The Best Cliffhanger Ending In Sci-Fi TV History Remains Undisputed

The Best Cliffhanger Ending In Sci-Fi TV History Remains Undisputed By  Dhruv Sharma Published Feb 28, 2026, 8:00 PM EST Dhruv is a Lead Writer in Screen Rant's New TV division. He has been consistently contributing to the website for over two years and has written thousands of articles covering streaming trends, movie/TV analysis, and pop culture breakdowns. Before Screen Rant, he was a Senior Writer for The Cinemaholic, covering everything from anime to television, from reality TV to movies. After high school, he was on his way to become a Civil Engineer. However, he soon realized that writing was his true calling. As a result, he took a leap and never looked back. Sign in to your ScreenRant account Add Us On follow Follow followed Followed Like Like Thread Log in Here is a fact-based summary of the story contents: Try something different: Show me the facts Explain it like I’m 5 Give me a lighthearted recap

Since using cliffhangers to end episodes has become the norm, many TV shows adopt clever tricks to keep viewers hanging in their final moments. While there many memorable cliffhangers out there, one from an incredible sci-fi show remains the greatest even to this day.

The episode that builds up to the incredible cliffhanger ending in question initially baits viewers into believing they are watching a flashback. By cleverly giving away only little pieces of plot development, the episode convincingly achieves what it intends to. And just when a viewer is convinced they are seeing a flashback, the brilliant long-running sci-fi show's episode flips the script and reveals one shocking truth.

Jack’s “We Have To Go Back” Scene In Lost Season 3’s Ending Is The Most Iconic TV Cliffhanger

Jack talking to Ben in the real world in Lost

Lost has many memorable cliffhanger moments and fascinating episodes. However, arguably, nothing in the series seems to top the season 3's finale's ending. From season 1, Lost seems to adopt a rather straightforward formula where it primarily focuses on the present timeline on the island. Time and again, the show features flashbacks that give a glimpse of the main characters' lives before the crash.

Owing to the show's established approach, it is hard not to believe that even the off-island sequences in Lost season 3's finale ("Though the Looking Glass") are mere flashbacks of Jack's life before the crash.

However, in the episode's closing moments, everything changes when Kate steps out of her car and Jack tries to convince her that returning from the island was a mistake. Kate keeps denying while Jack stays fixed on wanting to go back. This sequence is shocking because it reveals a miserable and broken side of Jack viewers have never seen.

Kate, on the other hand, seems to have a far more stable life after returning home despite previously being a fugitive with nothing to go back to.

The brilliance with which Lost fools viewers into believing they are watching a flashback before finally revealing the truth makes season 3's finale's ending the best cliffhanger in TV history.

Severance Season 1’s Ending Comes Close To Being As Epic As Lost Season 3’s

Mark is shocked to see Drummond in Severance season 2 finale

Arguably, in the sci-fi genre, the only show that comes close to matching Lost's "We Have to Go Back" cliffhanger is Severance season 1. The Apple TV sci-fi show starts slowly before gradually immersing viewers in its drama and hinting that its "innie" characters might have a shot at getting a glimpse of the outside world.

Its finale proves to be a white-knuckling culmination of all its story developments, where the innies finally end up outside but have a ticking clock over their heads.

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Before the credits start rolling, Mark, Helly, and Irving reach the verge of completely exposing Lumon. However, before one can witness the final consequences of their actions, Severance season 1 ends its run, leaving one screaming at their screen.

As compelling as the Apple TV sci-fi show's season 1 ending cliffhanger may seem, though, it lacks the shock value that Lost season 3's finale brings to the table in its final moments.

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  Like Follow Followed Lost TV-14 Mystery Drama Adventure Supernatural 9/10 176 8.4/10 Release Date 2004 - 2010-00-00 Network ABC

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  • Matthew Fox Jack Shephard
  • Evangeline Lilly Kate Austen

  A mystery sci-fi television series about a group of plane crash survivors trapped on a mysterious island. As they strive to endure extraordinary challenges, the island's enigmatic nature steadily unravels.

  Showrunner Damon Lindelof, Carlton Cuse Directors Jack Bender, Paul A. Edwards, Tucker Gates, Eric Laneuville, Bobby Roth, Greg Yaitanes, Daniel Attias, J.J. Abrams, Karen Gaviola, Kevin Hooks, Rod Holcomb, Stephen Semel, Adam Davidson, Alan Taylor, David Grossman, Deran Sarafian, Fred Toye, Mario Van Peebles, Marita Grabiak, Mark Goldman, Matt Earl Beesley, Michael Zinberg, Paris Barclay, Robert Mandel Writers Jim Galasso, Christina M. Kim, Graham Roland, Kyle Pennington, Brent Fletcher, Dawn Lambertsen Kelly, Janet Tamaro, Jeffrey Lieber, Paul Dini, Jordan Rosenberg Main Genre Mystery Creator(s) J.J. Abrams, Damon Lindelof, Jeffrey Lieber Producers Adam Horowitz, Alison Schapker, Carlton Cuse, Damon Lindelof, David Fury, Edward Kitsis, Elizabeth Sarnoff, Javier Grillo-Marxuach, Jean Higgins, Jeff Pinkner, Jennifer Johnson, Jeph Loeb, Jesse Alexander, Jim Triplett, Leonard Dick, Lynne E. Litt, Monica Owusu-Breen, Paul Zbyszewski, Ra’uf Glasgow, Richard Peter Schroer, Samantha Thomas, Sarah Caplan, Stephen Williams, Steven Maeda Seasons 6 Powered by Expand Collapse
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  Like Follow Followed Severance TV-MA Drama Mystery Science Fiction 8/10 257 9.2/10 Release Date February 17, 2022 Network Apple TV

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  • Adam Scott Mark Scout
  • Britt Lower Helly Riggs
  Showrunner Dan Erickson, Mark Friedman Directors Ben Stiller Writers Anna Ouyang Moench, Wei-Ning Yu Main Genre Drama Creator(s) Dan Erickson Producers Adam Scott, Patricia Arquette, Aoife McArdle, Amanda Overton, Sean Fogel, Wei-Ning Yu, Gerry Robert Byrne, Jessica Lee Gagné Seasons 2 Powered by Expand Collapse

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