{"id":1871760,"date":"2026-04-08T09:49:33","date_gmt":"2026-04-08T06:49:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1871760"},"modified":"2026-04-08T09:49:33","modified_gmt":"2026-04-08T06:49:33","slug":"the-boys-creator-says-fans-will-retroactively-judge-the-entire-show-based-on-how-they-feel-about-season-5s-final-episode","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1871760","title":{"rendered":"The Boys Creator Says Fans Will &#8216;Retroactively Judge&#8217; the Entire Show Based on How They Feel About Season 5&#8217;s Final Episode"},"content":{"rendered":"<div data-cy=\"article-content\" class=\"jsx-2870106660 article-content page-0\">\n<section data-cy=\"article-subtitle\" class=\"article jsx-3932497636 article-section jsx-28683165 news\" data-autopogo=\"true\">\n<section class=\"article-page\">\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\"><a class=\"link jsx-1337145738 jsx-3925284146 underlined\" data-cy=\"styled-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ign.com\/tv\/the-boys\">The Boys<\/a> showrunner Eric Kripke has admitted to feeling anxious about the final season of The Boys hitting our TV screens, saying fans will \u201cretroactively judge\u201d the entire show based on the Season 5 finale.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">With the first two episodes of Season 5 now live, fans have their first taste of how The Boys will come to an end. It\u2019s a significant moment for the show\u2019s fan base, but also for Kripke and the team behind it. Season 5 is a long time coming, and, story wise, everything has been building up to this point. What will Homelander do next? Will Billy Butcher finally win the day? And who will be left standing? These are big questions, and we\u2019re finally set for answers. It\u2019s an exciting time for fans.<\/p>\n<div class=\"jsx-2021719738 video jsx-2008855984 aspect-ratio aspect-ratio-16-9\">\n<div class=\"badge jsx-1349606671 jsx-3647116352\"><span class=\"ign-icon icon-play jsx-2750866048 jsx-1044454891\" role=\"img\" aria-hidden=\"false\" data-cy=\"icon-play\" aria-label=\"Play\" style=\"background:currentColor\"><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">Kripke, though, isn\u2019t so much excited, but anxious to see how fans react. \u201cExcites is the wrong word,\u201d he told <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hollywoodreporter.com\/tv\/tv-news\/the-boys-season-5-interview-1236556590\/\" class=\"link jsx-1337145738 jsx-3925284146 underlined\" data-cy=\"styled-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">The Hollywood Reporter<\/a>. \u201cWhat makes me most\u2026 anxious about the final season is really hoping we land the plane.\u201d<\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">He went on to say that fans will judge the entire show based on how they feel about its final episode, and called finales \u201csuper hard to do.\u201d<\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">\u201cIt\u2019s super hard to do a finale. Fans will retroactively judge the show based on how they feel about the finale. If we stiff it, they will definitely say, &#8216;Well, that show wasn\u2019t as good as we thought it was.&#8217; And it\u2019s almost like you\u2019re trying to secure your legacy with these finales. And it\u2019s the first finale I\u2019ve ever done, too \u2014 so it\u2019s not like I have any experience with it. So I\u2019m mostly anxious and girding my loins.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><button type=\"button\" class=\"jsx-2228525885\"><\/button><span data-cy=\"slideshow-view-trigger\"><\/p>\n<div data-cy=\"slideshow-preview\" class=\"jsx-1711207865 slideshow-preview\">\n<h3 class=\"title5 jsx-62124236 jsx-1085005187\" data-cy=\"slideshow-preview-title\">TV&#8217;s Most Divisive Series Finales<\/h3>\n<div data-cy=\"slideshow-images-container\" class=\"jsx-1711207865 images-container\"><button type=\"button\" data-cy=\"hero-image\" aria-label=\"Open Slideshow\" class=\"jsx-1711207865 hero-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"There have been many series finales that have split fandom over the years, whether they involved visits to the Iron Throne, the afterlife, or even Holsten's (and maybe the afterlife too in that case?). It's often clear when it comes to ending a favorite TV series that it's hard to keep everyone happy, and frequently viewers are left steaming even if some others are satisfied. So let's take a look at some of the more outrageous, divisive series finales in TV history. These aren't &lt;I&gt;bad finales&lt;\/I&gt;, just ones that made bold creative choices that didn't sit right with a large portion of the audience. Read on for the full list...