30 TV Episodes So Bad They Almost Destroyed Their Shows
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VOICE OVER: Rebecca Brayton
It only takes one... Welcome to WatchMojo and today we're counting down our picks for the episodes that hurt the reputation of great TV shows and in some cases, represent the point at which a series began to decline. Major spoilers will be discussed, so consider this your warning. Our countdown includes episodes from shows “Lost”, “Battlestar Galactica”, “The Office” and more!
Welcome to WatchMojo and today we’re counting down our picks for the episodes that hurt the reputation of great TV shows and in some cases, represent the point at which a series began to decline. Major spoilers will be discussed, so consider this your warning. What episode ruined your favorite TV show? Let us know in the comments!
The Crawleys take a trip to Scotland and visit Duneagle estate. During the family trip, Mary goes into labor and returns to the abbey to give birth to the young George Matthew Crawley. Matthew comes to visit Mary and meet his newborn son. It’s a moment of joy for both parents as George will be the heir to the family estate. However, the moment of happiness is fleeting as shortly after Matthew leaves the hospital, he’s involved in a car wreck and is killed. His sudden death was strongly disliked by many fans as it quickly followed the death of Lady Sybil Branson.
Bendy arrives in the Foster’s home and immediately he causes trouble. The problem for Bloo and the gang is that Mr. Herriman and Frankie take Bendy’s side every single time. Bendy is mean for no reason. He’s shown countless times getting the other imaginary friends’ into trouble even though they’ve done nothing to him. It also doesn’t help that he’s whiney and manipulative as anytime he’s called out for his actions he feigns innocence. It’s a schtick that becomes tired really fast and we’re left with a one note character that adds nothing interesting to the show.
For many, the first season of this “Office” spinoff is a no go. Things don’t get off to a great start with the series’ first episode. In it we’re introduced to Leslie Knope and co. along with the town of Pawnee, Indiana. When it initially aired, the show was criticized for being too similar to “The Office” and the character of Knope too much like Michael Scott while some found her to be unlikeable. Even with all that said, there was still potential to prosper which turned about to be the case as by season 2 things started to come together.
Plot twists, if done well, can lead to shock and awe as they can make us reevaluate everything we’ve learned about a character or situation. For many fans of “Doctor Who”, however, this reveal was completely forced and unnecessary. Instead of the Doctor being a Time Lord from the planet Gallifrey, the Doctor is an otherworldly being of unknown origin who had their memories erased. Some felt that this explanation ruined the mystery of the Doctor while others felt that this retcon undermined the history of the show and the Doctor’s character development.
Musical episodes can be tricky. When done right, you end up with “Buffy’s” “Once More, with Feeling”. When done wrong, you end up with this episode from “Grey’s Anatomy”. Many fans found the tonal shift to be jarring as the show is primarily a medical drama and the idea of musical just doesn’t fit. Even co-star Patrick Dempsey thought the episode was a “big mistake”. Fans also took issue with the fact that the majority of the cast can’t really sing. It did get praise for taking a chance and trying something new but for many this died on the operating table.
Jeffrey Dean Morgan’s portrayal of Negan was widely praised but it wasn’t enough to save this episode from the scorn of critics and fans alike. Things were already off to a rough start as many people were unhappy with season 6 finale “Last Day on Earth” as it had slow pacing and ended with an unsatisfactory cliffhanger. The violence found in the season 7 premiere was viewed as brutal and gratuitous with fans finding the way in which characters Abraham and Glenn were killed to be way over the top.
Anthology episodes have become a staple of this sci-fi comedy but this collection of Saturday morning cartoon parodies fell flat for many. The majority of jokes just didn’t land while others felt the parodies themselves were worn out and tired. Other shows have spoofed “Scooby Doo” and made the same jokes about reusing animation, shoehorned guest stars, the laugh track and flimsy plot. Some also felt that this episode detracts from the humor derived from the characters and clever writing found in regular episodes.
Known for its rapid pace delivery and word play, this Canadian comedy has endeared itself to many. Unfortunately for fans of this series all of that goes out the window with this episode centered around farts. It should be painfully obvious from the title but the Hicks come up with a social media network based on one’s flatulence. The whole thing becomes a never ending fart joke that most just can’t get into. While there are some funny moments as it parody’s “The Social Network”, you’re not missing much if you decide to skip this one.
