Unfortunately, not every plot twist that occurs on television has the same impact upon a rewatch. Because so much emphasis is put on their surprising nature, many twists can cause the buildup to them to feel rather dull when revisiting the series later on. However, some of these massive, series-changing events actually get even better when rewatching them. This is often achieved when the surprising moments are carefully foreshadowed, as this gives audiences clues to look for when they revisit the shows. These ten TV plot twists are so effective, they become even more enjoyable the second time around.
10 The Good Place Is The Bad Place
The Good Place
Eleanor Shellstrop finds in The Good Place, both the name of the fantasy comedy series from creator Michael Schur and a fictionalized heaven where those who have done good in life will end up. However, Eleanor discovers that the life she was believed to have led was a lie, as it seems The Good Place got the wrong "Eleanor Shellstrop." When it's revealed that three others are there under the same false pretenses, they concoct a plan to truly become "Good" to earn their place there - while hiding the truth.
Release Date September 19, 2016
Seasons 4
In terms of modern comedy series, there are few quite as unique as The Good Place, a four-season NBC series from Michael Schur. Fans will undoubtedly recall the shock they felt upon discovering the plot twist at the end of the first season. Up until that point, the main characters had been led to believe that they were in the Good Place, a Heaven-like realm where their spirits reside after their deaths. In the finale, it is shockingly revealed that they have actually been in the Bad Place all along, an experimental demon-operated realm designed to psychologically torture them.
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It is highly unlikely that viewers would have even considered the idea that the characters were actually in the Bad Place all along, especially given that the show is literally named The Good Place. This is not to say that there weren't hints about this throughout the season, however. Upon rewatching the first season, viewers are bound to notice that the characters frequently get under each other's skin, and that they seldom get what they actually want. So many tiny interactions take on entirely new meanings once the truth about The Good Place is revealed.
9 River Song Is Amy & Rory's Daughter
Doctor Who
The latest season of Doctor Who introduces the Fifteenth Doctor, joined by new companion Ruby Sunday. Their first adventure begins with "The Church on Ruby Road," where they face powerful new foes and unravel the mystery surrounding Ruby's origins. The Doctor grapples with the aftermath of a unique regeneration event and battles enemies more formidable than ever before.
Cast Ncuti Gatwa , Millie Gibson , Susan Twist , Michelle Greenidge , Angela Wynter , Jemma Redgrave , Yasmin Finney , Anita Dobson Release Date December 25, 2023
Seasons 2
Writers Russell T. Davies , Dave Gibbons , Kate Herron , Steven Moffat
Main Genre Sci-Fi
Having been around in various capacities since 1963, it is safe to say that the popular British sci-fi show, Doctor Who has had its fair share of twists and turns over the years. Among the most prominent of these shocking moments was the discovery that River Song was actually the child of Rory Williams and Amy Pond (or at least a version of their child), who had been kidnapped when she was very young and used as a tool in an effort to assassinate the Doctor.
For one, River's clear, consistent concern for Amy begins to make a lot more sense upon revisiting the series, as it is now known that River wouldn't even exist if Amy never had the chance to give birth.
While the reveal was bound to come as a major surprise to many, the creators of Doctor Who clearly knew what they were doing, dropping subtle hints about the connection along the way. For one, River's clear, consistent concern for Amy begins to make a lot more sense upon revisiting the series, as it is now known that River wouldn't even exist if Amy never had the chance to give birth. Additionally, Amy and River often demonstrate very similar thought processes and mannerisms. Though easy to gloss over the first time, these tiny moments become incredibly significant on a rewatch.
8 The "Flashbacks" Were Of The Future
Lost
Lost is a mystery drama series created for TV that follows a group of survivors of a plane crash and tells its story between the past, present, and future via flashbacks. When Oceanic Airlines Flight 815 crashes and lands on a mysterious island in the pacific ocean, the castaways discover their new temporary home may have a mind of its own, as strange supernatural events keep them locked to the island. From an unknown black smoke creature to dangerous islanders, the passengers must work together to survive the island's seemingly deadly intentions.
Cast Evangeline Lilly , Naveen Andrews , Henry Ian Cusick , Daniel Dae Kim , Harold Perrineau , Dominic Monaghan , Emilie de Ravin , Jorge Garcia , Josh Holloway , Michael Emerson , Terry O'Quinn , Matthew Fox , Ken Leung , Elizabeth Mitchell , Yunjin Kim Release Date September 22, 2004
Seasons 6
Directors Jack Bender , Stephen Williams
Showrunner Damon Lindelof , Carlton Cuse
Main Genre Mystery
Creator(s) J.J. Abrams , Damon Lindelof , Jeffrey Lieber The popular drama series, Lost, is far from a typical plane crash survival story. The series is packed with dramatic reveals about the true nature of the island, as well as the often unsettling realities of the people on it. One of the most completely unexpected reveals comes during the finale of the third season. Throughout the episode, viewers are shown various scenes of Jack's life back at his home. The ending of the episode shockingly reveals that these are not flashbacks, but rather visions of the future, meaning that Jack does eventually make it off the island.
