5 Stages Of Grieving After Finishing The Show You Binge-Watched

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The finale of a TV show is an emotional experience. There might be laughter, tears, shaking fists at the sky and shouting: “WHY GOD??! WHY?????” And now, with all the instant viewing available, it’s easier than ever to binge on a show until the inevitable end. And then, the true grieving process begins.

1. Denial

This can’t be the end. It just can’t be. You frantically start Googling “reunion rumors” and search the deep recesses of the internet for hints of a spin-off movie. You even try to read some poorly written fanfic because it provides some false sense of continuation. You might even wake up in a cold sweat one night — maybe there’s another episode and you just somehow missed it?!?! Nope. Seen those. Yes, seen those. WAIT, HAVE YOU SEEN THIS ONE? Oh yeah. Definitely. But hope isn’t lost yet. Which network can you contact to save your precious baby?! Surely they will listen to you. It doesn’t matter that it’s been off the air for 10 years, SOMETHING MUST BE DONE! It’s not over. Do you hear us?! It’s. Not. Over.

2. Anger

Okay, so it’s over. And nothing in this world seems fair or right. Was this some secret plan all along? Get you invested in characters. Grow to love and care for them as if they were FAMILY. You plan days around them. They are a light at the end of a tunnel — a comfort after a tough day. You can sit on that orange couch or go kick some demonic ass with the Scoobie gang. You can throw on a pair of scrubs and save lives together or drink cups of coffee and stroll through Stars Hollow. I mean, really, you’ve been through so much together. And now that’s all just taken away? Doesn’t the world have enough pain and torment?! WHY TAKE AWAY THIS ONE THING YOU LOVED MORE THAN LIKE, IDK, ANY OTHER TV SHOW (at the moment)??!? WHY GOD? WHYYYYYYY? And oh man, if the show was canceled? You’re writing scathing letters to the powers-that-be who destroyed your last glimmer of happiness.

3. Bargaining

You start to question everything. Did you watch the show too quickly? You should have spaced out the episodes better. You were foolish! Impulsive! If you could take it back, you totally would. You would allocate your time better! Only one episode a night, you swear. Well, probably. If only you could change it. You would, oh, you would.

4. Depression

Why does your bed look so lumpy and human shaped? Oh, because you’re in it, under a sea of blankets and pillows, lifelessly searching for a new show on Netflix. But what’s the point? The same vicious cycle will start again. You close your laptop and for the first time really feel the weird enormity of it. You lost something. Are you allowed to call in and take time off work? Because you basically lost a family member. Probably a ton of them. Like a whole cast of family members. You should get AT LEAST a week off to process. To cry. To mourn. To continue avoiding your real life problems by binging on a TV show.

5. Acceptance

What you had with that TV show was real, you know? And it will always hold a special place in your heart. But you have to move on. You have to keep living. You know, that’s what those characters would want. Plus, you just discovered a new TV show to start, sooooooo.