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The two main ways for cliffhangers to keep readers/viewers coming back is to either involve characters in a suspenseful, possibly life-threatening situation, or to feature a sudden shocking revelation. Cliffhangers are also used to leave open the possibility of a character being killed off due to the
1121:
This is the plot device known as the cliffhanger, a word whose putative origins lie not in pulp fiction but in a lesser-known Thomas Hardy novel, "A Pair of Blue Eyes." In the relevant scene, a man named Henry Knight is strolling with his love interest along the cliffs of
Cornwall when his hat blows
673:
ended in 1986 with a dramatic cliffhanger in anticipation of a second season. However, the network chose not to renew the show and so a hastily filmed five-minute "conclusion" was filmed and added on to the end of existing final episode to provide closure. Some shows, however, became known for never
255:
With each new instalment widely anticipated with its cliffhanger ending, Dickensâ audience was enormous (his instalment format was also much more affordable and accessible to the masses, with the audience more evenly distributed across income levels than previous). The popularity of
Dickens's serial
783:
deliberately introduced a cliffhanger missing from the original. While Greene's book ended with the protagonists definitely choosing the adventurous and rather shady life of smugglers in
Paraguay and closing off other options for their future, at the conclusion of the Cukor film a character is seen
532:. The next episode quickly resolved the heroes from each supervillain's trap. A few triple episodes had double cliffhangers. The 1969 British film "The Italian Job," starring Michael Caine and Noel Coward, ended literally in a cliffhanger, with the villains' coach hanging precariously over a cliff.
752:
ends with a deliberate cliffhanger, with the protagonist and main villain involved in a life-and-death chase on the arctic ice off
Greenland - and in this case, the author has no intention of ever writing a sequel, the ambiguous ending being part and parcel of the basic ideas permeating the book's
565:
in 1985, which fueled speculation throughout the summer months regarding who lived or died when almost all the characters attended a wedding in the country of
Moldavia, only to have revolutionaries topple the government and machine-gun the entire wedding party. Other primetime soap operas, such as
470:
was written in a serialised format that usually ended each episode within a serial on a cliffhanger. In the first few years of the show, the final episodes of each serial would have a cliffhanger that would lead into the next serial. The programme's cliffhangers sometimes caused controversy, most
713:
The cliffhanger has become a genre staple (especially in comics, due to the multi-part storylines becoming the norm instead of self-contained stories) to such a degree, in fact, that series writers no longer feel they have to be immediately resolved, or even referenced, when the next episode is
739:
Sometimes a film, book, or season of a television show will end with the defeat of the main villain before a second, evidently more powerful villain makes a brief appearance (becoming the villain of the next film). Occasionally an element other than a villain is also used to tease at a sequel.
74:
which features a main character in a precarious or difficult dilemma or confronted with a shocking revelation at the end of an episode or a film of serialized fiction. A cliffhanger is hoped to incentivize the audience to return to see how the characters resolve the dilemma.
731:
because some sort of incompleteness or minor cliffhanger should be provided before each to stop the viewer from changing channels during the commercial break. Sometimes a series ends with an unintended cliffhanger caused by a very abrupt ending without a satisfactory
648:
Cliffhangers are also sometimes deliberately inserted by writers who are uncertain whether a new series or season will be commissioned, in the hope that viewers will demand to know how the situation is resolved. Such was the case with the second season of
720:
has become notorious for cliffhangers. Not only do the seasons conclude with cliffhangers, but almost every episode finishes at a cliffhanger directly after or during a highly dramatic moment, much like the primetime soap operas of the 1980s and 90s.
544:
was the first US primetime television programme to utilise the end-of-season cliffhanger, at the end of its first season in 1978. Cliffhangers then went on to become a staple of
American primetime soap operas; the phenomenal success of the 1980
519:(1978â1981), employed end-of-season cliffhangers for each of the four seasons the series was on air, most notably for its final episode in 1981 in which the whole of the main cast are seemingly killed. The final cliffhanger was never resolved.
244:(2015) writes, "It inspired a narrative that Dickens would explore and develop throughout his career. The instalments would typically culminate at a point in the plot that created reader anticipation and thus reader demand, generating a
635:'s life was left in jeopardy after he was frozen and taken away by a bounty hunter. These plotlines were left unresolved until the next film in the series, which was released three years later. The first two films in the
1070:
1122:
off. He chases after it, one thing leads to another, and soon he is dangling from a sheer wall of rock, nothing beneath him but six hundred feet of air terminating in the fanged and foaming surface of the ocean.
655:, which ended in a cliffhanger similar to the first season with a high degree of uncertainty about the fate of the protagonist, but the cliffhanger could not save the show from being canceled, resulting in the
559:" fourth-season episode that finally solved the mystery, contributed to the cliffhanger becoming a common storytelling device on American television. Another notable cliffhanger was the "Moldavian Massacre" on
485:, her reasoning being that children would not know if the Doctor survived until the following week and that they would "have this strong image in their minds" during all that time. The producer of
481:. Whitehouse objected to the violence of the scene (the Doctor's head is held underwater in an attempt to drown him). She often cited it in interviews as one of the most frightening scenes in
694:, all ended with unresolved cliffhangers. On occasion, TV series are given the opportunity to resolve their end-of-series cliffhangers at a later date; examples include the 1999-2003 series,
1517:
114:, a pioneer of the serial publication of narrative fiction. Following the enormous success of Dickens, by the 1860s cliffhanger endings had become a staple part of the sensation serials.