\" class=\"progressive-image jsx-2021719738 image aspect-ratio aspect-ratio-16-9 jsx-2605834259 jsx-2338608387 hover-opacity\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-cy=\"progressive-image\"><span class=\"button-text jsx-729543028 button button--primary jsx-3381835873 jsx-4266531355 row-pagination-button next contained centered round large\" data-cy=\"paginate next\" title=\"Open Slideshow\"><span class=\"ign-icon right-chevron jsx-2750866048 jsx-2919720488\" role=\"presentation\" aria-hidden=\"true\" data-cy=\"right-chevron\" style=\"background:currentColor\"><\/span><\/span><\/button><\/p>\n<div data-cy=\"slideshow-images-list\" class=\"scrollbar jsx-2072772685 jsx-4243969252 images-list\"><button data-cy=\"gallery-image\" type=\"button\" aria-label=\"Open Slideshow\" class=\"jsx-1711207865 gallery-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"&lt;strong&gt;Game of Thrones: &quot;The Iron Throne&quot;&lt;\/strong&gt;&lt;br&gt;\nAfter the penultimate episode, &quot;The Bells,&quot; left so many fans furious, leading to an online petition to &quot;remake&quot; Season 8, &quot;The Iron Throne&quot; had one hell of an uphill climb. Not only to win people back, but also end the entire 10-year story.&lt;p&gt;\n\nIn the end, many felt let down by the fates of most characters, along with the nice and neat epilogue that crowned a new ruler of the realm. Even those who didn't hate the finale would readily admit it wasn't exactly the best ending possible. Yes, this particular Song of Ice and Fire saga split the kingdoms and sent Westeros to war one final time.\" class=\"progressive-image jsx-2021719738 image aspect-ratio aspect-ratio-16-9 jsx-2605834259 jsx-2338608387 hover-opacity\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-cy=\"progressive-image\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"rounded jsx-412047461 overlay progressive-image jsx-2338608387 expand\" data-cy=\"slideshow-image-overlay\">\n<div data-cy=\"element-caption\" class=\"caption jsx-1762799490\">View 9 Images<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/button><button data-cy=\"gallery-image\" type=\"button\" aria-label=\"Open Slideshow\" class=\"jsx-1711207865 gallery-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"&lt;strong&gt;Lost: &quot;The End&quot;&lt;\/strong&gt;&lt;br&gt;\nLost chose to deliver an emotional finale - based more on the feelings, desires, and ultimate happiness of the characters - over one that answered lingering questions fans had stockpiled over the years. Many liked the focus on the heartstrings while others were frustrated with the lack of specifics.&lt;p&gt;\n\nAnd no, they weren't &quot;dead the whole time.&quot; Well, except for those in the flash-sideways scenes during the final season. They were in a type of purgatory. But the others weren't. Some lived on after the island and died from natural causes. It was then that they all joined up in the limbo church for a final farewell. The fact that none of this was abundantly clear though probably means the episode, and season, didn't do a bang up job exactly.\" class=\"progressive-image jsx-2021719738 image aspect-ratio aspect-ratio-16-9 jsx-2605834259 jsx-2338608387 hover-opacity\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-cy=\"progressive-image\"><\/button><button data-cy=\"gallery-image\" type=\"button\" aria-label=\"Open Slideshow\" class=\"jsx-1711207865 gallery-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"&lt;strong&gt;Battlestar Galactica: &quot;Daybreak&quot;&lt;\/strong&gt;&lt;br&gt;\nBSG's three-part mega close-out also wrapped things up with quiet emotion, as the notes from &quot;All Along the Watchtower&quot; created coordinates that led our heroes to a habitable planet filled with primitive humans. Our Earth.&lt;p&gt;\n\nSure, the stripping away of all technology rubbed a few fans the wrong way, but it was the crazy 150,000-year time jump, and the &quot;humanity is doomed to make machines too sentient again&quot; messaging, that split the viewers. It's always going to be risky to leap that far ahead, to the point where every character you cared about is a fossil, for a moral that many fans already understood.