The best part about this episode is Lance Reddick’s performance but unfortunately for “It’s Always Sunny” fans it’s not enough to save it from the hate it gets. This episode takes place in the past and recounts how Frank opens a nightclub along with his older brother and they compete for the love of the same woman. While there are a good number of gags present throughout, fans have taken exception to the fact that it doesn’t involve the gang all that much and doesn’t follow the setup of a conventional episode for the series.
If there’s a fine line between good and bad taste, for fans and critics of “Rick and Morty”, this episode is right up against it, if not outright crossing it. We’re off to a gross start as Morty’s genetic material unknowingly is transformed into giant monstrosities by Rick. They begin to terrorize the planet and a plan is hatched to lure the sperm into a trap using one of Summer’s eggs. A sperm manages to enter the egg thereby making Morty and Summer technically having a child together. This fact was too much for many watching and people started to question the direction of the show.
This fifth season installment focuses heavily (no pun intended) on Betty Draper, and marked Jon Hamm’s directorial debut. Unfortunately, having Don Draper himself at the helm can’t save this episode from a questionable leap into high melodrama. Betty’s cancer diagnosis would end up paying emotional dividends in the final season, but the story’s rushed pacing here robs it of emotional heft. Even worse, January Jones’ real-life pregnancy gives birth to “Fat Betty”, regarded by many as one of the show’s worst character arcs. Although the B plot involving Don trying to recruit the Rolling Stones for a Heinz commercial is a highlight, it’s not enough to save this from being one of Mad Men’s more disappointing outings.
The finale of “Friends”’ ninth season, this two-parter is the point at which some critics and fans believe the show was starting to run out of ideas. The episodes feature not just a love triangle between Phoebe and her suitors Mike and David, but also a love rectangle between Ross, Rachel, Joey and Charlie. Although the former is arguably more interesting, the latter is a major focus of both episodes, culminating in Rachel and Joey starting a relationship; one that’s destined to be brief, due to the characters’ limited chemistry. And yet, it has slightly more mileage than all the jokes about Monica's hair... albeit barely.
This beloved sci-fi series had very few weak outings over its seven seasons, which makes this season two dud stand out even more. After contracting a deadly virus, Commander Riker is put in a machine that causes him to dream about past events aboard the Enterprise. This framing device was used primarily to cut costs, as the show had run out of money near the end of the season. Even by clip show standards this is a painful hour of television. Making matters worse, the series only had two seasons-worth of episodes to mine for clips at the time. Thankfully, this was the first and last time “The Next Generation” attempted a flashback episode.
“Jane the Virgin” (2014-19)
Taken on its own terms, this mid-season finale is an excellent piece of television. Driven by the shocking death of Michael Cordero, this is a tragic, heartfelt episode that forever changed the series. Unfortunately, it didn’t necessarily change for the better. While received positively at the time, “Chapter Fifty-Four” is pointed to by some as the episode that “killed” the series … or at least marked a decline in quality. The sudden three year time jump at the end of the episode was bad enough, as it glossed over the emotional fallout of Michael’s death. But bringing Michael back from the dead the very next season retroactively made the twist pointless. Talk about a cop-out.
Long before the Connor family’s ill-fated revival in 2018, Roseanne fans witnessed a different kind of trainwreck in the form of this late 90s series finale. The ninth season of this once beloved show was panned by critics and fans alike, due to an unbelievable storyline that saw the Connors win the lottery, and a shocking reveal in the two part finale. After a series of increasingly bizarre adventures, the finale undid it all by revealing that the Connors never were millionaires. It was all a dream of Roseanne’s; a fictional world to help cope with the sudden death of her husband. While a bold storytelling choice, loyal viewers weren’t exactly happy that the show had wasted their time with a season of off-brand weirdness before being told none of it actually mattered.
