Top 10 Amazing TV Shows That Slowly Died

This post-apocalyptic zombie survival show has seen better days. Although still a popular show, critics and critical fans have lost much of their enthusiasm for “The Walking Dead.” Repetitive plot points, cheap exits for shock value, and a whole lot of slow-paced filler in between has left many watching the show out of habit than in genuine interest. The departure of series protagonist Rick has led others to tune out. Like the zombies that the show occasionally features, “The Walking Dead” is going through the motions in search of some brains.

Longest. Story. Ever. We don’t envy Ted’s kids having to listen to their dad describe his love life before meeting their mom, even if we found a lot of it entertaining. Although the show had one of the most divisive finales in recent memory, “How I Met Your Mother” had been going downhill for a while before then. The frequent red herring love interests, questionable plot lines, and Ted’s continuing obsession with Robin left a lot of fans tired of the show. So, by the time Ted finally met the Mother, the spark had gone out for them.

A show focused on sex and vampires was always going to be a bit of a guilty pleasure, but “True Blood” managed to give audiences what they were embarrassed to admit they wanted in a fun format… at least for a while. Over time, the show soured like blood in a corpse, as more and more creatures and concepts got introduced, making for a convoluted lore. It also left less time for the characters that hooked us initially to get the spotlight, or to have motivations that made sense. While the show always had political undertones, they became far more blatant and less well-written as time went on.

This incredibly long-running show about, what else, two brothers battling supernatural forces, began strongly. It took a tried and true formula of featuring monster-of-the-week standalone stories and series-long arcs. However, the show’s creator departed in Season 5 after completing the story he wanted to tell… and the show has continued for 10 years after that! “Supernatural” has run through what feels like every mythological figure or creature in existence, the Winchesters have died and come back a dozen times, and nobody else can stay dead for long either. Season 15 is enough already, although we would not be surprised if there’s a revival at some point.

While there are certainly those who disliked this nerd themed sitcom from the beginning, there’s no denying that “The Big Bang Theory” was a massively popular show for most of its run. However, many feel that as the characters became firmly rooted in their respective relationships that the plots about science and geek culture took a backseat to typical relationship humor. Other repetitive plot points and the gradual Flanderization of the characters into one-note versions of their original selves caused some long-time fans to see the show departing not with a bang, but with a yawn.

Despite following a serial killer who targets other killers, “Dexter” managed to reel audiences in with gripping plotlines and a title character whose inhuman attempts to relate to humanity proved surprisingly relatable. However, many feel that the show peaked midway through and lost its way, retreading storylines, featuring bizarre plot twists, and entering strange romantic territory. Although “Dexter”’s later seasons had some high points, by the time its despised finale aired, even diehard fans were feeling like what they loved about the show had been sliced up into smaller pieces for easier disposal.

It can be easy to forget, but “Lost” was the watercooler show of its day, sparking plenty of heated discussions. Fans would dissect every frame of this show about plane crash survivors on a mysterious island. However, as time went on, it’s possible that “Lost”’s greatest strength became its greatest weakness, as the increasingly complicated mythology alienated casual viewers. Although some fans argue that the show remained engaging throughout, others disliked a perceived shift of focus from the characters to the plot. Thanks to another highly polarizing finale, the show’s legacy became far more muddled than might have otherwise been.

We’re sensing a pattern with Chuck Lorre sitcoms. Another long-running hit comedy, “Two and Half Men” follows an odd couple pair of brothers trying and often failing to live with each other while raising the younger’s son. Although it’s easy to point to the firing of lead actor Charlie Sheen and his replacement failing to bring the same chemistry to the table, the show had struggled with repetitive story formulas and static characters before his departure. The show was already going downhill, Sheen’s departure just led to a steeper fall.

“Family Guy” has always been controversial, given that the animated sitcom uses hot button or offensive issues in its jokes and relies on cutaway gags for a lot of its humor. But the show gained enough of a following that it was brought back after being canceled. Yet, as time has gone on, the show’s shtick has worn thin, the characters have become vehicles for jokes, and the show has pushed past boundaries to remain relevant. Even creator Seth MacFarlane has stated that “Family Guy” should have ended years ago. The fact that it’s still going is almost as sad as our number one.

Before we get to our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions:

“Scrubs” (2001-10)

“CSI: Crime Scene Investigation” (2000-15)

“That ‘70s Show” (1998-2006)

“Once Upon a Time” (2011-18)

“24” (2001-10; 2014)

Make no mistake – “The Simpsons” is a cultural institution. The show is among the most beloved animated shows ever made. But many feel that the golden days of America’s animated family are long behind them, though there’s some debate as to when exactly it began to decline. One of the most common complaints is that the show has been on so long that it’s repeating itself. While the floating timeline allows for easy jumping-on points, the inconsistent character development can be alienating to longtime fans. Plus, some of the episodes just get bizarre! We only hope that when it finally does end, it’s with a “Woo-hoo!” rather than a “D’oh!”