\" class=\"progressive-image jsx-2021719738 image aspect-ratio aspect-ratio-16-9 jsx-2605834259 jsx-2338608387 hover-opacity\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-cy=\"progressive-image\"><\/button><button data-cy=\"gallery-image\" type=\"button\" aria-label=\"Open Slideshow\" class=\"jsx-1711207865 gallery-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"&lt;strong&gt;The Sopranos: &quot;Made in America&quot;&lt;\/strong&gt;&lt;br&gt;\nLike the BSG closer, The Sopranos' finale really lost people right at the very end. Right when the music stopped and the screen turned to black and a lot of fans thought their TVs went out.&lt;p&gt;\n\nThe creative swerve got a ton of flak at the time, though now, years later, many fans and critics have come around on it as one of the more daring examples of &quot;different&quot; done right. And it certainly hasn't hurt The Sopranos in the annals of TV history as it's still considered one of the best series of all time.\" class=\"progressive-image jsx-2021719738 image aspect-ratio aspect-ratio-16-9 jsx-2605834259 jsx-2338608387 hover-opacity\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-cy=\"progressive-image\"><\/button><button data-cy=\"gallery-image\" type=\"button\" aria-label=\"Open Slideshow\" class=\"jsx-1711207865 gallery-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"&lt;strong&gt;Seinfeld: &quot;The Finale&quot;&lt;\/strong&gt;&lt;br&gt;\nYes, it became abundantly clear over the years that Jerry, George, Elaine, and Kramer weren't great people. In fact, once the show leaned into their shallowness, it hit its creative stride. But sending the guys to prison? Because they weren't great people? It was just a bit too much for many Seinfeld loyalists.&lt;p&gt;\n\nNone of this stopped the episode from being a ratings juggernaut though, or the series itself from going out as the number one show on TV. Like The Sopranos, the finale didn't make a dent in the show's legacy. What can we say? Sometimes it's the journey and sometimes it's the end.\" class=\"progressive-image jsx-2021719738 image aspect-ratio aspect-ratio-16-9 jsx-2605834259 jsx-2338608387 hover-opacity\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-cy=\"progressive-image\"><\/button><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">This is something we\u2019ve seen with other shows with huge fandoms behind them. A good recent example is Stranger Things, which came to an end earlier this year with a divisive final episode. But then there\u2019s Game of Thrones\u2019 ending, which set the tone for discourse around that show perhaps forever more. and who can forget the ending of Lost? (Some fans really wish they could.)<\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">Will The Boys join <a class=\"link jsx-1337145738 jsx-3925284146 underlined\" data-cy=\"styled-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ign.com\/articles\/tvs-most-divisive-series-finales\">Most Divisive Series Finales in TV History<\/a> lists? It won\u2019t be long before we find out. While you wait, check out our <a class=\"link jsx-1337145738 jsx-3925284146 underlined\" data-cy=\"styled-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ign.com\/articles\/the-boys-season-5-episodes-1-7-review-prime-video\">spoiler-free review of The Boys Season 5, Episodes 1-7<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">Last week, Kripke said it had become almost impossible for the writers to effectively parody modern America, and admitted <a class=\"link jsx-1337145738 jsx-3925284146 underlined\" data-cy=\"styled-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ign.com\/articles\/eric-kripke-bummed-out-the-boys-season-5-was-written-before-the-presidential-election-homelander-says-the-craziest-line-we-could-think-of-and-its-already-happened\">he was &#8220;bummed out&#8221; that The Boys Season 5 was written before the presidential election<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div data-cy=\"accent-divider\" class=\"jsx-3449795453 divider jsx-2786329600\"><\/div>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\"><em>Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/section>\n<\/section>\n<p><span class=\"stack jsx-1475529924\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"jsx-2155806329 adunit-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"jsx-2155806329 bobble bobble-1 pogocnt pg-article\">\n<div data-mix-name=\"secondaryMedrec\" data-pos=\"1\" data-pogo-hide=\"1\" class=\"jsx-343126785 pogo-slot\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/div>\n<section class=\"article-page\">\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\"><a class=\"link jsx-1337145738 jsx-3925284146 underlined\" data-cy=\"styled-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ign.com\/tv\/the-boys\">The Boys<\/a> showrunner Eric Kripke has admitted to feeling anxious about the final season of The Boys hitting our TV screens, saying fans will \u201cretroactively judge\u201d the entire show based on the Season 5 finale.