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* ''Series/Forever2014'':
** In "Skinny Dipper", evil immortal Adam goes to some effort to frame protagonist immortal Henry for murder. He also takes steps to ensure that the "real killer" is found by setting up a psychopathic patient as his proxy, and sending this man to attack Henry, who's forced to defend himself and his elderly son Abe. At the end of the episode, Henry sees Adam's real face for the first time, but he's been forced to take a human life for the first time — which is what Adam intended.
** In "Best Foot Forward" the intended murder victim, a dancer, actually survives being kidnapped and having her foot forcefully amputated, but the mastermind of the events that effectively ruined her dancing career in all likelihood will get away with the act. [[spoiler: The mastermind is the dancer herself; she suffers from a degenerative bone disease that would have ended her career anyway, so she arranged for her brother — a trained medic — to stage her kidnapping and to cut off her foot so that she could enjoy the publicity that her "tragedy" would generate rather than fade out when her condition finally prevented her from working.]]
** In "Skinny Dipper", evil immortal Adam goes to some effort to frame protagonist immortal Henry for murder. He also takes steps to ensure that the "real killer" is found by setting up a psychopathic patient as his proxy, and sending this man to attack Henry, who's forced to defend himself and his elderly son Abe. At the end of the episode, Henry sees Adam's real face for the first time, but he's been forced to take a human life for the first time — which is what Adam intended.
** In "Best Foot Forward" the intended murder victim, a dancer, actually survives being kidnapped and having her foot forcefully amputated, but the mastermind of the events that effectively ruined her dancing career in all likelihood will get away with the act. [[spoiler: The mastermind is the dancer herself; she suffers from a degenerative bone disease that would have ended her career anyway, so she arranged for her brother — a trained medic — to stage her kidnapping and to cut off her foot so that she could enjoy the publicity that her "tragedy" would generate rather than fade out when her condition finally prevented her from working.]]
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* ''Series/{{Ahsoka}}'' ends with a basically complete victory for BigBad Grand Admiral Thrawn, who successfully escapes back to the galaxy and leaves most of the main characters marooned on Peridea. The only blemish on his victory is that Ezra Bridger successfully stows away on his Star Destroyer and is able to return with him, enabling him to warn the New Republic of his grand comeback.
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* ''Series/BabylonFive'': The first season ends with the assassination of the Earth Alliance President and inaugeration of his (later revealed to be a fascist tyrant) Vice President, Garibaldi shot in the back and in critical condition, and the Shadows making their first major move by annihilating a Narn colony.
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After rewatching Seinfeld, I felt that a few extra details were needed.
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** The two-part episode "Bottle Deposit" involves Jerry getting his car stolen by Tony, who drives it up to Ohio. Luckily, Kramer and Newman, were also in Ohio, carrying bottles in a mail truck to recycle them for cash, and the former notices it and gives chase. During the chase, Tony throws Elaine's golf clubs(which belonged to John F. Kennedy) at the mail truck, disabling it and allowing him to get away. [[AbortedArc Neither Tony or the car are mentioned afterwards.]]
** {{Exaggerated|Trope}} in the finale. After being arrested for failing to help a man who was being robbed, Jerry, George, Kramer, and Elaine, or the "New York Four" as they've become known as, end up on trial. District Attorney Hoyt, who holds a grudge against the New York Four for some unexplained reason, brings in the gang's past enemies (and frenemies) to testify against them (even though they had ''absolutely nothing'' to do with the New York Four not helping the robbery victim), which eventually convinces Judge Vandelay to convict them for one year in prison. Made even harsher by the fact that the gang's past enemies are all seen happily going about their business during the recess montage.
** {{Exaggerated|Trope}} in the finale. After being arrested for failing to help a man who was being robbed, Jerry, George, Kramer, and Elaine, or the "New York Four" as they've become known as, end up on trial. District Attorney Hoyt, who holds a grudge against the New York Four for some unexplained reason, brings in the gang's past enemies (and frenemies) to testify against them (even though they had ''absolutely nothing'' to do with the New York Four not helping the robbery victim), which eventually convinces Judge Vandelay to convict them for one year in prison. Made even harsher by the fact that the gang's past enemies are all seen happily going about their business during the recess montage.
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** The two-part episode "Bottle Deposit" involves Jerry getting his car stolen by Tony, who drives it up to Ohio. Luckily, Kramer and Newman, were also in Ohio, carrying bottles in a mail truck to recycle them for cash, and the former notices it and gives chase. During the chase, Tony throws Elaine's golf clubs(which belonged to John F. Kennedy) at the mail truck, disabling it and [[KarmaHoudini allowing him to get away. away.]] [[AbortedArc Neither Tony or the car are mentioned afterwards.]]
** {{Exaggerated|Trope}} in the finale. After being arrested for failing to help a man who was being robbed, Jerry, George, Kramer, and Elaine, or the "New York Four" as they've become known as, end up on trial. District Attorney Hoyt, who holds a grudge against the New York Four for some unexplained reason, brings in the gang's past enemies (and frenemies) to testify against them (even though they had ''absolutely nothing'' to do with the New York Four not helping the robbery victim), which eventually convinces Judge Vandelay to convict them for one year in prison. Made even harsher by the fact that the gang's past enemies are all seen happily going about their business during the recessmontage.montage, most notably Newman, as foreshadowed by his bombastic speech earlier in the episode.
** {{Exaggerated|Trope}} in the finale. After being arrested for failing to help a man who was being robbed, Jerry, George, Kramer, and Elaine, or the "New York Four" as they've become known as, end up on trial. District Attorney Hoyt, who holds a grudge against the New York Four for some unexplained reason, brings in the gang's past enemies (and frenemies) to testify against them (even though they had ''absolutely nothing'' to do with the New York Four not helping the robbery victim), which eventually convinces Judge Vandelay to convict them for one year in prison. Made even harsher by the fact that the gang's past enemies are all seen happily going about their business during the recess
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More relevant detail and trope added for Better Call Saul
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* ''Series/BetterCallSaul'' for similar reasons like its parent series ''Series/BreakingBad''. The entire plot arc of the series revolves around a protagonist and other characters committing criminal activity and (largely) getting away with it, evading the law, and centering around the often deadly actions of a powerful Mexican drug cartel and its factions. Of course because the major characters are [[VillainProtagonist criminals]], the show's themes in general tackle questions about degrees of evil and criminality, as the various criminals have a habit of perpetrating violence in one form or another against each other. Unfortunately, in the process, many innocents are caught in the crossfire.
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** A striking example of the way the "sprawling evil" has taken over the region like a virus, spreading across generations and practically swallowing up whole communities powerless to fight back, is seen with the [[BigBad Big Bad]], the cult's High Priest himself. He suffered grisly tortures and wounds as a child, with visible scars that turn out to be important in the developing plot and in the detective investigation. The horrific treatment and indoctrination turned him into a mass-murdering, serial killer monster who preys upon people throughout the state, particularly little girls and young women, and also into a cunning and extremely dangerous opponent to the protagonists, in fact one of the strongest and most frightening antagonists to appear in any live-action TV series of the 2010's. And that's not even the most shocking part. The chief perpetrator of the tortures against the High Priest when he himself was a kid? His own father! It's not something the High Priest has forgotten [[HatesTheirParent much less forgiven]] either, as he takes out his revenge late in the series.
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Breaking Bad with reference to the trope and Black and Gray Morality trope connections
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* ''Series/BreakingBad'''s main plot-lines frequently revolve around this trope in one form or another, since it generally involves hardened (or developing) criminals finding ways to get themselves out of jams and avoid detection and prosecution by legal authorities. After all it's defined by a [[VillainProtagonist Villain Protagonist]] in Walter White (even if he arguably starts more as an [[AntiHero Anti-Hero]]), a label that can also be attached to Mike and many of the other characters. So then in practice, the "bad guys getting away" themes often tend to be more a matter of [[BlackandGrayMorality characters functioning in a criminal and morally ambiguous]] setting, with broader social commentary about the social and financial forces and stresses that brought many of them into the overlapping criminal worlds they inhabit.
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various additions for relevant episodes of listed shows (e.g. for Buffy, Game of Thrones, Star Trek the Next Generation, including subverted cases); grammar
** Another VillainOfTheWeek in the episode "[[Recap/BuffyTheVampireSlayerS6E7OnceMoreWithFeeling Once More With Feeling]]", Sweet, uses mind-control and environment-warping powers to trick the Scoobies into various song-and-dance routines. Despite the apparently fun musical tone of the episode, Sweet turns out to be a powerful and dangerous demon who kidnaps Dawn, torments Xander and tricks Buffy into a spin routine that nearly kills her from combustion (narrowly saved by Spike). It eventually turns out there was confusion about the talisman used to summon him, at which Sweet takes off and sarcastically quips the Scoobies "beat the bad guy" even though he'd bested them at every turn.
** Subverted in "[[Recap/BuffyTheVampireSlayerS5E7FoolForLove Fool For Love]]", when a scrub vampire uses Buffy's own stake to gravely wound her before Riley pulls her to safety. It looks like he gets away with it, before Riley with the team's help later takes personal revenge, tracking the culprit down before staking him and blowing up the hideout of his fellow vampires.
** Subverted in "[[Recap/BuffyTheVampireSlayerS5E7FoolForLove Fool For Love]]", when a scrub vampire uses Buffy's own stake to gravely wound her before Riley pulls her to safety. It looks like he gets away with it, before Riley with the team's help later takes personal revenge, tracking the culprit down before staking him and blowing up the hideout of his fellow vampires.
*** Also subverted when it's revealed that the [=UnSub=] has been convicted and imprisoned for such crimes before and thus closely tracked as a known ex-con on a sex offender registry. Then by late in the episode, his degenerative disease has been compounded by the severe injury he suffered from one of his intended targets, and now being tracked and deprived of crucial medication, he can't get help, with the ending and scattered mentions in later episodes showing that he died a slow and painful death from gangrene and sepsis.
** Gregor Clegane (the Mountain), despised and feared not only for his fighting abilities but also for his torture and atrocities against civilians, also achieves a measure of this in the duel against Oberyn, who gets the edge against Gregor demanding that Gregor admit to his crimes against Oberyn's sister. Gregor uses the opening to kill Oberyn and taunt him with acknowledging of his crimes. However, Gregor is also gravely wounded (and poisoned) by Oberyn's attacks, and in effect [[WasOnceAMan turned into a monstrous, no-longer-human-form]] in Qyburn's experiments, and later taken down by his own brother, so it's debatable how much of a victory he truly had.
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* Some episodes of ''Series/LawAndOrder'' in general have this. For example: In the original series, there is a cute little girl with pigtails who happens to hate boys because of her bad living conditions growing up and eventually kills one. After being examined, the presecution's psychiatrist concludes that she is a [[TheSociopath sociopath]] and is already one step away from becoming a SerialKiller. However, the defense is able to play off the girl's youth and appearance, guilt tripping the judge into not putting her away in a nuthouse, but instead gives her supervised counseling. The final scene shows a little boy being attracted to the girl outside of the courtroom, and the girl smirking, clearly showing that he is her next victim. [=McCoy=] notices this, but lets it go after his efforts to have her put away from society failed and keeps walking.
