Entertainment publications rank HBO series finales among television's best endings

Entertainment journalists have been publishing ranked lists of the best HBO series finales, pointing to several shows as examples of excellent television endings.

The Leftovers finished with an episode called "The Book of Nora," which focused on the character Nora Durst and received strong praise from critics. Succession ended with a storyline about the Roy siblings and a company takeover, earning the show more than 200 nominations and 80 major award wins during its run. The Last of Us also performed well with award voters, collecting over 200 nominations and 100 wins, including Peabody Awards and Golden Globes. The White Lotus won 16 Emmy Awards. Journalists used these finales to discuss what makes a television ending emotionally satisfying and narratively complete.