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">With the first two episodes of Season 5 now live, fans have their first taste of how The Boys will come to an end. It\u2019s a significant moment for the show\u2019s fan base, but also for Kripke and the team behind it. Season 5 is a long time coming, and, story wise, everything has been building up to this point. What will Homelander do next? Will Billy Butcher finally win the day? And who will be left standing? These are big questions, and we\u2019re finally set for answers. It\u2019s an exciting time for fans.<\/p>\n<div class=\"jsx-2021719738 video jsx-2008855984 aspect-ratio aspect-ratio-16-9\">\n<div class=\"badge jsx-1349606671 jsx-3647116352\"><span class=\"ign-icon icon-play jsx-2750866048 jsx-1044454891\" role=\"img\" aria-hidden=\"false\" data-cy=\"icon-play\" aria-label=\"Play\" style=\"background:currentColor\"><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">Kripke, though, isn\u2019t so much excited, but anxious to see how fans react. \u201cExcites is the wrong word,\u201d he told <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hollywoodreporter.com\/tv\/tv-news\/the-boys-season-5-interview-1236556590\/\" class=\"link jsx-1337145738 jsx-3925284146 underlined\" data-cy=\"styled-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">The Hollywood Reporter<\/a>. \u201cWhat makes me most\u2026 anxious about the final season is really hoping we land the plane.\u201d<\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">He went on to say that fans will judge the entire show based on how they feel about its final episode, and called finales \u201csuper hard to do.\u201d<\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">\u201cIt\u2019s super hard to do a finale. Fans will retroactively judge the show based on how they feel about the finale. If we stiff it, they will definitely say, &#8216;Well, that show wasn\u2019t as good as we thought it was.&#8217; And it\u2019s almost like you\u2019re trying to secure your legacy with these finales. And it\u2019s the first finale I\u2019ve ever done, too \u2014 so it\u2019s not like I have any experience with it. So I\u2019m mostly anxious and girding my loins.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><button type=\"button\" class=\"jsx-2228525885\"><\/button><span data-cy=\"slideshow-view-trigger\"><\/p>\n<div data-cy=\"slideshow-preview\" class=\"jsx-1711207865 slideshow-preview\">\n<h3 class=\"title5 jsx-62124236 jsx-1085005187\" data-cy=\"slideshow-preview-title\">TV&#8217;s Most Divisive Series Finales<\/h3>\n<div data-cy=\"slideshow-images-container\" class=\"jsx-1711207865 images-container\"><button type=\"button\" data-cy=\"hero-image\" aria-label=\"Open Slideshow\" class=\"jsx-1711207865 hero-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"There have been many series finales that have split fandom over the years, whether they involved visits to the Iron Throne, the afterlife, or even Holsten's (and maybe the afterlife too in that case?). It's often clear when it comes to ending a favorite TV series that it's hard to keep everyone happy, and frequently viewers are left steaming even if some others are satisfied. So let's take a look at some of the more outrageous, divisive series finales in TV history. These aren't &lt;I&gt;bad finales&lt;\/I&gt;, just ones that made bold creative choices that didn't sit right with a large portion of the audience. Read on for the full list...