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* Some episodes of ''Series/LawAndOrder'' in general have this. For example: In the original series, there is a cute little girl with pigtails who happens to hate boys because of her bad living conditions growing up and eventually kills one. After being examined, the presecution's prosecution's psychiatrist concludes that she is a [[TheSociopath sociopath]] and is already one step away from becoming a SerialKiller. However, the defense is able to play off the girl's youth and appearance, guilt tripping the judge into not putting her away in a nuthouse, but instead gives her supervised counseling. The final scene shows a little boy being attracted to the girl outside of the courtroom, and the girl smirking, clearly showing that he is her next victim. [=McCoy=] notices this, but lets it go after his efforts to have her put away from society failed and keeps walking.walking.
** A very similar theme and case with another episode featuring a [[EnfantTerrible scary psychopathic kid]] who commits various acts of violence against his sister and other family members and others around him, and like the girl [[TheSociopath sociopath]] in the other episode, [[BadPeopleAbuseAnimals attacks and tortures animals]], basically a telltale TV trope for a bad or developing-bad person (not to mention a warning of real-life psychopaths). Especially considering his age already, he gets a relative slap-on-the-wrist and will soon be freed with his criminal record expunged. In both cases though, the "bad guy wins" angle is undermined somewhat in that both kids have been warped by abusive situations or harsh circumstances that are ongoing, both have been publicly marked for their crimes and both are still under some form of state supervision and penalty in the juvenile justice system, whether or not adequate to help them (and keep them from committing further crimes).
** A very similar theme and case with another episode featuring a [[EnfantTerrible scary psychopathic kid]] who commits various acts of violence against his sister and other family members and others around him, and like the girl [[TheSociopath sociopath]] in the other episode, [[BadPeopleAbuseAnimals attacks and tortures animals]], basically a telltale TV trope for a bad or developing-bad person (not to mention a warning of real-life psychopaths). Especially considering his age already, he gets a relative slap-on-the-wrist and will soon be freed with his criminal record expunged. In both cases though, the "bad guy wins" angle is undermined somewhat in that both kids have been warped by abusive situations or harsh circumstances that are ongoing, both have been publicly marked for their crimes and both are still under some form of state supervision and penalty in the juvenile justice system, whether or not adequate to help them (and keep them from committing further crimes).
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* ''Series/MortalKombatConquest'': It ends with Shao Kahn killing ''everyone else''. However, this was only because the show was canceled. The planned second season would have revealed that the final episode was, in fact, AllJustADream. Of Shao Kahn's.
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* ''Series/MortalKombatConquest'': It ends with Shao Kahn killing ''everyone else''.else'', even preparing a coup de grace against Raiden. However, this was only because the show was canceled. The planned second season would have revealed that the final episode was, in fact, AllJustADream. Of Shao Kahn's.
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** At least frequently [[LampshadeHanging lampshaded]] with Q, who while not strictly a villain is often a Loki-like mischief-maker who causes a lot of trouble (and sometimes genuine pain and suffering) for Picard and crew. He frequently gets away with his schemes unscathed.
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* ''Series/TrueDetective'': The first season has this in part. The collective antagonist is an especially powerful and terrifying mass cult, with elements of Lovecraftian [[CosmicHorrorStory Cosmic Horror]] in notion of the "sprawl" through which its evil spreads like a virus. Originating in folk practices of 19th-century Louisiana criminal gangs and piracy syndicates (with parallels to real-life cults like Santa Muerte), the cult perpetuates itself with [[NightmareFuel particularly horrible practices]] that become clear with Rust's later investigations, and as illustrated on the wall in his storage room. The cult members abduct many hundreds of women and children throughout the state, from there the boys are subjected to gruesome torture and physical abuse that many don't survive, the ones that do turned into monstrous criminals that serve the cult; the women and girls (teens and mostly pre-teen girls, adding to the horror) are sexually abused and sacrificed in bizarre cult rituals in which the state's power elite, including law enforcement, business and religious leaders and even a Senator, participate. In the last episode, a recovering Rust bitterly points out that most of the top cult members and culprits (many in animal masks on a tape) have yet to be apprehended.
** However somewhat subverted, as pointed out by Marty, in that the cult's high priest has been killed and his lair and shrine (Carcosa and the King in Yellow, from the Ambrose Bierce and Robert Chambers stories) exposed. The cult is therefore on ice, and investigators now have the information and evidence needed to go after the cult members.
** However somewhat subverted, as pointed out by Marty, in that the cult's high priest has been killed and his lair and shrine (Carcosa and the King in Yellow, from the Ambrose Bierce and Robert Chambers stories) exposed. The cult is therefore on ice, and investigators now have the information and evidence needed to go after the cult members.
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** The VillainOfTheWeek of an early episode is an {{Invisibility|invisible}} SerialKiller who starts murdering the popular kids at Sunnydale High. It's eventually revealed that she is a student who was such a social outcast that even Willow and Xander didn't know who she was, and apparently her parents didn't even notice her disappearance. Her extreme feelings of loneliness and isolation, plus the Hellmouth presumably, made her literally invisible to everyone else. The Scoobies defeat her, but as soon as they capture her she is bundled away by TheMenInBlack and taken to a school for invisible kids to be trained as a government assassin. So, the psychotic killer who just wanted to fit in she gets a school full of friends who are just like her and will spend her life killing people without consequences. She got the most unambiguous HappyEnding of any character in the franchise.
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** The VillainOfTheWeek of an early episode is an {{Invisibility|invisible}} [[{{Invisibility}} invisible]] SerialKiller who starts murdering the popular kids at Sunnydale High. It's eventually revealed that she is a student who was such a social outcast that even Willow and Xander didn't know who she was, and apparently her parents didn't even notice her disappearance. Her extreme feelings of loneliness and isolation, plus the Hellmouth presumably, made her literally invisible to everyone else. The Scoobies defeat her, but as soon as they capture her she is bundled away by TheMenInBlack and taken to a school for invisible kids to be trained as a government assassin. So, the psychotic killer who just wanted to fit in she gets a school full of friends who are just like her and will spend her life killing people without consequences. She got the most unambiguous HappyEnding of any character in the franchise.
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** The VillainOfTheWeek of an early episode is an {{Invisibility|invisible}} SerialKiller who starts murdering the popular kids at Sunnydale High. It's eventually revealed that she is a student who was such a social outcast that even Willow and Xander didn't know who she was, and apparently her parents didn't even notice her disappearance. Her extreme feelings of loneliness and isolation, plus the Hellmouth presumably, made her literally invisible to everyone else. The Scoobies defeat her, but as soon as they capture her she is bundled away by TheMenInBlack and taken to a school for invisible kids to be trained as a government assassin. So, the psychotic killer who just wanted to fit in she gets a school full of friends who are just like her and will spend her life killing people without consequences. She got the most unambiguous HappyEnding of any character in the franchise.
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* ''Series/{{Leverage}}'': Sterling Always Wins.
** He's not always the bad guy. In his latest appearance, he is just a concerned father who wants his daughter back. And to prevent terrorists from developing nuclear weapons.
** Really, though, this trope doesn't apply to Sterling entirely because according to WordOfGod, Sterling is actually [[HeroAntagonist the good guy]]. Though still a {{Jerkass}}.
** In fact, John Rogers, the creator invokes HeroAntagonist almost by name several times when referring to Sterling.
** That may be true, but he does have corrupted streaks, such as when he tells Nate and Sophie that the only reason he's bothering to collect evidence before putting them into a secret Interpol prison is because he owes Nate for the last time.
** He's not always the bad guy. In his latest appearance, he is just a concerned father who wants his daughter back. And to prevent terrorists from developing nuclear weapons.
** Really, though, this trope doesn't apply to Sterling entirely because according to WordOfGod, Sterling is actually [[HeroAntagonist the good guy]]. Though still a {{Jerkass}}.
** In fact, John Rogers, the creator invokes HeroAntagonist almost by name several times when referring to Sterling.
** That may be true, but he does have corrupted streaks, such as when he tells Nate and Sophie that the only reason he's bothering to collect evidence before putting them into a secret Interpol prison is because he owes Nate for the last time.
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* ''Series/{{TheGuardiansOfJustice}}'': The traitor Night Hawk outwits the world and turns it into a super-dictatorship with good publicity, killing the members of the Guardians who objected.
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* ''Series/{{TheGuardiansOfJustice}}'': ''Series/{{The Guardians Of Justice}}'': The traitor Night Hawk outwits the world and turns it into a super-dictatorship with good publicity, killing the members of the Guardians who objected.
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* ''Series/StrangerThings'': Season 4 ends with [[BigBad Vecna succeeding in opening a massive gate underneath Hawkins, devastating the town and allowing the [[AnotherDimension Upside-Down]] to start bleeding into reality, paving the way for a full-scale invasion.]]
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* ''Series/StrangerThings'': Season 4 ends with [[BigBad Vecna Vecna]] succeeding in opening a massive gate underneath Hawkins, devastating the town and allowing the [[AnotherDimension Upside-Down]] to start bleeding into reality, paving the way for a full-scale invasion.]]
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* ''Series/TheLordOfTheRingsTheRingsOfPower'': Despite some heavy loses, all of Adar's plans to create a home for the Uruk come to fruition. Orodruin erupts, covering the Southlands in smoke and volcanic ashes, thus creating the homeland he wanted for his "children".
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This page has a spoilers warning. As per Spoilers Off, it shouldn't have spoiler tags then.
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TheBadGuyWins in LiveActionTV.
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* ''Series/TwentyFour'': Season 8 sees the IRK terrorists [[spoiler:fail to smuggle the nuclear rods out the U.S. but succeed -- eventually -- in assassinating President Hassan]]. Then the Russians [[spoiler:succeed in derailing the peace agreement ''with Jack's help'', as it would have been forged in blood and lies]]. In short, the terrorists are 2 for 3, even if most of the IRK and some of the Russians didn't live to see their victory. Furthermore, [[spoiler:Renee Walker]] is dead, Jack [[spoiler:is forced to flee the country]] and the people's faith in their Government takes a severe pounding.
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* ''Series/TwentyFour'': Season 8 sees the IRK terrorists [[spoiler:fail fail to smuggle the nuclear rods out the U.S. but succeed -- eventually -- in assassinating President Hassan]]. Hassan. Then the Russians [[spoiler:succeed succeed in derailing the peace agreement ''with Jack's help'', as it would have been forged in blood and lies]].lies. In short, the terrorists are 2 for 3, even if most of the IRK and some of the Russians didn't live to see their victory. Furthermore, [[spoiler:Renee Walker]] Renee Walker is dead, Jack [[spoiler:is is forced to flee the country]] country and the people's faith in their Government takes a severe pounding.
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** "The Tale of the Chameleons": [[spoiler: A chameleon impersonates one of the protagonists while the girl herself is slowly becoming a chameleon. If either of them get hit with water, they'll be a chameleon forever. The climax has [[SpotTheImposter a game of "Who's the real one" as the other protagonist has to decide who's the real human]]. She blasts one of them with water and throws the chameleon down a well, drowning it.]] All seems well, until [[spoiler:the end of the episode where it's revealed the survivor is the chameleon-disguised-human, and plans to turn the other protagonist and both their families into chameleons as well.]]
