Plenty of TV shows had ahiatusbetween seasons, but some were more frustrating than others.Many ofthe best TV shows of all timetook a break between installments, whether that was just for a few weeks or even years. TV show hiatuses have happened for a range of different reasons. The various writers’ strikes over the last couple of decades typically interrupted filming, for example. However, some hiatuses also occurred because of shooting conflicts with actors or because the story wasn’t ready yet.
What constitutes a frustrating hiatus varies, too. Some were irritating because the previous season or episode ended on afrustrating TV cliffhanger, whereas others were annoying because they were unnecessary and hurt the pacing of their respective shows. Regardless of the reason, these TV show hiatuses made a splash.
5-Month Hiatus During Season 2
Invincible
Invincible is a multimedia franchise that began with the graphic novel series by Robert Kirkman, Cory Walker, and Ryan Ottley. The series follows Mark Grayson, the son of Earth’s strongest hero, Omni-Man, as he enters into his powers at the cusp of adulthood. A television adaptation began in 2021 and retells the core story of the comics while fleshing it out and expanding on characters and concepts introduced in the medium.
Following a two-year gap betweenInvincibleseason 1 and the “Invincible: Atom Eve” special, audiences were overjoyed when season 2 finally began in November 2023. However, after only four episodes aired, mere weeks later,Invincibleseason 2 came to an abrupt halt. The latter four episodes were released throughout March and April 2024. What was particularly frustrating was that voice actor Ross Marquand confirmed thatInvincibleseason 3was almost complete just weeks after season 2 finished.
Invincible’s Two Best Missing Characters Are Officially Confirmed For Season 3
Two of Invincible’s best characters were completely absent during the second half of season 2, but they will officially be back when the show returns.
Series creator Robert Kirkman explained in an interview (viaCollider) that this decision was made partly because of production and partly so that viewers could process the events ofInvincible’s season 2, part 1 ending. While this made sense to a certain degree, a five-month hiatus after only four episodes seemed like overkill. The story was building a lot of momentum, and then right when it was in the swing of things, the hiatus happened.
Arcane
Cast
Arcane is an animated series set in the League of Legends universe, debuting in 2021. It explores the conflict between the affluent city of Piltover and the oppressed undercity of Zaun. Central to the story are two sisters whose allegiance to opposing sides of a technological and ideological war strains their bond.
The factArcaneended with season 2made the three-year hiatus after season 1 that much more irritating. Although the gap between the seasons was definitely for the best — seeing as season 1 took almost six years to produce, and viewers wanted the greatest quality possible — it was still an incredibly frustrating wait.Arcane’s intricate animation style took a lot of time to get right,and even though it was crucial that season 2 perfected it, it made many impatient for the next installment of the show.
Although the payoff was worth it, andArcaneseason 2 provided a satisfying conclusion to Vi and Jinx’s stories, it didn’t make the hiatus any less painful.
TheLeague of Legendsadaptation drew audiences in with its powerful storytelling, too.Arcane’s season 1’s endingwas the definition of a jaw-dropping cliffhanger, and many were desperate to find out what happened in the fallout of Silco’s death and Jinx’s attack on the Council. Although the payoff was worth it, andArcaneseason 2 provided a satisfying conclusion to Vi and Jinx’s stories, it didn’t make the hiatus any less painful.
Game Of Thrones
Based on George R. R. Martin’s ongoing A Song of Ice and Fire novel series, Game of Thrones is a fantasy drama set in the fictional continents of Westeros and Essos. It follows noble families like the Starks, Lannisters, and Targaryen vying for control of the Iron Throne while a rising threat from the undead looms in the North. The series received significant critical success and amassed a loyal fan base due to its high production values, sprawling sets, iconic characters, and shocking twists.
Although there was only a year betweenGame of Thronesseason 5 and 6, it felt like much longer, as audiences waited in anticipation to see what happened after Jon Snow was stabbed to death.The incredible shot of Kit Harington’s characer staring upward while lying in the snow was reposted and shared across social media numerous times,and audiences were quick to question the validity of his demise.The mystery of whether Jon was dead ultimately became a cultural phenomenon.
10 TV Characters Who Returned, Despite Being Dead
While the death of a TV show character is often a big shock, some manage to find their way back onto screens despite officially being killed off.
This hiatus was one of the most aggravating ever, and the payoff was disappointing, as just two episodes into season 6, Jon was brought back. Many consideredJon Snow’s “death” inGame of Thronesa dumb decision, especially as the show had the opportunity to do something more interesting with his character arc. Even if the show still revived Jon, it could’ve been executed in a far more dramatic way. Instead, it felt like a cheap ploy for viewings rather than a plot twist.
