Mysteries are one of the biggest parts of the modern entertainment industry, and are very prevalent across both movies and TV.Some mysteries are better left unsolved, whether that’s because they add to the narrative at play, or make a character more complex. However, a lot of the time, a TV mystery being left unsolved causes much frustration among audiences, either due to a plot hole, or because it hinders the story of the TV show itself.
From the “forgetting” of an entire continent to a note that the audience never got to see, theseTV show mysteriescan often feel as if they were just lazy choices by the showrunners. Sometimes, a TV mystery can even seem like an overindulgence of ambiguity, and others leave audiences with a sense of inexplicable exasperation. These are TVmysteries that needed to be solved, but likely never will be, making their shows slightly more frustrating to watch.
10 Infuriating TV Show Cliffhangers That I Still Haven’t Forgiven
Any cliffhanger on TV, no matter its quality, can always be very infuriating to wait and see how it’s resolved, and these are no exception.
10What Really Happens To Skyler After Walter Dies?
It isnever truly revealed what happened to Skyler White(Anna Gunn) after the death of her drug kingpin husband, Walter (Bryan Cranston) inBreaking Bad. The audience sees her living in a small apartment with their two children in the series finale, “Felina”, but that’s it. Neither the sequel movie,El Camino, nor the prequel/sequel TV show,Better Call Saul, truly touch on what happened to one of the most compelling characters in the entirety of theBreaking Baduniverse.
Neither the sequel movie,El Camino, nor the prequel/sequel TV show,Better Call Saul, truly touch on what happened to one of the most compelling characters in the entirety of theBreaking Baduniverse.
While the spinoff prequel,Better Call Saul, briefly touches on how she cut a deal with the authorities in exchange for revealing the location of Hank and Gomez’s bodies, the audience could have safely assumed this was going to happen, considering they saw Walter give Skyler this information in the finale. It’s a frustrating mystery, not only because it seems like Skyler never got any true closure from the traumatic events of the show, but because the spinoffs give ample opportunity to provide this closure. It’s one of the more lackluster parts ofBreaking Bad’s otherwise excellent ending.
Breaking Bad
Cast
Breaking Bad, created by Vince Gilligan, follows a chemistry teacher turned drug kingpin named Walter White (Bryan Cranston) as he attempts to provide for his family following a fatal diagnosis. With nothing left to fear, White ascends to power in the world of drugs and crime, transforming the simple family man into someone known only as Heisenberg.
9What Actually Happened On Bryn And Jason’s Fishing Trip?
Gavin And Stacey (2007-Present)
One of the best running gags in British TV historyis also one of the most frustrating unsolved mysteries of all time.InGavin and Stacey, it is well known that Bryn (Rob Brydon) and his nephew, Jason (Robert Wilfort) once went on a fishing trip, on which something happened that made their relationship very strained. The infamous fishing trip is mentioned in multiple episodes, and every time the audience is about to find out what happened, some comedic interruption happens.
Gavin and Stacey’s fishing trip mystery has its charms, of course, but these are outweighed by what, at this point, seems like needless ambiguity.
While finding out what happened on the trip would spell an end to one of the best secrets on British TV, not finding out would leave audiences feeling very unfulfilled. It’s an unsolved TV mystery that has stood the test of time, but is nonetheless incredibly annoying.Gavin and Stacey’s fishing trip mystery has its charms, of course, but these are outweighed by what, at this point, seems like needless ambiguity.
Gavin & Stacey
Gavin & Stacey is a British romantic sitcom that explores the long-distance relationship between Gavin, from Essex, and Stacey, from Wales, highlighting the dynamics of their families and friends with humor and charm.
8Was Kendall’s Name Underlined Or Crossed Out?
Succession (2018-2023)
Successionis one of the most acclaimed and successful shows of recent years, telling the story of the dysfunctional Roy family and their constant fights to gain control of their patriarch, Logan’s (Brian Cox) company, Waystar. After Logan’s death in the final season, the executor of his estate discovers a document in his office, which states that his oldest son, Kendall (Jeremy Strong) was to become CEO. However, Kendall’s siblings dispute this, noticinga pencil marking that appears to cross out Kendall’s name.
