Cliffhangers have become a hallmark of modern television. For example, Emily in Paris Season 3 ends with fans wondering if Emily will stay in Paris or move to Rome. Similarly, Stranger Things builds suspense with the unsettling reveal of the Upside Down’s growing influence over Hawkins at the end of Season 4, leaving viewers desperate for answers.
The power of suspense
At their core, cliffhangers create tension by disrupting the story at a critical point. This leaves the audience wondering, “What happens next?”. Shows like Breaking Bad have famously leveraged cliffhangers to keep viewers guessing, often ending episodes with shocking revelations or critical choices that compel viewers to return. Similarly, the Spanish series Money Heist (La Casa de Papel) has gained international acclaim for leaving viewers on edge with twists involving betrayals and high-stakes heists.
Beyond immediate suspense, cliffhangers have a ripple effect on fan communities, creating online conversations and theories that transform a show into a social experience. The French crime thriller Lupin sparked intense discussions and broke Netflix records with its suspenseful twists, reaching 76 million households in its first month as the platform’s most-watched non-English series at the time. The cliffhanger ending of Emily in Paris Season 3 sparked social media debates about Emily’s future, even catching the attention of French President Emmanuel Macron.
Creating suspense without losing the story
However, an over-reliance on cliffhangers can backfire. If every episode ends with a major unresolved twist, viewers may feel more exhausted than excited. The Walking Dead, for example, initially captivated audiences with high-stakes cliffhangers but later seasons became so tension-packed that some viewers felt overwhelmed. To avoid this, writers must balance suspense with rich character development and plot coherence, as seen in the French crime series Engrenages (Spiral), which focuses on complex character dynamics alongside its intense plot twists.
For producers and creators, if you’re looking to create compelling, balanced cliffhangers that drive engagement, reach out at contact@mrnicolasderouet.com.