\" class=\"progressive-image jsx-2021719738 image aspect-ratio aspect-ratio-16-9 jsx-2605834259 jsx-2338608387 hover-opacity\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-cy=\"progressive-image\"><span class=\"button-text jsx-729543028 button button--primary jsx-3381835873 jsx-4266531355 row-pagination-button next contained centered round large\" data-cy=\"paginate next\" title=\"Open Slideshow\"><span class=\"ign-icon right-chevron jsx-2750866048 jsx-2919720488\" role=\"presentation\" aria-hidden=\"true\" data-cy=\"right-chevron\" style=\"background:currentColor\"><\/span><\/span><\/button><\/p>\n<div data-cy=\"slideshow-images-list\" class=\"scrollbar jsx-2072772685 jsx-4243969252 images-list\"><button data-cy=\"gallery-image\" type=\"button\" aria-label=\"Open Slideshow\" class=\"jsx-1711207865 gallery-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"&lt;strong&gt;Game of Thrones: &quot;The Iron Throne&quot;&lt;\/strong&gt;&lt;br&gt;\nAfter the penultimate episode, &quot;The Bells,&quot; left so many fans furious, leading to an online petition to &quot;remake&quot; Season 8, &quot;The Iron Throne&quot; had one hell of an uphill climb. Not only to win people back, but also end the entire 10-year story.&lt;p&gt;\n\nIn the end, many felt let down by the fates of most characters, along with the nice and neat epilogue that crowned a new ruler of the realm. Even those who didn't hate the finale would readily admit it wasn't exactly the best ending possible. Yes, this particular Song of Ice and Fire saga split the kingdoms and sent Westeros to war one final time.\" class=\"progressive-image jsx-2021719738 image aspect-ratio aspect-ratio-16-9 jsx-2605834259 jsx-2338608387 hover-opacity\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-cy=\"progressive-image\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"rounded jsx-412047461 overlay progressive-image jsx-2338608387 expand\" data-cy=\"slideshow-image-overlay\">\n<div data-cy=\"element-caption\" class=\"caption jsx-1762799490\">View 9 Images<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/button><button data-cy=\"gallery-image\" type=\"button\" aria-label=\"Open Slideshow\" class=\"jsx-1711207865 gallery-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"&lt;strong&gt;Lost: &quot;The End&quot;&lt;\/strong&gt;&lt;br&gt;\nLost chose to deliver an emotional finale - based more on the feelings, desires, and ultimate happiness of the characters - over one that answered lingering questions fans had stockpiled over the years. Many liked the focus on the heartstrings while others were frustrated with the lack of specifics.&lt;p&gt;\n\nAnd no, they weren't &quot;dead the whole time.&quot; Well, except for those in the flash-sideways scenes during the final season. They were in a type of purgatory. But the others weren't. Some lived on after the island and died from natural causes. It was then that they all joined up in the limbo church for a final farewell. The fact that none of this was abundantly clear though probably means the episode, and season, didn't do a bang up job exactly.\" class=\"progressive-image jsx-2021719738 image aspect-ratio aspect-ratio-16-9 jsx-2605834259 jsx-2338608387 hover-opacity\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-cy=\"progressive-image\"><\/button><button data-cy=\"gallery-image\" type=\"button\" aria-label=\"Open Slideshow\" class=\"jsx-1711207865 gallery-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"&lt;strong&gt;Battlestar Galactica: &quot;Daybreak&quot;&lt;\/strong&gt;&lt;br&gt;\nBSG's three-part mega close-out also wrapped things up with quiet emotion, as the notes from &quot;All Along the Watchtower&quot; created coordinates that led our heroes to a habitable planet filled with primitive humans. Our Earth.&lt;p&gt;\n\nSure, the stripping away of all technology rubbed a few fans the wrong way, but it was the crazy 150,000-year time jump, and the &quot;humanity is doomed to make machines too sentient again&quot; messaging, that split the viewers. It's always going to be risky to leap that far ahead, to the point where every character you cared about is a fossil, for a moral that many fans already understood.\" class=\"progressive-image jsx-2021719738 image aspect-ratio aspect-ratio-16-9 jsx-2605834259 jsx-2338608387 hover-opacity\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-cy=\"progressive-image\"><\/button><button data-cy=\"gallery-image\" type=\"button\" aria-label=\"Open Slideshow\" class=\"jsx-1711207865 gallery-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"&lt;strong&gt;The Sopranos: &quot;Made in America&quot;&lt;\/strong&gt;&lt;br&gt;\nLike the BSG closer, The Sopranos' finale really lost people right at the very end. Right when the music stopped and the screen turned to black and a lot of fans thought their TVs went out.