Top 10 TV Shows That Only Had One Bad Season

Most “Scrubs” fans agree that the show ended with Season 8’s “My Finale.” We mean, the title literally addresses the story’s end! However, ABC greenlit a ninth season, which was served more as a spin-off than a continuation. Creator Bill Lawrence originally wanted to call it “Scrubs Med,” as the season took place at a medical school and featured an all-new cast of students (minus a few returning characters). Fans hated the direction of the show, the new cast, and the lack of returning characters, and it simply wasn’t as funny as it once was. The ratings plummeted and ABC was forced to pull the plug, ending “Scrubs” on a disappointingly sour note.

“Parks and Recreation” is a very popular and beloved show. Unfortunately, it has quite the barrier to entry with Season 1. Luckily, it’s only six episodes, so the pain is over rather quickly. Season 1 suffered in the ratings and was critically eviscerated, with many comparing it negatively to “The Office.” Critics considered it an inferior and cynical copy, highlighted similarities between Michael and Leslie, called Leslie stupid and unlikable, and disparaged the shallow supporting cast. These criticisms inspired Michael Schur to make both the show and the character of Leslie more likable, and the writing staff greatly developed the ensemble. What resulted was one of TV’s most delightful comedies, and one of the most meme-inducing shows of the 2010s.

Even to this day, “Lost” remains a paragon of wasted potential. From seasons 1 to 5, “Lost” remained the most exciting and discussed drama on television, and the internet was an absolute nuthouse of conspiracy theories, debates, and predictions. There still hasn’t been anything like it. And then Season 6 squeezed every last bit of goodwill out of the show until the series finale had people gaping at the screen and shaking their heads. It took the series in a weird, fantastical direction, it failed to answer questions, the answers it DID provide were lame and borderline insulting. It left most people feeling betrayed, and it permanently soured the show’s once-stellar reputation.

We can thank Season 2 for almost killing “Friday Night Lights.” It wasn’t well-liked while it was airing, and it’s especially hated in retrospect. Many critics point out the ridiculous characterizations, like Julie becoming an annoying nuisance, while also singling out the ludicrous Landry and Tyra murder storyline, which turned “Friday Night Lights” into “Riverdale.” To make matters worse, Season 2 is mostly ignored by the show’s own writers, as various storylines, including Smash’s acceptance into college and the whole inane murder plot, are completely disregarded. Nowadays, some fans like to recommend skipping Season 2; it’s really not important, and it may save you from dropping the show altogether.

Season 4 is a huge stain on the legacy of “Arrow.” This show basically popularized the whole “extended universe” thing for modern TV, and for that it deserves props, but no one can deny the sheer ugliness that is Season 4. The season was harshly criticized for numerous flaws, including the boring flashbacks, the underdeveloped villain, the killing of Laurel Lance, and the characterization of Felicity. This, on top of the general cheapness of the production, from the lazy visual effects to the laughable fight choreography. It also contains four of the lowest-rated episodes on IMDb, including the infamous “Broken Hearts” and “Schism.” The critics hated it, the die-hard fans hated it… everybody hated it. It’s lucky to have survived, quite frankly.

TV shows rarely survive the departure of a major cast member. “That ‘70s Show” had to weather the departure of two. This show is notable in that it remained relatively consistent throughout its run, which is especially rare for a network sitcom. However, Season 8 suffered greatly under the absence of both Topher Grace and Ashton Kutcher. Fans also criticized the inclusion of newcomer Randy Pearson, who was seen as a lesser and painfully unfunny stand-in for both Eric and Kelso. Unfortunately, the supporting cast weren’t funny or interesting enough to carry the season, and “That ‘70s Show” quickly fizzled out of the collective consciousness, like a forgotten memory from a weed-induced haze. The characters could relate.

“How I Met Your Mother” did suffer a bit of a dip in quality sometime around Season 7, but it still remained a consistently entertaining show, and the strong characters were enough to keep us coming back for more. However, we don’t think anyone will defend the travesty that was Season 9. This season faced a lot of criticism while it was airing thanks to its constrained timeframe, cheap-looking sets and backgrounds, and the alienation of Marshall. Oh, and who can forget that gimmicky rhyming episode, the goofy image of Robin literally floating away from Ted, or the whole Yellowface controversy? Add in a truly terrible series finale, and you have a horrible season that completely ruined everything that came before.

“Buffy” had a very strong start, producing three consistent seasons of quality television. And then Season 4 happened. This season is particularly disliked amongst the fanbase for a variety of reasons. You’ve got the absence of various beloved characters like Angel and Cordelia and the demotion of Xander and Giles. There’s also the introduction of Riley (barf) and an undesirable move from high school to college. It also contains the infamous episode “Beer Bad,” which is the lowest-rated episode of the series on IMDb. Add in a few questionable story decisions, a sluggish pace, and an undeveloped villain, and you have what is arguably the worst season of the series. Aside from “Hush.” That episode was killer.

“The Office” really should have ended with Michael’s departure, as this is another example of a show suffering under the absence of a major cast member. Andy was an at times annoying replacement, and most of the supporting characters had been “flanderized” to a ridiculous degree, completely eliminating the series’ relatability and grounded realism. Cast members and producers have also voiced their distaste of the season, and it contains the infamous “Get the Girl,” the show’s lowest-rated episode on IMDb. Luckily, the show finished strong thanks to the much-needed direction and strong ending of Season 9.

Before we analyze the worst offender, here are a few honorable mentions.

“24” (2001-10; 2014)
Season 6

“Community” (2009-15)
Season 4

“The West Wing” (1999-2006)
Season 5

“The X-Files” (1993-2002; 2016-18)
Season 9

“Gilmore Girls” (2000-07)
Season 7

If there’s one show that can dethrone “Lost” as the biggest disappointment in TV history, it’s “Game of Thrones.” Seasons 5 and 7 may have their detractors, but everyone can agree that Season 8 was an absolute dumpster fire. About two seasons’ worth of story was told in six episodes, the show completely butchered various character arcs, and the climax was a hurried mess that made little sense and completely lacked an emotional core. Casual fans were left disappointed, the critics were surprisingly harsh, and the die-hard theorists were left in a total state of incensed frustration. To make matters worse, this is probably the only ending that we’ll get, as most people have lost hope in ever seeing the final two novels.