With a slew of season finales just around the corner, the phrase “game changer” has become pretty much par for the course when perusing any interview with either showrunners and stars alike. And while we don’t blame either party for [over]-hyping their wares in an effort to attract the maximum number of eyeballs, we do think that now might be as good a time as any to separate perception from reality.
Perception: Fans will finally meet the titular mother on the upcoming HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER season finale.
Reality: A CBS press release touting the network’s upcoming May finale storylines promises that “Ted is a best man at the wedding in which he meets his future wife,” does in no way guarantee that the biggest mystery since LOST is anywhere close to being solved. Which is to say, Ted may meet his future wife, but us viewers… forgetaboutit! Creators Carter Bays and Craig Thomas have been in this business we call show long enough to realize that the far smarter move is to save the audience reveal until September’s season premiere.
Perception: Television’s second-most popular platonic partners will finally end their will-they-or-won’t-they.
Reality: Despite executive producer Andrew Marlowe’s promise of an “explosive climax that has to do fundamentally with the Beckett and Castle relationship,” there is absolutely no chance that he’ll risk doing anything to disrupt the simmering sexual tension, not to mention the upwards rating momentum that has been building over the course of a mere two and a half seasons. Particularly when fans of BONES have set such a dangerous precedent in terms of being gluttons for punishment! And speaking of which…
Perception: Booth and Brennan will finally go where shippers have been clamoring them to go for six seasons now.
Reality: Even though Hart Hanson has a history of producing season finales that may-or-may-not leave fans — to put it mildly — somewhat perturbed, not even he would be crazy enough to name the episode “The Change in the Game” without doing just that. Would he?
Perception: As per a Fox press release, “a beloved team member meets an untimely demise.”
Reality: Would you really characterize either Broyles or Bell as “beloved?” Seriously, no offence to any of the actors on FRINGE, but is not killing any character outside of the central three (Read: Walter, Olivia and/or Peter) the equivalent of vaporizing a “red shirt” on a STAR TREK away mission? We’re just sayin’
Perception: After months of speculation, THE APPRENTICE season finale will culminate with Donald Trump announcing that he is officially running for President.
Reality: Not even Donald Trump (Read: America’s Biggest Blowhard) is delusional enough to think that a country that almost put Sarah Palin within arm’s length of the Oval Office… oh wait. 