1022:
256:
publications saw the cliffhanger become a staple part of the sensation serials by the 1860s. Dickens's influence can also be seen in television soap operas and film series, with
767:
timelines and whether he ever got back to his home and his beloved, nor whether the war which takes a large part of the plot ended in victory for the Good Guys or the Bad Guys.
1423:
1062:
1598:
588:
would often incorporate cliffhanger season endings, largely (in its earlier years) to increase interest in the on-and-off relationship between its two lead characters,
592:. These cliffhangers did not place the characters in peril of any kind, but rather left their relationship (which was at the core of the show) hanging in the balance.
1724:
210:
In 1841, Dickens fanboys rioted on the dock of New York Harbor, as they waited for a
British ship carrying the next installment, screaming, "Is little Nell dead?"
1674:
667:
also ended in similar fashion, though all three shows would return years later in some form or other to resolve these storylines. The
Australian soap opera
260:
stating "the DNA of
Dickens's busy, episodic storytelling, delivered in instalments and rife with cliffhangers and diversions, is traceable in everything."
714:
shown, variously because the writer didn't feel it was "a strong enough opener," or simply "couldn't be bothered." The heavily serialized television drama
535:
Cliffhangers were rare on
American primetime television before 1980, as television networks preferred the flexibility of airing episodes in any order. The
1554:
141:
1509:
578:, also employed dramatic end-of-season cliffhangers on an annual basis. Sitcoms also utilised the cliffhanger device. As well as the aforementioned
1108:
405:, ended each year with a major and much publicized catastrophe, such as a character being shot in the final seconds of the year's closing episode.
763:
ends with a deliberate and permanent cliffhanger: readers are not to be ever told where the protagonist ended up in his wandering the "forest" of
1482:
1404:
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for 1,001 nights, with each night ending on a cliffhanger in order to save herself from execution. Some medieval Chinese ballads like the
420:, Japanese manga are much more frequently written with cliffhangers, often with each volume or issue. This is particularly the case with
1370:
1143:
1002:
William Heath's Glasgow Looking Glass was a pioneering publication which is said to have coined the phrase " . . . to be continued".
2769:
611:), though these tended to be resolved with the next installment the following week. A longer term cliffhanger was employed in the
1580:
2452:
1342:
1424:"Philip Hinchcliffe on producing Doctor Who, Tom Baker, special effects, Russell T Davies, Big Finish audio plays & moreâŠ"
1224:
1193:
1620:
710:
1991 cliffhanger, which was resolved 26 years later when a sequel to the series (considered a third season) aired in 2017.
1781:
351:
50:
356:, a serial which helped popularize the term "cliffhanger". In them, the serial would often end suddenly leaving actress
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literally hanging from a cliff, seemingly by choice, which has been described as "the most ludicrous ever presented in
1670:
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2435:
1314:
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935:
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700:, which was cancelled after a cliffhanger ending, but which was able to resolve it in a later follow-up miniseries,
180:
38:
214:
3101:
196:. Printed episodically in magazines, Dickens's cliffhangers triggered desperation in his readers. Writing in the
17:
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between September 1872 and July 1873) in which Henry Knight, one of the protagonists, is left hanging off a
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31:
457:
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132:
99:
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526:, âSame bat-time, same bat-channelâ encouraged viewers to tune in the next night for 120 episodes of
327:
157:
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2250:
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595:
Cliffhanger endings in films date back to the early 20th century, and were prominently used in the
561:
1748:
Vincent Fröhlich: Der Cliffhanger und die serielle Narration. Bielefeld: Transcript Verlag, 2015.
870:
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619:
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200:, Emily Nussbaum captured the anticipation of those waiting for the next installment of Dickens'
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2014:
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Cliffhangers became prominent with the serial publication of narrative fiction, pioneered by
1472:
In the final season, it was on once a week, so viewers had to wait until the following week.
1185:
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952:
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1982:
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8:
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1994:
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series end in cliffhangers, with the first displaying the "to be continued" title card.
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1999:
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The term "cliffhanger" is considered to have originated with the serialised version of
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477:(1976), which was altered for future broadcasts following a complaint from campaigner
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1343:"Doctor Who producer reveals story behind the show's most controversial cliffhanger"
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1967:
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1136:"Thomas Hardy's A Pair of Blue Eyes As a Cliffhanger with a Post-Darwinian Message"
802:
724:
540:
417:
245:
2037:
1483:"The Most Horrifying is Yet to Come! 5 Insane Cliffhangers from the 1960's Batman"
784:
tossing a coin whose fall would determine their next move, and the film ends on a
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ending on a cliffhanger each night. Cliffhangers appeared as an element of the
87:
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2009:
2004:
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1621:"Movie Legends Revealed: Was 'Back to the Future' Always 'To Be Continued'?"
