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Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
National
Phoebe Barton

Best television cliffhangers 'of all time' revealed including EastEnders and Game of Thrones

Love them or hate them, television cliffhangers can be absolute gold when done properly, leaving telly fans across Merseyside desperate for more.

The endings of some series have stayed with us long after the television show has come to an end. It’s not just soap operas that can create incredibly dramatic moments, with some sitcoms and dramas also having huge cliffhangers that were perfectly executed.

Many Liverpudlians will recall how much they cringed when Ross said the wrong name at the altar in Friends. Others will remember jumping up from their seats after watching the “you ain’t my mother!” argument in EastEnders.

READ MORE: 11 things we did while browsing the Argos catalogue as a child

A recent survey carried out by findmycasino.com has uncovered the best TV cliffhangers “of all time”. The company has used a range of online statistics that identify the shows that have had the most gripping end to a series.

An iconic cliffhanger featuring The Office's Jim Halpert (John Krasinski) and Pam Beesly (Jenna Fischer) features on the list (Chris Haston/NBCU Photo Bank)

It takes into account the amount of views, likes and the analysis score each cliffhanger has received on YouTube. The results show that the 2000s and 2010s were the best decades for television cliffhangers, with almost half of the episodes ranking the highest airing during this time.

The ECHO has compiled the below list of the top 20 cliffhangers according to the study. Did your favourite show make the list? Warning: spoilers ahead!

20. Star Trek: The Next Generation - When Picard is assimilated by the Borg (1990). Views: 157,000. Likes: 1,200. YouTube analysis score: 4.48.

19. The Simpsons - Maggie shoots Mr Burns (1995). Views: 159,000. Likes: 2,200. YouTube analysis score: 4.74.

18. Lost - Jack wants to go back to the island (2007). Views: 232,000. Likes: 1,900. YouTube analysis score: 4.74.

17. Buffy the Vampire Slayer - Buffy sacrifices herself (2001). Views: 180,000. Likes: 2,200. YouTube analysis score: 5.40.

16. Grey’s Anatomy - Meredith meets Addison and learns of Derek's secret (2005). Views: 358,000. Likes: 2,500. YouTube analysis score: 5.79.

15. ER - Lucy and Carter are stabbed (2000). Views: 1,000,000. Likes: 2,000. YouTube analysis score: 6.06.

14. Sons of Anarchy - Abel is taken (2009). Views: 502,000. Likes: 3,800. YouTube analysis score: 6.19.

13. Stranger Things - Hopper sacrifices himself and is captured by the Russians (2019). Views: 382,000. Likes: 4,800. YouTube analysis score: 6.32.

12. The O.C. - Marissa shoots Trey (2005). Views: 574,000. Likes: 4,100. YouTube analysis score: 6.58.

11. The West Wing - The President is attacked (2000). Views: 1,100,000. Likes: 2,900. YouTube analysis score: 6.97.

10. Loki - Loki is in a different TVA (2021). Views: 831,000. Likes: 13,000. YouTube analysis score: 6.98.

9. Breaking Bad - Jesse kills Gale (2010). Views: 861,000. Likes: 15,000. YouTube analysis score: 7.24.

8. The Walking Dead - Negan kills the cameraman (2016). Views: 1,100,000. Likes: 15,000. YouTube analysis score: 7.37.

7. EastEnders - Kat Slater reveals she is Zoe’s mum (2001). Views: 1,900,000. Likes: 8,900. YouTube analysis score: 7.64.

6. The Good Place - Eleanor figures out she’s in The Bad Place (2017). Views: 1,300,000. Likes: 15,000. YouTube analysis score: 7.76.

5. Grey’s Anatomy - The last match goes out after the plane crash (2012). Views: 2,900,000. Likes: 9,900. YouTube analysis score: 8.03.

4. Friends - After Ross says the wrong name on his wedding day (1998). Views: 2,700,000. Likes: 28,000. YouTube analysis score: 8.55.

3. Sherlock - Sherlock jumps (2012). Views: 2,900,000. Likes: 36,000. YouTube analysis score: 8.82.

2. (Joint second) Breaking Bad - Hank figures out Walt is Heisenberg (2012). Views: 3,700,000. Likes: 38,000. YouTube analysis score: 9.34. The Office - Jim and Pam kiss (2006). Views: 3,000,000. Likes: 48,000. YouTube analysis score: 9.34.

1. Game of Thrones - The White Walkers invade (2017). Views: 13,000,000. Likes: 100,000. YouTube analysis score: 9.74.

What’s your favourite television cliffhanger of all time? Let us know in the comments section below.

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