Spoiler Alert: Famous TV and movie reveals, gotchas and cliffhangers

Mitchell Haaseth / NBC

Good karma was in a shorter supply for Earl than he thought, as the fourth season ended in 2009 with the famous cliffhanger "to be continued" teaser. Despite attempts from the likes of TNT to save the series, Earl and his list were never to be seen again.

NBC (YouTube.com screen grab)

Time of death: Season seven, episode 24. Cause of death: Glue poisoning from licking cheap wedding-invitation envelopes. Fan reaction: Mostly stunned that the show would have George, Susan's fiance, react with such joy to her death -- but it was pretty much perfectly in character for both George and the show. -- Rick Porter, Zap2It.com

Mario Perez / Associated Press

A series with total disregard to linear story telling is bound to have a hotly debated finale that (naturally) leaves you in limbo. Call it cheating, but the finale ended with a heart-warming cast reunion as the ensemble moves on to the afterlife, while the show's creators kept some the most coveted answers for the series DVD.

ABC

Abruptly departed: Alicia Goranson, second from left Played: Eldest daughter Becky Lasted: Five seasons and 11 additional episodes in Season 8 (1988-1992; 1995-1996) Why she left: Goranson left to attend Vassar College after five seasons. However, she returned during Season 8, sharing the role with her replacement, Sarah Chalke a.k.a. "Second Becky." How it went down on air: Becky leaves home after five seasons to marry her boyfriend Mark and move to Minneapolis. After a temporary absence, Becky returns, this time played by Chalke.

NBC

A gunshot is only one way to create a killer cliffhanger. This mid-'90s sitcom ended with a romantic cliffhanger, when Richard Karinsky showed up unexpectedly at Caroline's wedding.

PBS

ABC

After all the singing, dancing, and pie that was eaten on that show, we are left with a resurrected father on the lam, numerous unresolved questions about Chuck's watch, and Ned's absentee dad resurfacing to help his son. In other words, the whole scene left a mouthful of questions... -- Darcel Rockett, Zap2it.com

NBC

Sam Beckett, who spent years leaping from body to body, decided to keep leaping (and help humanity) rather than return home. But was the bartender God? And what was with the anti-leapers? -- Andy Grieser, Zap2it.com

ABC

The cast, from left: Peter Horton (Gary), Melanie Mayron (Melissa), Ken Olin (Michael), Mel Harris (Hope), Brittany/Lacey Craven (Janey), Polly Draper (Ellyn), Luke Rossi (Ethan), Patricia Wettig (Nancy), Timothy Busfield (Elliot) and Jordana Bink Shapiro (Brittany).

ABC Family

The show ended with Cassidy (the evil Latnok guy) telling Kyle that he's his brother. That's after Cassidy tasers him repeatedly, telling Kyle how he'll help Latnok or his family will suffer. And, oh yeah...the love triangle between Jessi, Amanda and Kyle continues with Amanda mentioning she wants Kyle back. Who wins our boy scout with no belly button? After all the drama Kyle went through with his father Adam, what will his mother Ginger bring? And why isn't she named Eve, seriously... -- Darcel Rockett, Zap2it.com

AP

War-torn North Africa is the setting for this classic best picture winner about an American expat named Rick (Humphrey Bogart) who reunites with his former lover, Ilsa (Ingrid Bergman), who is fleeing the Nazis with her husband.

CBS

The gold standard (at least from a ratings perspective) in series finales, the end of the 4077th came with the end of the Korean War. The most watched episode in television history, "Goodbye, Farewell and Amen" ended with B.J. Honeycutt (Mike Farrell, center) leaving a farewell note to his helicopter-bound friend, Hawkeye Pierce (Alan Alda, left).

CBS

The Mother (Cristin Milioti) is revealed in the season finale of 'How I Met Your Mother.' The sitcom ends its run on CBS next season.

USA

By the time the sci fi show ended, residents of Seattle were exposed to promicin, killing thousands and giving many humans new powers. NTAC (now themselves mostly promicin-positive) were left to ask Jordan Collier (Billy Campbell) and his followers in Promise City to become the de facto government of Seattle. Which left us with Collier pledging to build the future he had promised, while the government watches from the outside. No resolution whatsoever... -- Darcel Rockett, Zap2it.com

Los Angeles Times

This award-winning crime drama ended with a heap of iconic -- and to some, infuriating -- cliffhangers. Bob had taken over Dale's body, and Maj. Briggs had gotten a mysterious message from Windom Earle in the Black Lodge.

ABC

Detective Hopper saved the girl and stopped the bad guys, so he was able to stop reliving the day. But who was Jared Pryor, a disheveled fellow time-traveler who appeared at the series' end with a makeover and a look of satisfaction at Hopper's triumph? -- Andy Grieser, Zap2it.com

Esparza / CBS

This 1978 soap opera ended as all cliffhangers should; with a gunshot. Had J.R. killed himself? Audiences didn't find out the answer until the TV reunion movie, years later.