Top 10 Most Anticipated TV Moments That BOMBED

Top 10 Most Hyped TV Moments That BOMBED

Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re looking at TV moments that had massive buildup, but ultimately tripped over the finish line… and fell on a landmine. Obviously, there will be spoilers.

#10: Surviving the Fall

“Sherlock” (2010-17)

A high point of this modern Sherlock Holmes reimagining finds our hero backed into the corner, plunging to his apparent doom. Not even Sherlock can come back from this. And yet, he does! While it made for a mic drop of a cliffhanger, things started to fall apart when the next season tried explaining his miraculous survival. We’re presented with multiple theories, none of which are especially practical, satisfying, or even conclusive. To a degree, it’s fitting that the world’s greatest detective would have a secret that’s his and his alone. It’s also not the first time this character has returned from the dead without explanation. Within this continuity, though, it feels like a copout that turns Sherlock into an invincible superhero, removing any stakes.

#9: Rachel & Joey Get Together

“Friends” (1994-2004)

Fans reflect on Joey and Rachel’s relationship as one of this sitcom’s most infamous storylines. Although it was always divisive, audiences at the time were still interested in seeing where this was all going. When Joey showed up at Rachel’s hotel room in the Season 9 finale, we spent months wondering how this would impact the show’s swan song season. The results were underwhelming. Rachel and Joey spend two episodes contemplating how Ross will react to this development. The two make their relationship official in the third episode, only to realize they’re more compatible as just friends. While we appreciate that the showrunners finally nipped this romance in the bud, the fact that it went nowhere makes the journey to this breakup feel pointless.

#8: “Pietro’s” True Identity

“WandaVision” (2021)

Arguably the most talked about show that aired during the pandemic, “WandaVision” was a communal experience that united audiences in guessing what would happen next. Our fascination peaked with the arrival of Wanda’s late brother Pietro. Except he wasn’t played by Aaron Taylor-Johnson. Evan Peters filled the role, seemingly bridging the MCU with Fox’s “X-Men” series. This not only suggested the X-Men were now part of the MCU, but so was the multiverse. The finale provided the answer we had been awaiting and it was a resounding, “Nope.” Turns out that Peters wasn’t playing Quicksilver, but rather, a random guy named Ralph Bohner. Not every fan theory needs to pan out, but when a character exists merely to subvert expectations, it hurts the rewatch value.

#7: Who is Gossip Girl?

“Gossip Girl” (2007-12)

For six seasons, Kristen Bell dished out the dirty laundry as the voice of the mysterious blogger Gossip Girl. Bell even makes a cameo in the series finale, literally winking at the camera. The only thing cringier than this meta moment is the revelation that Dan Humphrey is Gossip Girl. In addition to coming out of virtually nowhere and raising several inconsistencies, this knowledge paints Dan in an entirely different light. Dan has spent the past several years spreading personal information about those he claims to care about. While Dan explains his motivations for creating Gossip Girl, his actions sound like something Joe Goldberg would do. Penn Badgley apparently found his niche playing sociopaths, but unlike Joe, Dan is celebrated for his double life.

#6: Flash-Sideways Explanation

“Lost” (2004-10)

“Lost” wasn’t the first show to generate fan theories, but it arguably launched our modern obsession with overanalyzing serialized drama. One of the earliest and most widespread theories suggested that the characters were all in purgatory. J. J. Abrams said in 2005, “The purgatory one is a great one, I love that theory - but it isn’t what it is. I’d be frustrated if that were the answer I have to say.” For six seasons, the showrunners stood by this sentiment whenever purgatory came up. The highly anticipated series finale confirmed once and for all that the island is not purgatory… but the “flash-sideways” universe is. Although the creators technically weren’t lying, it still felt like the internet beat them to the punchline six years earlier.

#5: Uncle Charlie’s “Return”

“Two and a Half Men” (2003-15)

There’s burning a bridge and then there’s Charlie Sheen’s exit from “Two and a Half Men.” Sheen left on such sour terms that his character was killed off in the Season 9 premiere. This seemed to dash any possibility that Uncle Charlie would ever return… outside of appearing as a hallucinated ghost who looks and sounds like Kathy Bates. Yeah, the show got progressively dumber. As the long-running sitcom reached its series finale, loyal viewers held onto hope that Sheen might make a cameo. The promos hinted at this and the finale revolves around Charlie potentially still being alive. It builds to an unsatisfying anticlimax as a Charlie lookalike - seen only from behind - rings the doorbell and is greeted with a piano from above.

#4: Negan’s Decision

“The Walking Dead” (2010-22)

When Negan finally showed up in Season 6, we thought he might breathe new life into the aging zombie series. Instead, he killed it along with a fan-favorite character. In a cliffhanger ending, Negan beats an unknown victim to death, leaving every viewer frustrated. Granted, cliffhangers are inherently frustrating, but this one came off as especially manipulative. We were willing to give “The Walking Dead” one last chance in the Season 7 premiere, but the big reveal only enraged fans further. Negan executes two characters: Abraham and, more controversially, Glenn, who inexplicably survived one walker attack only to get killed off anyway. While Glenn died under similar circumstances in the comics, throwing in Abraham’s death was a cheap way of subverting expectations.

#3: Number One Revealed

“The Prisoner” (1967-68)

Patrick McGoohan created this cult series and played the titular prisoner, who’s given the name Number Six. Wrapping up after just 17 episodes, the show had audiences hooked with its overarching mystery, which left much to be desired. Part of that’s because McGoohan didn’t have every detail figured out heading into the finale, namely the identity of the unseen Number One. Removing his mask, Number One is revealed to be a reflection of Number Six. McGoohan saw Number One as Number Six’s “alter ego.” Audiences, meanwhile, envisioned Number One as a James Bond-esque villain. According to McGoohan, viewers were so upset that it nearly triggered a riot, sending him into hiding for two weeks. McGoohan is just lucky this aired before the social media era.

#2: Ted Finishes His Story

“How I Met Your Mother” (2005-14)

When a show revolves around a mystery, having an endgame usually helps out. In the case of “How I Met Your Mother,” planning ahead derailed the series. By Season 2, the creators had committed to ending the series with the Mother’s death and Ted rekindling his feelings for Robin. They even shot footage with Ted’s children. This made sense then because we had grown to like Ted and Robin as a couple, knowing virtually nothing about the Mother. By the final season, though, we had fallen in love with the Mother. Ted and Robin were an afterthought. Although only one script was shot, the showrunners edited an alternate ending that felt more appropriate. Alas, they stuck to their guns and the results were legendarily disappointing.

#1: Pretty Much All of Season 8

“Game of Thrones” (2011-19)

We feel bad constantly dumping on Season 8, as it did feature some great performances and epic set pieces. Yet, it’s astonishing how many character arcs they botched. The Night King finally arrives only to be swiftly defeated by Arya. Daenerys makes it to King’s Landing where she suddenly turns mad. Almost as suddenly as Jon Snow decides to kill the woman he loves. Sure, we got “Cleganebowl,” but it was shallow fan service in a season that otherwise didn’t give a crap about what viewers thought. Oh, and as for who gets to sit on the Iron Throne, well… nobody since it burned. But since the Seven Kingdoms needs a leader, let’s go with Bran. “Wheel of Fortune” feels more planned out than this!

Which hyped moment left you throwing your TV out the window? Let us know in the comments.