While it’s not rare for aTVshow to improve in later seasons or maintain the same quality for multiple seasons, it is rare for such a trend to continue across many seasons. While somepopular TV shows have terrible second seasonsand never live up to the glory of a great pilot season, there are examples ofTV shows whose first seasons are their worst. But, eventually, most of them fall off after a few good seasons. Various factors from the departure of major cast members to changes in the creative department cause such regrettable downfalls.
Executive decisions also often disrupt TV shows, like with the fewflawed TV shows that improved but got canceled. However, it is most disappointing when a great show, which has the potential of becoming one of the best of all time, suddenly fails to live up to the expectations it set. Strict fans of such shows might even argue that it would have been better for them and the show if it got canceled instead of falling off. Some shows are best left incompleteso as to not experience the disappointmentthat plagues viewers who have seen them fully.
Arrow
Cast
Arrow is a television series that debuted in 2012, featuring Stephen Amell as Oliver Queen, a billionaire playboy who returns to Starling City after being stranded for five years. Transformed by his experience, Queen becomes a vigilante archer, aiming to purge his city of crime and corruption.
While the rest of Season 3 is still worth watching to find out how things end,Arrowstarts going off the rails once Oliver Queen faces off against Ra’s al Ghul and miraculously survives a fall from the top of the snowy mountain. Up until then, the CW superhero show is like a tight crime thriller with an episodic format that almost feels like a long movie, with great continuity, barely any plot holes, and a refreshing lack of plot armor, considering the genre.
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However, with Oliver’s survival, the rules started to get bent more, and soon enough, with the appearance of Damien Darhk, the amount of supernatural content increasedtoo much for the grounded vibe to remain. There have been supernatural aspects in the show from the beginning, and Season 2, arguably the best season, largely relies on a supernatural element, but the introduction of dark magic and metahumans completely changes the tone. Instead of committing, the showrunners try to maintain the same vibe, thus creating a mess that never sorts itself out. However, Season 5 is worth watching for the compelling villain.
Dexter
Dexter is a television series following Dexter Morgan, a blood spatter analyst for Miami Metro Police who secretly leads a dual life as a vigilante serial killer. Released in 2006, the show focuses on Dexter’s internal conflict as he hunts down criminals who elude justice within the legal system.
Many fans considerDexterSeason 4 to be the show’s finalebecause it ends on a poetic note with the death of Dexter’s wife through plans set in motion by his latest victim, the Trinity Killer. It’s a bittersweet conclusion to his story because, as an antihero, he plays loose with his morals, and one might say he gets what he deserves, in being able to kill the latest killer, but still lose someone so close to him.
Dexter: New Blood, picking the story up a decade after the show’s finale, aired for exactly one disappointing season in 2021, and now the character is set to return withDexter: Resurrection, which is going to air in the summer of 2025.
Dexterhad problems with its writing all along, as the plots became more outlandish, and it began feeling like Dexter had irrationally strong plot armor. However, Season 4’s conclusion is compelling because of the thematic implications and the tense buildup to the season finale. After that, the show never recovered its quality, andDexter’s series finale in Season 8 iswidely regarded as one of the most disappointing episodesin TV history.
13 Reasons Why
After Hannah Baker takes her own life, her classmate Clay Jensen, who had a crush on her, receives a set of tapes narrated by Hannah, stating that they were sent to each person behind the 13 reasons that she committed suicide.
13 Reasons Whywas never supposed to be a multi-season show. While creative freedom often creates great stories, extending the material beyond what’s there in the original book leads to a messy narrative that loses sight of the story’s intent and message. Recorded on multiple tapes, thereasons for Hannah Baker’s suicide in13 Reasons Whyform the crux of the episodes of its first season. While the second season had a good intention of exploring how people react to her tapes and the repercussions, it doesn’t handle sensitive topics well.
1
77%
80%
2
28%
52%
3
11%
42%
4
25%
51%
The first season is controversial already because its tone seems to glorify suicide much more than the book, and also because it visually depicts Hannah Baker committing suicide. On top of that, using real life issues for dramatic tension, making every character suffer unspeakable trauma, including rape, which isn’t written sensitively, is a misstep that the show consistently makes. By the time it ends with Season 4,it’s far removed from its rootsand creating entertainment out of teenagers' trauma.
