Unfortunately, sometimes TV networks don’t know when to pull the plug. Rather than having a show go out on a high note , more often than not they end up being reduced to nothingness.
Below are examples of just that, 10+ tv shows that got significantly worse the longer they went on. Thus proving that sometimes it really is better to burn out than to fade away.
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*Dexter*.
The premise for Dexter was truly one of the most original ideas for a show in the last 30 years: a serial killer who only hunts other serial killers.
However, the storylines quickly became predictive, boring, and even incestuous!
*Glee*.
The novelty of Glee wore off in about ten minutes as far as I’m concerned. This show was one of the most ridiculous portrayals of high school life that I’ve ever seen. It’s no surprise that it quickly outstayed its welcome.
*True Blood*.
The early seasons of True Blood are incredible. It helped breathe new life into the vampire genre as a whole.
But after about the 4th season, things become wildly outlandish and totally unbelievable. In the end, True Blood was reduced to nothing more than a dog chasing its own tail.
*Entourage*.
Yet again another classic example of a fall from grace. There was a time when Entourage was the hottest series on TV. As its fame rose, they began exploring the lives of other characters in the series. Unfortunately, nobody really cared all that much.
*Community*.
There was a time when I used to scream “Six seasons and a movie!” with heartfelt pride. Now, it’s a constant reminder of what could have been.
Community dealt with everything from the departure of main characters, the firing of others, as well as the forced recognition from its creator!
*Arrested Development*.
I would argue that the first three seasons of Arrested Development are about as perfect as you can get when it comes to sitcoms. Literally everything mentioned is one long-running joke. It rewards careful watching perhaps better than any other series.
It should have stayed dead because the Netflix revival seasons are horrific.
*Grey’s Anatomy*.
Few shows continue to outstay their welcome quite like Grey’s Anatomy . This cringeworthy soap opera, masquerading as a hospital drama, is guilty of pretty much every single infraction a TV series can make!
The writing is tired, cheesy, and just plain silly.
*Weeds*.
If Nancy had just stayed in her lane and kept peddling product to the fine people of Agrestic, it’s very possible that many of the pitfalls that plagued Weeds could have been avoided.
Unfortunately, the show tried to pivot from a full-blown sitcom into an overblown dramedy
*True Detective*.
The first season of True Detective is a white-knuckle thrill ride from the very start. It doesn’t relent or let go until it’s last breath.
Seasons two and three, however, are nauseating. It’s a travesty to see such talented actors reduced to caricatures of themselves.
*Californication*.
The premise of Californication was believable for about five minutes. After that, it was a total crapshoot. The show relied on it’s steamy, often raunchy subject matter to help advance the plots forward.
Sadly, there wasn’t much to work with.
*How I Met Your Mother*.
I’m not going to lie, I watched the last three seasons of How I Met Your Mother out of spite. It became a parody of itself:
Ted loves Robin. Ted doesn’t love Robin. Ted actually loved Robin the whole time. This show was beyond frustrating.
*Spartacus*.
Very few shows ever come back after the departure of the main character. But in the case of Andy Whitfield, it holds especially true.
Sadly, Andy passed away after a struggle with cancer. They recast him and the show lurched forward for 3 more seasons.
*The Big Bang Theory*.
What was I saying earlier about characters being reduced to caricatures of their former selves? The Big Bang Theory was shameless when it came to this, particularly with their treatment of Sheldon.
By the final season, he was saying Bazinga every 30 seconds!
*The Office*.
This one hurts, but let me clarify: the final three seasons of the office are not bad. They’re just different. Very, very different.
The departure of Michael Scott from Dunder Mifflin was just too much to overcome. By season 9, it was clear that the show had lost all sense of itself.
*The Walking Dead*.
There has never been a show to raise a proverbial middle finger to its audience quite like The Walking Dead . It’s almost as if they’re trying to upset the masses.
With a combination of brutal storytelling and remarkably unlikable protagonists, this is truly the show that refuses to die.