Now, while creator Jesse Armstrong has since stated that he believes that Logan was just underlining Kendall’s name, this should have been solved within the show itself (viaIndieWire).Kendall’s story is a tragedy, as he falls at the final hurdle multiple times to inherit his father’s company, and adding in the detail that Logan actually did want him to take over would have added yet another layer of melancholy to the narrative. Ultimately, leaving this unsolved inSuccessionwas a huge narrative misstep by the showrunners, especially if they were just going to confirm it later.
Succession
Succession is a Black Comedy and Satire television show created by Jesse Armstrong. It stars Hiam Abbass, Nicholas Braun, Brian Cox, and Kieran Culkin and follows the story of an aging conglomerate owner as he deals with his declining health and the sudden realization that one of his children will soon inherit his position and run his company.
7What Did Jim Write In The Teapot Note To Pam?
The Office (2005-2013)
In the iconic sitcom,The Office, salesman Jim Halpert (John Krasinski) and receptionist Pam Beesly’s (Jenna Fischer) flirtatious relationship reaches a new high in the 10th episode of the second season, titled “Christmas Party”. Jim gets Pam a teapot, filled with personal gifts, and a personal note.The episode never reveals what was in the note, as Jim slips it into his pocket when Pam isn’t looking. Despite it reappearing later on in the show, the contents of the note are never revealed to the audience.
While only being a rather mild and undramatic mystery, it’s still very frustrating for audiences not to discover what was actually written in the note.Across nine seasons ofThe Officeviewers would have grown attached to Jim and Pam’s love story, yet never find out how Jim truly felt about her in the earlier seasons, as we can assume the note was some form of confession of feelings. Countless theories have come and gone, but its likely audiences will never find out what Jim actually wrote in the now-infamous teapot note.
6Where Did Ben And Emma Go?
Friends (1994-2004)
Ben and Emma are Ross Geller’s (David Schwimmer) two children inFriends.His ex-wife Carol gives birth to Benat the end of the first season, while Emma is the daughter of Rachel, born at the end of season eight. Ben has a prominent recurring role in the earlier seasons, but completely disappears halfway through the eighth season, and Emma is only referenced and seen sporadically after her birth. In fact, neither child is present or even mentioned in the show’s finale at the end of season 10.
Obviously, this is a TV mystery likely caused by the writers wanting to focus on the six main characters, but it still feels like an oversight. Carol and Rachel’s pregnancies were huge plot points when they were revealed, and to leave both children out ofFriends' conclusion and later seasons is a glaring hole in the show’s narrative. It’s also frustrating because it means that the audience never truly gains a sense of where the two children end up after the end of the show - does Ben’s mother have full custody, and how will Rachel and Ross raise Emma together?
5What Is The Doctor’s Name?
Doctor Who (1963-Present)
Yes, the entire premise ofDoctor Whois that nobody (or at least, almost nobody) gets to know Doctor’s name.For over 60 years the Time Lord has simply been called “The Doctor”, and while their face has changed numerous times, their name has stayed in the same state it always was - unknown. Potentially the longest-running mystery in TV history, the name of the Doctor may add a level of intrigue to the character, but at this point, it feels more frustrating than compelling.
Potentially the longest running mystery in TV history, the name of the Doctor may add a level of intrigue to the character, but at this point, it feels more frustrating than compelling.
On multiple occasions hasDoctor Whoteased the reveal of the Doctor’s real name, suggesting it to have some universe-altering, mind-bending significance, but this was never followed up on. It almost feels as if the showrunners have realized that revealing his name at this point would be too dramatic or convoluted a plot point, sending audiences reeling. It’s a revelation that is constantly out of reach, teasing viewers to no end, which makes the secret seem more like lazy writing than a genuinely compelling mystery to propelDoctor Who’s narrative.
Doctor Who
Doctor Who: Released on August 10, 2025, this series follows the Doctor and their companion as they journey across time and space, encountering a range of extraordinary friends and adversaries, expanding the universe of the long-running British science fiction series.
4Who Is Filming The Family?
Modern Family (2009-2020)
Modern Familyis one of the most prominent uses of a mockumentary style in sitcom history, with each member of the Dunphy-Pritchett-Tucker family addressing the camera directly in interviews alongside the main story. Despite these interviews, not a single family member ever seems to directly address the fact that they have been filmed for more than 11 years. Unlike inThe Office,Modern Familynever reveals who is filming the family, or why they were doing it.