&lt;p&gt;\n\nThe creative swerve got a ton of flak at the time, though now, years later, many fans and critics have come around on it as one of the more daring examples of &quot;different&quot; done right. And it certainly hasn't hurt The Sopranos in the annals of TV history as it's still considered one of the best series of all time.\" class=\"progressive-image jsx-2021719738 image aspect-ratio aspect-ratio-16-9 jsx-2605834259 jsx-2338608387 hover-opacity\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-cy=\"progressive-image\"><\/button><button data-cy=\"gallery-image\" type=\"button\" aria-label=\"Open Slideshow\" class=\"jsx-1711207865 gallery-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"&lt;strong&gt;Seinfeld: &quot;The Finale&quot;&lt;\/strong&gt;&lt;br&gt;\nYes, it became abundantly clear over the years that Jerry, George, Elaine, and Kramer weren't great people. In fact, once the show leaned into their shallowness, it hit its creative stride. But sending the guys to prison? Because they weren't great people? It was just a bit too much for many Seinfeld loyalists.&lt;p&gt;\n\nNone of this stopped the episode from being a ratings juggernaut though, or the series itself from going out as the number one show on TV. Like The Sopranos, the finale didn't make a dent in the show's legacy. What can we say? Sometimes it's the journey and sometimes it's the end.\" class=\"progressive-image jsx-2021719738 image aspect-ratio aspect-ratio-16-9 jsx-2605834259 jsx-2338608387 hover-opacity\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-cy=\"progressive-image\"><\/button><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">This is something we\u2019ve seen with other shows with huge fandoms behind them. A good recent example is Stranger Things, which came to an end earlier this year with a divisive final episode. But then there\u2019s Game of Thrones\u2019 ending, which set the tone for discourse around that show perhaps forever more. and who can forget the ending of Lost? (Some fans really wish they could.)<\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">Will The Boys join <a class=\"link jsx-1337145738 jsx-3925284146 underlined\" data-cy=\"styled-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ign.com\/articles\/tvs-most-divisive-series-finales\">Most Divisive Series Finales in TV History<\/a> lists? It won\u2019t be long before we find out. While you wait, check out our <a class=\"link jsx-1337145738 jsx-3925284146 underlined\" data-cy=\"styled-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ign.com\/articles\/the-boys-season-5-episodes-1-7-review-prime-video\">spoiler-free review of The Boys Season 5, Episodes 1-7<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">Last week, Kripke said it had become almost impossible for the writers to effectively parody modern America, and admitted <a class=\"link jsx-1337145738 jsx-3925284146 underlined\" data-cy=\"styled-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ign.com\/articles\/eric-kripke-bummed-out-the-boys-season-5-was-written-before-the-presidential-election-homelander-says-the-craziest-line-we-could-think-of-and-its-already-happened\">he was &#8220;bummed out&#8221; that The Boys Season 5 was written before the presidential election<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div data-cy=\"accent-divider\" class=\"jsx-3449795453 divider jsx-2786329600\"><\/div>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\"><em>Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/section>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Boys showrunner Eric Kripke has admitted to feeling anxious about the final season of The Boys hitting our TV screens, saying fans will \u201cretroactively judge\u201d the entire show based on the Season 5 finale. With the first two episodes of Season 5 now live, fans have their first taste of how The Boys will [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[226,243],"class_list":["post-1871760","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-crawlmanager","tag-ign-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1871760","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1871760"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1871760\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1871760"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1871760"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1871760"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}