Once upon a time, was a TGIF staple on ABC. It was part of the lineup of programming that parents knew would be appropriate for their kids to watch and a way for families to enjoy Friday nights together with wholesome entertainment. And while the and scripts oozed cheesiness, there were lessons to be learned from every episode, done in a way that wrapped up the show rather than forcing a message to the audience.

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All of that ended abruptly in 1995 when one of the most beloved TV shows came to an abrupt end. The Season Eight finale was supposed to be that — a finale for the season. Instead, it wound up being the series finale. As such, there were not any touching goodbyes, no tying up of storylines, or characters brought back to the show for one last time. Rather, the episode had a darker tone to it than most of the other episodes had over the course of eight years.

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And while it ended on a happy note, ending the series in this manner left fans without the sense of closure they sought after investing time and energy in the series. A move that left fans confused and upset with the way came to an end.

Here is why came to an abrupt end at the height of popularity.

The Season 8 Finale Was Not Supposed To Be The End

When Season Eight of was shot, it was not supposed to be the last.

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Minimally, there was supposed to be a Season Nine. And while that season would look a bit different , it would have given writers and viewers the opportunity to say goodbye to characters they had come to know and love over the years.

In what ended up being the show's series finale, the riding a horse on a trail and getting thrown. As she landed, Michelle hit her head on a rock and suffered from amnesia.