By its final season, this NBC comedy was largely running on fumes. Following Steve Carell’s departure in season seven, an increased focus was put on the remaining cast members but no one was quite able to fill Michael Scott’s shoes. Case in point: Dwight Schrute, who takes center stage here in an episode set at his beet farm. “The Farm” was originally intended to be a backdoor pilot for a proposed Dwight spinoff series. NBC ended up passing and it’s not hard to see why. As great as Dwight is, his antics work best when contrasted against his co-workers. While there’s fun to be had at Schrute Farms, it’s hard to imagine anyone wanting to watch a whole series about Dwight and his oddball family.
Trey Parker and Matt Stone’s foul-mouthed animated series has maintained a high level of quality for over two decades. But around the tenth season, there was some cause for concern that the show had lost a step. This episode — which sees Towelie write a memoir and go on Oprah — is arguably South Park at its worst. It’s an absurd setup that leads to the shocking visual of Oprah’s genitalia taking hostages at gunpoint. While it’s pretty incredible this episode actually made it to air, the humor just doesn’t work and isn’t up to the show’s high standard. Even the show’s creators have admitted it’s bad, with Stone admitting he’d “erase that one” if he could. On that, we can agree.
Pacing is critical to a good story and when a TV series suddenly grinds to a halt, audiences notice. Taken on its own terms, this Eleven-focused episode deserves some credit for taking a storytelling risk. Unfortunately, El’s trip to Chicago to hang with a group of misfits doesn’t lead to the kind of character growth you’d expect. She returns to Hawkins, Indiana the very next episode and the only thing that’s really changed about her is her hairstyle (to be fair, it’s a really cool hairstyle). Even worse, this episode takes us away from the action in Hawkins right as it’s heating up for a final act showdown. All in all, it feels more like an intrusive diversion than an important moment of character growth.
“Friday Night Lights” (2006-11)
Following up a critically acclaimed first season can be tough for any show, and “Friday Night Lights” certainly fumbled the ball with its second season premiere, “Last Days of Summer.” While it does a nice job showing the fallout from the events of the previous season, things go wrong for a lot of characters, particularly Tyra and Landry, whose altercation with Tyra’s stalker leads to the stalker’s body going in the river. This in particular set off a season-long investigation arc, which feels inconsistent with what the show had been, and what it would go on to become.
“Avatar” saw mercifully few duds over its three year run, but this one stands out as the worst of the bunch. The plot sees Aang and company decide to help two bickering rival clans migrate through a canyon. Most of the runtime is devoted to arguments, both among the feuding groups and within the group of heroes. In the end, Aang resolves the clans’ differences by lying to them, a decision that really doesn’t match his character, and acts as a really weird message to end on. Overall, “The Great Divide” adds little to the plot or the characters, making it an easy one to skip.
This “show about nothing” was one of the most influential TV series of the 90s and many were shocked when creators Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David decided to end it after nine seasons. While the series finale is still regarded by some as a major disappointment, an earlier episode in the season proved just as controversial. Many Puerto Ricans were offended by the episode’s subject matter, which generally cast Puerto Ricans in a negative light (Kramer’s accidental burning of the country’s flag didn’t help matters). NBC was flooded with angry letters, prompting the network to issue a formal apology. Even setting aside the controversy, this episode isn’t very memorable and makes a strong case for Seinfeld calling it quits when it did.
This reimagined space opera series incorporated a lot of different genres, but this episode featured one that it did not pull off well: noir. The episode sees Lee “Apollo” Adama investigating a black market that has somehow sprung up in a fleet with a population smaller than an average city. Besides the glut of plot holes and narrative conveniences, trying to turn Galactica’s resident heroic pilot into a gritty detective for an episode just didn’t fly. Noir in space can work, but it doesn’t work here. Even series creator Ronald D. Moore has called “Black Market” a disappointment. But at least he could admit when they frakked up...
Any show on for 15 years is bound to have at least one bad episode, and “Freefall” is one of “ER”’s worst. The crux of the episode’s awfulness lies in the departure of Dr. Robert Romano. A generally unpleasant man, Romano did have other sides to him, and had even received something of a karmic punishment when he lost his arm to a helicopter blade. His death, however, is just cruel and unusual. How does it happen? Why, a helicopter crashes on top of him, of course! The writers had already made the character two-dimensional by the end of his run, but did they have to make his death just as cartoonish?
