From comedy to crime, TV shows stand as a favored pastime of people around the world, often captivating people for years as show runners take them on emotional roller coasters. Whether it's serialized shows that cover a single story over a range of episodes or mostly done-in-one weekly mini-stories, these shows hold the attention of viewers as well as any movie. However, with many shows declining in quality the longer they run, it isn't uncommon for a pilot to be better than a finale.

The reasoning behind a bad finale can range from lackluster character resolutions to revelations that undermine the entire series. Considering the fact a pilot is meant to be a series putting its best foot forward to land a series, it's no surprise that so many of them outperform the finale in quality. Whether for reasons of nostalgia and the fact people hate to see their favorite shows end or simply rushed storylines, these finales were overshadowed by their pilots.

10 The Lost Finale Famously Enraged Viewers

Lost tells the story of a band of survivors from a plane crash who take refuge on a small island, where they work for survival in the hopes of being rescued. Beginning as a simple survival show, the story took a turn when it introduced paranormal mystery elements, such as the smoke monster. These supernatural elements did hint at something beyond appearances, but audiences didn't expect the final revelation.

By no means was the Lost finale a poorly-written or low-quality story. Rather, it was the revelation that the characters had been dead all along that understandably infuriated audiences, leaving many with the feeling they had been cheated. The first episode did a great job of setting up a survival mystery series, but after six years, audiences deserved better than to have the series revealed as a mere exploration of limbo.

9 Mike Tyson Mysteries Forgot It Was About Mysteries

Mike Tyson Mysteries casts its eponymous boxing champion in the role of a private investigator, one aided by his Chinese daughter, a talking Pigeon and the ghost of the Marquess of Queensbury. Together, they take on absurd and mundane cases, that can range from strange car noises to supposedly haunted houses. The pilot kicked the series off with arguably its best episode, one that follows the gang as they travel to Cormac McCarthy's ranch to aid him in finishing his latest novel.

The finale to Mike Tyson Mysteries didn't follow a mystery, but rather the ascension of Marquess to Heaven, where he was approved to become an angel. The series ultimately worked best as a parody of Scooby-Doo, and the finale should have been the ultimate mystery, rather than an actual, Biblical conclusion. The final episode wasn't bad, it just wasn't what audiences wanted from the show.

8 Last Resort Had A Promising Start

Last Resort follows the crew of a US Navy submarine after they're ordered to initiate a nuclear strike on Pakistan. However, when the ship's captain, Marcus Chaplin, disobeys the order, he and his crew become fugitives. Not content to allow the government to take him captive, the seemingly irrational captain threatens to launch his vessel's missiles should the military attempt to attack.

The first episode of Last Resort had all the makings of a tense, movie-like political thriller, setting in motion a genuinely interesting plot and introducing a great cast of characters. The series' finale takes place after a time jump, one that tries to resolve elements of the plot too early. By contrast, the pilot was brilliantly evocative of Crimson Tide in its focus on the tension between the captain and XO.

7 Dexter Ran Out Of Steam In Its Final Season

Dexter tells the story of a Miami forensics technician, Dexter Morgan, who leads a double life as a serial killer when he's off the clock. Using his expertise in blood spatter analysis, he pursues those he believes have escaped justice, and murders them like a dark vigilante. At the same time, he's forced to balance his life as a stepfather and husband, while also lying to his detective sister.

The Dexter pilot introduces all the key characters in the protagonist's life, helping viewers fall in love with the cast and understand their dynamic with Dexter. By contrast, the finale earned the status of arguably the most hated and disliked in the show for its treatment of Debra, with Dexter killing her after she slipped into a coma. The use of a hurricane as a convenient way of allowing Dexter to escape made the conclusion feel both forced and lazy, not to mention needlessly tragic.

6 Sherlock Ended On A Lackluster Note

Sherlock is a modernization of the classic character created by Arthur Conan Doyle, setting Holmes in modern-day London. There, he meets John Watson, with the two first working together to investigate a series of murders where victims seemingly took their own lives. The episode was the perfect introduction for a modern-day Sherlock Holmes, introducing his cast of supporting characters and establishing the chemistry between him and Watson.

In its finale, "The Final Problem," Sherlock, Mycroft and Watson are trapped by Eurus Holmes, Sherlock's villainous sister, and forced to play her game to escape. Ending the show on an exploration of Holmes' family with little in the way of a real mystery could have made for an interesting conclusion, but it fell short of the impression left by "A Study in Pink." Where one showed Holmes at his best, the other relied on an underwhelming reveal. By no means was the finale bad — it just wasn't as good as the pilot.

5 House Of Cards Wasn't the Same After Frank's Death

House of Cards focuses on the political ambitions of Frank Underwood, a scheming congressman who makes his way up the chain of command, from party whip to President of the United States. The series pilot introduces Frank when he finds the neighbor's dog run over and kills it to put it out of its misery. From his first soliloquy, Kevin Spacey's vile protagonist established himself as one of TV's greatest modern villains. However, due to legal drama surrounding Spacey, Underwood was killed off for the series' final season, and Robin Wright's Claire Underwood became the star.

House of Cards' pilot showed audiences what the series was about, and relied heavily on Spacey's performance as Fran Underwood. The absence of Frank in the final season meant the conclusion was always fighting uphill, and the season — especially its finale — felt over-the-top, even for the series. It was ultimately the final moments, which see Claire fend off a murder attempt, that served as a reminder that the series had long jumped the shark.

4 Game Of Thrones Underwhelmed Audiences

Based on George R.R. Martin's fantasy novel series, Game of Thrones tells the story of various characters in the land of Westeros, who compete for the Iron Throne to rule the kingdom. The first episode introduces audiences to Lord Ned Stark, who begins to suspect the return of the fearsome White Walkers. At the same time, the episode begins a variety of plot points, revolving around characters like Jaime Lannister, Daenerys Targaryen and Jon Snow.

The long-awaited finale to Game of Thrones serves as one of the most challenging undertakings in modern TV, seeing as how the showrunners had to write a conclusion Martin himself hadn't reached. The finale takes place after at attack on King's Landing, exploring the fate of the Iron Throne and, in the process, leaving viewers both dissatisfied and underwhelmed as they felt robbed of the conclusion they believed Martin would have written.

3 Two And A Half Men's Finale Annoyed Just About Everyone

Two and a Half Men begins by introducing viewers to Charlie Harper, a wealthy bachelor who enjoys a casual lifestyle in his Malibu beach house. As he's about to sleep with the latest in a long line of girlfriends, Charlie is called up by his brother, Alan, who has separated from his wife and needs somewhere to stay. To make things more complicated, he spends weekends with his son, Jake. From there, the series follows Charlie, Alan and Jake as they get up to a series of antics and hijinks while living it up in Malibu. However, that changed in Season 9 when Charlie was killed off, the house was purchased by Walden Schmidt, and Alan grew less likable with each passing season.

In terms of what fans enjoyed about the series, the pilot and finale to Two and a Half Men are practically night and day. Where the first episode shows all the series' characters at their best, the finale simply capped off a series everyone knew had long run out of steam. To add insult to injury, the series teased the return of Charlie, only to drop a piano on his head.