10 TV Show Twists That Are Even Better The Second Time Around
After being considered dead for three seasons, the fourth season premiere officially revealed that Alison was alive, but some fans predicted this twist well before the reveal, despite Alison actually being dead in the books. Firstly, Alison haunted the narrative throughout the early seasons, so much so that fans just knew she would eventually return. When Mrs Langsberry confronted Tabitha Haworthe in the first episode of the season over sexual assault allegations against her son, fans figured she would be a very obvious suspect for the new masked killer. Fans spent the entire season trying to figure out who else Bloody Rose could be. When Bloody Rose’s identity was revealed, fans were incredibly disappointed with the killer being the most obvious suspect. Gravity Falls was a two-season animated series that played on the themes and tropes of mysteries and conspiracy theories.
From ‘Squid Game’ S01E09: “One Lucky Day” (
As they succeed, their bodies start to flicker and fake, which suggests that they have destroyed both their worlds as well and broken the cycles. Mad Men is a captivating character study that explores the lives and personalities of the advertising executives of 1960s New York City. And Peggy Olson, played wonderfully well by Elisabeth Moss, is the definition of ambition in the series because she carves out a space for herself in the male-dominated industry.
Based on the 1997 Ryu Murakami novel of the same name, Audition follows a widower who sets up fake film auditions to try to help him find a new wife. Gone Girl was written by Gillian Flynn, based on her novel of the same name and directed by David Fincher. The film follows the murder of Amy Dunne and her husband, Nick, who becomes the prime suspect. If, by some miracle, the twist in The Usual Suspects hasn’t been ruined for you in the last nearly 30 years, the less you know, the better. The film follows the police investigation of a massacre and a con artist who tells them about its perpetrator, a ruthless drug lord named Keyser Söze. Coco was the first Pixar movie to feature an all-Latino principal cast, including Anthony Gonzalez, Gael García Bernal, Benjamin Bratt and Edward James Olmos.
Shutter Island
For a show predicated on mystery, Only Murders in the Building’s season-ending reveals tend to be more entertaining than awe-inspiring. But the revelation of who killed Bunny Folger in Only Murders season 2 is a different story altogether. The show plays its hand beautifully by setting us up for the hard-earned but somewhat predictable twist of pinning Bunny’s murder on celebrated murder mystery podcaster Cinda Canning.
However, as Agatha takes Wanda down memory lane through a series of flashbacks, we learn the truth – Wanda trapped a whole town in her fantasy. Her grief over losing Vision leads her to create the elaborate TV illusion, imprisoning the town’s residents and essentially being revealed as a tragic villain protagonist. And sure, she doesn’t get a catchy song to go along with this revelation, unlike Agatha, but we’d argue it’s a better twist. The twist effectively elevated the coming-of-age storytelling by offering not just a nostalgic look back at the past but a mature reflection on the significance of those formative years. This narrative choice helped to connect the themes of growing up and understanding oneself manga quiz with the broader human experience.
Verbal Kint’s slow, meandering tale of Keyser Söze plays out like a detective novel. But the real genius of The Usual Suspects lies in how it weaponizes the audience’s trust. When Agent Kujan realizes that Verbal spun a story from random items on the bulletin board, it’s too late—Verbal walks out, transforming into the elusive Söze.
The Prestige reveals that Christian Bale’s character is actually two people—identical twins sharing one life, swapping in and out to commit to a career of illusions. Jordan Peele’s second thriller cemented his place as king of the big reveal. It stars Lupita Nyong’o as a grown woman who experienced trauma in her childhood after wandering away from her family and entering a funhouse with mirrors. As an adult, she’s got her own family to focus on, but her past is coming back to haunt her—and it’s got some help in the form of some gruesome dopplegängers. While waking Jesse up, he inadvertently flips Jane onto her back and she starts asphyxiating on her vomit due to an overdose. He lets her die because it could help him gain full control over Jesse and also stop Jesse from doing drugs.
The Good Place Was Actually the Bad Place
Not only did this twist make us rethink past events, but it opened the door for the show to play with time. While “Lost” had many great turns, the Jack flash forward reveal is the main plot twist we always go back to. In Cheers (1982–1993), Diane Chambers’ return after leaving in season 3 was a major plot twist that reignited old tensions between her and Sam Malone. The reappearance of Diane brought back unresolved feelings and complicated the relationships at the iconic bar, particularly Sam’s complicated emotional journey. Her return caused conflict among the main characters, especially when Sam found himself torn between his past love and his future with Rebecca.
This bombshell completely reframed all his previous actions and delivered a scathing commentary on wealth, power, and exploitation. Critics have pointed out that this twist becomes even more powerful when you rewatch the series and notice all the special treatment and insider knowledge Il-nam displays throughout the competition. No series has been as synonymous with plot twists and mystery intrigue as Lost. The ABC drama, which followed the survivors of a plane crash landing on a seemingly uninhabited island, was constructed around its central puzzles. From the pilot episode, viewers were cleverly introduced to mysteries of varying sizes.
The Moonlighting (1985–1989) season finale, “Lunar Eclipse,” ended with an unexpected and dramatic cliffhanger. The episode concluded with the shocking twist of a love triangle involving the main characters, adding a layer of suspense and surprise that was typical of the show’s unpredictable nature. The plot twist wasn’t just about romantic tension—it also hinted at a darker side of the characters, blending comedy, drama, and mystery in a way that kept viewers hooked. The final moments left audiences questioning the fate of the relationship and the future of the detective agency.
Although Elliot apologized to us for the deception, we weren’t sure we could trust his perspective again after this. “American Horror Story” (2011-)When Violet took a large amount of sleeping pills after seeing haunting visions, a ghost named Tate appeared to save her. Over the next few episodes, she avoids going to school and blowflies start appearing in the house. It’s only when Violet tries to leave the house that she has to come face-to-face with the truth.
It also makes Nell’s story even more haunting upon watching it a second time, as it becomes increasingly clear how she was doomed from the start. Like any great work of horror, this twist will stick with viewers long after the series is over. The finale of Severance’s first season reveals that Gemma may not be dead after all, with Mark discovering that she appears to be alive and working at the same company. Unfortunately, fans are still waiting for answers about how this is possible, as the second season won’t be released until January 2025. Of course, the most dedicated viewers have gone back and scoured the first season for hints that foreshadowed this reveal.