Season Four was a rough one for “Community” all around, and this episode is arguably the low point of a year full of less than stellar outings. “Intro to Felt Surrogacy” shows the study group lost in the woods, during which they eat some berries that make them hallucinate that they’re all puppets and swap secrets with each other. While “Community” is known for its stunt episodes and surreal moments, usually they’re in service of the story or characters, but that’s just not the case for this bizarre trip of an episode.
Although a polarizing show overall, “Lost” definitely hit a slump during its third season. Some point to “Exposé,” an episode that killed off two fan-despised characters as the show’s low point, but many are of the opinion that this episode is much worse. The flashback focuses on how Jack got his tattoos... while the Island storyline focuses on Kate and Sawyer’s return to camp, and Jack and Juliet’s tenuous position among the Others. The episode also “answers” some questions, like what happened to the people the Others kidnapped, while also raising some more. Ultimately, “Stranger” feels like filler, which, on a show this serialized, can really kill the momentum.
High schoolers and the shows that depict them have difficulty transitioning to college, and “Buffy” was no exception. The “Beer Bad” episode depicts our heroine drowning her sorrows in beer after being used for sex by a jerk of a guy. However, some magic juju in the beer turns her and her drinking pals into cave people. Although elements of the series’ trademark wit and humor are present in the episode, they’re a bit overshadowed by the ham-handed warning against drinking and casual sex, as well as the literal dumbing down of the protagonist. In short: “Beer Bad” bad.
Showtime’s serial killer drama had been in decline since season four’s Trinity Killer arc, but nothing prepared viewers for this trainwreck of a series finale. A truly awful hour of television, this episode retroactively undoes seasons’ worth of character growth in one fell swoop. Dexter’s mercy killing of his sister Deb would have been bad enough on its own, as she deserved so much better. But it gets so much worse. After driving his boat into a hurricane, Dexter is presumed dead. In reality, he’s alive and well, living out his days as a lumberjack. While there’s surely someone out there who liked this ambiguous ending, it’s clear the writers didn’t have any better ideas for how to put this show out of its misery.
In this episode, Principal Seymour Skinner is revealed to be an imposter, who took the name of one of his comrades who never came home from Vietnam. Revealing a long established character as being someone else can work when done well, but the fact that the town decides to pretend they never learned this info by the episode’s end not only rendered any impact it might’ve had moot; it also made fans and critics feel betrayed and like the whole thing was pointless. Many staffers have called the episode a mistake, but its writer, Ken Keeler, has claimed it was meant to provoke and satirize fan outrage. Intent aside, the execution had everyone saying “D’oh!”
Everyone knows Game of Thrones lost its way in the final season. But it hit a low point earlier in the show’s run with this controversial fifth season dud. By this stage, the series had nearly run out of source material and was diverging further away from George R.R. Martin’s books. One of the more questionable changes happens here, as Sansa Stark is forced to marry the sadistic Ramsay Bolton and endure his cruelty. As hours of television go, both “The Bells” and “The Iron Throne” may be worse, but with “Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken”, Game of Thrones stopped being prestige TV.
Few series finales have insulted fans or come as close to ruining the show as a whole quite like this one. “Last Forever” features the unceremonious, off-screen death of The Mother, Tracy, as well as the divorce of Barney and Robin, whose marriage had been the focus of the entire final season. Both developments were necessary for the final nail in the coffin: getting future-Ted together with future-Robin, an outcome the creators reportedly decided on halfway through the show. For an episode whose message was that things change, its writers seemed blind to the fact that the show had moved on from Ted and Robin’s relationship: for the better.
#30: “A Journey to the Highlands”
“Downton Abbey” (2010-15)The Crawleys take a trip to Scotland and visit Duneagle estate. During the family trip, Mary goes into labor and returns to the abbey to give birth to the young George Matthew Crawley. Matthew comes to visit Mary and meet his newborn son. It’s a moment of joy for both parents as George will be the heir to the family estate. However, the moment of happiness is fleeting as shortly after Matthew leaves the hospital, he’s involved in a car wreck and is killed. His sudden death was strongly disliked by many fans as it quickly followed the death of Lady Sybil Branson.
