Why are some TV plots confusing?

[anotheoldgit]

Does anyone else find the plots of some TV detective series so confusing towards the endings?

Take for example Frost, Morse/Lewis, Midsommers Murders, and most others.

They start off simple enough and then towards the end they have introduced that many characters, so many twists and turns in the story, that in the end you are left wondering who she/he is? why? did I miss something?

[chazza]

I think it's probably just because most twists have been done before, so to stop the viewer recognising the twists or guessing the ending, each one has to be more elaborate than the rest!

[lankeela]

Agree AOG - you just can't work out whodunnit like you could in the Sherlock Holmes/Agatha Christie type mysteries. There is no way you can guess some of the connections, they seem to make them up as they go along.

[Pharlap]

They also have to fill 2 hours.
Thats why I love Columbo. You know who did it from the begining and then watch em sweat as he closes in.