Andor
Andor is a Star Wars prequel series set before the events of Rogue One, following Cassian Andor as he navigates a world of danger and deception. The series delves into his transformation into a pivotal figure in the struggle against the Galactic Empire.
Andor’s hiatus is still ongoing, though there is an end in sight:Andorseason 2is set to be released in April 2025. TheStar Warsseries received widespread acclaim during season 1, which aired throughout 2022 and was frequently praised for how it expanded the franchise’s lore.Andorfocused on the Empire’s reign and those outside ofStar Wars’ most notable families, like the Skywalkers and the Palpatines, which was a refreshing change of pace.
Andor Was Originally Pitched As A Five-Season Story, So Why Are We Only Getting Two?
Andor showrunner Tony Gilroy reveals his original five-season pitch for Andor, and explains why season 2 is the end of the road after all.
TheAndorseason 2 trailer took forever to be released, finally arriving at D23 in November 2024. Although filming was frequently delayed because of the SAG-AFTRA strikes, it was strange thatAndordidn’t get an update sooner. This was especially frustrating becauseThe Mandalorian & Grogu,Rogue Squadron, and several new installments ofupcomingStar WarsTV showswere announced after season 1. Hopefully, the wait for the second half of theStar Warsseries will be worth it.
Attack On Titan
Based on the manga, Attack on Titan is a dark-action fantasy series set in a world where humanity has been corralled into walled cities from fear of monstrous human-eating Titans that exist outside of them. When protagonist Eren Yeager’s mother is killed in front of his eyes at a young age, his thirst for vengeance leads him to join an elite group of soldiers created to fight back against the Titan menace.
Attack On Titanhad several hiatuses, but the most frustrating were easily the four gaps in season 4.Attack On Titanseason 4 was split up into three segments, the third of which consisted of two separate specials. This would have been fine if the time between each installment was days or weeks, but instead, the final season aired across three years. From December 2020 to November 2023,Attack on Titanreleased 35 episodes and two specials. Although this was mainly so that the show could catch up to the completed manga, these multi-month breaks were incredibly jarring.
10 Biggest Differences Between Attack On Titan’s Manga & Anime
Attack on Titan’s creator Hajime Isayama had the opportunity of changing key story elements once AoT was animated. Here are the biggest differences.
Attack On Titanseason 4 began with a time jump, which was hard enough to get used to in the first place. However,by the time audiences got used to the new characters and the shift in the timeline,Attack on Titantook another break.The gap between part 2 and part 3 was over a year, and by that point, viewers had to re-familiarize themselves with what was happening. It was a shame, considering it was the last season of the show, but the story became so muddled becauseAttack and Titanstopped and started so many times.
Sherlock
In this incarnation of Sherlock from creators Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss, Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman assume the roles of Sherlock and Watson as they establish their partnership and begin solving strange mysteries throughout the U.K. and beyond. Set in a more 2010’s modern setting, Sherlock’s eccentric and complex nature is accentuated as he solves seemingly supernatural crimes with unparalleled intellect while struggling to connect with others on a human level. Meanwhile, Watson blogs the stories summarizing their cases while building a strained but caring friendship with his new partner.
Sherlock’s “The Reichenbach Fall” delivered one ofthe biggest TV show cliffhangers of all time. Viewers lost their minds when Sherlock Holmes fell from the roof of St. Bart’s hospital, and many quickly immersed themselves in theories about how the detective survived.There were two years betweenSherlockseasons 2 and 3, and even though there was a seven-minute Christmas episode in 2013, it wasn’t a proper installment. In fact, it simply riled audiences up more.
Anyone who watchedSherlockat the time had their own ideas about how Sherlock tricked John into believing he was gone. It was a situation in which everything was so hyped up thatSherlock’s writers needed to provide a perfect solution. Otherwise, it would’ve been a disappointment. And unfortunately, it was. While the various moving parts that helpedSherlock fake his death in “The Reichenbach Fall”were impressive, it relied too much on coincidence and the suspension of disbelief. After two years of waiting, it didn’t live up to expectations.
The Big Bang Theory
The Big Bang Theory: This sitcom follows a group of socially awkward scientists and their interactions with each other and the people around them. Centered on physicists Sheldon and Leonard, the series humorously explores friendship, romance, and the quirks of life among an eclectic group of academics.
Without the2007 writers’ strike affecting several TV shows, audiences probably wouldn’t have received an incredible 12-season run ofThe Big Bang Theory. Eight episodes of the sitcom aired, before it went on a months-long hiatus. During this time,CBS reran the early episodes ofThe Big Bang Theoryseason 1,and because of how many times it kept popping up on TV screens, audiences started to take notice of the show. Viewers were relieved when episode 9 aired five months later, regardless of whether they likedThe Big Bang Theoryor not.