#29: “Everyone Knows It's Bendy”
“Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends” (2004-09)Bendy arrives in the Foster’s home and immediately he causes trouble. The problem for Bloo and the gang is that Mr. Herriman and Frankie take Bendy’s side every single time. Bendy is mean for no reason. He’s shown countless times getting the other imaginary friends’ into trouble even though they’ve done nothing to him. It also doesn’t help that he’s whiney and manipulative as anytime he’s called out for his actions he feigns innocence. It’s a schtick that becomes tired really fast and we’re left with a one note character that adds nothing interesting to the show.
#28: “Pilot”
“Parks and Recreation” (2009-15)For many, the first season of this “Office” spinoff is a no go. Things don’t get off to a great start with the series’ first episode. In it we’re introduced to Leslie Knope and co. along with the town of Pawnee, Indiana. When it initially aired, the show was criticized for being too similar to “The Office” and the character of Knope too much like Michael Scott while some found her to be unlikeable. Even with all that said, there was still potential to prosper which turned about to be the case as by season 2 things started to come together.
#27: “The Timeless Children”
“Doctor Who” (1963-89; 2005-)Plot twists, if done well, can lead to shock and awe as they can make us reevaluate everything we’ve learned about a character or situation. For many fans of “Doctor Who”, however, this reveal was completely forced and unnecessary. Instead of the Doctor being a Time Lord from the planet Gallifrey, the Doctor is an otherworldly being of unknown origin who had their memories erased. Some felt that this explanation ruined the mystery of the Doctor while others felt that this retcon undermined the history of the show and the Doctor’s character development.
#26: “Song Beneath the Song”
“Grey’s Anatomy” (2005-)Musical episodes can be tricky. When done right, you end up with “Buffy’s” “Once More, with Feeling”. When done wrong, you end up with this episode from “Grey’s Anatomy”. Many fans found the tonal shift to be jarring as the show is primarily a medical drama and the idea of musical just doesn’t fit. Even co-star Patrick Dempsey thought the episode was a “big mistake”. Fans also took issue with the fact that the majority of the cast can’t really sing. It did get praise for taking a chance and trying something new but for many this died on the operating table.
#25: “The Day Will Come When You Won't Be”
“The Walking Dead” (2010-22)Jeffrey Dean Morgan’s portrayal of Negan was widely praised but it wasn’t enough to save this episode from the scorn of critics and fans alike. Things were already off to a rough start as many people were unhappy with season 6 finale “Last Day on Earth” as it had slow pacing and ended with an unsatisfactory cliffhanger. The violence found in the season 7 premiere was viewed as brutal and gratuitous with fans finding the way in which characters Abraham and Glenn were killed to be way over the top.
#24: “Saturday Morning Fun Pit”
“Futurama” (1999-2003; 2008-13; 2023-)Anthology episodes have become a staple of this sci-fi comedy but this collection of Saturday morning cartoon parodies fell flat for many. The majority of jokes just didn’t land while others felt the parodies themselves were worn out and tired. Other shows have spoofed “Scooby Doo” and made the same jokes about reusing animation, shoehorned guest stars, the laugh track and flimsy plot. Some also felt that this episode detracts from the humor derived from the characters and clever writing found in regular episodes.
#23: “Fartbook”
“Letterkenny” (2016-23)Known for its rapid pace delivery and word play, this Canadian comedy has endeared itself to many. Unfortunately for fans of this series all of that goes out the window with this episode centered around farts. It should be painfully obvious from the title but the Hicks come up with a social media network based on one’s flatulence. The whole thing becomes a never ending fart joke that most just can’t get into. While there are some funny moments as it parody’s “The Social Network”, you’re not missing much if you decide to skip this one.
#22: “Frank's Brother”
“It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia”The best part about this episode is Lance Reddick’s performance but unfortunately for “It’s Always Sunny” fans it’s not enough to save it from the hate it gets. This episode takes place in the past and recounts how Frank opens a nightclub along with his older brother and they compete for the love of the same woman. While there are a good number of gags present throughout, fans have taken exception to the fact that it doesn’t involve the gang all that much and doesn’t follow the setup of a conventional episode for the series.
