A closer look
David Chase infuriated millions of loyal television viewers with the 2007 series finale of 'The Sopranos' by abruptly cutting to black in the middle of a tense restaurant scene, right as a mysterious man approaches the table. Fans were so stunned by the silent, ambiguous darkness that HBO switchboards were flooded with angry calls from people who genuinely believed their cable boxes had catastrophically failed at the worst possible moment. For nearly two decades, Chase has steadfastly refused to definitively confirm whether the main character was murdered, preferring to let audiences wallow in existential dread and agonizing uncertainty. It is widely considered the ultimate artistic middle finger to an audience that demanded closure, proving that the most memorable way to end a groundbreaking television drama is to basically turn the television off while people are still watching