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** "The Tale of the Chameleons": [[spoiler: A chameleon impersonates one of the protagonists while the girl herself is slowly becoming a chameleon. If either of them get hit with water, they'll be a chameleon forever. The climax has [[SpotTheImposter a game of "Who's the real one" as the other protagonist has to decide who's the real human]].human. She blasts one of them with water and throws the chameleon down a well, drowning it.]] All seems well, until [[spoiler:the the end of the episode where it's revealed the survivor is the chameleon-disguised-human, and plans to turn the other protagonist and both their families into chameleons as well.]]
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* ''Series/{{Arrow}}'': The conclusion to the first season. TheHero seemingly beats the BigBad and disables his EarthquakeMachine [[spoiler: only to learn that the latter had built a back up which proceeds to level half the city, killing the former's best friend in the process]].
* ''Series/AshVsEvilDead'' ends its first season with Ash [[spoiler: agreeing to Ruby's deal, leaving her to bring all the world's evil under her command in exchange for heading to Jacksonville with Pablo and Kelly in tow. Plus gas money.]] Panicked newscasts on the radio suggests that it is TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt.
* ''Series/{{Atlantis}}'' ends with the main antagonist Pasiphae being revived from the dead and regaining control of Atlantis. She terrorises the city, while our heroes are forced into hiding. At the end, they are about to search for the Golden Fleece, intended to set up a third series based around the story of Jason and the Argonauts - but the show was CutShort, so Pasiphae has still won.
* ''Series/BehindHerEyes'': The series twists and turns, never revealing who the real villain is until the final episodes. [[spoiler: Then, we learn that BodySnatcher Rob is the villain and watch him as he succeeds in doing the same thing to Louise that he did to Adele, even again marrying an unsuspecting and abused David.]]
* ''Series/{{Being Human|UK}}'': In the final episode, [[spoiler: it is heavily implied that the Devil sends our heroes into an idyllic dreamworld in which they defeated him whilst he brings about the apocalypse.]]
* ''Series/AshVsEvilDead'' ends its first season with Ash [[spoiler: agreeing to Ruby's deal, leaving her to bring all the world's evil under her command in exchange for heading to Jacksonville with Pablo and Kelly in tow. Plus gas money.]] Panicked newscasts on the radio suggests that it is TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt.
* ''Series/{{Atlantis}}'' ends with the main antagonist Pasiphae being revived from the dead and regaining control of Atlantis. She terrorises the city, while our heroes are forced into hiding. At the end, they are about to search for the Golden Fleece, intended to set up a third series based around the story of Jason and the Argonauts - but the show was CutShort, so Pasiphae has still won.
* ''Series/BehindHerEyes'': The series twists and turns, never revealing who the real villain is until the final episodes. [[spoiler: Then, we learn that BodySnatcher Rob is the villain and watch him as he succeeds in doing the same thing to Louise that he did to Adele, even again marrying an unsuspecting and abused David.]]
* ''Series/{{Being Human|UK}}'': In the final episode, [[spoiler: it is heavily implied that the Devil sends our heroes into an idyllic dreamworld in which they defeated him whilst he brings about the apocalypse.]]
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* ''Series/{{Arrow}}'': The conclusion to the first season. TheHero seemingly beats the BigBad and disables his EarthquakeMachine [[spoiler: only to learn that the latter had built a back up which proceeds to level half the city, killing the former's best friend in the process]].
process.
* ''Series/AshVsEvilDead'' ends its first season with Ash[[spoiler: agreeing to Ruby's deal, leaving her to bring all the world's evil under her command in exchange for heading to Jacksonville with Pablo and Kelly in tow. Plus gas money.]] Panicked newscasts on the radio suggests that it is TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt.
* ''Series/{{Atlantis}}'' ends with the main antagonist Pasiphae being revived from the dead and regaining control of Atlantis. She terrorises the city, while our heroes are forced into hiding. At the end, they are about to search for the Golden Fleece, intended to set up a third series based around the story of Jason and the Argonauts - but the show was CutShort, so Pasiphae has stillwon.
won.
* ''Series/BehindHerEyes'': The series twists and turns, never revealing who the real villain is until the final episodes.[[spoiler: Then, we learn that BodySnatcher Rob is the villain and watch him as he succeeds in doing the same thing to Louise that he did to Adele, even again marrying an unsuspecting and abused David.]]
David.
* ''Series/{{Being Human|UK}}'': In the final episode,[[spoiler: it is heavily implied that the Devil sends our heroes into an idyllic dreamworld in which they defeated him whilst he brings about the apocalypse.]]
* ''Series/AshVsEvilDead'' ends its first season with Ash
* ''Series/{{Atlantis}}'' ends with the main antagonist Pasiphae being revived from the dead and regaining control of Atlantis. She terrorises the city, while our heroes are forced into hiding. At the end, they are about to search for the Golden Fleece, intended to set up a third series based around the story of Jason and the Argonauts - but the show was CutShort, so Pasiphae has still
* ''Series/BehindHerEyes'': The series twists and turns, never revealing who the real villain is until the final episodes.
* ''Series/{{Being Human|UK}}'': In the final episode,
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** The first series ''starts'' with the bad guy, Henry Tudor having effectively won already. Although he loses the Battle of Bosworth Field in the first episode, he eventually ends up claiming the throne thirteen years later after [[spoiler:Percy accidentally poisons the royal family to death]], then for the real kicker he rewrites the history books to erase Richard IV's reign altogether.
** ''Blackadder II'' ends with Creator/HughLaurie killing everyone.
** ''Blackadder II'' ends with Creator/HughLaurie killing everyone.
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** The first series ''starts'' with the bad guy, Henry Tudor having effectively won already. Although he loses the Battle of Bosworth Field in the first episode, he eventually ends up claiming the throne thirteen years later after [[spoiler:Percy Percy accidentally poisons the royal family to death]], death, then for the real kicker he rewrites the history books to erase Richard IV's reign altogether.
** ''Blackadder II'' ends with Creator/HughLaurie killing everyone.
** ''Blackadder II'' ends with Creator/HughLaurie killing everyone.
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** ''Blackadder Back and Forth'' had the modern incarnation of Blackadder manipulate history via time travel [[spoiler: to become King of the United Kingdom and making Baldrick his Prime Minister.]]
* ''Series/BlakesSeven'' is very close. [[spoiler:The revolutionary leader, Blake, is killed by his ally Avon, it's very, very strongly implied that the other protagonists are killed, all their attempts to defeat the Federation have gone nowhere (except for a few pinpricks), and the BigBad Servalan is still alive and undefeated. The only thing that makes it less than absolutely certain that this is a Bad Guys Win ending, is five of the protagonists ''might'' still be alive, and it's unknown how many rebels, or resistance movements, still exist]].
* ''Series/BlakesSeven'' is very close. [[spoiler:The revolutionary leader, Blake, is killed by his ally Avon, it's very, very strongly implied that the other protagonists are killed, all their attempts to defeat the Federation have gone nowhere (except for a few pinpricks), and the BigBad Servalan is still alive and undefeated. The only thing that makes it less than absolutely certain that this is a Bad Guys Win ending, is five of the protagonists ''might'' still be alive, and it's unknown how many rebels, or resistance movements, still exist]].
to:
** ''Blackadder Back and Forth'' had the modern incarnation of Blackadder manipulate history via time travel [[spoiler: to become King of the United Kingdom and making Baldrick his Prime Minister.]]
Minister.
* ''Series/BlakesSeven'' is very close.[[spoiler:The The revolutionary leader, Blake, is killed by his ally Avon, it's very, very strongly implied that the other protagonists are killed, all their attempts to defeat the Federation have gone nowhere (except for a few pinpricks), and the BigBad Servalan is still alive and undefeated. The only thing that makes it less than absolutely certain that this is a Bad Guys Win ending, is five of the protagonists ''might'' still be alive, and it's unknown how many rebels, or resistance movements, still exist]].exist.
* ''Series/BlakesSeven'' is very close.
Changed line(s) 31 (click to see context) from:
** An episode featured the soon-to-be-executed Howard Epps convinced the heroes to look for evidence of his alleged innocence. [[spoiler: They not only learned that he was guilty of that but also of other murders but, the law required the execution to be delayed because of the recently discovered crimes.]]
to:
** An episode featured the soon-to-be-executed Howard Epps convinced the heroes to look for evidence of his alleged innocence. [[spoiler: They not only learned that he was guilty of that but also of other murders but, the law required the execution to be delayed because of the recently discovered crimes.]]
Changed line(s) 40 (click to see context) from:
** One [=UnSub=] was a child killer and pedophile who spent his life hiking up and down the Appalachian trail and got away completely clean. Though the team refuses to consider it a loss, considering [[spoiler: they got both children back unharmed after the 48-hour mark, rare in stranger abductions, especially since one of his abductees was a girl, who he had no interest in and therefore no reason to keep alive. And even though the end of the episode shows the [=UnSub=] back on the trail, hinting at AndTheAdventureContinues, they've repeatedly pointed out that he's getting old and suffers from chronic pain; he'd already been slowing down in his attacks, and now that the authorities know his name and his face, his chances of another successful abduction are slim-to-none.]]
to:
** One [=UnSub=] was a child killer and pedophile who spent his life hiking up and down the Appalachian trail and got away completely clean. Though the team refuses to consider it a loss, considering [[spoiler: they got both children back unharmed after the 48-hour mark, rare in stranger abductions, especially since one of his abductees was a girl, who he had no interest in and therefore no reason to keep alive. And even though the end of the episode shows the [=UnSub=] back on the trail, hinting at AndTheAdventureContinues, they've repeatedly pointed out that he's getting old and suffers from chronic pain; he'd already been slowing down in his attacks, and now that the authorities know his name and his face, his chances of another successful abduction are slim-to-none.]]
Changed line(s) 46 (click to see context) from:
** The villains also come out on top in [[Recap/DoctorWhoS32E7AGoodManGoesToWar "A Good Man Goes to War"]]: Madame Kovarian manages to trick the Doctor again and kidnap baby Melody, although it's slightly mitigated when [[spoiler:River Song appears and reveals that she is Melody]].
to:
** The villains also come out on top in [[Recap/DoctorWhoS32E7AGoodManGoesToWar "A Good Man Goes to War"]]: Madame Kovarian manages to trick the Doctor again and kidnap baby Melody, although it's slightly mitigated when [[spoiler:River River Song appears and reveals that she is Melody]].Melody.
Changed line(s) 49,50 (click to see context) from:
** The unidentified, unseen BigBad wins in [[Recap/DoctorWhoS35E10FaceTheRaven "Face the Raven"]], as the Doctor is captured and teleported to parts unknown, with his TARDIS stuck in London — and for bonus points, the plot to snare him inadvertently results in his companion Clara Oswald [[spoiler:being KilledOffForReal]]. The villains, [[spoiler:Rassilon and the High Council]], get their comeuppance two episodes later in [[Recap/DoctorWhoS35E12HellBent "Hell Bent"]], but the Doctor's been so broken by his experiences in the intervening [[Recap/DoctorWhoS35E11HeavenSent "Heaven Sent"]] that he becomes TheUnfettered WoobieDestroyerOfWorlds — an AntiVillain [[VillainProtagonist Protagonist]]. Luckily for the space-time continuum, this trope doesn't apply to him and he returns to his best self.
** [[Recap/DoctorWhoS38E8TheHauntingOfVillaDiodati "The Haunting of Villa Diodati"]]: While the Doctor is given the opportunity to TakeAThirdOption after [[spoiler:the Cyberium enters her]], the [[spoiler:Lone Cyberman]] threatens to destroy the Earth if she doesn't hand it over, leaving her with no choice but to do so. There is a glimmer of hope, however, as the Doctor and her companions leave in pursuit of their adversary to hopefully avert the potential damage of this action.
