A new year means newTV, butsome ongoing shows need to wrap things up in2025and allow for a fresh set of titles to be introduced. There are severalhuge TV shows returning in 2025, and while some are welcome, others are making viewers query how much longer they’ll be on the air. Plenty ofongoing fantasy TV shows are confirmed to endover the next few years, for example, but only a few are going to be genuinely missed.
The reasons as to why these shows need to end vary. Some shows are simply too long and are exhausting what little options they have left, some are lacking in the quality they are known for, and some are simply trying to outlive their expiration date. Regardless of why, these TV shows need to wrap up in the upcoming calendar year.
9The Bear
3 Seasons Since 2022
The Bearseason 4is coming in 2025, and while there is yet to be an official release date, it’s likely that it’ll air at some point in the summer. WhileThe Bearis a highly anticipated title, there can be too much of a good thing, andthe show has the opportunity to end on a high. Between Syd’s job offer and his struggles with Carmy, there’s plenty of content that can potentially launchThe Bear’s ending storyline.
Cast
Syd needs the opportunity to moveon from the trauma of his brother’s death and to finally get a win with the restaurant, but a fitting ending doesn’t necessarily need to see this happen. Although this is a compelling plot, it feels a little dragged out now, and Syd deserves a break. However, there’s a good chance that the show will wrap up in 2025 asFX bosses’ comments aboutThe Bearendingare suspiciously vague.
8Yellowjackets
2 Seasons Since 2021
Yellowjacketsseason 3is set to arrive in February 2025, close to two years after season 2’s premiere. AlthoughYellowjacketshas a fascinating premise, which focuses on two timelines and how the events of the past impact the characters’ futures, this also proves thatthe show is running on limited time.
As further installments are broadcast and the 1996 timeline progresses, it makes it harder for writers to continue the present-day story without encountering plot holes or contradictions.
As further installments are broadcast and the 1996 timeline progresses, it makes it harder for writers to continue the present-day story without encountering plot holes or contradictions. Because audiences know certain characters survive the crash and return to a normal life, their stories can only be taken so far.
Yellowjackets
Yellowjackets is a television series exploring the survival ordeal of a high school girls' soccer team stranded in the remote wilderness after a plane crash. It interweaves psychological horror and coming-of-age themes, simultaneously depicting their harrowing transformation and its lasting impact on their lives 25 years later.
Yellowjacketsseason 3’s timelinewill hopefully delve into the rescue mission, and it’s time for the show to do so.The two timelines need to sync up before the narrative gets too complicated, and as viewers know there’s an end in sight,Yellowjacketsis at risk of dragging itself out for too long if it continues past 2025.
7Grey’s Anatomy
21 Seasons Since 2005
Grey’s Anatomyis aTV show that many are shocked is still airing. With episodes of season 21 currently being released, it seems unlikely that the show will wrap up anytime soon, but this doesn’t mean that it shouldn’t end in 2025.The first set ofGrey’s Anatomy’s internsare all gone now, except for the appearances and voice-overs that Meredith makes, which are very minimal.
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There are so many fatalities and periods of loss throughout the show thatmany of viewers’ favorite characters are either dead or are spread across the world.AlthoughGrey’s Anatomydoes a great job of extending its lore by introducing various new characters, several of whom are related to an existing personality, this can only be done so many times.
Grey’s Anatomy
Grey’s Anatomy is a medical drama series revolving around surgical interns, residents, and attendings at the fictional Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital. The show features the professional and personal lives of these medical professionals, led initially by Dr. Meredith Grey, played by Ellen Pompeo. Created by Shonda Rhimes, the series highlights the complexities of medical cases while delving into the interpersonal relationships among the hospital staff.
The show also tackles various medical conditions and mysteries, and with that many seasons ofGrey’s Anatomy, it’s likely that they will soon start to run out of ideas. In fact,Grey’s Anatomyseason 21 is repeating a tragedyfrom years ago, which proves that its fire could be going out already.
6The Simpsons
36 Seasons Since 1989
The Simpsonsis one ofthe longest-running TV shows ever, with season 36 airing in 2024. Audiences of all ages find something to enjoy inThe Simpsons, whether it’s the titular family, the supporting characters, or the hilarious gags and predictions of the future.
The Simpsonssomehow manages to come up with new stories with every passing year,but this comes at a price. Although continuity errors are pretty standard with a long-spanning show likeThe Simpsons, writers often have to modify the characters’ personalities slightly to fit the narrative they have in mind.
The Simpsons
The Simpsons is an animated series set in the fictional town of Springfield, following the daily lives of the Simpson family—Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, and Maggie. Premiering in 1989, the show is renowned for its satirical commentary on politics, media, and American culture, featuring numerous celebrity guest appearances.
While these changes aren’t groundbreaking or hugely contradictory, it shows that if a character’s opinion or attitude toward something doesn’t work for a story, it probably means thatThe Simpsonshas either told it before or they’re running out of options.The Simpsonsis a timeless show and there are loads of seasons to rewatch again and again, butif it continues for much longer, there won’t be any stories left to tell.
5Rick And Morty
7 Seasons Since 2013
AlthoughRick and Mortyis one of the most popular shows on the air right now, the later seasons demonstrate why it’s time for it to wrap up. Technically,Rick and Mortyhas been renewed for seasons 11 and 12, but things could still change. There are plenty of potential spin-offs that Adult Swim could produce instead, expanding the franchise rather than continuing the original.
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From Evil Morty’s return to Summer spending more time with Rick, there are some interesting theories for what will happen in Rick and Morty season 8.
