Top 10 TV Shows That Bombed So Hard They Ruined Actors Careers
#10: “The Pentaverate” (2022)
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Mike Myers The 2010s were not kind to Mike Myers' career. So, when seemingly no one else was offering him on-screen roles, he decided to create his own. Enter: “The Pentaverate.” Of course, the number one most important part of a comeback project is to make sure it’s actually good. Unfortunately, “The Pentaverate” wasn’t. Reviews were mixed at best, and it launched with little to no fanfare. Since Myers also starred in the show as eight different characters, there were dew others to blame for its failures. If anything, the show’s pandering “Shrek” cameo just reinforced the idea that Myers’ best roles are still behind him. After this, we doubt Netflix will be calling him up again any time soon.
#9: “Lipstick Jungle” (2008-09)
Brooke Shields It takes some serious skill to go from a child model to Hollywood’s next “it” girl. But Brooke Shields was making the transition look easy. That is, until she starred in a little show called “Lipstick Jungle.” Her red-hot brand recognition failed to deliver strong viewership, and the show was quietly canceled after just two seasons. Afterwards, Shields’ once-promising career took a major nosedive. She’s yet to book another series regular gig on TV, and the film work she’s been getting isn’t exactly what you’d call “high-profile.” It seems that no one in Hollywood thinks she can bring in an audience anymore, and given what happened to “Lipstick Jungle,” it’s hard to blame them.
#8: “Kevin Can Wait” (2016-18)
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Kevin James If there’s one thing to say about this ill-fated sitcom, it’s that they really tried to make it work. There were celebrity cameos, nostalgic reunions, and even a soft-reboot going into the second season. However, killing off Kevin’s original wife only left the show’s audience, and James’ career, on life support. The series’ low ratings spelled doom for James’ future prospects as a long-term leading man, and that’s reflected in his recent work. Or, rather, the lack thereof. Ever since “Kevin Can Wait” was yanked off airwaves, James has struggled finding traction with any other projects. It’s clear that James’ time in the spotlight has long since passed.
#7: “Mulaney” (2014-15)
John Mulaney This show wasn’t just a flop; it was an unmitigated disaster. As early as its very first trailer drop, “Mulaney” was dragged through the mud by both critics and audiences. Reviews were so bad that the series’ production order was cut before even three episodes had aired. To make matters worse, John Mulaney the comedian didn’t just share his name with the show, he also created and starred in it. As they say, a captain goes down with their ship, and this one definitely sank Mulaney’s television career. To be fair, he’s still found some success in guest spots and voiceover jobs. But, unless he wants another “Mulaney” situation, he should probably stay out of the leading role.
#6: “CSI: Cyber” (2015-16)
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Shad Moss [aka Bow Wow] It’s a shame that this rapper’s acting career flatlined before it even really started. While Bow Wow is probably better known for his rhymes than his performance, he actually amassed a pretty impressive resume over the years. He later cashed in that capital for a starring role in the buzzy spinoff, “CSI: Cyber.” Unfortunately, the show was a complete commercial failure, and it seemingly took Bow Wow’s burgeoning acting career down with it. To put it into perspective, since “Cyber’s” cancellation, he’s only had three on screen roles. Two of them were in reality shows, so technically he was just himself, and the other one was a reprisal. There’s no rhyme in the world to make that trend look good.
#5: “Emeril” (2001)
Emeril Lagasse Being a television personality and a television star are two very different things. Unfortunately, famous chef Emeril Lagasse had to learn that one the hard way. As expected, “Emeril” stars Emeril Lagasse as, well, Emeril Lagasse. That’s a good idea on paper, except for the fact that Lagasse is a chef first, and an actor second. Given his star-billing, there was nowhere to hide when the horrible reviews came rolling in. Audiences couldn’t save Lagasse, either, and in the end, “Emeril” was pulled off the schedule without even airing all of its completed episodes. Nowadays, he’s back to his home on cooking shows, and that’s probably for the best.
#4: “Ringer” (2011-12)
Sarah Michelle Gellar This show adds new meaning to the phrase “dead ringer.” See, the series initially drew attention for being Sarah Michelle Gellar’s grand return to regular TV work. And yet, despite its cast, it failed to spark much audience interest. However, Gellar claims “Ringer” would’ve gotten another season if not for her second pregnancy. The show’s ratings presumably couldn’t afford losing her, so “Ringer” was canceled altogether. Afterwards, Gellar focused more on being a Mom instead of an actress. She’s taken on a few roles here and there, but nothing that matches her genre-defining output before “Ringer.” If the show had been just a bit more popular, things maybe could’ve turned out very differently.
#3: “Joey” (2004-06)
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Matt LeBlanc Anyone should’ve known that doing a “Friends” spinoff without five of the six eponymous “Friends” was not going to end well. But, Matt LeBlanc tried anyway, and the result was “Joey.” The eye-rolling comedy never came close to matching the success of the main series, both critically or commercially. As a matter of fact, the show wasn’t even profitable enough to air all of its episodes. It ended after two disappointingly bland seasons, and even sent its leading man into a self-imposed acting hiatus. That’s right, LeBlanc actually became the out-of-work actor that Joey Tribbiani already was. He’s tried putting himself back out there over the years, but so far, his comeback hasn’t quite stuck the landing.
#2: “The Michael Richards Show” (2000)
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Michael Richards This might hold the record for the quickest career implosion in TV history. Just two years after his Emmy-winning turn as Cosmo Kramer in “Seinfeld,” Michael Richards hedged all his bets on his own self-titled television program. To put it nicely, it was no “Seinfeld.” In fact, it couldn’t even get its episode count into double digits. Reportedly, the show suffered from opposing creative visions, which led to a final product that pleased no one - least of all the people tuning it. The only thing “The Michael Richards Show” did for its star was keep him out of work for seven whole years. Although, given how spectacularly this show flopped, it’s kind of surprising it wasn’t any longer.
#1: “Stacked” (2005-06)
Pamela Anderson By the mid 2000s, Pamela Anderson’s time as the quintessential sex symbol was beginning to fade. So, she fittingly starred in “Stacked,” a sitcom about a party animal trying to reinvent herself. Sadly, both the show and Anderson’s efforts failed miserably. Low ratings, bad reviews, unaired episodes; this show had it all. Suffice it to say, it didn’t quite match the success of her head-turning appearances on “Baywatch.” In the years since “Stacked” crashed and burned, Anderson’s had a distinct lack of starring roles. Actually, she’s had a distinct lack of acting roles, period. It seems that “Stacked” grinded her career to a halt, and at this point, it’s unclear if it’ll ever recover.