Even though this particular twist is largely contained within the singular episode, it nonetheless makes the episode thrilling to watch for a second time. On a first viewing, the audience is bound to assume that the off-island scenes with Jack are just flashbacks to his life before the crash, as many of these scenes have been shown featuring various characters throughout the series. However, Jack's depression, attendance at a funeral, and substance-abuse problem all take on an entirely new meaning when you realize that they all happened after he landed on the island.
7 Gemma Is Alive (Maybe)
Severance
From director and executive producer Ben Stiller and creator Dan Erickson comes “Severance.” Mark Scout (Adam Scott) leads a team at Lumon Industries, whose employees have undergone a severance procedure, which surgically divides their memories between their work and personal lives. This daring experiment in “work-life balance” is called into question as Mark finds himself at the center of an unraveling mystery that will force him to confront the true nature of his work… and himself.
Release Date February 18, 2022
Seasons 1
Writers Dan Erickson
Showrunner Dan Erickson , Mark Friedman
For a recent example of a twist that fans have already begun tirelessly revisiting, audiences need to look no further than Severance, a futuristic sci-fi thriller from Apple TV+. The show follows the lives of a group of employees at a mysterious company which allows its workers to undergo a "severance" procedure; a medical operation designed to cleanly divide a person's mind between their work life and their personal life. The protagonist, Mark (played by Adam Scott), agrees to undergo the procedure following the death of his wife, Gemma - or so he thought.
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The finale of Severance's first season reveals that Gemma may not be dead after all, with Mark discovering that she appears to be alive and working at the same company. Unfortunately, fans are still waiting for answers about how this is possible, as the second season won't be released until January 2025. Of course, the most dedicated viewers have gone back and scoured the first season for hints that foreshadowed this reveal. The writers certainly left several clues (such as the fact that the audience never sees Gemma's face before the finale), making Severance a great show to rewatch.
6 Walt Poisoned Brock
Breaking Bad
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.
Cast Bryan Cranston , Aaron Paul , Dean Norris , Betsy Brandt , Anna Gunn , RJ Mitte , Bob Odenkirk , Jonathan Banks , Giancarlo Esposito , Steven Michael Quezada , Charles Baker , Christopher Cousins , Matt Jones , Michael Shamus Wiles , Lavell Crawford , Jesse Plemons , Ray Campbell , Tina Parker , Carmen Serano , Emily Rios , Krysten Ritter , Laura Fraser , Jeremiah Bitsui , Mark Margolis , Ian Posada , David House , David Costabile , michael bowen , Kevin Rankin , Aaron Hill , Harry Groener , Patrick Sane , Daniel Moncada , Luis Moncada , Marius Stan , Bill Burr , Todd Terry , Jessica Hecht , Tait Fletcher , Rodney Rush , Kaija Roze Bales , Matt Metzler , John de Lancie , Tom Kiesche , Jere Burns , Maurice Compte , Morse Bicknell , Nigel Gibbs , Tess Harper , Raymond Cruz , Max Arciniega , Cesar Garcia , Jesus Jr. , Michael Bofshever , Julie Dretzin , Mike Seal , Christopher Dempsey , Javier Grajeda , Mike Batayeh , Chris Freihofer , Louis Ferreira , Gonzalo Menendez , Jason Douglas , Adam Godley Release Date January 20, 2008
Seasons 5
Writers Peter Gould , Gennifer Hutchison , Vince Gilligan , George Mastras , Moira Walley-Beckett , Sam Catlin , Thomas Schnauz
Directors Vince Gilligan , michelle maclaren
Showrunner Vince Gilligan
The fourth season of the widely acclaimed drama series, Breaking Bad, comes to quite an eventful end over the course of the last few episodes. Much of the deadly climax of the season is set in motion when Brock, the young son of Jesse's girlfriend, is near-fatally poisoned. It appears that Gus is to blame, prompting Jesse to assist Walt in finally killing Gus.
This unexpected twist was made so much better by the fact that it was revealed mere seconds before Breaking Bad went on a months-long between-seasons break, forcing fans to wait for almost a year before seeing how the shocking turn would get resolved. The twist not only makes logical (albeit evil) sense, as Walt knew that poisoning Brock would lead to Jesse wanting to kill Gus, but it forces audiences to completely reevaluate the true nature of the show's main character. The last two episodes of the season become so much more complex, knowing that Walt orchestrated the whole thing.
