With the exception of the 2000 presidential election between George W. Bush and Al Gore, the outcomes of such elections are rarely cliffhangers, as the president-elect is generally known and announced by the morning after the election. But Hollywood loves a cliffhanger. The modern cliffhanger likely dates back to November 21, 1980, when it was finally revealed “Who shot J.R.?” in the prime time soap series Dallas. The shooting took place on the TV show’s cliffhanger Season 3 finale the previous March.
Today, Hollywood writers regularly seek to leave viewers hanging with an uncertain or mysterious event, thus wanting them to come back for more viewing the following season.
