beloved shows have had disappointing endings, while for others there was a possibility they were going to end completely differently. Second guesses and last minute decisions led to the ending of these series, and it turns out they could have been much different! Check it out:
13. How I Met Your Mother
How I Met Your Mother‘s final episode is one of the most hated in all of television history, and it all could have been saved if a different ending had been used. Series co-creator Carter Bays confirmed that there was an alternate ending for the series that they were considering using only 16 days before the finale aired.”16 days ago today we were in the HIMYM edit room, trying to decide between two very different endings,” Bays wrote. “We only shot one script, but through edit room magic we had two possible outcomes for the series. We chose the ending we chose and we stand by it. But we loved the other version too.” That other ending had Ted’s wife Tracy survive which would mean he and Robin would not have ended up together.
Ron P. Jaffe / ©CBS / courtesy Everett Collection