#21: “Rickdependence Spray”
“Rick and Morty” (2013-)If there’s a fine line between good and bad taste, for fans and critics of “Rick and Morty”, this episode is right up against it, if not outright crossing it. We’re off to a gross start as Morty’s genetic material unknowingly is transformed into giant monstrosities by Rick. They begin to terrorize the planet and a plan is hatched to lure the sperm into a trap using one of Summer’s eggs. A sperm manages to enter the egg thereby making Morty and Summer technically having a child together. This fact was too much for many watching and people started to question the direction of the show.
#20: “Tea Leaves”
“Mad Men” (2007-15)This fifth season installment focuses heavily (no pun intended) on Betty Draper, and marked Jon Hamm’s directorial debut. Unfortunately, having Don Draper himself at the helm can’t save this episode from a questionable leap into high melodrama. Betty’s cancer diagnosis would end up paying emotional dividends in the final season, but the story’s rushed pacing here robs it of emotional heft. Even worse, January Jones’ real-life pregnancy gives birth to “Fat Betty”, regarded by many as one of the show’s worst character arcs. Although the B plot involving Don trying to recruit the Rolling Stones for a Heinz commercial is a highlight, it’s not enough to save this from being one of Mad Men’s more disappointing outings.
#19: “The One in Barbados”
“Friends” (1994-2004)The finale of “Friends”’ ninth season, this two-parter is the point at which some critics and fans believe the show was starting to run out of ideas. The episodes feature not just a love triangle between Phoebe and her suitors Mike and David, but also a love rectangle between Ross, Rachel, Joey and Charlie. Although the former is arguably more interesting, the latter is a major focus of both episodes, culminating in Rachel and Joey starting a relationship; one that’s destined to be brief, due to the characters’ limited chemistry. And yet, it has slightly more mileage than all the jokes about Monica's hair... albeit barely.
#18: “Shades of Gray”
“Star Trek: The Next Generation” (1987-94)This beloved sci-fi series had very few weak outings over its seven seasons, which makes this season two dud stand out even more. After contracting a deadly virus, Commander Riker is put in a machine that causes him to dream about past events aboard the Enterprise. This framing device was used primarily to cut costs, as the show had run out of money near the end of the season. Even by clip show standards this is a painful hour of television. Making matters worse, the series only had two seasons-worth of episodes to mine for clips at the time. Thankfully, this was the first and last time “The Next Generation” attempted a flashback episode.
#17: “Chapter Fifty-Four”
“Jane the Virgin” (2014-19)
Taken on its own terms, this mid-season finale is an excellent piece of television. Driven by the shocking death of Michael Cordero, this is a tragic, heartfelt episode that forever changed the series. Unfortunately, it didn’t necessarily change for the better. While received positively at the time, “Chapter Fifty-Four” is pointed to by some as the episode that “killed” the series … or at least marked a decline in quality. The sudden three year time jump at the end of the episode was bad enough, as it glossed over the emotional fallout of Michael’s death. But bringing Michael back from the dead the very next season retroactively made the twist pointless. Talk about a cop-out.
#16: “Into That Good Night”
“Roseanne” (1988-97; 2018)Long before the Connor family’s ill-fated revival in 2018, Roseanne fans witnessed a different kind of trainwreck in the form of this late 90s series finale. The ninth season of this once beloved show was panned by critics and fans alike, due to an unbelievable storyline that saw the Connors win the lottery, and a shocking reveal in the two part finale. After a series of increasingly bizarre adventures, the finale undid it all by revealing that the Connors never were millionaires. It was all a dream of Roseanne’s; a fictional world to help cope with the sudden death of her husband. While a bold storytelling choice, loyal viewers weren’t exactly happy that the show had wasted their time with a season of off-brand weirdness before being told none of it actually mattered.
#15: “The Farm”
“The Office” (2005-13)By its final season, this NBC comedy was largely running on fumes. Following Steve Carell’s departure in season seven, an increased focus was put on the remaining cast members but no one was quite able to fill Michael Scott’s shoes. Case in point: Dwight Schrute, who takes center stage here in an episode set at his beet farm. “The Farm” was originally intended to be a backdoor pilot for a proposed Dwight spinoff series. NBC ended up passing and it’s not hard to see why. As great as Dwight is, his antics work best when contrasted against his co-workers. While there’s fun to be had at Schrute Farms, it’s hard to imagine anyone wanting to watch a whole series about Dwight and his oddball family.