There’s no doubt thatRick and Morty’s new voice actors are talented, but considering the controversy,it’s probably a good idea for Adult Swim to quietly close things down and start focusing on other titles.However, there are more pressing issues that justify why the show needs to end in 2025. More recent seasons of the show contain episodes that feel overly familiar, to the point that viewers experience Déjà vu.
Rick and Morty
Rick and Morty is an animated science fiction series that follows the eccentric scientist Rick Sanchez and his impressionable grandson Morty Smith as they embark on perilous adventures across space and alternate dimensions. The show explores the impact of these exploits on Morty’s tumultuous family life and personal challenges.
This is a great concern forRick and Mortyseason 8, too. Although the confusion can be attributed to the titular characters using the portal gun across the universe, it makes the watching experience a little convoluted.Rick and Mortysets up some great subplots but drops them after a while, and it’s strange when these story arcs are so half-formed.
4Pokémon/Pokémon Horizons: The Series
27 Seasons Since 1997 / 1 Season Since 2023
AlthoughPokémonhas technically ended,Pokémon Horizons: The Seriesis counted as season 26, despite the change in title.After decades ofPokémonadventures, Ash Ketchum finally bows out in the season 25 finale,andPokémon Horizonsintroduces a new protagonist in Liko.
ThePokémonworld is so layered and diverse, but the anime decides to keep pushing a child hero rather than delving into the other areas of the franchise.
AlthoughPokémon Horizonsgoes in another direction, with Liko attending the Indigo Academy rather than being a standard trainer, the franchise has made this change too late into its run.Pokémonshould really wrap up with Ash’s departure, but it doesn’t, and the sudden shift of focus to a new lead character isn’t as exciting as it should be.
Pokémon Horizons
Pokémon Horizons: The Series follows Liko and Roy as they explore and uncover secrets alongside characters like Friede and Captain Pikachu. Released in 2023, this addition to the Pokémon franchise invites viewers into exciting new adventures with familiar and new faces.
ThePokémonworld is so layered and diverse, butthe anime decides to keep pushing a child herorather than delving into the other areas of the franchise. The overallPokémonanimated series should end in 2025 and instead start working on new titles, such as spin-offs that focus onPokémoncenters or even egg nurseries, just to mix things up.
3Only Murders In The Building
4 Seasons Since 2021
If production decides thatOnly Murders in the Buildingseason 5is the last, the show can end at the height of its popularity and avoid continuing past its expiration date.Only Murders in the Buildingtypically spreads its seasons out, with a new installment releasing a year after the one before it.
Butconsidering the show is less than five years old, it’s at risk of burning through its content too quickly,and season 5 is an ideal time to wrap things up. There are only so many investigations that Mabel, Charles, and Oliver can tackle, and it’s already bordering on unrealistic how many crimes they are caught up in.
Only Murders in the Building
Only Murders in the Building is a mystery-comedy series following three strangers, portrayed by Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez, who bond over their shared obsession with true crime. Set in a Manhattan apartment building, the trio becomes embroiled in a real murder mystery within their residence.
Only Murders in the Buildingneglects some of its charactersafter wrapping up a story arc, and season 5 is the perfect time to offer some closure. With Oliver and Loretta now married and another dead body cropping up inOnly Murders in the Building’s season 4 ending, the show is approaching a natural stopping point and an ideal climax, so it makes sense for it to end in 2025.
2Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
26 Seasons Since 1999
There are loads ofLaw & OrderTV shows, butLaw & Order: Special Victims Unithas even more seasons than the original title does. Audiences are still following Olivia Benson’s 26-season journey, althoughit’s getting to the point that the show’s length is causing a decline in quality.Many feel that the episodes are getting progressively worse and that Olivia’s character has become insufferable.
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit is a television series that premiered in 1999. Set in the criminal justice system of New York City, it follows an elite team of detectives who investigate sexually-based offenses, focusing on their efforts to solve complex cases and seek justice for victims.
It’s not uncommon for new characters to arrive, but this happens so frequently, and they are often kicked out again within a matter of episodes. In fact, a lot of viewers considerLaw & Order: Special Victims Unit’s best episodesto be from the first 15 seasons of the show, but after this point,it’s hard to stay invested.Law & Orderis a lengthy and layered franchise anyway, and while there’s no end forLaw & Order: Special Victims Unitin sight right now, 2025 seems like a good time for Olivia Benson to finally retire.
1Emily In Paris
4 Seasons Since 2020
The fact Emily is no longer in Paris is more than enough to prove thatEmily in Parisneeds to wrap up in 2025. Filming forEmily in Parisseason 5will start in May 2025, and although there is currently no release date, there’s still a chance that it will air before the year is out.
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While some TV shows continue to improve as they find their feet in later seasons, others should have called it quits after just one season.
Emily in Parisseason 5 is moving to Rome, but the fact that the show title doesn’t make sense anymore isn’t the only reason why it needs to come to an end.Many viewers feel Emily is unbearable as a character now.Her love triangle storyline is dragged out, only for the show to suddenly introduce a new romantic interest out of the blue. The things Emily achieves through her marketing job are also quite unrealistic, like the dog app.
Emily in Paris
Netflix’s Emily In Paris is a comedy series starring Lily Collins as Emily Cooper, a college graduate who travels from Chicago to Paris when she lands a one-in-a-lifetime job opportunity that allows her to enjoy French culture and glamour while she overhauls a local marketing firm. From the mind of Beverly Hills 90210 and Sex and the City creator Darren Star, Emily In Paris takes a tongue-in-cheek look at the cultural differences between the United States and France.
Rumors ofcreative differences on theEmily in Parissetare causing conflict between the cast, which suggests thatthe show’s end may be out of production’s hands, especially if certain actors don’t want to come back.Whether it wraps up in2025in terms of the last shoot or the release of the final season,Emily in Parisneeds to end.
