The cliffhanger of "The Following" season 3 left plenty of room for a fourth season, probably from another network, despite its cancellation by Fox. Meanwhile, Kevin Bacon's Ryan Hardy is making the ultimate sacrifice.

Co-showrunner Alexi Hawley talked to TVLine about "The Following" season 3 especially with regards to the finale when Ryan Hardy had to fake his own death to protect his loved ones and take down the mastermind behind Theo.

He said, "What we took into the finale was this question, which he's been struggling with [from] the beginning. 'Can I be happy? Can I have a life outside of this obsession?' At the end of the day, given everything he's been through, he realizes he can't - which is a tragedy."

Hawley also said that unlike last year, they didn't film multiple endings for "The Following" season 3 finale.

"We felt very strongly that this was the ending we were driving towards," he said. "Whether he let go on that bridge on purpose or whether he slips is meant to be a little bit up in the air, but ultimately, when he comes out of that water, he knows what he has to do... It's the ultimate sacrifice that Ryan is making."

"He's sacrificing his own happiness, his own chance at a fulfilling life, for the people he loves - which is a very selfless act," Hawley added.

According to Cartermatt, even if "The Following" season 3 would be its last and no other network pick up the show, it still left its mark on TV.

"What the show's legacy should most likely be is an intense network drama that was not afraid to push the limits of what a show like this could be, even if it did at times really stretch the imagination and possibly even offend," the article said.

"It was a brave show, and an uncomfortable one to watch at times."