#14: “A Million Little Fibers”
“South Park” (1997-)Trey Parker and Matt Stone’s foul-mouthed animated series has maintained a high level of quality for over two decades. But around the tenth season, there was some cause for concern that the show had lost a step. This episode — which sees Towelie write a memoir and go on Oprah — is arguably South Park at its worst. It’s an absurd setup that leads to the shocking visual of Oprah’s genitalia taking hostages at gunpoint. While it’s pretty incredible this episode actually made it to air, the humor just doesn’t work and isn’t up to the show’s high standard. Even the show’s creators have admitted it’s bad, with Stone admitting he’d “erase that one” if he could. On that, we can agree.
#13: “The Lost Sister”
“Stranger Things” (2016-)Pacing is critical to a good story and when a TV series suddenly grinds to a halt, audiences notice. Taken on its own terms, this Eleven-focused episode deserves some credit for taking a storytelling risk. Unfortunately, El’s trip to Chicago to hang with a group of misfits doesn’t lead to the kind of character growth you’d expect. She returns to Hawkins, Indiana the very next episode and the only thing that’s really changed about her is her hairstyle (to be fair, it’s a really cool hairstyle). Even worse, this episode takes us away from the action in Hawkins right as it’s heating up for a final act showdown. All in all, it feels more like an intrusive diversion than an important moment of character growth.
#12: “Last Days of Summer”
“Friday Night Lights” (2006-11)
Following up a critically acclaimed first season can be tough for any show, and “Friday Night Lights” certainly fumbled the ball with its second season premiere, “Last Days of Summer.” While it does a nice job showing the fallout from the events of the previous season, things go wrong for a lot of characters, particularly Tyra and Landry, whose altercation with Tyra’s stalker leads to the stalker’s body going in the river. This in particular set off a season-long investigation arc, which feels inconsistent with what the show had been, and what it would go on to become.
#11: “The Great Divide”
“Avatar: The Last Airbender” (2005-08)“Avatar” saw mercifully few duds over its three year run, but this one stands out as the worst of the bunch. The plot sees Aang and company decide to help two bickering rival clans migrate through a canyon. Most of the runtime is devoted to arguments, both among the feuding groups and within the group of heroes. In the end, Aang resolves the clans’ differences by lying to them, a decision that really doesn’t match his character, and acts as a really weird message to end on. Overall, “The Great Divide” adds little to the plot or the characters, making it an easy one to skip.
#10: “The Puerto Rican Day”
“Seinfeld” (1989-98)This “show about nothing” was one of the most influential TV series of the 90s and many were shocked when creators Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David decided to end it after nine seasons. While the series finale is still regarded by some as a major disappointment, an earlier episode in the season proved just as controversial. Many Puerto Ricans were offended by the episode’s subject matter, which generally cast Puerto Ricans in a negative light (Kramer’s accidental burning of the country’s flag didn’t help matters). NBC was flooded with angry letters, prompting the network to issue a formal apology. Even setting aside the controversy, this episode isn’t very memorable and makes a strong case for Seinfeld calling it quits when it did.
#9: “Black Market”
“Battlestar Galactica” (2004-09)This reimagined space opera series incorporated a lot of different genres, but this episode featured one that it did not pull off well: noir. The episode sees Lee “Apollo” Adama investigating a black market that has somehow sprung up in a fleet with a population smaller than an average city. Besides the glut of plot holes and narrative conveniences, trying to turn Galactica’s resident heroic pilot into a gritty detective for an episode just didn’t fly. Noir in space can work, but it doesn’t work here. Even series creator Ronald D. Moore has called “Black Market” a disappointment. But at least he could admit when they frakked up...
#8: “Freefall”
“ER” (1994-2009)Any show on for 15 years is bound to have at least one bad episode, and “Freefall” is one of “ER”’s worst. The crux of the episode’s awfulness lies in the departure of Dr. Robert Romano. A generally unpleasant man, Romano did have other sides to him, and had even received something of a karmic punishment when he lost his arm to a helicopter blade. His death, however, is just cruel and unusual. How does it happen? Why, a helicopter crashes on top of him, of course! The writers had already made the character two-dimensional by the end of his run, but did they have to make his death just as cartoonish?