** [[Recap/DoctorWhoS38E8TheHauntingOfVillaDiodati "The Haunting of Villa Diodati"]]: While the Doctor is given the opportunity to TakeAThirdOption after [[spoiler:the Cyberium enters her]], the [[spoiler:Lone Cyberman]] threatens to destroy the Earth if she doesn't hand it over, leaving her with no choice but to do so. There is a glimmer of hope, however, as the Doctor and her companions leave in pursuit of their adversary to hopefully avert the potential damage of this action.
to:
** The unidentified, unseen BigBad wins in [[Recap/DoctorWhoS35E10FaceTheRaven "Face the Raven"]], as the Doctor is captured and teleported to parts unknown, with his TARDIS stuck in London — and --and for bonus points, the plot to snare him inadvertently results in his companion Clara Oswald [[spoiler:being KilledOffForReal]]. being KilledOffForReal. The villains, [[spoiler:Rassilon Rassilon and the High Council]], Council, get their comeuppance two episodes later in [[Recap/DoctorWhoS35E12HellBent "Hell Bent"]], but the Doctor's been so broken by his experiences in the intervening [[Recap/DoctorWhoS35E11HeavenSent "Heaven Sent"]] that he becomes TheUnfettered WoobieDestroyerOfWorlds — -- an AntiVillain [[VillainProtagonist Protagonist]]. Luckily for the space-time continuum, this trope doesn't apply to him and he returns to his best self.
** [[Recap/DoctorWhoS38E8TheHauntingOfVillaDiodati "The Haunting of Villa Diodati"]]: While the Doctor is given the opportunity to TakeAThirdOption after[[spoiler:the the Cyberium enters her]], her, the [[spoiler:Lone Cyberman]] Lone Cyberman threatens to destroy the Earth if she doesn't hand it over, leaving her with no choice but to do so. There is a glimmer of hope, however, as the Doctor and her companions leave in pursuit of their adversary to hopefully avert the potential damage of this action.
** [[Recap/DoctorWhoS38E8TheHauntingOfVillaDiodati "The Haunting of Villa Diodati"]]: While the Doctor is given the opportunity to TakeAThirdOption after
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* ''Series/{{Farscape}}'': Season 2 ends with Scorpius [[spoiler: stealing the part of Crichton's brain with the wormhole knowledge, after his neural clone has killed Aeryn, and Crichton is left to die on a slab on a barren planet]]. Even if it takes Scorpius another season to truly lose, [[spoiler: he still ends up getting his way in the end, after a fashion.]]
to:
* ''Series/{{Farscape}}'': Season 2 ends with Scorpius [[spoiler: stealing the part of Crichton's brain with the wormhole knowledge, after his neural clone has killed Aeryn, and Crichton is left to die on a slab on a barren planet]]. planet. Even if it takes Scorpius another season to truly lose, [[spoiler: he still ends up getting his way in the end, after a fashion.]]
Changed line(s) 58,62 (click to see context) from:
** New Directions not only [[spoiler:fails to beat Vocal Adrenaline at regionals, but they don't even finish in ''second place'' as they get beat out by the other team, Aural Intensity, most likely because their song choice was a blatant act of pandering towards two of the celebrity judges in Olivia Newton-John and Josh Groban (which, in the case of Newton-John, was clearly shown to have been her entire basis for supporting them). The worst part? Sue Sylvester, whom everyone had assumed would have screwed New Directions over as one of the judges, actually ended up ranking them at first and they ''still'' suffered a total defeat.]]
** And in season 2 [[spoiler:our RagtagBunchOfMisfits make it to Nationals - and come in 12th. Vocal Adrenaline finished in the top 10.]]
** In Season 4 [[spoiler:dysfunction and new drama between the new New Directions members leads to new addition Marley passing out while performing during Sectionals, allowing the judges to unanimously declare the Dalton Warblers the winners of Sectionals.]]
** Season 4 episode 'Dynamic Duets' was centered around superheroes and villains, so it shouldn't come as a surprise that this trope is played with [[spoiler:and just barely averted. The Warblers take the New Directions' trophy hostage and are almost successful in convincing Blaine to come back to Dalton by pointing out the fact that Kurt isn't around anymore, tempting him with the guarantee of a Nationals win and telling him they wouldn't give back the New Directions' Nationals Trophy otherwise. Of course, by the end of the episode, Blaine changes his mind and takes back the Nationals Trophy anyway.]]
** And then in the 100th episode, [[spoiler:Sue Sylvester successfully disbands New Directions. The blow is softened a bit as Sue and Will have a drink together and she gives him her respect for having opposed her for so long. She even says she'll miss this.]]
** And in season 2 [[spoiler:our RagtagBunchOfMisfits make it to Nationals - and come in 12th. Vocal Adrenaline finished in the top 10.]]
** In Season 4 [[spoiler:dysfunction and new drama between the new New Directions members leads to new addition Marley passing out while performing during Sectionals, allowing the judges to unanimously declare the Dalton Warblers the winners of Sectionals.]]
** Season 4 episode 'Dynamic Duets' was centered around superheroes and villains, so it shouldn't come as a surprise that this trope is played with [[spoiler:and just barely averted. The Warblers take the New Directions' trophy hostage and are almost successful in convincing Blaine to come back to Dalton by pointing out the fact that Kurt isn't around anymore, tempting him with the guarantee of a Nationals win and telling him they wouldn't give back the New Directions' Nationals Trophy otherwise. Of course, by the end of the episode, Blaine changes his mind and takes back the Nationals Trophy anyway.]]
** And then in the 100th episode, [[spoiler:Sue Sylvester successfully disbands New Directions. The blow is softened a bit as Sue and Will have a drink together and she gives him her respect for having opposed her for so long. She even says she'll miss this.]]
to:
** New Directions not only [[spoiler:fails fails to beat Vocal Adrenaline at regionals, but they don't even finish in ''second place'' as they get beat out by the other team, Aural Intensity, most likely because their song choice was a blatant act of pandering towards two of the celebrity judges in Olivia Newton-John and Josh Groban (which, in the case of Newton-John, was clearly shown to have been her entire basis for supporting them). The worst part? Sue Sylvester, whom everyone had assumed would have screwed New Directions over as one of the judges, actually ended up ranking them at first and they ''still'' suffered a total defeat.]]
defeat.
** And in season 2[[spoiler:our our RagtagBunchOfMisfits make it to Nationals - and come in 12th. Vocal Adrenaline finished in the top 10.]]
10.
** In Season 4[[spoiler:dysfunction dysfunction and new drama between the new New Directions members leads to new addition Marley passing out while performing during Sectionals, allowing the judges to unanimously declare the Dalton Warblers the winners of Sectionals.]]
Sectionals.
** Season 4 episode 'Dynamic Duets' was centered around superheroes and villains, so it shouldn't come as a surprise that this trope is played with[[spoiler:and and just barely averted. The Warblers take the New Directions' trophy hostage and are almost successful in convincing Blaine to come back to Dalton by pointing out the fact that Kurt isn't around anymore, tempting him with the guarantee of a Nationals win and telling him they wouldn't give back the New Directions' Nationals Trophy otherwise. Of course, by the end of the episode, Blaine changes his mind and takes back the Nationals Trophy anyway.]]
anyway.
** And then in the 100th episode,[[spoiler:Sue Sue Sylvester successfully disbands New Directions. The blow is softened a bit as Sue and Will have a drink together and she gives him her respect for having opposed her for so long. She even says she'll miss this.]]
** And in season 2
** In Season 4
** Season 4 episode 'Dynamic Duets' was centered around superheroes and villains, so it shouldn't come as a surprise that this trope is played with
** And then in the 100th episode,
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* ''Series/{{TheGuardiansOfJustice}}'': The traitor [[spoiler:Night Hawk]] outwits the world and turns it into a super-dictatorship with good publicity, killing the members of the Guardians who objected.
* ''Series/{{Hannibal}}'': The first season ends with [[spoiler:Hannibal framing a mentally-compromised Will Graham for all of his murders and having him arrested. The final scene is of Hannibal visiting him in his jail cell and smirking into the camera.]]
** Likewise, the second season ends with [[spoiler:Hannibal making good his escape while everyone who could have opposed him lies on the floor in various pools of blood, although he doesn't seem as happy about it.]]
* ''Series/{{Hannibal}}'': The first season ends with [[spoiler:Hannibal framing a mentally-compromised Will Graham for all of his murders and having him arrested. The final scene is of Hannibal visiting him in his jail cell and smirking into the camera.]]
** Likewise, the second season ends with [[spoiler:Hannibal making good his escape while everyone who could have opposed him lies on the floor in various pools of blood, although he doesn't seem as happy about it.]]
to:
* ''Series/{{TheGuardiansOfJustice}}'': The traitor [[spoiler:Night Hawk]] Night Hawk outwits the world and turns it into a super-dictatorship with good publicity, killing the members of the Guardians who objected.
* ''Series/{{Hannibal}}'': The first season ends with[[spoiler:Hannibal Hannibal framing a mentally-compromised Will Graham for all of his murders and having him arrested. The final scene is of Hannibal visiting him in his jail cell and smirking into the camera.]]
camera.
** Likewise, the second season ends with[[spoiler:Hannibal Hannibal making good his escape while everyone who could have opposed him lies on the floor in various pools of blood, although he doesn't seem as happy about it.]]
* ''Series/{{Hannibal}}'': The first season ends with
** Likewise, the second season ends with
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* ''Series/{{House of Cards|UK}}'' ends with Francis Urquhart killing Mattie and covering up all of his crimes while becoming Prime Minister. ''To Play the King'' ends with the King being forced to abdicate after Urquhart wins a general election. Averted in ''The Final Cut'', as Ian Richardson only agreed to return for a final sequel if the character would get his comeuppance in the end. [[spoiler:He is assassinated before his crimes can be exposed, which is arranged by his wife who gets off scot-free.]]
* ''Series/InspectorMorse'': While Morse eventually apprehends the killer in the episode "The Last Enemy," he doesn't do it until after the killer had achieved everything they had set out to do. What's more, it turns out that [[spoiler:the killer is suffering from an inoperable brain tumour, meaning that even if he lives long enough to see trial, he'll just be acquitted almost immediately via the insanity defence]].
* ''Series/InspectorMorse'': While Morse eventually apprehends the killer in the episode "The Last Enemy," he doesn't do it until after the killer had achieved everything they had set out to do. What's more, it turns out that [[spoiler:the killer is suffering from an inoperable brain tumour, meaning that even if he lives long enough to see trial, he'll just be acquitted almost immediately via the insanity defence]].
to:
* ''Series/{{House of Cards|UK}}'' ends with Francis Urquhart killing Mattie and covering up all of his crimes while becoming Prime Minister. ''To Play the King'' ends with the King being forced to abdicate after Urquhart wins a general election. Averted in ''The Final Cut'', as Ian Richardson only agreed to return for a final sequel if the character would get his comeuppance in the end. [[spoiler:He He is assassinated before his crimes can be exposed, which is arranged by his wife who gets off scot-free.]]
scot-free.