The Walking Dead
The Walking Dead is a television series that premiered on July 02, 2025. It follows Sheriff’s deputy Rick Grimes, who awakens from a coma to find a post-apocalyptic world overrun by zombies. He embarks on a journey to locate his family, encountering various survivors amidst the chaos.
It is a hot take to claim thatThe Walking Deadfell off from Season 8, given how the ratings and the viewership for the show dropped after the season 7 premiere. When Negan kills Glenn in a brutal and shocking scene, it shakes many viewers to their core, and while the show was still airing, this is the point when many viewers quit. However,it is worth sticking around until the season 8 finaleto see the long-foreshadowed showdown between Rick Grimes and Negan.
Rick Grimes had to be written off in Season 9, and ideally, it’s best to not continue after season 8
The highly anticipated fight is a well-choreographed, high-octane action sequence that unfortunately becomes the ideal jumping-off point for viewers who intend to drop the show before it becomes disappointing.Andrew Lincoln’s exit fromThe Walking Deadmeant that Rick Grimes had to be written off in Season 9, and ideally, it’s best to not continue after season 8. The earlier shocking point that made viewers drop the show originally is faithful to the comics and doesn’t warrant leaving the show.
Community
Community is a comedic television series that chronicles the lives of diverse students at Greendale Community College, a fictional and notoriously underperforming educational institution in Colorado. Released in 2009, the show explores the quirky interactions and relationships among the eclectic group navigating their academic and personal challenges.
Communityis perhaps the most creative sitcom of all time because it smartly subverts genre expectations, uses unconventional story structures, implements various narrative techniques, and parodies pop culture. While the chemistry between all the characters and their interpersonal drama is used for all kinds of unique misadventures throughout the seasons, it is undoubtedlythe bond between Danny Pudi’s Abed and Donald Glover’s Troythat sets up the most entertaining plotlines.
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So, after Glover’s exit, the show lost one of its greatest comedic talents. Troy’s weirdly overdramatic tone and Glover’s comic timing made his screen presence endlessly entertaining, and the show suffers a dip in quality after the latter’s departure. The episode in which Troy leaves the college is also one of the funniest and wildest episodes of the entire show, so it could even feel like the ideal high point to drop the show. Later episodes often feature contrived plotlines or forced humor, and it’s very apparent that the show badly misses Glover’s wit.
House of Cards
Based on the novel of the same name by Michael Dobbs, House of Cards follows unscrupulous politician Frank Underwood (Kevin Spacey) as he makes ruthless attempts to further his career. When he’s passed over for an appointment as Secretary of State, Underwood decides to get ahead by any means necessary. His talent for manipulation and pragmatism sees him climb the political ladder despite his total lack of moral fiber.
It’s not surprising thatHouse of Cardsdropped its usual 13-episode length for a shorter season after the Season 5 finale, and then wrapped up with Season 6. The show had become a center of controversy after allegations of sexual assault were levied against lead actor Kevin Spacey by Anthony Rapp, and then by crew members of the show.
Spacey issued a public apology after the allegations were made against him, and then left the show. His character was written off for season 6, and without Frank Underwood,House of Cardsjust wasn’t the same. Claire’s presidency would have been an interesting avenue to explore, especially through Frank’s responses to her actions, but without Frank, the show loses a lot of its momentum.
Killing Eve
Killing Eve is a black comedy thriller series starring Sandra Oh as British intelligence officer Eve Polastri who is assigned to track and capture a dangerous assassin named Villanelle, played by Jodie Comer. Bored with her life, Eve finds herself hired by an undercover MI6 division tasked with tracking down Villanelle - who, after just a brief time studying and following her, she becomes obsessed with her. However, the obsession becomes mutual as soon the two enter a game of cat and mouse that deviates them from their missions as they venture to learn more about one another.
There’s no specific point at whichKilling Evefalls off, but it isn’t difficult to see how season 3 is inferior to the previous two seasons. This trend is continued by season 4, which ends withthe most disappointing series finale of all time. The strength of the show lies in the relationship between Villanelle and Eve, and the first 2 seasons almost solely focus on them, barely featuring any scenes without at least one of the two characters. However, with season 3, the show became an ensemble show and lost momentum.