#7: “Intro to Felt Surrogacy”
“Community” (2009-15)Season Four was a rough one for “Community” all around, and this episode is arguably the low point of a year full of less than stellar outings. “Intro to Felt Surrogacy” shows the study group lost in the woods, during which they eat some berries that make them hallucinate that they’re all puppets and swap secrets with each other. While “Community” is known for its stunt episodes and surreal moments, usually they’re in service of the story or characters, but that’s just not the case for this bizarre trip of an episode.
#6: “Stranger in a Strange Land”
“Lost” (2004-10)Although a polarizing show overall, “Lost” definitely hit a slump during its third season. Some point to “Exposé,” an episode that killed off two fan-despised characters as the show’s low point, but many are of the opinion that this episode is much worse. The flashback focuses on how Jack got his tattoos... while the Island storyline focuses on Kate and Sawyer’s return to camp, and Jack and Juliet’s tenuous position among the Others. The episode also “answers” some questions, like what happened to the people the Others kidnapped, while also raising some more. Ultimately, “Stranger” feels like filler, which, on a show this serialized, can really kill the momentum.
#5: “Beer Bad”
“Buffy the Vampire Slayer” (1997-2003)High schoolers and the shows that depict them have difficulty transitioning to college, and “Buffy” was no exception. The “Beer Bad” episode depicts our heroine drowning her sorrows in beer after being used for sex by a jerk of a guy. However, some magic juju in the beer turns her and her drinking pals into cave people. Although elements of the series’ trademark wit and humor are present in the episode, they’re a bit overshadowed by the ham-handed warning against drinking and casual sex, as well as the literal dumbing down of the protagonist. In short: “Beer Bad” bad.
#4 “Remember the Monsters?”
“Dexter” (2006-13)Showtime’s serial killer drama had been in decline since season four’s Trinity Killer arc, but nothing prepared viewers for this trainwreck of a series finale. A truly awful hour of television, this episode retroactively undoes seasons’ worth of character growth in one fell swoop. Dexter’s mercy killing of his sister Deb would have been bad enough on its own, as she deserved so much better. But it gets so much worse. After driving his boat into a hurricane, Dexter is presumed dead. In reality, he’s alive and well, living out his days as a lumberjack. While there’s surely someone out there who liked this ambiguous ending, it’s clear the writers didn’t have any better ideas for how to put this show out of its misery.
#3: “The Principal and the Pauper”
“The Simpsons” (1989-)In this episode, Principal Seymour Skinner is revealed to be an imposter, who took the name of one of his comrades who never came home from Vietnam. Revealing a long established character as being someone else can work when done well, but the fact that the town decides to pretend they never learned this info by the episode’s end not only rendered any impact it might’ve had moot; it also made fans and critics feel betrayed and like the whole thing was pointless. Many staffers have called the episode a mistake, but its writer, Ken Keeler, has claimed it was meant to provoke and satirize fan outrage. Intent aside, the execution had everyone saying “D’oh!”
#2: “Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken”
“Game of Thrones” (2011-19)Everyone knows Game of Thrones lost its way in the final season. But it hit a low point earlier in the show’s run with this controversial fifth season dud. By this stage, the series had nearly run out of source material and was diverging further away from George R.R. Martin’s books. One of the more questionable changes happens here, as Sansa Stark is forced to marry the sadistic Ramsay Bolton and endure his cruelty. As hours of television go, both “The Bells” and “The Iron Throne” may be worse, but with “Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken”, Game of Thrones stopped being prestige TV.
#1: “Last Forever”
“How I Met Your Mother” (2005-14)Few series finales have insulted fans or come as close to ruining the show as a whole quite like this one. “Last Forever” features the unceremonious, off-screen death of The Mother, Tracy, as well as the divorce of Barney and Robin, whose marriage had been the focus of the entire final season. Both developments were necessary for the final nail in the coffin: getting future-Ted together with future-Robin, an outcome the creators reportedly decided on halfway through the show. For an episode whose message was that things change, its writers seemed blind to the fact that the show had moved on from Ted and Robin’s relationship: for the better.