* ''Series/InspectorMorse'': While Morse eventually apprehends the killer in the episode "The Last Enemy," he doesn't do it until after the killer had achieved everything they had set out to do. What's more, it turns out that[[spoiler:the the killer is suffering from an inoperable brain tumour, meaning that even if he lives long enough to see trial, he'll just be acquitted almost immediately via the insanity defence]].defence.
* ''Series/InspectorMorse'': While Morse eventually apprehends the killer in the episode "The Last Enemy," he doesn't do it until after the killer had achieved everything they had set out to do. What's more, it turns out that
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** Unusually for the franchise, this is what ultimately happens in ''Series/KamenRiderBlade''. The villain in question is the [[spoiler: Stone of Sealing]] which ultimately 'desires' the [[spoiler: Battle Fight to continue on its natural course. While Kenzaki does prevent the intended end of the world by becoming himself an Undead, it doesn't ultimately do anything to hinder Stone of Sealing as it literally has all the time in the world for the circumstances that required Kenzaki's sacrifice in the first place to occur once again.]]
to:
** Unusually for the franchise, this is what ultimately happens in ''Series/KamenRiderBlade''. The villain in question is the [[spoiler: Stone of Sealing]] Sealing which ultimately 'desires' the [[spoiler: Battle Fight to continue on its natural course. While Kenzaki does prevent the intended end of the world by becoming himself an Undead, it doesn't ultimately do anything to hinder Stone of Sealing as it literally has all the time in the world for the circumstances that required Kenzaki's sacrifice in the first place to occur once again.]]
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* ''Series/LawAndOrderCriminalIntent'': Any episode with Nicole Wallace, aka [[spoiler: Elizabeth Hitchens]]. You can assume a 50/50 chance of someone else being the villain just because the odds of catching her are so slim.She's always the villain, although sometimes she's not the only one. A notable exception: ''Frame,'' in which [[spoiler: she is killed by Goren's mentor Declan Gage. Then again, Goren never caught her, so there's that.]]
* ''Series/TheLeague'': [[spoiler: Ruxin]] wins season 2. Granted, everyone is a bit of a bastard but he's probably the most villainous of the main cast.
* ''Series/TheLeagueOfGentlemen'': Hilary Briss escapes [[spoiler:although he undergoes a HeelFaceTurn in TheMovie, and RedemptionEqualsDeath]]. Also, Papa Lazarou finally completes his wife collection.
* ''Series/TheLeague'': [[spoiler: Ruxin]] wins season 2. Granted, everyone is a bit of a bastard but he's probably the most villainous of the main cast.
* ''Series/TheLeagueOfGentlemen'': Hilary Briss escapes [[spoiler:although he undergoes a HeelFaceTurn in TheMovie, and RedemptionEqualsDeath]]. Also, Papa Lazarou finally completes his wife collection.
to:
* ''Series/LawAndOrderCriminalIntent'': Any episode with Nicole Wallace, aka [[spoiler: Elizabeth Hitchens]].Hitchens. You can assume a 50/50 chance of someone else being the villain just because the odds of catching her are so slim.She's always the villain, although sometimes she's not the only one. A notable exception: ''Frame,'' in which [[spoiler: she is killed by Goren's mentor Declan Gage. Then again, Goren never caught her, so there's that.]]
that.
* ''Series/TheLeague'':[[spoiler: Ruxin]] Ruxin wins season 2. Granted, everyone is a bit of a bastard but he's probably the most villainous of the main cast.
* ''Series/TheLeagueOfGentlemen'': Hilary Briss escapes[[spoiler:although although he undergoes a HeelFaceTurn in TheMovie, and RedemptionEqualsDeath]].RedemptionEqualsDeath. Also, Papa Lazarou finally completes his wife collection.
* ''Series/TheLeague'':
* ''Series/TheLeagueOfGentlemen'': Hilary Briss escapes
Changed line(s) 81 (click to see context) from:
** He's not always the bad guy. In his latest appearance, he [[spoiler:is just a concerned father who wants his daughter back. And to prevent terrorists from developing nuclear weapons]].
to:
** He's not always the bad guy. In his latest appearance, he [[spoiler:is is just a concerned father who wants his daughter back. And to prevent terrorists from developing nuclear weapons]].weapons.
Changed line(s) 85 (click to see context) from:
* ''Series/{{Lexx}}'': [[spoiler:Mantrid]] succeeds in his goal of destroying the universe (the protagonists survive only by fleeing into a second parallel universe), and [[spoiler:Prince]] ultimately succeeds in destroying [[spoiler:Planet Water]] and freeing himself from [[spoiler:Planet Fire and later Planet Earth]], allowing him to roam the second universe.
to:
* ''Series/{{Lexx}}'': [[spoiler:Mantrid]] Mantrid succeeds in his goal of destroying the universe (the protagonists survive only by fleeing into a second parallel universe), and [[spoiler:Prince]] Prince ultimately succeeds in destroying [[spoiler:Planet Water]] Planet Water and freeing himself from [[spoiler:Planet Planet Fire and later Planet Earth]], Earth, allowing him to roam the second universe.
Changed line(s) 105,107 (click to see context) from:
** [[spoiler: Hester Ulrich]], the last surviving member of the Red Devil killers, not only achieves everything [[spoiler: she]] set out to do, but also manages to successfully frame [[spoiler:Chanel Oberlin and her GirlPosse]] for the killing spree. Granted, [[spoiler:the Chanels]] [[AssholeVictim kind of had it coming]], and [[spoiler:they adapt surprisingly well to life in a psychiatric hospital]].
** Earlier in the season, in the episode "Beware of Young Girls", [[DeanBitterman Cathy Munsch]] manages to [[spoiler:successfully frame a woman named Feather [=McCarthy=] for the murder of her ex-husband, a university professor who cheated on her [[TeacherStudentRomance with Feather]]. The poor girl gets locked up in solitary at the asylum, while Munsch's crime is never revealed.]]
* ''Series/{{Seinfeld}}'':
** Earlier in the season, in the episode "Beware of Young Girls", [[DeanBitterman Cathy Munsch]] manages to [[spoiler:successfully frame a woman named Feather [=McCarthy=] for the murder of her ex-husband, a university professor who cheated on her [[TeacherStudentRomance with Feather]]. The poor girl gets locked up in solitary at the asylum, while Munsch's crime is never revealed.]]
* ''Series/{{Seinfeld}}'':
to:
** [[spoiler: Hester Ulrich]], Ulrich, the last surviving member of the Red Devil killers, not only achieves everything [[spoiler: she]] she set out to do, but also manages to successfully frame [[spoiler:Chanel Chanel Oberlin and her GirlPosse]] GirlPosse for the killing spree. Granted, [[spoiler:the Chanels]] the Chanels [[AssholeVictim kind of had it coming]], and [[spoiler:they they adapt surprisingly well to life in a psychiatric hospital]].
hospital.
** Earlier in the season, in the episode "Beware of Young Girls", [[DeanBitterman Cathy Munsch]] manages to[[spoiler:successfully successfully frame a woman named Feather [=McCarthy=] for the murder of her ex-husband, a university professor who cheated on her [[TeacherStudentRomance with Feather]].Feather. The poor girl gets locked up in solitary at the asylum, while Munsch's crime is never revealed.]]
*''Series/{{Seinfeld}}'': ''Series/{{Seinfeld}}'':
** Earlier in the season, in the episode "Beware of Young Girls", [[DeanBitterman Cathy Munsch]] manages to
*
Changed line(s) 111 (click to see context) from:
* ''Series/{{Shark}}'': There's an episode featuring a serial killer who outmaneuvered prosecution and got a Not Guilty verdict. [[spoiler: Sebastian Stark, the prosecutor, would later have him convicted for the "murder" of a woman who actually killed herself.]]
to:
* ''Series/{{Shark}}'': There's an episode featuring a serial killer who outmaneuvered prosecution and got a Not Guilty verdict. [[spoiler: Sebastian Stark, the prosecutor, would later have him convicted for the "murder" of a woman who actually killed herself.]]
Changed line(s) 120 (click to see context) from:
* ''Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries'': In the alternate timeline from the episode "[[Recap/StarTrekS1E28TheCityOnTheEdgeOfForever The City on the Edge of Forever]]", [[spoiler:Adolf Hitler conquers the world]]. And as if the stakes needed to be any higher, [[FridgeHorror a side effect of Enterprise's Xindi arc]] is that [[spoiler:also in this timeline there is no Jonathan Archer to stop the Sphere Builders]].
to:
* ''Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries'': In the alternate timeline from the episode "[[Recap/StarTrekS1E28TheCityOnTheEdgeOfForever The City on the Edge of Forever]]", [[spoiler:Adolf Adolf Hitler conquers the world]]. world. And as if the stakes needed to be any higher, [[FridgeHorror a side effect of Enterprise's Xindi arc]] is that [[spoiler:also also in this timeline there is no Jonathan Archer to stop the Sphere Builders]].Builders.
Changed line(s) 132 (click to see context) from:
* ''Series/StarTrekEnterprise'' did a BlackAndGrayMorality version of this for its MirrorUniverse episode "[[Recap/StarTrekEnterpriseS04E18InAMirrorDarkly In A Mirror Darkly]]" with everyone being villainous in one way or another. The "heroes" were the Vulcans T'Pol and Soval, made sympathetic in part by their being a conquered people, but T'Pol is shown being rather cruel and manipulative in her own way, and both Vulcans are initially working for TheEmpire against TheResistance in any case. To make a long story short, they lose to the megalomaniacal version of Jonathan Archer, who's shown laughing and partying with his [[TheOldestProfession "Captain's Woman"]] Hoshi Sato as he celebrates his victory and prepares to take over as Emperor. To keep the ending from being completely disgusting, however, [[spoiler: Hoshi Sato gives him some poisoned champagne to drink, and then embraces Travis Mayweather as her new consort in front of Archer as he lies dying from the poison. Later, upon reaching Earth, she carries out what had been his plan, demanding that Starfleet surrender or be destroyed, and announcing that ''she'' is the new Empress.]]
to:
* ''Series/StarTrekEnterprise'' did a BlackAndGrayMorality version of this for its MirrorUniverse episode "[[Recap/StarTrekEnterpriseS04E18InAMirrorDarkly In A Mirror Darkly]]" with everyone being villainous in one way or another. The "heroes" were the Vulcans T'Pol and Soval, made sympathetic in part by their being a conquered people, but T'Pol is shown being rather cruel and manipulative in her own way, and both Vulcans are initially working for TheEmpire against TheResistance in any case. To make a long story short, they lose to the megalomaniacal version of Jonathan Archer, who's shown laughing and partying with his [[TheOldestProfession "Captain's Woman"]] Hoshi Sato as he celebrates his victory and prepares to take over as Emperor. To keep the ending from being completely disgusting, however, [[spoiler: Hoshi Sato gives him some poisoned champagne to drink, and then embraces Travis Mayweather as her new consort in front of Archer as he lies dying from the poison. Later, upon reaching Earth, she carries out what had been his plan, demanding that Starfleet surrender or be destroyed, and announcing that ''she'' is the new Empress.]]
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* ''Series/StrangerThings'': Season 4 ends with [[spoiler: [[BigBad Vecna]] succeeding in opening a massive gate underneath Hawkins, devastating the town and allowing the [[AnotherDimension Upside-Down]] to start bleeding into reality, paving the way for a full-scale invasion.]]
to:
* ''Series/StrangerThings'': Season 4 ends with [[spoiler: [[BigBad Vecna]] Vecna succeeding in opening a massive gate underneath Hawkins, devastating the town and allowing the [[AnotherDimension Upside-Down]] to start bleeding into reality, paving the way for a full-scale invasion.]]