The Big Bang Theory’s Original Penny Was Very Different (& Worse)
The Big Bang Theory’s unaired pilot didn’t include Penny, but the show’s original female lead wasn’t exactly a good fit, prompting the change.
Due to the lack of programming,The Big Bang Theorywas repeated multiple times. Those who enjoyed the show were happy to see what happened next in Penny and Leonard’s will-they-won’t-they relationship storyline, and whether Raj was able to speak to women without drinking. Those who didn’t click with it, however, were thankful that a different episode was airing. Although eight episodes seemed like a lot,the repetition became irritating, especially as each only had a runtime of around 20 minutes. This was before the peak of streaming, so there were only so many channels to watch.
Torchwood
This Doctor Who spinoff follows the adventures of beloved character Captain Jack Harkness as he works for the Torchwood Institute, a small team in Cardiff dedicated to investigating extraterrestrial phenomena.
Torchwoodmade the mistake of killing off a majority of its cast within a matter of episodes, with Tosh and Owen dying in the season 2 finale and Ianto in season 3’s penultimate episode. TheDoctor WhoTV spinoffwas already on thin ice with viewers, and many felt uneasy when the BBC announced thatTorchwoodseason 4 was a collaboration with Starz. However,Torchwoodwas offered the benefit of the doubt, andthere was hope that the show would redeem itself after a two-year hiatus and Ianto’s death.
Waiting forTorchwood’s return was frustrating enough, but the result of being patient was even worse.
The show would’ve been much better without a fourth installment, andTorchwood: Miracle Daywas not worth the hiatus whatsoever. It was bad enough that Gwen and Jack were the only remaining members of the original team, but new additions Rex and Esther fell flat as characters and were simply annoying. The story, which focused on a world where nobody could die and Jack suddenly regained mortality, started off as intriguing, but it became so convoluted and overly stretched out that it got old. Waiting forTorchwood’s return was frustrating enough, but the result of being patient was even worse.
Jane the Virgin
Loosely based on a Venezuelan telenovela, Jane the Virgin follows a young Latina woman, Jane, who despite being a virgin, falls pregnant after being artificially inseminated by mistake. The comedy-drama chronicles her relationships, pregnancy, and motherhood.
Jane the Virgin’s season 4 finale twistwas groundbreaking, especially as audiences had only just gotten used to the fact Michael was dead. Following the revelation that Jane’s husband was actually alive,Jane the Virginwent on a painstaking 11-month hiatus. Viewers were desperate to find out how Michael had survived, where he had been, and why he was back. Although 11 months between seasons wasn’t that long in the grand scheme of things, it was incredibly frustrating, especially as season 4 was the shortest installment of the show at only 17 episodes.
10 TV Episodes That Completely Changed Their Shows Forever
While a TV show tends to grow and change with each season, several series can pinpoint a specific episode that caused a significant shake-up.
It wasn’t just the cliffhanger that was an issue, though. Exactly one monthafter “Chapter Eighty-One,” Jane actress Gina Rodriguez guest starred inBrooklyn Nine-Nineas Alicia. Rodriguez’s Alicia was a new love interest for Rosa Diaz, and many believed she would become a recurring character. Therefore, they feared thatJane the Virginseason 5 would be pushed back even further because of filming commitments. However, this was ultimately proven to be untrue, andJane the Virginseason 5 provided audiences with much-needed answers to their questions.
Arrested Development
Arrested Development, a television series premiered in 2003, follows the dysfunctional Bluth family who are coping with the loss of their fortune. Central to the narrative is Michael Bluth, the diligent son attempting to stabilize the family amidst their eccentricities and financial turmoil.
ConsideringArrested Developmenthad already been canceled and revived once, the five-year hiatus between seasons 4 and 5 made the show’s future look bleak.Arrested Developmentseason 4 was a disappointment, and the timeline of events was so confusing that Netflix had to release another edit in order to clarify things — although many found it even more complicated than the original cut. In fact, it was a surprise when Netflix announced that season 5 was coming and that viewers might finally discover who killed Lucille Austero.
The first few years without an update were frustrating, butArrested Development’s hiatus went on for so long that many gave up on a resolution altogether.
The first few years without an update were frustrating, butArrested Development’s hiatus went on for so long that many gave up on a resolution altogether. During the five-year break, the cast’s careers soared even more than they had already. Michael Cera was a big Hollywood name, Jason Bateman had become the lead inOzark, and Will Arnett was better known forBoJack Horsemanthan he was as Gob Bluth.The reunion ofArrested Development’s prominent cast was exciting, but the payoff was truly shocking, and the storylines were poorly resolved.
