In television , just like in life, you have to roll with the punches. Even the greatest TV shows will stumble and lose their way at times. Some never recover at all.
So in the spirit of good fun, I’ve gone and compiled the best of the bad. Have a look and check out these 10+ of the worst TV storylines of all time.
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The time spent on Herschel’s farm in *The Walking Dead*.
If you’re wondering at what moment The Walking Dead began relying far too heavily on bloated dialogue and less on plot and story, look no further than season 2.
Without fear of the zombie horde for 90% of the episodes, the show devolves into a bickering soap opera.
The ridiculous time-jump on *Boardwalk Empire*.
Season 4 of Boardwalk Empire ended on an incredibly high note. For longtime viewers of the beloved prohibition series, such as myself, season 5 felt like a bit of a cheat.
Jumping the story ahead seven years, with little to no explanation as to why? I just didn’t understand it. Especially in the final season, no less.
Dan’s heart transplant being eaten by a Golden Retriever on *One Tree Hill*.
I never watched One Tree Hill growing up, and I didn’t believe this when I came across the episode. Rest assured, this actually happened: a dog ate a heart, right in front of the recipient.
How did this show ever get made?
Killing off Billy from *Stranger Things*.
Keep in mind that when Billy committed the majority of his truly evil deeds, he was not in control of his own mind.
Yes, I’m glad he got to redeem himself in his final sacrifice but they could have done so much more with him.
Introducing the Mad Queen on *Game Of Thrones*.
I think we can all collectively agree that the final season of Game of Thrones was by and large a letdown.
But there was no greater character betrayal than the Mad Queen arc that creators Benioff and Weiss tried to pawn off.
Mark Brendanowicz and Ann Perkins’ entire relationship on *Parks And Recreation*.
To me, Mark and Ann felt wrong right from the beginning. It just felt like a betrayal.
Toward the middle of season 2, it became abundantly clear that Mark had overstayed his welcome on Parks and Rec ; he simply didn’t fit in any longer.
Michael leaving *The Office* to go an live with Holly in Colorado.
Yes, I understand that Steve Carrell was leaving. But why Colorado? Couldn’t he simply have just taken early retirement and lived out his days happy with Holly in Scranton?
It just felt so forced and contrived.
How Lilith came into the picture on *True Blood*.
I always tried to give True Blood the benefit of the doubt whenever possible. But toward the latter half of the series, it became harder and harder to forgive its many mounting transgressions.
Without question, one of the worst character introductions and arcs was the Master Proginator, Lilith.
Finding out that the mother was dead the entire time on *How I Met Your Mother*.
So literally the entire show ended up being for nothing. Ted ends up back with Robin, just like we always knew he would, and the audience says goodbye to a decade of their life that they’ll never get back again.
When Archie created the Red Circle on *Riverdale*.
That is a lot of shirtless dudes in great shape; I have so many questions.
But one image I strangely can’t shake is Dwight Schrute’s neighborhood watch group Knights of the Night — remember them?
Bringing Michael back from the dead on *Jane The Virgin*.
This was just too cheesy to bear. The writers take us on an emotional roller coaster by killing Michael in this huge dramatic fashion, only to erase it all and bring him back?
And for what?
The time of the Gas Leak in *Community*.
The Gas Leak is the affectionate title given to the 4th season of Community . It marks the point in the series where Dan Harmon was fired and replaced.
After the dismal reception and horrible reviews, Harmon was quickly hired back.
Turning Sacred Heart into a teaching hospital on *Scrubs*.
I’ve said it before that the major problem with season 9 of Scrubs wasn’t the plot, it’s that they tried to pass it off under the same mantle.
If they had simply created a new series called Sacred Heart , people may have reacted less harshly.
The relationship strife between Jim and Pam on *The Office*.
Is it just me or was Pam a little insensitive toward Jim’s career aspirations? I understand that he left her holding the short end of the stick for a period of time, but what about when she went to New York for three months to study art?
Shouldn’t Jim’s dreams matter just as much?
Debra falling in love with her brother on *Dexter*.
As someone who has multiple step-siblings, this arc made me want to vomit. To try and romanticize Deb’s incestuous feelings toward her brother was just plain icky.
It killed Dexter and helped create one of the worst seasons of television.