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were frequently used as film locations. The most notable of these films was
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2019:
1960:
1905:
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770:
728:
568:
515:
347:
325:. The first film serial designed around the cliffhanger device was 1913's
318:
269:
186:
137:
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pioneered the use of the phrase 'To Be Continued' in its serials in 1825.
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Cliffhangers were especially popular from the 1910s through to the 1930s
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ended each chapter on a cliffhanger to keep the audience in suspense.
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1955:
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1697:"One of the IT Crowd | Manchester Evening News - menmedia.co.uk"
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78:
Some serials end with the caveat, "To Be Continued" or "The End?" In
1972:
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Cliffhangers were used as literary devices in several works of the
93:
Cliffhangers were used as literary devices in several works of the
44:
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2551:
2546:
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was shown in bi-weekly installments and ended with a cliffhanger.
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2717:
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2185:
1944:
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536:
234:
On Dickensâ instalment format and cliffhangersâfirst seen with
110:
that emerged in the 1840s, with many associating the form with
505:(1987), is notable for having a cliffhanger that involved the
230:, 1860. The advert displays the plot device "to be continued".
2974:
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as an influence for its use of cliffhangers. A later serial,
413:
409:
285:
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2507:
1868:
1015:"Cliffhangers poised to make Dickens a serial winner again"
1510:"TELEVISION; When J. R. Was Shot The Cliffhanger Was Born"
896:
Charles Dickens's Networks: Public Transport and the Novel
1242:
Verdon, Joan "A hike back in time to era of silent film"
1671:"âŠand we like tramps! « Why, That\'s Delightful!"
252:
motif that would come to typify the novel structure."
37:"To be continued" redirects here. For other uses, see
1673:. Whythatsdelightful.wordpress.com. 5 December 2008.
1405:"The Deadly Assassin: Doctor Who classic episode #8"
1585:: 10 ways it's the perfect sequel to the original
1175:
1049:The Cambridge Companion to the History of the Book
674:being resolved. In addition to the aforementioned
242:The Cambridge Companion to the History of the Book
3068:
86:, the following episode sometimes begins with a
1721:"'True Blood' Finale Sets Up More Cliffhangers"
1501:
871:"The curious staying power of the cliffhanger"
788:as the characters await the fall of the coin.
1775:
1574:
1572:
1507:
1368:
923:
292:, the term's first use in print was in 1937.
1209:Lahue, Kalten C. "1. A Bolt From The Blue".
1225:"Getting a Close-Up of the Silent-Film Era"
513:". Another British science fiction series,
408:Cliffhangers are commonly used in Japanese
360:'s Pauline character hanging from a cliff.
1782:
1768:
1569:
1182:Serials: Suspense and Drama By Installment
955:The Columbia History of Chinese Literature
890:
888:
387:, which went off air over summer, such as
224:serialised in the British weekly magazine
1184:. University of Oklahoma Press. pp.
1063:"Streaming: the best Dickens adaptations"
1051:. Cambridge University Press. p. 85.
1042:
1040:
985:"'World's first comic' is up for auction"
898:. p. 54. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
865:
863:
861:
833:
1694:
1578:
837:Encyclopedia of the Literature of Empire
821:Some are placed before commercial breaks
213:
175:
43:
1538:
1340:
1312:
1257:
1173:
1167:
906:
904:
885:
829:
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645:actor not continuing to play the role.
290:Historical Dictionary of American Slang
14:
3069:
2453:Types of fiction with multiple endings
1421:
1402:
1202:
1091:
1046:
1037:
959:. Columbia University Press. pp.
927:Gender in History: Global Perspectives
858:
1763:
1127:
1073:from the original on 3 September 2021
1025:from the original on 3 September 2021
930:. John Wiley & Sons. p. 86.
881:from the original on 1 December 2017.
549:" third season-ending cliffhanger of
342:was a center of film production, the
1146:from the original on 2 February 2017
1133:
950:
901:
824:
659:ending. The final episodes of soaps
171:
1422:Mellor, Louisa (3 September 2013).
1261:Dragon Ball Z: Super Sonic Warriors
24:
1601:from the original on July 11, 2021
1543:Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back
25:
3113:
2856:Third-person omniscient narrative
1557:from the original on May 25, 2021
1545:can still be felt after 40 years"
1520:from the original on May 11, 2013
1315:"Top 10: DOCTOR WHO Cliffhangers"
1313:McNally, Neil (14 October 2013).
1208:
1174:Stedman, Raymond William (1971).
1111:from the original on May 20, 2024
1341:Jeffery, Morgan (27 June 2018).
924:Wiesner-Hanks, Merry E. (2011).
912:Serialization in Popular Culture
424:, especially those published by
288:. According to the Random House
1727:from the original on 2012-10-20
1713:
1688:
1677:from the original on 2012-03-24
1663:
1652:from the original on 2013-03-11
1638:
1613:
1579:Sherlock, Ben (June 28, 2021).
1539:Snowden, Scott (June 4, 2020).
1532:
1475:
1466:
1441:
1415:
1396:
1375:. Manchester University Press.
1362:
1334:
1306:
1302:. Adweek L.P.: 79 January 2006.
