This TV Show Is a Masterclass On Episode Endings

25 Feb 2026 #writing

TV show are a great source of writing devices.

I’ve been binged watching Slow Horses, season 5. An espionage series in present-day London about a team of problematic MI5 agents, relegated to a forgotten office.

Even though, they’re labeled as poor performers—slow horses—they always end up saving the day.

After watching the first three episodes of season 5, I realized each one has ended in a dramatic way.

The second episode ends with a text message that makes you rush to click on “Next episode.” One of the protagonists, against all odds, is dating a pretty hot woman. Or that’s what he thinks. The text message reveals the girl’s true intention in a “wait, what” moment right at the end of the episode.

It reminded me of one of James Altucher’s writing tricks: start with blood or drama, end with a cliffhanger.