10 TV Seasons That Bombed So Hard They Killed a Show
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VOICE OVER: Tom Aglio
TV shows that crashed and burned! We're diving into the most notorious seasons that completely derailed their series, exploring how even the most promising shows can spectacularly fall apart. From sci-fi disasters to comedy catastrophes, these seasons killed their shows' momentum forever. Our countdown includes epic failures like "Westworld", "The Walking Dead", "Scrubs", "The Office", and other beloved series that couldn't recover from their worst seasons! Which season killed a show for you? Share in the comments.
10 TV Seasons That Bombed So Hard They Killed a Show
Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re looking at 9 seasons of television that bombed so hard they killed all interest in their respective shows.
Oh, what could have been with this show. After a middling second season, fans were hoping that “Westworld” would get back on its feet. They were wrong. The proof of concept was entirely alien to what made them fall in love with this show. What started as a fun mystery-Western with robot cowboys turned into another generic sci-fi dystopia, with androids in the near-future of “Neo Los Angeles.” Yawn. The narrative was also significantly dumbed down, with more straightforward storytelling and painfully on-the-nose dialogue. Add in some bland new characters and weak development for existing ones, and you have a season that bombed with a capital b. “Westworld” lasted just one more season before the park was officially closed.
This was a fun idea for a “Terminator” show, ignoring “Rise of the Machines” and following both John and Sarah after the events of “Judgment Day.” While the first season was hindered by the writers’ strike, it received good reviews and was moderately popular. And its popularity continued into its second season - well, with diehard “Terminator” fans, anyway. Casual fans quickly bailed. Season two saw a middling reception, with some critics citing its slow pacing and aimless narrative. Despite an extensive fan campaign to save it, ratings continued to plummet, and Fox eventually pulled the plug on this “Terminator.”
It really is amazing how fast “The Walking Dead” dropped off. One night it was a defining piece of pop culture, the next it was a walking corpse aimlessly shuffling towards a conclusion. A lot of goodwill evaporated through season seven, although some fans were already getting fatigued from its repetitive narrative structure. The season started in controversial fashion, killing off two beloved characters and drawing criticism for its excessive violence. But it only got worse from there, with a cheap, student film quality, an overreliance on Negan[a] and his silly monologues, and some severe pacing issues. While “The Walking Dead” continued for four more seasons, it was just that, and ratings plummeted off a cliff.
Does anyone remember the HBO show “Carnivàle?” The first season was released in 2003 - a time when HBO was really hot and experimenting with tons of new ideas. And “Carnivàle” was no different, being a very surreal show with challenging themes and a dense mythology. It certainly wasn’t for everyone, but it was a surprise hit nonetheless, garnering great reviews and huge ratings. But the second season was too ambitious, even for its devoted followers. The symbolism grew denser, the themes heavier, the plot more difficult to follow. While some fans enjoyed deciphering the layered narrative, many found it too confusing, leading to rapidly dwindling ratings. HBO found it difficult to justify its enormous budget, and the show was canceled, leaving many storylines annoyingly incomplete.
Many shows have suffered from it, nearly all have been killed by it. We’re talking, of course, about Missing Main Character Syndrome. “That ‘70s Show” tried soldiering on without Eric Forman, as Topher Grace[c] had left the show to pursue a steadier career in movies. That alone was bad enough, but Ashton Kutcher also decided to leave, meaning season eight was largely without both Eric and Kelso. Unsurprisingly, it didn’t work. Many fans couldn’t enjoy the show without two of its main characters, and newcomer Randy Pearson earned a ton of ire for being both annoying and unfunny. Season eight would be the show’s last, but at least it went out in a fun way by closing out the decade!
Netflix tried making “Arrested Development” work, but if you ask the show’s fans, it probably should have stayed cancelled. Both of the Netflix seasons suffered from the same problems, most notably the lack of cast dynamics. Scheduling conflicts meant that many scenes were shot with only a few characters at a time, and the show completely lost the ensemble dynamic that made the first three seasons so fantastic. This problem was much worse in season four, but it still persisted through five. The writing also suffered, with predictable jokes, weird character beats, and a very awkward plot structure that was both sprawling and unfocused. Season five failed to right the wrongs that four committed, and the show was canceled for a second time.
Few shows have dropped in quality as hard as “Twin Peaks.” The first season was a cultural phenomenon, with everyone asking the same question - “Who killed Laura Palmer?” But the second was, frankly, a mess. This was largely owing to the absence of showrunners David Lynch and Mark Frost, both of whom left over creative differences with the network. The result was an aimless disaster, with a meandering plot, bizarre storylines, and writers trying to emulate Lynch’s trademark weirdness - “trying” being the prominent word. By the end of 1991, the show was as dead as Laura Palmer, despite being the biggest thing on TV just one year before. Luckily, fans were treated to a wonderful, albeit subversive, third season in 2017.
