[nelaboras]

This goes both ways. Writers clearly set things up that way in the hope this will put pressure for more episodes, but cliffhangers are just really bad writing done against rather than for the plot. Hopefully cliffhangers die thanks to streaming and the risk of non-renewal!

That said, I like how Netflix handled sense8. The plot was clearly getting more and more absurd and season 2 had a massive cliffhanger for season 3. Then it was cancelled - but still they produced a final somewhat absurd but satisfying movie-length final episode that tied all lose ends. That was probably a contract term and not perfect, but it worked out better than a third season or no end at all.

[verall]

Good cliffhangers work with the plot, using a limit like a weekly release schedule or break between seasons to lengthen tension. I would say most American television is really bad at this and likes to create fake tension between episodes that otherwise has no impact on the plot.

[ulisesrmzroche]

No, cliffhangers are not bad writing. It's a literary technique like any other.