Changed line(s) 142,145 (click to see context) from:
** [[Recap/SupernaturalS06E22TheManWhoKnewTooMuch 6.22 "The Man Who Knew Too Much"]]*: A gone-off-the-deep-end [[spoiler:Castiel]] outsmarts and defeats his infernal, celestial, and monstrous competition in the quest for Purgatory. In the final scene he destroys Raphael, sends Crowley into hiding, shrugs off an attack with an angel blade, and declares himself the new Lord.
** [[Recap/SupernaturalS07E23SurvivalOfTheFittest 7.23 "Survival of the Fittest"]]*: While the Winchesters succeed in killing [[BigBad Dick Roman]] and defeating the [[EldritchAbomination Leviathans]], Crowley successful manipulates the situation to his advantage. By the time the dust settles, his main competition is gone, Meg and Kevin are his prisoners, Dean and Castiel are [[spoiler: trapped in Purgatory]], and Sam is alone and powerless.
** [[Recap/SupernaturalS08E23TheSacrifice 8.23 "Sacrifice"]]*: [[spoiler:Metatron]] manipulates everyone and kills off the extreme if well-intentioned angel [[spoiler:Naomi]] who served as an antagonist earlier in the season. He completes his ritual and [[spoiler:''every angel falls from Heaven'']].
** [[Recap/SupernaturalS09E09HolyTerror 9.09 "Holy Terror"]]: The supposedly friendly angel Ezekiel is revealed to [[DeadPersonImpersonation actually be]] the morally dubious Gadreel, who allies with [[spoiler: Metatron]], manages to maintain his possession of Sam despite Dean's attempts, and [[spoiler: kills Kevin]].
** [[Recap/SupernaturalS07E23SurvivalOfTheFittest 7.23 "Survival of the Fittest"]]*: While the Winchesters succeed in killing [[BigBad Dick Roman]] and defeating the [[EldritchAbomination Leviathans]], Crowley successful manipulates the situation to his advantage. By the time the dust settles, his main competition is gone, Meg and Kevin are his prisoners, Dean and Castiel are [[spoiler: trapped in Purgatory]], and Sam is alone and powerless.
** [[Recap/SupernaturalS08E23TheSacrifice 8.23 "Sacrifice"]]*: [[spoiler:Metatron]] manipulates everyone and kills off the extreme if well-intentioned angel [[spoiler:Naomi]] who served as an antagonist earlier in the season. He completes his ritual and [[spoiler:''every angel falls from Heaven'']].
** [[Recap/SupernaturalS09E09HolyTerror 9.09 "Holy Terror"]]: The supposedly friendly angel Ezekiel is revealed to [[DeadPersonImpersonation actually be]] the morally dubious Gadreel, who allies with [[spoiler: Metatron]], manages to maintain his possession of Sam despite Dean's attempts, and [[spoiler: kills Kevin]].
to:
** [[Recap/SupernaturalS06E22TheManWhoKnewTooMuch 6.22 "The Man Who Knew Too Much"]]*: A gone-off-the-deep-end [[spoiler:Castiel]] Castiel outsmarts and defeats his infernal, celestial, and monstrous competition in the quest for Purgatory. In the final scene he destroys Raphael, sends Crowley into hiding, shrugs off an attack with an angel blade, and declares himself the new Lord.
** [[Recap/SupernaturalS07E23SurvivalOfTheFittest 7.23 "Survival of the Fittest"]]*: While the Winchesters succeed in killing [[BigBad Dick Roman]] and defeating the [[EldritchAbomination Leviathans]], Crowley successful manipulates the situation to his advantage. By the time the dust settles, his main competition is gone, Meg and Kevin are his prisoners, Dean and Castiel are[[spoiler: trapped in Purgatory]], Purgatory, and Sam is alone and powerless.
** [[Recap/SupernaturalS08E23TheSacrifice 8.23 "Sacrifice"]]*:[[spoiler:Metatron]] Metatron manipulates everyone and kills off the extreme if well-intentioned angel [[spoiler:Naomi]] Naomi who served as an antagonist earlier in the season. He completes his ritual and [[spoiler:''every ''every angel falls from Heaven'']].
Heaven''.
** [[Recap/SupernaturalS09E09HolyTerror 9.09 "Holy Terror"]]: The supposedly friendly angel Ezekiel is revealed to [[DeadPersonImpersonation actually be]] the morally dubious Gadreel, who allies with[[spoiler: Metatron]], Metatron, manages to maintain his possession of Sam despite Dean's attempts, and [[spoiler: kills Kevin]].Kevin.
** [[Recap/SupernaturalS07E23SurvivalOfTheFittest 7.23 "Survival of the Fittest"]]*: While the Winchesters succeed in killing [[BigBad Dick Roman]] and defeating the [[EldritchAbomination Leviathans]], Crowley successful manipulates the situation to his advantage. By the time the dust settles, his main competition is gone, Meg and Kevin are his prisoners, Dean and Castiel are
** [[Recap/SupernaturalS08E23TheSacrifice 8.23 "Sacrifice"]]*:
** [[Recap/SupernaturalS09E09HolyTerror 9.09 "Holy Terror"]]: The supposedly friendly angel Ezekiel is revealed to [[DeadPersonImpersonation actually be]] the morally dubious Gadreel, who allies with
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** In "Confession", [[spoiler:a police officer who moonlights as a decapitating serial killer successfully intimidates an innocent man into confessing to ''his'' murders. The actual murderer gets to go home free and stash another severed head in his fridge with no one the wiser.]]
** "Mournin' Mess" [[spoiler:concludes with an organization of man-eating ghouls murdering the man who tries to expose them, leaving them free to continue their operations]].
** "Mournin' Mess" [[spoiler:concludes with an organization of man-eating ghouls murdering the man who tries to expose them, leaving them free to continue their operations]].
to:
** In "Confession", [[spoiler:a a police officer who moonlights as a decapitating serial killer successfully intimidates an innocent man into confessing to ''his'' murders. The actual murderer gets to go home free and stash another severed head in his fridge with no one the wiser.]]
wiser.
** "Mournin' Mess"[[spoiler:concludes concludes with an organization of man-eating ghouls murdering the man who tries to expose them, leaving them free to continue their operations]].operations.
** "Mournin' Mess"
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** Also, the trope technically occurs in "Those Who Live in Brass Hearses". [[spoiler:While the revenge-seeking VillainProtagonist is killed by his target, he posthumously wins by killing his target's conjoined twin, condemning both the man and his work as an ice cream man to a slow death]].
* ''Series/TalesFromTheDarkside'': This would sometimes happen on the show. For example, in one of the more notoriously terrifying episodes, "The Cutty Black Sow" [[spoiler:the demon devours the little kid, soul and all.]]
* ''Series/TwinPeaks'' season 2 infamously ended with [[spoiler: FBI Agent Dale Cooper's soul still trapped in the Red Room, and Killer BOB in control of his body]].
* ''Series/UltraGalaxyFightTheAbsoluteConspiracy'' is a doozy. In spite of the Ultra League's best efforts, [[spoiler:[[BigBad Absolute Tartarus]] successfully kidnaps [[Series/UltramanEighty Yullian]] and declares that she will be his hostage to force the Land of Light to surrender to The Kingdom.]]
* ''Series/{{V 2009}}'', on account of being canceled, ends like this. [[spoiler:Anna gets to use her Bliss on the entire planet, the resistance is effectively crushed, Tyler, Ryan, and Diana all die, Chad and Lisa are imprisoned, and the rest of the main cast is either Blissed or missing. The only ray of hope is Erica getting recruited into the much-better organized Project Aries.]]
* ''Series/TalesFromTheDarkside'': This would sometimes happen on the show. For example, in one of the more notoriously terrifying episodes, "The Cutty Black Sow" [[spoiler:the demon devours the little kid, soul and all.]]
* ''Series/TwinPeaks'' season 2 infamously ended with [[spoiler: FBI Agent Dale Cooper's soul still trapped in the Red Room, and Killer BOB in control of his body]].
* ''Series/UltraGalaxyFightTheAbsoluteConspiracy'' is a doozy. In spite of the Ultra League's best efforts, [[spoiler:[[BigBad Absolute Tartarus]] successfully kidnaps [[Series/UltramanEighty Yullian]] and declares that she will be his hostage to force the Land of Light to surrender to The Kingdom.]]
* ''Series/{{V 2009}}'', on account of being canceled, ends like this. [[spoiler:Anna gets to use her Bliss on the entire planet, the resistance is effectively crushed, Tyler, Ryan, and Diana all die, Chad and Lisa are imprisoned, and the rest of the main cast is either Blissed or missing. The only ray of hope is Erica getting recruited into the much-better organized Project Aries.]]
to:
** Also, the trope technically occurs in "Those Who Live in Brass Hearses". [[spoiler:While While the revenge-seeking VillainProtagonist is killed by his target, he posthumously wins by killing his target's conjoined twin, condemning both the man and his work as an ice cream man to a slow death]].
death.
* ''Series/TalesFromTheDarkside'': This would sometimes happen on the show. For example, in one of the more notoriously terrifying episodes, "The Cutty Black Sow"[[spoiler:the the demon devours the little kid, soul and all.]]
all.
* ''Series/TwinPeaks'' season 2 infamously ended with[[spoiler: FBI Agent Dale Cooper's soul still trapped in the Red Room, and Killer BOB in control of his body]].
body.
* ''Series/UltraGalaxyFightTheAbsoluteConspiracy'' is a doozy. In spite of the Ultra League's best efforts,[[spoiler:[[BigBad [[BigBad Absolute Tartarus]] Tartarus successfully kidnaps [[Series/UltramanEighty Yullian]] and declares that she will be his hostage to force the Land of Light to surrender to The Kingdom.]]
* ''Series/{{V 2009}}'', on account of being canceled, ends like this.[[spoiler:Anna Anna gets to use her Bliss on the entire planet, the resistance is effectively crushed, Tyler, Ryan, and Diana all die, Chad and Lisa are imprisoned, and the rest of the main cast is either Blissed or missing. The only ray of hope is Erica getting recruited into the much-better organized Project Aries.]]
* ''Series/TalesFromTheDarkside'': This would sometimes happen on the show. For example, in one of the more notoriously terrifying episodes, "The Cutty Black Sow"
* ''Series/TwinPeaks'' season 2 infamously ended with
* ''Series/UltraGalaxyFightTheAbsoluteConspiracy'' is a doozy. In spite of the Ultra League's best efforts,
* ''Series/{{V 2009}}'', on account of being canceled, ends like this.