The ninth season of “Scrubs” asked a lot of its audience. It was a deeply unnecessary continuation, as “Scrubs” had already delivered a satisfying and emotional series finale. But now it was reversing course, and season nine’s attempt to soft-reboot the show was met with severe backlash by longtime fans. It also underwent significant cast changes, with uninteresting new characters taking the spotlight while mainstays like J.D., Turk, and Cox took supporting roles. It just wasn’t at all what fans wanted or expected. It didn’t help that the writing wasn’t up to snuff, either, with undeveloped characters and a more generic sitcom-y tone. The show received its lowest ratings ever and quickly flatlined.
This is another show that suffered from Missing Main Character Syndrome, with Steve Carell leaving the show in season seven. It tried soldiering on without him, but his absence was just too great to ignore. It didn’t help that season eight was a mess on its own terms. The new character of Robert California was deeply polarizing, as was Andy’s new role as regional manager. Neither character resonated with fans, and neither did the style of humor, with the comedy leaning increasingly into absurdity and slapstick. To everyone’s surprise, the show survived season eight and was renewed for a ninth. To no one’s surprise, it was announced as the final season, with “The Office” being unable to survive without Michael Scott.
People forget just how much of a phenomenon the first season of “Heroes” was. And that’s because two was so stinking bad that it completely erased the show from cultural memory. There were important external factors hampering the quality of the season, most notably the writers’ strike that threw everyone’s plans into chaos. The result was a slow, meandering pace that greatly frustrated viewers, especially following the fast-paced, high-stakes narrative of season one. There were also a number of poorly received storylines, like Hiro[d] in feudal Japan, Sylar’s lack of powers, and Peter’s amnesia. Add in some whatever new characters, like Maya, Alejandro, and Adam Monroe, and you have a disastrous season that effectively killed all interest in the burgeoning show.
Did you enjoy these seasons, or did they kill the shows for you? Let us know in the comments below!
[c]TOH-fur grace https://youtu.be/YgwSr-RzGN8?si=iYMkl8r1co75y7ao&t=1
[d]Hero https://youtu.be/xXp4iNBFL88?si=_MsXZjgvvvTLIRxs&t=31
SYE-lur https://youtu.be/U9Qd7KnGH3g?t=4
allay-HAN-droh https://youtu.be/Ix2DGaZCteg?si=w7ZxkSRnO3NZt5IK&t=94
Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re looking at 9 seasons of television that bombed so hard they killed all interest in their respective shows.
Season 3
“Westworld” (2016-22)Oh, what could have been with this show. After a middling second season, fans were hoping that “Westworld” would get back on its feet. They were wrong. The proof of concept was entirely alien to what made them fall in love with this show. What started as a fun mystery-Western with robot cowboys turned into another generic sci-fi dystopia, with androids in the near-future of “Neo Los Angeles.” Yawn. The narrative was also significantly dumbed down, with more straightforward storytelling and painfully on-the-nose dialogue. Add in some bland new characters and weak development for existing ones, and you have a season that bombed with a capital b. “Westworld” lasted just one more season before the park was officially closed.
Season 2
“Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles” (2008-09)This was a fun idea for a “Terminator” show, ignoring “Rise of the Machines” and following both John and Sarah after the events of “Judgment Day.” While the first season was hindered by the writers’ strike, it received good reviews and was moderately popular. And its popularity continued into its second season - well, with diehard “Terminator” fans, anyway. Casual fans quickly bailed. Season two saw a middling reception, with some critics citing its slow pacing and aimless narrative. Despite an extensive fan campaign to save it, ratings continued to plummet, and Fox eventually pulled the plug on this “Terminator.”
Season 7
“The Walking Dead” (2010-22)It really is amazing how fast “The Walking Dead” dropped off. One night it was a defining piece of pop culture, the next it was a walking corpse aimlessly shuffling towards a conclusion. A lot of goodwill evaporated through season seven, although some fans were already getting fatigued from its repetitive narrative structure. The season started in controversial fashion, killing off two beloved characters and drawing criticism for its excessive violence. But it only got worse from there, with a cheap, student film quality, an overreliance on Negan[a] and his silly monologues, and some severe pacing issues. While “The Walking Dead” continued for four more seasons, it was just that, and ratings plummeted off a cliff.
Season 2
“Carnivàle[b]” (2003-05)Does anyone remember the HBO show “Carnivàle?” The first season was released in 2003 - a time when HBO was really hot and experimenting with tons of new ideas. And “Carnivàle” was no different, being a very surreal show with challenging themes and a dense mythology. It certainly wasn’t for everyone, but it was a surprise hit nonetheless, garnering great reviews and huge ratings. But the second season was too ambitious, even for its devoted followers. The symbolism grew denser, the themes heavier, the plot more difficult to follow. While some fans enjoyed deciphering the layered narrative, many found it too confusing, leading to rapidly dwindling ratings. HBO found it difficult to justify its enormous budget, and the show was canceled, leaving many storylines annoyingly incomplete.
