In the age of streaming and rampant TV show cancelations, cliffhangers have become incredibly prevalent. What’s become particularly common is for them to be used in stories that ultimately don’t need them, and I’d argue that that they’ve become ubiquitous. I’m sure I’m not the only one who feels that way, too. That seems to be partially why Sex Lives of College Girls EP Justin Noble decided against including one in the show’s Season 3 finale, which just aired amid the 2025 TV schedule. Noble shared some insight into the decision, and I hope more shows take note.
Justin Noble, who co-showruns the Max original series and co-wrote the Season 3 finale episode alongside Caroline Goldfarb, deviated from the past seasons’ trend of ending on major, life-altering cliffhangers. Instead, he chose to end on a happier, less dramatic note. This was such a shocking change that many fans have expressed their concern that it’s the show’s finale. However, Noble made it abundantly clear to THR that he was not asked to “wrap up the show.” From there, he shared his keen logic on the capper:
I think just me as a creator, I’m losing interest in cliffhangers. I think it’s longer than ever between seasons for logistical reasons within the industry, and frankly, I don’t think audiences like cliffhangers the way that they used to. I think intrinsically, shows are what they are. We don’t want tons of change on our shows, especially in comedy, which makes cliffhangers risky and temporary, and a lot of the times it’s like, ‘uh oh,’ and then two episodes into the new season, it’s like, ‘and we’re back to normal.’