1282:
1251:
1236:
1217:
1158:
1085:
1055:
493:, cited the 1950s radio serial
368:Cliffhangers are often used in
363:
295:
2244:Conflict between good and evil
1646:"The IT Crowd: Tramps Like Us"
1007:
977:
944:
917:
894:Grossman, Jonathan H. (2012).
834:Snodgrass, Mary Ellen (2009).
815:
703:Farscape: The Peacekeeper Wars
13:
1:
1789:
808:
757:'s science fiction novelette
590:Sam Malone and Diane Chambers
300:
1508:Meisler, Andy (1995-05-07).
1403:Martin, Dan (14 June 2013).
798:Back-to-back film production
321:later primarily occupied by
263:
161:, founded by English artist
155:The Scottish comic magazine
32:Cliffhanger (disambiguation)
7:
1723:. Buddytv.com. 2009-09-14.
791:
684:, the original 1984 series
627:made a shock revelation to
448:and the origin show of the
150:Liu chih-yuan chu-kung-tiao
133:One Thousand and One Nights
100:One Thousand and One Nights
27:Plot device used in fiction
10:
3118:
678:, the supernatural series
582:, the long-running sitcom
416:. In contrast to American
117:
36:
29:
2919:
2891:
2883:Stream of unconsciousness
2826:
2570:
2461:
2414:Falling action/Catastasis
2359:
2264:
2199:
2122:
1934:
1797:
1098:"The Secrets of Suspense"
522:From 1966 to 1968 and in
464:During its original run,
328:The Adventures of Kathlyn
240:in 1836âLeslie Howsam in
158:The Glasgow Looking Glass
2251:Self-fulfilling prophecy
1742:
1177:"1. Drama by Instalment"
951:Mair, Victor H. (2001).
773:, when adapting in 1972
458:JoJo's Bizarre Adventure
346:facing New York and the
278:(which was published in
2878:Stream of consciousness
2341:Suspension of disbelief
1701:Manchester Evening News
1695:Ben Falk (2007-08-24).
1583:The Empire Strikes Back
1047:Howsam, Leslie (2015).
706:and the aforementioned
620:The Empire Strikes Back
338:During the 1910s, when
182:Dickens and Little Nell
3102:Television terminology
2419:Denouement/Catastrophe
2400:Rising action/Epitasis
1369:Dave Rolinson (2011).
1290:"Brandweek, Volume 47"
1258:Mylonas, Eric (2004).
749:Smilla's Sense of Snow
599:of the 1930s (such as
471:notably Part Three of
231:
212:
203:The Old Curiosity Shop
189:
55:
2765:Utopian and dystopian
727:can be a nuisance to
524:broadcast syndication
353:The Perils of Pauline
217:
208:
179:
48:The 1914 film serial
47:
2319:Narrative techniques
2099:Story within a story
1911:Supporting character
1245:Bergen County Record
1164:1994 edition, p. 433
877:. 28 November 2017.
780:Travels with My Aunt
340:Fort Lee, New Jersey
317:filled the cultural
30:For other uses, see
3024:Political narrative
2866:Unreliable narrator
2723:Speculative fiction
2431:Nonlinear narrative
2379:Three-act structure
2239:Deal with the Devil
1648:. Noise to Signal.
1211:Continued Next Week
1134:Diniejko, Andrzej.
910:Allen, Rob (2014).
842:Infobase Publishing
474:The Deadly Assassin
383:Several Australian
275:A Pair of Blue Eyes
237:The Pickwick Papers
3002:Narrative paradigm
2997:Narrative identity
2927:Dominant narrative
2873:Multiple narrators
2157:Fictional location
2000:Dramatic structure
1514:The New York Times
1230:The New York Times
914:. p. 41. Routledge
760:The Forest of Time
638:Back to the Future
496:Journey into Space
491:Philip Hinchcliffe
427:Weekly ShĆnen Jump
396:The Restless Years
281:Tinsley's Magazine
232:
227:All the Year Round
221:Great Expectations
218:Advertisement for
190:
64:cliffhanger ending
56:
3064:
3063:
3007:Narrative therapy
2441:television series
2386:Freytag's Pyramid
2229:Moral development
2132:Alternate history
1842:False protagonist
1233:(August 15, 2013)
1195:978-0-8061-0927-5
1140:The Victorian Web
786:freeze frame shot
765:alternate history
753:plot. Similarly,
725:Commercial breaks
370:television series
172:Victorian serials
142:series of stories
84:television series
51:Perils of Pauline
16:(Redirected from
3109:
3097:Plot (narrative)
3077:1930s neologisms
2987:Literary science
2530:Narrative poetry
2426:Linear narrative
2336:Stylistic device
2331:Show, don't tell
2294:Figure of speech
2084:Shaggy dog story
1827:Characterization
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1562:
1536:
1530:
1529:
1527:
1525:
1505:
1499:
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1479:
1473:
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1464:
1463:
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1459:
1445:
1439:
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1434:
1419:
1413:
1412:
1400:
1394:
1393:
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1389:
1366:
1360:
1359:
1357:
1355:
1338:
1332:
1331:
1329:
1327:
1310:
1304:
1303:
1286:
1280:
1279:
1255:
1249:
1240:
1234:
1221:
1215:
1214:
1206:
1200:
1199:
1179:
1171:
1165:
1162:
1156:
1155:
1153:
1151:
1131:
1125:
1124:
1118:
1116:
1100:
1095:(May 20, 2024).