Season 8
“That ‘70s Show” (1999-2006)Many shows have suffered from it, nearly all have been killed by it. We’re talking, of course, about Missing Main Character Syndrome. “That ‘70s Show” tried soldiering on without Eric Forman, as Topher Grace[c] had left the show to pursue a steadier career in movies. That alone was bad enough, but Ashton Kutcher also decided to leave, meaning season eight was largely without both Eric and Kelso. Unsurprisingly, it didn’t work. Many fans couldn’t enjoy the show without two of its main characters, and newcomer Randy Pearson earned a ton of ire for being both annoying and unfunny. Season eight would be the show’s last, but at least it went out in a fun way by closing out the decade!
Season 5
“Arrested Development” (2003-06; 2013-19)Netflix tried making “Arrested Development” work, but if you ask the show’s fans, it probably should have stayed cancelled. Both of the Netflix seasons suffered from the same problems, most notably the lack of cast dynamics. Scheduling conflicts meant that many scenes were shot with only a few characters at a time, and the show completely lost the ensemble dynamic that made the first three seasons so fantastic. This problem was much worse in season four, but it still persisted through five. The writing also suffered, with predictable jokes, weird character beats, and a very awkward plot structure that was both sprawling and unfocused. Season five failed to right the wrongs that four committed, and the show was canceled for a second time.
Season 2
“Twin Peaks” (1990-91; 2017)Few shows have dropped in quality as hard as “Twin Peaks.” The first season was a cultural phenomenon, with everyone asking the same question - “Who killed Laura Palmer?” But the second was, frankly, a mess. This was largely owing to the absence of showrunners David Lynch and Mark Frost, both of whom left over creative differences with the network. The result was an aimless disaster, with a meandering plot, bizarre storylines, and writers trying to emulate Lynch’s trademark weirdness - “trying” being the prominent word. By the end of 1991, the show was as dead as Laura Palmer, despite being the biggest thing on TV just one year before. Luckily, fans were treated to a wonderful, albeit subversive, third season in 2017.
Season 9
“Scrubs” (2001-10)The ninth season of “Scrubs” asked a lot of its audience. It was a deeply unnecessary continuation, as “Scrubs” had already delivered a satisfying and emotional series finale. But now it was reversing course, and season nine’s attempt to soft-reboot the show was met with severe backlash by longtime fans. It also underwent significant cast changes, with uninteresting new characters taking the spotlight while mainstays like J.D., Turk, and Cox took supporting roles. It just wasn’t at all what fans wanted or expected. It didn’t help that the writing wasn’t up to snuff, either, with undeveloped characters and a more generic sitcom-y tone. The show received its lowest ratings ever and quickly flatlined.
Season 8
“The Office” (2005-13)This is another show that suffered from Missing Main Character Syndrome, with Steve Carell leaving the show in season seven. It tried soldiering on without him, but his absence was just too great to ignore. It didn’t help that season eight was a mess on its own terms. The new character of Robert California was deeply polarizing, as was Andy’s new role as regional manager. Neither character resonated with fans, and neither did the style of humor, with the comedy leaning increasingly into absurdity and slapstick. To everyone’s surprise, the show survived season eight and was renewed for a ninth. To no one’s surprise, it was announced as the final season, with “The Office” being unable to survive without Michael Scott.
Season 2
“Heroes” (2006-10)People forget just how much of a phenomenon the first season of “Heroes” was. And that’s because two was so stinking bad that it completely erased the show from cultural memory. There were important external factors hampering the quality of the season, most notably the writers’ strike that threw everyone’s plans into chaos. The result was a slow, meandering pace that greatly frustrated viewers, especially following the fast-paced, high-stakes narrative of season one. There were also a number of poorly received storylines, like Hiro[d] in feudal Japan, Sylar’s lack of powers, and Peter’s amnesia. Add in some whatever new characters, like Maya, Alejandro, and Adam Monroe, and you have a disastrous season that effectively killed all interest in the burgeoning show.
Did you enjoy these seasons, or did they kill the shows for you? Let us know in the comments below!
[a]NEE-ghin https://www.yarn.co/yarn-clip/b5357335-0051-478f-8b68-f60ee531eb1f
[b]car-niv-VAHL https://youtu.be/yGAi8fXiTsk?si=-v-ZDl5qx7kJBv1T&t=46[c]TOH-fur grace https://youtu.be/YgwSr-RzGN8?si=iYMkl8r1co75y7ao&t=1
[d]Hero https://youtu.be/xXp4iNBFL88?si=_MsXZjgvvvTLIRxs&t=31
SYE-lur https://youtu.be/U9Qd7KnGH3g?t=4
allay-HAN-droh https://youtu.be/Ix2DGaZCteg?si=w7ZxkSRnO3NZt5IK&t=94
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