Changed line(s) 163,164 (click to see context) from:
** The series ends with [[spoiler:two of the main police characters, [=McNulty=] and Freamon, who have been fighting the good fight for five seasons being forced to retire after being corrupted into faking evidence; a reporter from the newspaper who made up his stories out of thin air winning the Pulitzer whilst his honest boss gets demoted and his colleague who tried to blow the whistle gets transferred; two of the four kids from Season 4 ending up in dire straits, with one as a drug addict and the other in a foster home getting beaten up daily; the main drug kingpin Marlo surviving with all of his money, merely being forced to give up the game (though it's clear he's on the verge of throwing it all away just to play the game one more time); Mayor Carcetti, formerly idealistic and trying to do the right thing for the city, being reduced to getting the police to fiddle the stats and making up spin to avoid his failures as he chases the dream of becoming state governor; and Daniels being forced into retirement for refusing to play along]]. The only positives in the ending are that [[spoiler:[=McNulty=]'s relationship with Beadie survives, Carver gets his promotion, Bunk and Kima become an effective homicide-investigating partnership and Bubbles finally goes clean and gains acceptance from his family]].
** Season 2 plays this straight up way before the series finale: [[spoiler: The Greek and Spiros, the {{Big Bad}}s of the season, escape the country after killing [[TheMole Frank Sobatka]] without the cops or the feds ever getting a good idea of who they really are. (Spiros' name is an alias, and the cops know nothing about The Greek except that [[EveryoneCallsHimBarkeep everyone calls him The Greek]], and he's in the background of a single picture that they have. And even that little bit that the cops know isn't accurate: The Greek isn't even Greek.) Their appearances in season 4 and 5 rub this in even harder by showing that once the investigation blew over they returned to the States and went right back to business as usual: supplying the city with drugs, and trafficking in women forced into being {{Sex Slave}}s. By the end of the show the cops aren't aware of The Greek and Spiros' return, nor are they continuing to investigate the two in any way.]]
** Season 2 plays this straight up way before the series finale: [[spoiler: The Greek and Spiros, the {{Big Bad}}s of the season, escape the country after killing [[TheMole Frank Sobatka]] without the cops or the feds ever getting a good idea of who they really are. (Spiros' name is an alias, and the cops know nothing about The Greek except that [[EveryoneCallsHimBarkeep everyone calls him The Greek]], and he's in the background of a single picture that they have. And even that little bit that the cops know isn't accurate: The Greek isn't even Greek.) Their appearances in season 4 and 5 rub this in even harder by showing that once the investigation blew over they returned to the States and went right back to business as usual: supplying the city with drugs, and trafficking in women forced into being {{Sex Slave}}s. By the end of the show the cops aren't aware of The Greek and Spiros' return, nor are they continuing to investigate the two in any way.]]
to:
** The series ends with [[spoiler:two two of the main police characters, [=McNulty=] and Freamon, who have been fighting the good fight for five seasons being forced to retire after being corrupted into faking evidence; a reporter from the newspaper who made up his stories out of thin air winning the Pulitzer whilst his honest boss gets demoted and his colleague who tried to blow the whistle gets transferred; two of the four kids from Season 4 ending up in dire straits, with one as a drug addict and the other in a foster home getting beaten up daily; the main drug kingpin Marlo surviving with all of his money, merely being forced to give up the game (though it's clear he's on the verge of throwing it all away just to play the game one more time); Mayor Carcetti, formerly idealistic and trying to do the right thing for the city, being reduced to getting the police to fiddle the stats and making up spin to avoid his failures as he chases the dream of becoming state governor; and Daniels being forced into retirement for refusing to play along]]. along. The only positives in the ending are that [[spoiler:[=McNulty=]'s [=McNulty=]'s relationship with Beadie survives, Carver gets his promotion, Bunk and Kima become an effective homicide-investigating partnership and Bubbles finally goes clean and gains acceptance from his family]].
family.
** Season 2 plays this straight up way before the series finale:[[spoiler: The Greek and Spiros, the {{Big Bad}}s of the season, escape the country after killing [[TheMole Frank Sobatka]] Sobatka without the cops or the feds ever getting a good idea of who they really are. (Spiros' name is an alias, and the cops know nothing about The Greek except that [[EveryoneCallsHimBarkeep everyone calls him The Greek]], and he's in the background of a single picture that they have. And even that little bit that the cops know isn't accurate: The Greek isn't even Greek.) Their appearances in season 4 and 5 rub this in even harder by showing that once the investigation blew over they returned to the States and went right back to business as usual: supplying the city with drugs, and trafficking in women forced into being {{Sex Slave}}s. By the end of the show the cops aren't aware of The Greek and Spiros' return, nor are they continuing to investigate the two in any way.]]
** Season 2 plays this straight up way before the series finale:
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* ''Series/TwentyFour'': Season 8 sees the IRK terrorists [[spoiler:fail to smuggle the nuclear rods out the U.S. but succeed -- eventually -- in assassinating President Hassan]]. Then the Russians [[spoiler:succeed in derailing the peace agreement ''with Jack's help'', as it would have been forged in blood and lies]]. In short, the terrorists are 2 for 3, even if most of the IRK and some of the Russians didn't live to see their victory. Furthermore, [[spoiler: Renee Walker]] is dead, Jack [[spoiler:is forced to flee the country]] and the people's faith in their Government takes a severe pounding.
to:
* ''Series/TwentyFour'': Season 8 sees the IRK terrorists [[spoiler:fail to smuggle the nuclear rods out the U.S. but succeed -- eventually -- in assassinating President Hassan]]. Then the Russians [[spoiler:succeed in derailing the peace agreement ''with Jack's help'', as it would have been forged in blood and lies]]. In short, the terrorists are 2 for 3, even if most of the IRK and some of the Russians didn't live to see their victory. Furthermore, [[spoiler: Renee [[spoiler:Renee Walker]] is dead, Jack [[spoiler:is forced to flee the country]] and the people's faith in their Government takes a severe pounding.
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* Jack Webb's police dramas ''Series/Adam12'' and ''{{Series/Dragnet}}'' often had courtroom-based episodes where the criminals – even though to the viewer were completely guilty – had the charges against them dismissed for one reason or another. Witnesses failed to show or didn't cooperate, police officers make critical mistakes in seizing evidence … the list goes on, and it proved the point why sometimes the bad guys won. In one ''Series/Adam12'' episode, the defense attorney successfully argues there was no reason for Reed to go through the house (which resulted in him seeing the illegal drug evidence) rather than around the house to check out the back, since the arrest warrant Reed and Malloy were serving only covered the perp and the room he happened to be in (the living room). The defense attorney is, surprisingly, as angry as anyone else the perp gets off on the drug charge, and makes it clear that he only did it because defense is his job.
* ''Series/TwentyFour'': Season 8 sees the IRK terrorists [[spoiler: fail to smuggle the nuclear rods out the US, but succeed - eventually - in assassinating President Hassan]]. Then the Russians [[spoiler: succeed in derailing the peace agreement ''with Jack's help'', as it would have been forged in blood and lies]]. In short, the terrorists are 2 for 3, even if most of the IRK and some of the Russians didn't live to see their victory. Furthermore, [[spoiler: Renee Walker]] is dead, Jack [[spoiler:is forced to flee the country]] and the people's faith in their Government takes a severe pounding.
* ''Series/TwentyFour'': Season 8 sees the IRK terrorists [[spoiler: fail to smuggle the nuclear rods out the US, but succeed - eventually - in assassinating President Hassan]]. Then the Russians [[spoiler: succeed in derailing the peace agreement ''with Jack's help'', as it would have been forged in blood and lies]]. In short, the terrorists are 2 for 3, even if most of the IRK and some of the Russians didn't live to see their victory. Furthermore, [[spoiler: Renee Walker]] is dead, Jack [[spoiler:is forced to flee the country]] and the people's faith in their Government takes a severe pounding.
to:
* Jack Webb's police dramas ''Series/Adam12'' and ''{{Series/Dragnet}}'' often had courtroom-based episodes where the criminals – -- even though to the viewer were completely guilty – -- had the charges against them dismissed for one reason or another. Witnesses failed to show or didn't cooperate, police officers make critical mistakes in seizing evidence … evidence... the list goes on, and it proved the point why sometimes the bad guys won. In one ''Series/Adam12'' episode, the defense attorney successfully argues there was no reason for Reed to go through the house (which resulted in him seeing the illegal drug evidence) rather than around the house to check out the back, since the arrest warrant Reed and Malloy were serving only covered the perp and the room he happened to be in (the living room). The defense attorney is, surprisingly, as angry as anyone else the perp gets off on the drug charge, charge and makes it clear that he only did it because defense is his job.
* ''Series/TwentyFour'': Season 8 sees the IRK terrorists[[spoiler: fail [[spoiler:fail to smuggle the nuclear rods out the US, U.S. but succeed - -- eventually - -- in assassinating President Hassan]]. Then the Russians [[spoiler: succeed [[spoiler:succeed in derailing the peace agreement ''with Jack's help'', as it would have been forged in blood and lies]]. In short, the terrorists are 2 for 3, even if most of the IRK and some of the Russians didn't live to see their victory. Furthermore, [[spoiler: Renee Walker]] is dead, Jack [[spoiler:is forced to flee the country]] and the people's faith in their Government takes a severe pounding.
* ''Series/TwentyFour'': Season 8 sees the IRK terrorists
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* ''Series/LukeCage2016'': Season 1 ends with only the villains (except Diamondback) getting a happy ending: Mariah Dillard manages to walk away from prison after having the only witness that could testify against her killed, gets the main hero arrested, rebuilds her power base with a clean record and starting a relationship with [[TheDragon Shades]]. Dr. Burnstein still has Revas' files and intends to restart his research with a badly-injured Diamondback as his test subject.
* ''Series/TheFalconAndTheWinterSoldier'': While the Flag Smashers are stopped, and Walker at least for now is on the tract of being an AntiHero, Sharon revealed earlier to be the Power Broker, effortlessly manipulates everyone is story to get what she wanted, kills the only person who knew her true identity and gets Sam to help her get pardoned, and get her old spot at the CIA back. To a lesser extent, though Zemo is back in jail for his crimes, we see that he still has power even then as he helps organize the killing of the other Flag Smashers from his cell.
* ''Series/Loki2021'': Sylvie, kills He Who Remains, who as he points out doesn't really lose in this case as all killing him accomplishes is another multiversal war occurring, and the last shot of the season is Loki seeing a statue of He Who Remains at the old TVA indicating that he now has much more stronger control than he did before.
* ''Series/TheFalconAndTheWinterSoldier'': While the Flag Smashers are stopped, and Walker at least for now is on the tract of being an AntiHero, Sharon revealed earlier to be the Power Broker, effortlessly manipulates everyone is story to get what she wanted, kills the only person who knew her true identity and gets Sam to help her get pardoned, and get her old spot at the CIA back. To a lesser extent, though Zemo is back in jail for his crimes, we see that he still has power even then as he helps organize the killing of the other Flag Smashers from his cell.
* ''Series/Loki2021'': Sylvie, kills He Who Remains, who as he points out doesn't really lose in this case as all killing him accomplishes is another multiversal war occurring, and the last shot of the season is Loki seeing a statue of He Who Remains at the old TVA indicating that he now has much more stronger control than he did before.
to:
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Added DiffLines:
* ''Literature/EmmetOttersJugBandChristmas'': The big talent show isn't won by Emmet and his friends or Ma Otter, but by the Riverbottom kids, the bullies who harassed Emmet and co. throughout the show. A case of AdaptationalVillany, as in the original children's book, The Nightmares were simply a professional act with a more polished look and sound than the other acts.
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Now requires official confirmation it was in response to complaints.