1089:
1083:
1082:
1080:
1078:
1059:
1053:
1052:
1044:
1035:
1034:
1032:
1030:
1011:
1005:
1004:
999:
997:
981:
975:
974:
958:
948:
942:
941:
921:
915:
908:
899:
892:
883:
882:
867:
856:
855:
831:
822:
819:
803:Zeigarnik effect
623:(1980) in which
617:film series, in
418:superhero comics
21:
3117:
3116:
3112:
3111:
3110:
3108:
3107:
3106:
3082:Charles Dickens
3067:
3066:
3065:
3060:
2992:Literary theory
2932:Fiction writing
2915:
2887:
2822:
2574:
2566:
2457:
2355:
2260:
2195:
2118:
1989:Deus ex machina
1930:
1916:Title character
1901:Stock character
1847:Focal character
1793:
1788:
1745:
1740:
1739:
1730:
1728:
1719:
1718:
1714:
1705:
1703:
1693:
1689:
1680:
1678:
1669:
1668:
1664:
1655:
1653:
1644:
1643:
1639:
1629:
1627:
1619:
1618:
1614:
1604:
1602:
1577:
1570:
1560:
1558:
1541:"The effect of
1537:
1533:
1523:
1521:
1506:
1502:
1492:
1490:
1481:
1480:
1476:
1471:
1467:
1457:
1455:
1447:
1446:
1442:
1432:
1430:
1420:
1416:
1401:
1397:
1387:
1385:
1383:
1367:
1363:
1353:
1351:
1339:
1335:
1325:
1323:
1311:
1307:
1288:
1287:
1283:
1276:
1256:
1252:
1248:(March 5, 2012)
1241:
1237:
1222:
1218:
1213:. pp. 6â8.
1207:
1203:
1196:
1172:
1168:
1163:
1159:
1149:
1147:
1132:
1128:
1114:
1112:
1093:Schulz, Kathryn
1090:
1086:
1076:
1074:
1061:
1060:
1056:
1045:
1038:
1028:
1026:
1013:
1012:
1008:
995:
993:
983:
982:
978:
971:
949:
945:
938:
922:
918:
909:
902:
893:
886:
869:
868:
859:
852:
844:. p. 292.
832:
825:
820:
816:
811:
794:
479:Mary Whitehouse
450:To be continued
366:
333:Selig Polyscope
303:
298:
266:
194:Charles Dickens
174:
128:Arabic literary
120:
112:Charles Dickens
42:
39:To Be Continued
35:
28:
23:
22:
18:To be continued
15:
12:
11:
5:
3115:
3105:
3104:
3099:
3094:
3089:
3084:
3079:
3062:
3061:
3059:
3058:
3056:Verisimilitude
3053:
3048:
3043:
3038:
3037:
3036:
3026:
3021:
3020:
3019:
3009:
3004:
2999:
2994:
2989:
2984:
2983:
2982:
2972:
2971:
2970:
2961:
2959:Parallel novel
2956:
2955:
2954:
2949:
2944:
2929:
2923:
2921:
2917:
2916:
2914:
2913:
2908:
2903:
2897:
2895:
2889:
2888:
2886:
2885:
2880:
2875:
2870:
2869:
2868:
2863:
2858:
2848:
2843:
2838:
2832:
2830:
2824:
2823:
2821:
2820:
2819:
2818:
2813:
2803:
2802:
2801:
2796:
2791:
2786:
2781:
2780:
2779:
2774:
2773:
2772:
2767:
2762:
2752:
2747:
2742:
2741:
2740:
2730:
2720:
2715:
2710:
2709:
2708:
2703:
2693:
2688:
2683:
2678:
2673:
2668:
2663:
2658:
2653:
2648:
2643:
2638:
2633:
2628:
2623:
2618:
2613:
2608:
2603:
2601:Action fiction
2593:
2588:
2582:
2580:
2568:
2567:
2565:
2564:
2559:
2554:
2549:
2544:
2539:
2538:
2537:
2527:
2522:
2517:
2516:
2515:
2510:
2505:
2500:
2495:
2485:
2480:
2473:
2467:
2465:
2459:
2458:
2456:
2455:
2450:
2445:
2444:
2443:
2438:
2428:
2423:
2422:
2421:
2416:
2411:
2402:
2397:
2383:
2382:
2381:
2376:
2365:
2363:
2357:
2356:
2354:
2353:
2348:
2343:
2338:
2333:
2328:
2327:
2326:
2316:
2311:
2306:
2301:
2296:
2291:
2286:
2281:
2276:
2270:
2268:
2262:
2261:
2259:
2258:
2253:
2248:
2247:
2246:
2241:
2231:
2226:
2221:
2216:
2211:
2205:
2203:
2197:
2196:
2194:
2193:
2188:
2183:
2182:
2181:
2180:
2179:
2169:
2164:
2154:
2149:
2144:
2139:
2134:
2128:
2126:
2120:
2119:
2117:
2116:
2111:
2106:
2101:
2096:
2091:
2086:
2081:
2079:Self-insertion
2076:
2071:
2066:
2064:Poetic justice
2061:
2056:
2051:
2046:
2041:
2034:
2027:
2022:
2017:
2012:
2007:
2002:
1997:
1992:
1985:
1980:
1975:
1970:
1965:
1964:
1963:
1953:
1948:
1940:
1938:
1932:
1931:
1929:
1928:
1923:
1918:
1913:
1908:
1903:
1898:
1893:
1888:
1887:
