Seinfeld — "The Finale" (1998)

Seinfeld's meta-finale put the four leads on trial for their indifference, splitting 76 million viewers between those who loved the dark closure and those craving laughs. A 1998 Nielsen rating showed 58% of audiences disliked the episode, yet it set a record for sitcom viewership. The trial's verdict—a year in prison for violating a Good Samaritan law—mirrors the show's cynical ethos, making it a fitting but polarizing capstone to nine seasons of hilarious indifference.