5 Oh Il-nam Created Squid Game
Squid Game
In Squid Game, a mysterious invitation to join a competition is sent to people at risk who are in dire need of money. Four hundred fifty-six participants from all walks of life are locked into a secret location where they play games to win 45.6 billion won. Games are selected from traditional Korean children's games, such as Red Light and Green Light, but the consequence of losing is death. To survive, competitors must choose their alliances carefully - but the further they go in the competition, the more likely betrayal will rear its ugly head.
Cast Wi Ha-joon , Anupam Tripathi , Oh Yeong-su , Heo Sung-tae , Park Hae-soo , Jung Ho-yeon , Lee Jung-jae , Kim Joo-ryoung
Release Date September 17, 2021
Seasons 1
Writers Hwang Dong-hyuk
Directors Hwang Dong-hyuk
Showrunner Hwang Dong-hyuk
In Squid Game, it is never easy to tell who can really be trusted, and who will do whatever it takes to survive. If first-time viewers were asked which characters they felt were the most trustworthy, though, many would likely have mentioned Player 001, also known as Oh Il-nam, the seemingly good-natured old man claiming to have a brain tumor. This makes it all the more surprising when it is ultimately revealed that Il-nam was actually the mastermind behind the games all along, devising them as a form of sadistic entertainment for the extremely wealthy.
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Discovering the truth behind Il-nam's character forces viewers to reevaluate everything he had done up until that point. In fact, many of his actions make much more sense knowing that he had planned the entire event. He clearly has a deep knowledge and love of all the games the contestants must participate in, which adds up considering that he chose them himself. There are also several blink-and-you'll-miss-it clues, such as the Red Light Green Light doll not scanning him, and his handcuffs being unlocked during Tug of War.
4 Maggie Shot Mr. Burns
The Simpsons
The Simpsons is a long-running animated TV series created by Matt Groening that satirically follows a working-class family in the misfit city of Springfield. Homer, a bit of a schmoe who works at a nuclear power plant, is the provider for his family, while his wife, Marge, tries to keep sanity and reason in the house to the best of her ability. Bart is a born troublemaker, and Lisa is his super-intelligent sister who finds herself surrounded by people who can't understand her. Finally, Maggie is the mysterious baby who acts as a deus ex machina when the series calls for it. The show puts the family in several wild situations while constantly tackling socio-political and pop-culture topics set within their world, providing an often sharp critique of the subjects covered in each episode. This series first premiered in 1989 and has been a staple of Fox's programming schedule ever since!
Release Date December 17, 1989
Seasons 35
Writers Matt Groening , James L. Brooks , Sam Simon
Directors David Silverman , Jim Reardon , Mark Kirkland
Showrunner Al Jean
Sometimes, even comedy series can contain plot twists that catch everyone off-guard. In a rare move for the beloved sitcom, The Simpsons decided to end its sixth season on a cliffhanger that would not be resolved for months. At the end of the episode, wealthy power plant owner, Mr. Burns is shot in the chest. With every member of the town having a motive, viewers were left puzzling for months over who could have performed the grizzly act. Near the end of the season seven opener, it is finally revealed that Maggie Simpson (Homer and Marge's infant daughter) was responsible.
Although the reveal of the culprit was rather silly, the writers of The Simpsons put a great deal of effort into sneaking in plenty of clues that went right over viewers' heads the first time around. In the first installment of the two-part episode, Mr. Burns openly asks the entire town who has the guts to stop what he is doing. Eagle-eyed viewers will notice that the only resident of Springfield who doesn't look away is little Maggie. This is just one of the bread crumbs the writers left for the most determined fans of The Simpsons to sniff out.
3 Nell Is The Bent-Neck Lady
The Haunting of Hill House
Loosely based on Shirley Jackson's novel of the same name, The Haunting of Hill House follows the Crain family's experience in their beautiful - and deadly - home. With a story told using two timelines simultaneously, The Haunting of Hill House chronicles both the haunting itself, and the lasting effect it had on the Crain children as they struggle through adulthood decades later. Directed by Mike Flanagan as the first entry in his Haunting anthology, The Haunting of Hill House features a large ensemble cast including Michiel Huisman, Elizabeth Reaser, Oliver Jackson-Cohen, Kate Siegel, Victoria Pedretti, Carla Gugino, and Henry Thomas.