1886:
1881:
1876:
1866:
1859:
1854:
1849:
1844:
1839:
1834:
1829:
1824:
1822:Character flaw
1819:
1814:
1809:
1803:
1801:
1795:
1794:
1787:
1786:
1779:
1772:
1764:
1758:
1757:
1754:978-3837629767
1744:
1741:
1738:
1737:
1712:
1687:
1662:
1637:
1612:
1568:
1531:
1500:
1489:. 18 July 2012
1474:
1465:
1440:
1414:
1395:
1382:978-0719068317
1381:
1361:
1333:
1305:
1281:
1274:
1250:
1235:
1216:
1201:
1194:
1166:
1157:
1126:
1104:The New Yorker
1084:
1054:
1036:
1006:
976:
969:
943:
936:
916:
900:
884:
875:The New Yorker
857:
851:978-1438119069
850:
823:
813:
812:
810:
807:
806:
805:
800:
793:
790:
729:script writers
670:Return To Eden
629:Luke Skywalker
547:Who shot J.R.?
507:Seventh Doctor
365:
362:
315:movie theaters
302:
299:
297:
294:
265:
262:
173:
170:
119:
116:
88:recap sequence
26:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
3114:
3103:
3100:
3098:
3095:
3093:
3090:
3088:
3085:
3083:
3080:
3078:
3075:
3074:
3072:
3057:
3054:
3052:
3049:
3047:
3044:
3042:
3041:Screenwriting
3039:
3035:
3032:
3031:
3030:
3027:
3025:
3022:
3018:
3015:
3014:
3013:
3010:
3008:
3005:
3003:
3000:
2998:
2995:
2993:
2990:
2988:
2985:
2981:
2978:
2977:
2976:
2973:
2969:
2965:
2962:
2960:
2957:
2953:
2950:
2948:
2945:
2943:
2940:
2939:
2938:
2935:
2934:
2933:
2930:
2928:
2925:
2924:
2922:
2918:
2912:
2909:
2907:
2904:
2902:
2899:
2898:
2896:
2894:
2890:
2884:
2881:
2879:
2876:
2874:
2871:
2867:
2864:
2862:
2859:
2857:
2854:
2853:
2852:
2849:
2847:
2846:Second-person
2844:
2842:
2839:
2837:
2834:
2833:
2831:
2829:
2825:
2817:
2814:
2812:
2809:
2808:
2807:
2804:
2800:
2797:
2795:
2792:
2790:
2787:
2785:
2782:
2778:
2775:
2771:
2768:
2766:
2763:
2761:
2758:
2757:
2756:
2753:
2751:
2750:Magic realism
2748:
2746:
2743:
2739:
2736:
2735:
2734:
2731:
2729:
2726:
2725:
2724:
2721:
2719:
2716:
2714:
2711:
2707:
2704:
2702:
2699:
2698:
2697:
2694:
2692:
2689:
2687:
2684:
2682:
2681:Psychological
2679:
2677:
2674:
2672:
2669:
2667:
2664:
2662:
2661:Philosophical
2659:
2657:
2654:
2652:
2649:
2647:
2644:
2642:
2639:
2637:
2634:
2632:
2629:
2627:
2624:
2622:
2619:
2617:
2614:
2612:
2609:
2607:
2604:
2602:
2599:
2598:
2597:
2594:
2592:
2589:
2587:
2586:Autobiography
2584:
2583:
2581:
2578:
2573:
2569:
2563:
2560:
2558:
2555:
2553:
2550:
2548:
2545:
2543:
2540:
2536:
2533:
2532:
2531:
2528:
2526:
2525:Narrative art
2523:
2521:
2518:
2514:
2511:
2509:
2506:
2504:
2501:
2499:
2496:
2494:
2491:
2490:
2489:
2486:
2484:
2483:Flash fiction
2481:
2479:
2478:
2474:
2472:
2469:
2468:
2466:
2464:
2460:
2454:
2451:
2449:
2446:
2442:
2439:
2437:
2434:
2433:
2432:
2429:
2427:
2424:
2420:
2417:
2415:
2412:
2410:
2406:
2403:
2401:
2398:
2396:
2392:
2389:
2388:
2387:
2384:
2380:
2377:
2375:
2374:Act structure
2372:
2371:
2370:
2367:
2366:
2364:
2362:
2358:
2352:
2349:
2347:
2344:
2342:
2339:
2337:
2334:
2332:
2329:
2325:
2322:
2321:
2320:
2317:
2315:
2312:
2310:
2307:
2305:
2302:
2300:
2297:
2295:
2292:
2290:
2287:
2285:
2282:
2280:
2277:
2275:
2272:
2271:
2269:
2267:
2263:
2257:
2254:
2252:
2249:
2245:
2242:
2240:
2237:
2236:
2235:
2232:
2230:
2227:
2225:
2222:
2220:
2217:
2215:
2212:
2210:
2207:
2206:
2204:
2202:
2198:
2192:
2191:Worldbuilding
2189:
2187:
2184:
2178:
2175:
2174:
2173:
2170:
2168:
2165:
2163:
2160:
2159:
2158:
2155:
2153:
2150:
2148:
2145:
2143:
2140:
2138:
2135:
2133:
2130:
2129:
2127:
2125:
2121:
2115:
2112:
2110:
2107:
2105:
2102:
2100:
2097:
2095:
2092:
2090:
2087:
2085:
2082:
2080:
2077:
2075:
2072:
2070:
2067:
