What Is A Cliffhanger?

A cliffhanger is a plot device used in serialized books, film and television shows designed to leave readers and viewers in suspense so that they come back for the next installment.

While some historians believe that the term comes from the short film serials that were popular during the first half of the 20th century and typically ended with the main character hanging over a cliff, trapped in a burning building, or in some other shocking and dangerous situation only to return the following week unharmed, others believe that the term was inspired by a chapter in Thomas Hardy’s 1873 novel A Pair of Blue Eyes in which one of the characters is left literally hanging off of a cliff.

In modern filmmaking, cliffhangers can be used as a signal that a sequel is coming. In television, they are often used in soap operas and dramas to keep viewers engaged.

For many decades, American television shows refused to incorporate cliffhangers into their format because they liked having the flexibility to air episodes out of order, which is difficult to do with cliffhangers. This changed in 1980 when Dallas, an American prime time television soap opera, ended its third season with one of the most famous cliffhangers in history – the mystery of “Who shot J.R.?”

It was estimated that 83 million people watched the episode, making it the highest rated television episode in U.S. history at the time. It became a global phenomenon and more than 350 million people tuned in to find out who shot J.R. Its success inspired the practice of using cliffhangers to end television seasons, and they also became a way to leave open the possibility of a character not returning for the rest of the series.

For more about the history of cliffhangers in film and television, check out this informative piece below:

“The History of Cliffhangers in Film & TV | That Looks Familiar” by io9

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