Cast Michiel Huisman , Carla Gugino , Henry Thomas , Elizabeth Reaser , Oliver Jackson-Cohen , Kate Siegel , Victoria Pedretti , Lulu Wilson , Mckenna Grace Release Date October 12, 2018
Seasons 1
Nothing adds to the lasting impact of a horror TV show quite like a haunting plot twist. In the Netflix miniseries, The Haunting of Hill House, one of the characters, Nell, spends much of her life being tormented by a spirit known as the "Bent-Neck Lady." As Nell's mental state begins to worsen, she finds herself drawn back to Hill House, her eerie former residence. Once there, she is ultimately killed, and the audience discovers that the Bent-Neck Lady is the ghost of Nell herself, and that her death in the house has been inevitable.
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This twist in the fifth episode of The Haunting of Hill House is so unsettling for the audience because of the way it manages to make perfect sense while also being entirely unexpected. It also makes Nell's story even more haunting upon watching it a second time, as it becomes increasingly clear how she was doomed from the start. Like any great work of horror, this twist will stick with viewers long after the series is over.
2 Amma Is The Real Killer
Sharp Objects
Sharp Objects is an HBO thriller mini-series that centers on reporter Camille Preaker, a woman with a dark past returning to her hometown. Returning to Wind Gap, Missouri, to investigate two murders, she takes up at her childhood home, where she must now contend with her mother, who will force her to reckon with her past.
Cast Amy Adams , Patricia Clarkson , Chris Messina , Eliza Scanlen , Matt Craven , Henry Czerny , Taylor John Smith , Madison Davenport , Miguel Sandoval , Will Chase Seasons 1
Creator(s) Marti Noxon
A good plot twist can make or break any mystery-based movie or TV show. Fortunately, Sharp Object is boosted significantly by its final clever twist. Throughout the thrilling miniseries, viewers follow Camille (played by Amy Adams), a reporter covering the story of two girls who were murdered in her hometown. Though the series consistently appears to be pointing to Camille's overbearing mother, Adora, being the murderer, it is finally revealed (after Adora is imprisoned) that Camille's half-sister Amma was the guilty party all along.
Camille's discovery that Amma has been using the teeth of her victims to line the floor of her dollhouse is permanently haunting, as is the way Amma tells her half-sister not to tell their mother when she realizes Camille has found the truth.
Regardless of how many times viewers watch the ending of Sharp Objects, the final scenes never seem to lose their dramatic punch. Camille's discovery that Amma has been using the teeth of her victims to line the floor of her dollhouse is permanently haunting, as is the way Amma tells her half-sister not to tell their mother when she realizes Camille has found the truth. The series capitalizes even further on the chilling twist by including a mid-credits sequence which forces the audience to reevaluate many seemingly minor details of what they have been watching.
1 Ellie Must Be Killed To Find A Cure
The Last of Us
The Last Of Us is a television adaptation of the acclaimed video game, set in a post-apocalyptic world where a smuggler named Joel (Pedro Pascal) is tasked with escorting a teenage girl, Ellie (Bella Ramsey), across the ravaged United States. Along their journey, they must confront various threats from both infected creatures and hostile human factions. The show is produced by HBO and created by Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann.
Cast Pedro Pascal , Bella Ramsey , Anna Torv , lamar johnson , Jeffrey Pierce , Keivonn Woodard , John Getz , Olivier Ross-Parent , Samuel Hoeksema , Gabriel Luna , Merle Dandridge , Nico Parker , Melanie Lynskey , John Hannah , Josh Brener , Christopher Heyerdahl , Brad Leland , Marcia Bennett , Brendan Fletcher , Jerry Wasserman , Wendy Gorling , Jessica Belbin , Haysam Kadri , Sarah Himadeh , Caitlin Howden , Max Montesi , Natasha Mumba , Gina Louise Phillips , Taylor St. Pierre , Ryan D. Clarke , Khadijah Roberts-Abdullah , Logan Pierce Release Date January 15, 2023
Seasons 1
Writers Neil Druckmann , Craig Mazin
Directors Craig Mazin
Showrunner Craig Mazin
The Last of Us, HBO's drama series based on the video game of the same name, captivated viewers from start to finish with its powerful story of survival and human connection. The series is set in a post-apocalyptic world, and follows a man named Joel (played by Pedro Pascal) who must escort a girl named Ellie (played by Bella Ramsey) across the destroyed country in an effort to find a cure for the infection which has destroyed the world. It is only when they finally complete their journey that Joel realizes that the scientists planned on killing Ellie all along.
Even though some viewers may have anticipated this ending, it is thoroughly heartbreaking to watch how Joel reacts once he realizes what is about to happen. His sadness quickly turns into violence, as he goes on a brutal killing spree, wiping out everyone who may have posed a threat to Ellie's life. The sudden change forces audiences to not only reevaluate the character of Joel, but to reconsider the entire journey that led them up to this point.
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