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** Happens in ''Series/MightyMorphinPowerRangers'', of all places. At the end of the Alien Rangers miniarc, the Rangers have gathered together all the pieces of the Zeo Crystal and are [[HopeSpot about to regain their powers]]. But as they've been gathering the pieces, Goldar and Rito have been making their way through the forgotten tunnels beneath the Rangers' Command Center. As the last of the Rangers arrives and the Crystal is fully assembled, Goldar and Rito find the tunnel center directly beneath the Command Center and plant a bomb. They then use their location to circumvent the transport barrier surrounding it, teleporting directly into the Command Center. Before the Rangers can react, they grab the Zeo Crystal and teleport away. Seconds later, the bomb they've planted explodes. The Rangers are teleported to safety, but the Command Center itself, along with Zordon and Alpha, are seemingly destroyed. Only an AuthorsSavingThrow of Goldar having ''dropped'' the Zeo Crystal on his way out, revealed in the first episode of the following season, lets the Rangers fight another day.
to:
** Happens in ''Series/MightyMorphinPowerRangers'', of all places. At the end of the Alien Rangers miniarc, the Rangers have gathered together all the pieces of the Zeo Crystal and are [[HopeSpot about to regain their powers]]. But as they've been gathering the pieces, Goldar and Rito have been making their way through the forgotten tunnels beneath the Rangers' Command Center. As the last of the Rangers arrives and the Crystal is fully assembled, Goldar and Rito find the tunnel center directly beneath the Command Center and plant a bomb. They then use their location to circumvent the transport barrier surrounding it, teleporting directly into the Command Center. Before the Rangers can react, they grab the Zeo Crystal and teleport away. Seconds later, the bomb they've planted explodes. The Rangers are teleported to safety, but the Command Center itself, along with Zordon and Alpha, are seemingly destroyed. Only an AuthorsSavingThrow of Goldar having ''dropped'' dropped the Zeo Crystal on his way out, revealed in the first episode of the following season, lets the Rangers fight another day.
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* Jack Webb's police dramas ''Series/Adam12'' and ''{{Series/Dragnet}}'' often had courtroom-based episodes where the criminals – even though to the viewer were completely guilty – had the charges against them dismissed for one reason or another. Witnesses failed to show or didn't cooperate, police officers make critical mistakes in seizing evidence … the list goes on, and it proved the point why sometimes the bad guys won. In one ''Series/AdamTwelve'' episode, the defense attorney successfully argues there was no reason for Reed to go through the house (which resulted in him seeing the illegal drug evidence) rather than around the house to check out the back, since the arrest warrant Reed and Malloy were serving only covered the perp and the room he happened to be in (the living room). The defense attorney is, surprisingly, as angry as anyone else the perp gets off on the drug charge, and makes it clear that he only did it because defense is his job.
to:
* Jack Webb's police dramas ''Series/Adam12'' and ''{{Series/Dragnet}}'' often had courtroom-based episodes where the criminals – even though to the viewer were completely guilty – had the charges against them dismissed for one reason or another. Witnesses failed to show or didn't cooperate, police officers make critical mistakes in seizing evidence … the list goes on, and it proved the point why sometimes the bad guys won. In one ''Series/AdamTwelve'' ''Series/Adam12'' episode, the defense attorney successfully argues there was no reason for Reed to go through the house (which resulted in him seeing the illegal drug evidence) rather than around the house to check out the back, since the arrest warrant Reed and Malloy were serving only covered the perp and the room he happened to be in (the living room). The defense attorney is, surprisingly, as angry as anyone else the perp gets off on the drug charge, and makes it clear that he only did it because defense is his job.
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Changed line(s) 8 (click to see context) from:
* Jack Webb's police dramas ''Series/AdamTwelve'' and ''{{Series/Dragnet}}'' often had courtroom-based episodes where the criminals – even though to the viewer were completely guilty – had the charges against them dismissed for one reason or another. Witnesses failed to show or didn't cooperate, police officers make critical mistakes in seizing evidence … the list goes on, and it proved the point why sometimes the bad guys won. In one ''Series/AdamTwelve'' episode, the defense attorney successfully argues there was no reason for Reed to go through the house (which resulted in him seeing the illegal drug evidence) rather than around the house to check out the back, since the arrest warrant Reed and Malloy were serving only covered the perp and the room he happened to be in (the living room). The defense attorney is, surprisingly, as angry as anyone else the perp gets off on the drug charge, and makes it clear that he only did it because defense is his job.
to:
* Jack Webb's police dramas ''Series/AdamTwelve'' ''Series/Adam12'' and ''{{Series/Dragnet}}'' often had courtroom-based episodes where the criminals – even though to the viewer were completely guilty – had the charges against them dismissed for one reason or another. Witnesses failed to show or didn't cooperate, police officers make critical mistakes in seizing evidence … the list goes on, and it proved the point why sometimes the bad guys won. In one ''Series/AdamTwelve'' episode, the defense attorney successfully argues there was no reason for Reed to go through the house (which resulted in him seeing the illegal drug evidence) rather than around the house to check out the back, since the arrest warrant Reed and Malloy were serving only covered the perp and the room he happened to be in (the living room). The defense attorney is, surprisingly, as angry as anyone else the perp gets off on the drug charge, and makes it clear that he only did it because defense is his job.
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** ''Series/KamenRiderSaber'': Storious's finishing move, The End of the World, is ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin, and the rest of the series is spent on an effort to reverse the resulting apocalypse which ultimately fails. While fortunately Touma is able to write a sequel to the Book of Omniscience that creates a new world carrying on where the last one stopped, Storious gets everything he wanted by seeing the predestined ending of the first Book come to pass.
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** Taken UpToEleven in the finale. After being arrested for failing to help a man who was being robbed, Jerry, George, Kramer, and Elaine, or the "New York Four" as they've become known as, end up on trial. District Attorney Hoyt, who holds a grudge against the New York Four for some unexplained reason, brings in the gang's past enemies(and frenemies) to testify against them(even though they had ''absolutely nothing'' to do with the New York Four not helping the robbery victim), which eventually convinces Judge Vandelay to convict them for one year in prison. Made even harsher by the fact that the gang's past enemies are all seen happily going about their business during the recess montage.
to:
** Taken UpToEleven {{Exaggerated|Trope}} in the finale. After being arrested for failing to help a man who was being robbed, Jerry, George, Kramer, and Elaine, or the "New York Four" as they've become known as, end up on trial. District Attorney Hoyt, who holds a grudge against the New York Four for some unexplained reason, brings in the gang's past enemies(and enemies (and frenemies) to testify against them(even them (even though they had ''absolutely nothing'' to do with the New York Four not helping the robbery victim), which eventually convinces Judge Vandelay to convict them for one year in prison. Made even harsher by the fact that the gang's past enemies are all seen happily going about their business during the recess montage.
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* ''[[Series/SpartacusBloodAndSand Spartacus War of the Damned]]'' [[ForegoneConclusion of course]], ends with Crassus destroying the rebellion. Downplayed however, in that Crassus himself is an AntiVillain, his monstrous son got a KarmicDeath, Crassus himself is defeated by Spartacus in personal combat only to be saved by his men who deal a mortal wound to Spartacus instead, and then Spartacus escapes him yet again, then the defeat of Spartacus's army is credited to Pompey, a character who only appears in the show for one brief scene. This makes the ending into this trope for the Romans as a whole, but merely PyrrhicVillainy for Crassus personally.
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* ''[[Series/SpartacusBloodAndSand Spartacus War of the Damned]]'' [[ForegoneConclusion of course]], ends with Crassus destroying the rebellion. Downplayed however, in that Crassus himself is an AntiVillain, his monstrous son got a KarmicDeath, Crassus himself is defeated by Spartacus in personal combat only to be saved by his men who deal a mortal wound to Spartacus instead, and then Spartacus escapes him yet again, then the defeat of Spartacus's army is credited to Pompey, a character who only appears in the show for one brief scene. This makes the ending into this trope for the Romans as a whole, but merely PyrrhicVillainy PyrrhicVictory for Crassus personally.
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* ''Series/StrangerThings'': Season 4 ends with [[spoiler: [[BigBad Vecna]] succeeding in opening a massive gate underneath Hawkins, devastating the town and allowing the [[AnotherDimension Upside-Down]] to start bleeding into reality, paving the way for a full-scale invasion.]]
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** The post-series V-Cinema movie for ''Series/KamenRiderBuild'' sees [[BigBad Evolt]] return, form an EnemyMine with Team Build to take out his biggest rival (his [[StrongerSibling bigger]], [[GreaterScopeVillain badder]] brother Killbus) and then peacefully leave Earth at the end. He hasn't reformed, and the heroes definitely haven't forgiven him, but while he didn't attain his bonus goal (obtaining [[OneWingedAngel Feverflow]] and becoming god of a new universe) he got most of his power back and he was able to leave Earth to freely roam space, which was his main goal in the series and [[KarmaHoudini far more than he deserved]].
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** [[Recap/DoctorWhoS39E4FluxChapterFourVillageOfTheAngels "Village of the Angels"]]: Claire's Weeping Angel reveals that the Division has agreed to capture the Doctor and the episode ends with the Doctor being [[TakenForGranite transformed into a Weeping Angel.]]
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* ''Series/{{TheGuardiansOfJustice}}'': The traitor [[spoiler:Night Hawk]] outwits the world and turns it into a super-dictatorship with good publicity, killing the members of the Guardians who objected.
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* ''Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse'':
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* ''Series/TheFalconAndTheWinterSoldier'': While the Flag Smashers are stopped, and Walker at least for now is on the tract of being an AntiHero, Sharon revealed earlier to be the Power Broker, effortlessly manipulates everyone is story to get what she wanted, kills the only person who knew her true identity and gets Sam to help her get pardoned, and get her old spot at the CIA back. To a lesser extent, though Zemo is back in jail for his crimes, we see that he still has power even then as he helps organize the killing of the other Flag Smashers from his cell.
* ''Series/Loki2021'': Sylvie, kills He Who Remains, who as he points out doesn't really lose in this case as all killing him accomplishes is another multiversal war occurring, and the last shot of the season is Loki seeing a statue of He Who Remains at the old TVA indicating that he now has much more stronger control than he did before.
* ''Series/Loki2021'': Sylvie, kills He Who Remains, who as he points out doesn't really lose in this case as all killing him accomplishes is another multiversal war occurring, and the last shot of the season is Loki seeing a statue of He Who Remains at the old TVA indicating that he now has much more stronger control than he did before.
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** As pointed out by Website/SFDebris, at the end of "[[Recap/StarTrekDeepSpaceNineS02E15Paradise Paradise]]", while Alixus had been taken into custody, the episode fails to take into account the fact that she still actually ''won''. Before she's beamed up, she gets to witness the settlers that she'd secretly kept trapped on that world, state that they intend to remain and live by the rules she'd set, having been effectively brainwashed after years of torture and abuse under her despotic rule.
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** As pointed out by Website/SFDebris, at At the end of "[[Recap/StarTrekDeepSpaceNineS02E15Paradise Paradise]]", while Alixus had been taken into custody, the episode fails to take into account the fact that she still actually ''won''. Before she's beamed up, she gets to witness the settlers that she'd secretly kept trapped on that world, state that they intend to remain and live by the rules she'd set, having been effectively brainwashed after years of torture and abuse under her despotic rule.
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* ''Series/StrangersFromHell'': Moon-jo succeeds in driving Jong-woo insane and possibly turning him into a serial killer.