The razor-sharp wit ofModern Familysuggests that the writers could have easily solved this particular TV show mystery in a clever way, but simply didn’t want to address it.
By not revealing who is filming onModern Family,the show ends up leaving viewers with more questions, even after the series concludes. Of course, there was always the risk of the show becoming too meta if this was revealed, but, given the success ofThe Office’s revelation, it can’t help but be speculated on that this could have added another layer of depth to the story. The razor-sharp wit ofModern Familysuggests that the writers could have easily solved this particular TV show mystery in a clever way, but simply didn’t want to address it.
Modern Family
Modern Family is a comedy series that follows the unconventional Pritchett-Dunphy-Tucker family as they redefine what makes a family in their modern age. Broken into sub-families, the three diverse groups shake up the nuclear formula with empty nesters, adopted children, gender neutrality, and more as they attempt to navigate the various pitfalls and comedic misadventures of their dysfunctional but warm-hearted family dynamic.
3How Did Walter Get The Lily Of The Valley To Brock?
It seems like a relatively insignificant detail for the showrunners to just gloss over, butBreaking Badnever explains how Walter White was able to poison six-year-old Brock(Ian Posada) with the Lily of the Valley plant.Breaking Badis a show defined by its attention to detail, particularly regarding the intricacies of Walter’s villainous schemes, making this unsolved TV mystery very frustrating for audiences. While there has been a lot of speculation and theories, nothing has been confirmed by the showrunners, making this mystery appear to be a major plothole in the plans of one of TV’s smartest characters.
Of course, Walter is not a man of infallible intelligence, but the decision not to explain, even in hindsight, the logistics of his plan to poison a child, makes the climax in the later seasons ofBreaking Badfeel slightly unsatisfying.Breaking Bad’s ending, particularly how they wrap up Walter’s story, is one of the greatest narratives put to screen, making this mystery feel like a missing piece of a puzzle that will never be found. Does it make Walter more mysterious and dangerous? Of course, but this doesn’t make it any less frustrating.
2How Did Annie Find Jeff’s Tape?
Community (2009-2015)
In the 17th episode ofCommunity’s second season, both Jeff (Joel McHale) and Annie (Alison Brie) are running for Student President at Greendale. Jeff wants to prove to Annie that, when politics are involved, humans are spineless and will just trample on other people to get what they want. After initially rejecting this, Annie eventually caves, and releases an old video of Jeff singing along to George Michael as an audition for MTV’sThe Real World. It’s a hilarious moment, and one that really does affect Jeff’s psyche going forward, yet it is never revealed how Annie found the video.
What could have made for an intriguing subplot about Annie’s true dedication to beating Jeff in the election ended up falling rather flat, making this unsolved TV mystery a major annoyance for audiences.
In such a big moment for both characters, and with a show as clever asCommunity, it’s incredibly frustrating that this mystery has been left unsolved. Given that all the main characters inCommunityhave their backstories explained in meticulous detail, it seems very odd that the show never explained how Annie was able to get her hands on a personal video from the 1990s. What could have made for an intriguing subplot aboutAnnie’s true dedication to beating Jeffin the election ended up falling rather flat, making this unsolved TV mystery a major annoyance for audiences.
Community
Community is a comedic television series that chronicles the lives of diverse students at Greendale Community College, a fictional and notoriously underperforming educational institution in Colorado. Released in 2009, the show explores the quirky interactions and relationships among the eclectic group navigating their academic and personal challenges.
1What Happened To Essos?
Game Of Thrones (2011-2019)
At the end ofGame of Thrones’sixth season, Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke)finally sets sail with her army to reclaim the Iron Throneof Westeros, having spent the last six seasons freeing the people of the neighboring continent Essos from slavery and subjugation while building her power. However, as soon as Dany steps foot in Westeros, Essos is rarely brought up ever again, with fan-favorite characters such as Daario Naharis (Michel Huisman) never reappearing.Out of all the mysteries that the divisive ending toGame of Thronescaused, this is arguably the most prominent.
Of course, Dany dies in theGame of Thronesseries finale, but this provides almost no closure to her time in Essos. Given that it was such a crucial part of her storyline, the decision by the showrunners to never return to the continent feels incredibly lazy - the cherry on the top ofGame of Thrones' rushed ending. It’s a TV mystery of the most frustrating proportions - it feels lazy, narratively paradoxical, and most importantly, unsatisfying.
