Thread by @OSPyoutube

Some stories are all buildup to a final payoff, and some stories are a series of smaller buildups & payoffs. Smaller buildups and regular payoffs are considered risky because they don't FORCE the audience to keep watching - but they don't risk it all if the ending disappoints. -R

So many series seem to believe the first approach is the only way to hold an audience. A finale can never be unconditionally satisfying - it leaves the audience wanting more payoff. And then if (when) those series fail to deliver in the finale, they leave nothing behind. -R

This was brought up by @Hbomberguy in his Sherlock video as a series that promised an ever-increasing series of increasingly arcane questions and then wildly disappointed when its finale didn't actually give a satisfying resolution. Game of Thrones had the same issue. -R

And it is FASCINATING that these cultural touchstones collapse so thoroughly when they end. Because they were keeping their audience hooked on the promise of a finale rather than delivering a series of memorable, satisfying victories the audience would actually remember. -R

I remember everyone losing their shit over the Red Wedding, Battle of the Bastards, Cleganebowl. But nobody talks about them anymore because they didn't end up feeling worth it. They were only awesome because of what they promised for the future, and the finale didn't deliver. -R

Something that had SO much work put into it - so much time and care and love (from at least some of the people involved) - utterly crumbled in the public eye due to one mismanaged finale and left nothing but disappointment. It's completely tragic. No artwork deserves that. -R

This is why I think incremental payoff is a generally safer and better way to handle this kind of thing. No matter what happens with the grand finale, you'll leave your audience with good memories of smaller victories. Awesome moments not conditional on a final big win. -R

Some series that handle this well are shows that don't know how many seasons they're gonna get, and thus aim for a satisfying finale every season because it might be their last. This is definitely better than the "all unsatisfying finales to boost demand for sequels" approach -R

Oddly, considering how poorly most superhero movies and live-action shows seem to handle this, superhero cartoons tend to nail this. Earth's Mightiest Heroes has killer mid-season and season finales, Teen Titans's iffy final season didn't spoil any of the previous four, etc. -R

(for the record I know it's 4 AM and I have no idea where this came from either) -R