2065:
2062:
2060:
2057:
2055:
2052:
2050:
2047:
2045:
2042:
2040:
2039:
2038:KishĆtenketsu
2035:
2033:
2032:
2031:In medias res
2028:
2026:
2023:
2021:
2018:
2016:
2013:
2011:
2010:Foreshadowing
2008:
2006:
2005:Eucatastrophe
2003:
2001:
1998:
1996:
1993:
1991:
1990:
1986:
1984:
1981:
1979:
1976:
1974:
1971:
1969:
1968:Chekhov's gun
1966:
1962:
1959:
1958:
1957:
1954:
1952:
1949:
1947:
1946:
1942:
1941:
1939:
1937:
1933:
1927:
1924:
1922:
1919:
1917:
1914:
1912:
1909:
1907:
1904:
1902:
1899:
1897:
1894:
1892:
1889:
1885:
1882:
1880:
1877:
1875:
1872:
1871:
1870:
1867:
1865:
1864:
1860:
1858:
1857:Gothic double
1855:
1853:
1850:
1848:
1845:
1843:
1840:
1838:
1837:Deuteragonist
1835:
1833:
1830:
1828:
1825:
1823:
1820:
1818:
1817:Character arc
1815:
1813:
1810:
1808:
1805:
1804:
1802:
1800:
1796:
1792:
1785:
1780:
1778:
1773:
1771:
1766:
1765:
1762:
1755:
1751:
1747:
1746:
1726:
1722:
1716:
1702:
1698:
1691:
1676:
1672:
1666:
1651:
1647:
1641:
1626:
1622:
1616:
1600:
1596:
1595:
1590:
1588:
1584:
1575:
1573:
1556:
1552:
1551:
1546:
1544:
1535:
1519:
1515:
1511:
1504:
1488:
1484:
1478:
1469:
1454:
1450:
1444:
1429:
1425:
1418:
1410:
1406:
1399:
1384:
1378:
1374:
1373:
1365:
1350:
1349:
1344:
1337:
1322:
1321:
1316:
1309:
1301:
1297:
1296:
1291:
1285:
1277:
1271:
1268:. p. 3.
1267:
1263:
1262:
1254:
1247:
1246:
1239:
1232:
1231:
1226:
1220:
1212:
1205:
1197:
1191:
1187:
1183:
1178:
1170:
1161:
1145:
1141:
1137:
1130:
1123:
1110:
1106:
1105:
1099:
1094:
1088:
1072:
1068:
1064:
1058:
1050:
1043:
1041:
1024:
1020:
1016:
1010:
1003:
992:
991:
986:
980:
972:
970:9780231109840
966:
962:
957:
956:
947:
939:
937:9781444351729
933:
929:
928:
920:
913:
907:
905:
897:
891:
889:
880:
876:
872:
866:
864:
862:
853:
847:
843:
839:
838:
830:
828:
818:
814:
804:
801:
799:
796:
795:
789:
787:
782:
781:
776:
775:Graham Greene
772:
768:
766:
762:
761:
756:
755:Michael Flynn
751:
750:
745:
741:
737:
735:
730:
726:
722:
719:
718:
711:
709:
705:
704:
699:
698:
693:
689:
688:
683:
682:
677:
672:
671:
666:
662:
658:
654:
653:
646:
642:
640:
639:
634:
630:
626:
622:
621:
616:
615:
610:
609:
604:
603:
598:
593:
591:
587:
586:
581:
577:
576:
575:Knots Landing
571:
570:
564:
563:
558:
554:
553:
548:
543:
542:
538:
533:
531:
530:
525:
520:
518:
517:
512:
508:
504:
503:
498:
497:
492:
489:at the time,
488:
484:
480:
476:
475:
469:
468:
462:
460:
459:
454:
453:Internet meme
451:
447:
446:
441:
440:
435:
434:
429:
428:
423:
419:
415:
411:
406:
404:
403:
398:
397:
392:
391:
386:
381:
379:
375:
372:, especially
371:
361:
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216:
211:
207:
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188:
184:
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169:
167:
164:
163:William Heath
160:
159:
153:
151:
147:
143:
139:
135:
134:
129:
125:
115:
113:
109:
106:
105:Victorian era
102:
101:
96:
91:
89:
85:
81:
76:
73:
69:
65:
61:
53:
52:
46:
40:
33:
19:
3046:Storytelling
2861:Subjectivity
2851:Third-person
2841:First-person
2475:
2284:Comic relief
2036:
2029:
2020:Flashforward
1987:
1977:
1961:Origin story
1943:
1906:Straight man
1861:
1729:. Retrieved
1715:
1704:. Retrieved
1700:
1690:
1679:. Retrieved
1665:
1654:. Retrieved
1640:
1628:. Retrieved
1624:
1615:
1605:November 18,
1603:. Retrieved
1592:
1586:
1582:
1559:. Retrieved
1548:
1542:
1534:
1522:. Retrieved
1513:
1503:
1491:. Retrieved
1486:
1477:
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3017:Metafiction
