More often than not, cliffhangers leave audiences dissatisfied and annoyed, but one Netflix sci-fi masterpiece proves to be an exception as it perfectly frames some of the best ambiguous endings. A long time ago, before the streaming era, cliffhangers were used as effective narrative devices to evoke anticipation and get audiences hyped for future story developments of a show.

Unfortunately, they are now overused, with almost every other show relying on forced shock endings rather than meaningful resolutions. This new approach to ending shows often leaves viewers frustrated rather than intrigued. Netflix also often cancels shows after one or two seasons, which makes the lack of conclusion feel even more hollow and disappointing.

However, even though most cliffhangers seem forced and unnecessary, they are not always a narrative misstep. One Netflix sci-fi show seems to do an incredible job of delivering ambiguous cliffhanger endings while still ensuring viewers get the payoff they deserve. The show in question was canceled before it reached its natural conclusion, but its ending still feels well-rounded.

Netflix’s The OA Is A Masterclass In How Cliffhangers Should Be Executed

Almost throughout its runtime, Netflix’s The OA ensures that it does not deliver one fundamental truth through its narrative. Instead, it is more like Christopher Nolan’s Inception in the sense that it prompts viewers to consider many possibilities, making them question everything about a character’s reality, mental state, and memory.

Owing to this approach, even though The OA features a cliffhanger towards the end of both seasons 1 and 2, the two installments feel like standalone stories in their own right.

Despite featuring many supernatural and metaphysical story elements in season 1, The OA keeps reminding viewers that its story also serves as a metaphor for how a traumatic event has shaped a survivor’s sense of perception and memory. This reminder makes one question whether the main character’s experiences were real or simply a coping mechanism born out of trauma.

By carefully blurring the lines between fantasy and reality, The OA prompts viewers to question whether its ending arcs in both seasons 1 and 2 are mere metaphors for the end of a character’s journey or the beginning of something even more exciting. This gives viewers enough room to discuss and speculate while ensuring they are not left in the dark.

Six Years After Its Cancellation, There Is Still A Demand For The OA’s Season 3

Considering how layered and well-crafted The OA‘s storytelling is, it is not surprising that many still demand its return. As reports suggest, Netflix had given its showrunners, Brit Marling and Zal Batmanglij, the opportunity to end its run with a conclusive movie. However, the two creators had envisioned five seasons for the series and refused to settle for anything less.

Six years after its release, Marling and Batmanglij also seemingly hope that the show will get to return someday, and even its cast remains optimistic about its future. While it is hard to say anything certain about The OA‘s potential future, the Netflix show has a solid cult following, which could eventually pave the way for its revival.

Regardless of what the future holds for Netflix‘s The OA, though, it deserves to be on every sci-fi fan’s watch list. The series is one of the unique additions to the genre and, despite not being given the opportunity to reach its natural conclusion, it closes with a brilliantly circular ending.