Why Some Longmire Fans Hated The Ending
The modern western series "Longmire" had an interesting run. It started as a highly successful ratings hit for its original network A&E, but according to Deadline, it was abruptly canceled after Season 3 due to its generally older audience, which was less appealing to advertisers. Luckily, Netflix saddled up and rode to the rescue, returning with one of the best seasons of "Longmire" and allowing the show to conclude many of its larger arcs.
The show kept going for a total of six seasons, and the ending of "Longmire" took a lot of loose ends and brought them to a conclusion. The romantic tension between Walt (Robert Taylor) and Vic (Katee Sackhoff) reached its seemingly inevitable meeting point. Longtime antagonist Jacob Nighthorse (A Martinez) showed the growth that he had accomplished throughout the show by handing the reigns of the reservation casino over to Henry Standing Bear (Lou Diamond Phillips). With Walt's blessing and guidance, Cady (Cassidy Freeman) followed in her father's footsteps by running for and becoming sheriff of Absaroka County.
While the finale more or less put everything in place for the characters of "Longmire," not everyone was happy with where all of the pieces ended up. Here is what some disappointed fans had to say about the ending of "Longmire."
Some fans felt the Longmire was rushed
Fans on Reddit have been expressing their frustrations with the ending of "Longmire" ever since Netflix aired the final episode in 2017. One recent post by u/bytheninedivines, summed up some of the fundamental issues that many fans of the show had with the ending, including the age gap between Walt and Vic, Cady's unlikely ascension to the position of sheriff, and Nighthorse's loss of the casino.
By far, the issue fans disliked the most was the relationship between Walt and Vic. One commenter, u/llkendrick, wrote, "I've read the books and didn't like Walt and Vic's relationship then, but it was even more cringey on the show." Others felt that despite the extra seasons the show received, the creators rushed to wrap everything up and advanced storylines, such as Cady's position as sheriff, too quickly. This opinion was seemingly shared by Redditor u/ShivvyMcFly, who wrote, "Really felt like Netflix told them to wrap it up so they scrambled and threw it together."
However, even some fans who weren't completely happy with how "Longmire" resolved its story felt there was still something special about the show. Reddit user u/Twilight-Dove, who wrote a lengthy post detailing their issues with specific plot points, concluded with a reflective line that read, "The real problem I had with the ending is that it ended... There were things I did like about the ending too but since this is post on what we didn't like, I'll leave it there."