3012:Narratology
2784:Theological
2676:Pop culture
2557:Short story
2535:Epic poetry
2256:Time travel
2069:Red herring
2054:Plot device
2025:Frame story
1978:Cliffhanger
1921:Tritagonist
1896:Protagonist
1630:5 September
1594:Screen Rant
1428:Den of Geek
1372:Alan Clarke
1348:Digital Spy
1266:Prima Games
1029:3 September
996:19 February
692:2009 remake
625:Darth Vader
608:Buck Rogers
557:Who Done It
555:, and the "
439:Shaman King
433:Dragon Ball
385:soap operas
374:soap operas
358:Pearl White
124:Middle Ages
95:Middle Ages
68:plot device
60:cliffhanger
3071:Categories
2937:Continuity
2806:Nonfiction
2770:Underwater
2666:Picaresque
2641:Historical
2626:Epistolary
2498:Fairy tale
2409:Peripeteia
2391:Exposition
2147:Dreamworld
2089:Stereotype
2059:Plot twist
1807:Antagonist
1731:2012-11-21
1706:2012-11-21
1681:2012-11-21
1656:2012-11-21
1493:16 January
1458:10 October
1453:BBC Online
1433:10 October
1388:10 October
1354:10 October
1326:10 October
1275:0761546758
1150:27 January
1077:3 November
809:References
744:Peter HĂžeg
734:dénouement
717:True Blood
708:Twin Peaks
657:unresolved
652:Twin Peaks
511:Doctor Who
502:Dragonfire
487:Doctor Who
483:Doctor Who
467:Doctor Who
430:, such as
378:game shows
323:television
301:Early film
198:New Yorker
185:statue in
2828:Narration
2777:Superhero
2701:Chivalric
2686:Religious
2671:Political
2606:Adventure
2591:Biography
2513:Tall tale
2361:Structure
2346:Symbolism
2314:Narration
2214:Leitmotif
2142:Crossover
2137:Backstory
2094:Story arc
2044:MacGuffin
2015:Flashback
1956:Backstory
1832:Confidant
1812:Archenemy
1799:Character
1791:Narrative
1587:Star Wars
1550:Space.com
1320:Starburst
1295:Brandweek
1019:The Times
990:The Times
746:'s novel
676:Blake's 7
614:Star Wars
516:Blake's 7
445:One Piece
390:Number 96
264:Etymology
136:involves
3034:Glossary
3029:Rhetoric
2836:Diegesis
2816:Creative
2789:Thriller
2738:Southern
2656:Paranoid
2651:Nautical
2562:Vignette
2520:Gamebook
2488:Folklore
2395:Protasis
2274:Allegory
2219:Metaphor
2177:parallel
2172:universe
2152:Dystopia
2109:Suspense
1995:Dialogue
1983:Conflict
1891:Narrator
1863:Hamartia
1725:Archived
1675:Archived
1650:Archived
1599:Archived
1555:Archived
1524:June 14,
1518:Archived
1144:Archived
1109:Archived
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1023:Archived
879:Archived
792:See also
697:Farscape
690:and its
633:Han Solo
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250:sub-plot
146:ShahryÄr
144:to King
3092:Fiction
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2964:Prequel
2920:Related
2906:Present
2799:Western
2755:Science
2728:Fantasy
2696:Romance
2646:Mystery
2631:Ergodic
2596:Fiction
2552:Parable
2547:Novella
2477:Fabliau
2448:Premise
2299:Imagery
2289:Diction
2167:country
2124:Setting
2104:Subplot
1926:Villain
1879:Byronic
1561:May 26,
1487:tor.com
1115:May 21,
665:Dynasty
562:Dynasty
307:serials
118:History
72:fiction
2968:Sequel
2952:Retcon
2947:Reboot
2911:Future
2745:Horror
2733:Gothic
2718:Satire
2636:Erotic
2503:Legend
2405:Climax
2279:Bathos
2186:Utopia
2074:Reveal
1973:Cliché
1951:Action
1945:Ab ovo
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529:Batman
399:, and
344:cliffs
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2975:Genre
2942:Canon
2893:Tense
2811:Novel
2794:Urban
2706:Prose
2691:Rogue
2616:Crime
2611:Comic
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2471:Drama
2436:films
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