A hidden reveal and family tragedy: His & Hers, Adolescence lead 8 Netflix miniseries endings, genuine masterpieces
A final-minute reveal
His & Hers follows an investigation into a woman’s murder, led by Detective Jack Harper, played by Jon Bernthal. Anna, his estranged wife and a news reporter portrayed by Tessa Thompson, returns to town to investigate as well.
Both have a past connection to the victim, and suspicion spreads among those around them. The series saves its major twist for the closing minutes, bringing earlier questions into focus, though the ending is also criticized for not giving proper attention to a serious matter.
A quieter kind of impact
Adolescence opens with police arresting 13-year-old Jamie Miller, played by Owen Cooper, for murder. In the final episode of the four-part British psychological crime drama, his parents, Eddie and Manda, sit with the consequences.
Their conversation turns to signs they may have missed and choices they might have made differently. The ending draws its force from their grief and self-doubt rather than heightened suspense or dramatic twists.
Trauma without an easy ending
Baby Reindeer, written by Richard Gadd, follows aspiring comedian and bartender Donny Dunn. After he speaks with Martha Scott at his bar, she becomes an obsessive stalker; Donny is also processing questions about his sexuality and a sexual assault by an older TV writer.
In the penultimate episode, Donny breaks down during a comedy performance and tells the audience what he is feeling. The series does not neatly resolve his trauma, instead ending with a full-circle moment that reflects how painful experiences can linger.
A Gothic family tragedy
The Fall of the House of Usher draws on the works of Edgar Allan Poe, combining stories and characters in a Gothic horror drama. Its frame is Roderick Usher, a corrupt pharmaceutical company CEO, giving a statement to police.
The account concerns the deaths of his six adult children. The story also explores how each child met an untimely end.
Key points
- His & Hers delays its central twist until the final minutes.
- Adolescence ends with Jamie’s parents reflecting on the tragedy and their choices.
- Baby Reindeer avoids a tidy resolution to Donny’s trauma.
- The Fall of the House of Usher centers on a CEO and the deaths of his six children.