THE documentary team following Sunderland's fortunes have got plenty of value for money out of their League One promotion push.
But will this season have a happy ending or will there be more Wembley agony in store for the Black Cats' long-suffering supporters?
The script couldn't have been written better with Charlton now standing in Sunderland's way of a return to the Championship.
These sides battled out one of the greatest play-off finals in memory back in 1998 – and it was the Addicks who ultimately came out on top in a shoot-out after a memorable 4-4 draw.
The prize that day was a place in the Premier League – and Peter Reid's Sunderland side bounced back from the disappointment by romping to the Championship title a year later.
But if Jack Ross' team are now forced to spend another season in England's third tier then the consequences could be dire for the entire club.
Former St Mirren boss Ross was faced with a daunting task when he took charge last summer, with morale at an all-time low, as anyone who watched the first series of Sunderland ‘Til I Die on Netflix could testify.
But Sunderland were still fancied to win automatic promotion and finishing in fifth place has to be viewed as a disappointment.
Ross' side lost fewer games than any other team in the division, just five, but were undone by a whopping 19 draws as they finished behind Luton, Barnsley, Charlton and Portsmouth.
Pompey also defeated them in the EFL Trophy final at a packed Wembley as the documentary team were treated to yet more drama with another penalty shoot-out in the wake of a 2-2 draw.
In the wake of that defeat, Ross promised to make amends by leading the Black Cats to promotion and he got his revenge on Portsmouth in the play-off semis.
Chris Maguire's volley was all that separated the sides in a 1-0 aggregate win and it was fitting that it was another draw which got them over the line at Fratton Park.
I can see a stalemate in the final as well, especially as Charlton needed penalties to see off Doncaster Rovers in their semi, so it could pay to back a draw at 9/4 with Bet Victor.
Penalties would be the perfect way to end Sunderland's rollercoaster season and William Hill are offering 12/1 on both sides for a triumph in the shootout. Given that Sunderland seem to be specialists in gut-wretching disappointment, it's tempting to back Charlton to prevail but I've a feeling the documentary will have a happy ending so I'll tip the Black Cats to edge it.
A lot could depend on the fitness of winger Aiden McGeady, who has been the key creative force for Sunderland this season. Ross is hoping he can recover from the foot injury that ruled him out of the semi and if the former Celtic star plays then he could be worth a punt at 13/5 for anytime scorer with Paddy Power.
Only one of Charlton's last seven games has seen fewer than three goals so it's tempting to back over 2.5 strikes at 113/10 with Marathonbet.
Joe Aribo has hit form for the Addicks at the business end of the season and boasts four goals from his last five games. The midfielder, who has been linked with several big clubs as his contract runs down, looks overpriced at 23/5 with Unibet for anytime scorer.
With so much at stake there could be a few meaty challenges so I'll be taking advantage of the generous 7/5 William Hill are offering on over one card for each team.
This English League One match between Charlton Athletic and Sunderland will be played on May 26, 2019 and kick off at 15:00. Check below for our tipsters best Charlton Athletic vs Sunderland prediction. You may also visit our dedicated betting previews section for the most up to date previews.
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