While they’re not all poorly written, many of the side characters inKilling Evearen’t as compelling as Eve or Villanelle. Moreover, even scenes with the characters began branching off into other subplots instead of focusing on their obsession with each other. Perhaps the writers felt that viewers would feel bored if it kept just being about their relationship, but then,Killing Eveshould perhaps have just been a miniseries. The Season 2 finale is such a cliffhanger that it’s difficult to leave the show there, but one could abandon it any time it loses its charm in Season 3.
Heroes
Heroes sees a number of people drawn to each other after a solar eclipse awakens incredible abilities in them. With their destinies seemingly intertwined, these evolved humans use their superpowers to influence the past, present, and future - for better and for worse. When a superpowered killer emerges who is stealing abilities from his victims, they must band together to stop him.
Heroesnever lived up to the standard it set in its remarkable first season.Among other reasons, the writers' strike of 2007 occurred soon after the first season finished airing, and season 2’s production was disrupted. The writing suffered, and the show failed to capture the fascinating charm of its characters and concepts which made its first season so remarkable. Today,Heroeseven has confirmation of a spin-off, but the second season’s fall from grace was so bad, many viewers dropped the show and recommend only watching the first season.
Rotten Tomatoes scores for Heroes seasons
82%
93%
50%
66%
29%
Moreover,Heroeswas originally supposed to be an anthology, with each season focusing on different characters. However, the unexpected amount of love received by the first season prompted executives to request a different approach. They wanted the characters to recur, but some characters were conceptually going to indefinitely grow in power, so the writers had to introduce inconsistent stop gaps to explore them further. Just watching Season 1 will protect viewers from the emotional turmoil of watching a masterpiece getting ruined.
The Office
This mockumentary comedy series observes the mundane and humorous daily lives of employees at the Scranton branch of the fictional Dunder Mifflin Paper Company. It offers insights into office dynamics, personalities, and the eccentric behavior of both management and staff, depicting an ordinary workplace with extraordinary characters.
One of the greatest sitcoms of all time, and often considered the best of its genre,The Officeis a hilarious workplace mockumentary that follows the shenanigans of the regional manager of a paper company. Michael Scott, the manager of the Scranton branch of Dunder Mifflin, is never up to any good and subjects his coworkers to ridiculous tomfoolery, often disrupting workflow. The man’s almost always well-intentioned, but can be a problem as a boss because he’s focused on doing anything but work.
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Steve Carell’s performance asMichael Scott is so iconic that the former is always linked to his character fromThe Office. He perfectly balances the childish adventurousness and the irresponsible adult in Michael. When he left after the Season 7 finale, the show changed forever, and not for the better. Michael was given a beautifully emotional sendoff, and watching him walk away is perhaps the last thing one should watch if they want to drop the show while it’s still at its peak.
Game Of Thrones
Based on George R. R. Martin’s ongoing A Song of Ice and Fire novel series, Game of Thrones is a fantasy drama set in the fictional continents of Westeros and Essos. It follows noble families like the Starks, Lannisters, and Targaryen vying for control of the Iron Throne while a rising threat from the undead looms in the North. The series received significant critical success and amassed a loyal fan base due to its high production values, sprawling sets, iconic characters, and shocking twists.
Game of Thronesis the biggest cautionary tale against taking creative freedom beyond the source material. The show is a top-tier medieval fantasy drama for its first five seasons butstarts to show signs of falling off from Season 6. The momentum of the incomplete plotlines will keep viewers invested for the sixth season as well, but that’s about it. With the Sept of Baelor blowing up, Daenerys declaring Tyrion her Hand, and Jon Snow being hailed as the new King in the North, things seem promising, but it’s the best place to stop watching the show.
The only thing more disappointing than one’s favorite show getting canceled is it falling off likeGame of Thrones.
After Season 6, things go badly off the rails. It’s apparent that the writers don’t know how to resolve the open narrative threads, and characters start exhibiting uncharacteristic behavior. By the time the Season 8 finale arrives, there’s no hope left for the show, and fans have rightfully been enraged at the disappointing series finale. Almost every female character, but particularly Daenerys, arefemale TV characters who deserved a better ending. The only thing more disappointing than one’s favorite show getting canceled is it falling off likeGame of Thrones.
