While actors, writers, and directors often want to continue indefinitely when they’ve got a hitTV showon their hands, it’s always disappointing for audiences when a show continues past its prime. It can be tempting to continually renew a show when there’s a willing audience eagerly excited about a new season, but this often leads to series that continue well past their prime and are artificially extended with convoluted plotlines and a rotating cast of main characters. There were even some shows that peaked early andshould have ended with season one, yet continued needlessly for years on end.
Some hit TV shows had the potential to be among thebest shows ever made, yet too many seasons meant they lost their appeal, andviewers slowly lost interest and stopped watching. Other examples had an excellent premise in their earliest seasons, but they decided to introduce a new conflict after the entire narrative had already been neatly wrapped up and concluded. While someshows were able to maintain their qualitythroughout their entire run, the reality was that many went on well past their prime.
10True Blood (2008 - 2014)
7 Seasons
The campy vampire dramaTrue Bloodwas one of HBO’s most interesting shows in its earliest seasons, as it had an enjoyable satirical sense of humor, delivered fantastic worldbuilding, and had engaging romantic elements. By using supernatural creatures as allegories for real-world social issues, the waitress Sookie Stackhouse’s (Anna Paquin) life in small-town Louisiana was made all the more interesting after a synthetic blood brand allowed vampires to come out of the coffin and join mainstream society. This had clear links to LGBTQ+ and social issues and was a clever and unique way to address important topics.
Yet, despite a strong start,True Bloodextended well past its prime and ran for a whopping seven seasons. As too many supernatural creatures and subplots distracted from the original point of the show,True Blooddevolved into a bloated and uninteresting exploration of endless love triangles and pointless conflicts. In retrospect, less would have been more when it came toTrue Blood, and had it focused on quality and not quantity, it would have been a much better show.
true blood
Cast
True Blood is a horror/fantasy drama series created by Alan Ball and starring Anna Paquin, Stephen Moyer, and Alexander Skarsgård. The series follows the life of Sookie Stackhouse, a waitress with telepathic powers that lives in a fictional town in Louisiana. In this town, a new synthetic “drug” has allowed vampires to escape their coffins and roam amongst the living.
9The X-Files (1993 - 2002, 2016 - 2018)
11 Seasons
The groundbreaking mix of paranormal mystery, character-driven stories, and thrilling conspiracy theories madeThe X-Filesone of the most popular shows of the 1990s. With one of television’s greatest onscreen duos, the true believer Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and the supernatural skeptic Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson),The X-Fileshad a fantastic dynamic that carried it forward across several incredible seasons. However, as the seasons continued,The X-Filesbegan to show signs of fatigue, and it felt like it had been extended beyond its natural lifespan.
With spin-off shows, comics, movies, and even disappointing revival series, just because viewers have continued to discuss and enjoy the legacy ofThe X-Filesdidn’t mean it needed to be needlessly revived repeatedly. AsThe X-Filesgot into its later seasons, the once-fascinating mythology of the show became overly convoluted and no longer felt as exciting or mysterious as it once was. While Mulder and Scully will always begreat TV characters, the truth is thatThe X-Fileshas continued well past its prime.
The X-Files
The X-files takes the police procedural formula and applies it to sci-fi mysteries. Conspiracy theorist Fox Mulder and skeptic Dana Scully team up to solve cases surrounding alien invasions and other unexplained, paranormal phenomena.
8Once Upon A Time (2011 - 2018)
Once Upon a Timewas a fantasy adventure that put a dark spin on fairytale stories in a unique and engaging way. Telling the story of Emma Swan (Jennifer Morrison) and her 10-year-old son, Henry Mills (Jared S. Gilmore),Once Upon a Timealternated between two settings: one was a world where fairy tales happen, and the other a fictional seaside town called Storybrooke. With the residents of Storybrooke being actual fairytale characters transported to the real world,Once Upon a Timeblended fantasy and realityto create a violent and often racy reimagining of classic tales.
Yet, the harsh truth was thatOnce Upon a Timelost its magic as it progressed, and its convoluted plotlines and alternate realities felt like it overloaded the show. While the show’s ensemble cast was part of its appeal in the beginning, too many characters were introduced as the writers tried to shoehorn in an endless array of underdeveloped fairytale figures.Once Upon a Timeeven tried to reinvent itself in its final season with a new setting, but this was underwhelming, and the show ended with a whimper and not a bang.
Once Upon A Time
Once Upon a Time is an adventure fantasy-drama series created for ABC that features fairy tale characters and their Disney incarnations in a modern setting. When Emma Swan and her son Henry accidentally drive into the town of Storybrooke, they soon discover the inhabitants are those from fairy tales, and they have no knowledge of the modern world inhabited by Emma and Henry. Robbed of their pasts and given new identities by the Evil Queen known as Regina, the hope of the town’s residents lie solely in the hands of Emma, who has stronger connections to the town than she knows.
7The Simpsons (1989 - Present)
36 Seasons
It’s hard to think of a TV show that had a bigger effect on pop culture in the 1990s thanThe Simpsons. This satirical sitcom about the yellow-skinned Springfield family was such a hit that it’s gone on to become the longest-running American sitcom of all time, although even its biggest supporters will admit that the Golden Age ofThe Simpsonsended a long time ago. While Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, and Maggie are household names the world over, with 36 seasons and counting, it’s hard to deny thatThe Simpsonsshould have called it quits decades ago.
The biggest problem withThe Simpsonsrunning for so long is that the show has truly done it all, and it feels like the fresh appeal of its satirical slant has long gone stale. The Flanderization of not just Homer’s neighbor Ned but practically every character on the show means that it’s become almost a parody of itself in recent years. WhileThe Simpsonsstill knocks out some great modern episodesthat recall the highs of its glory days, it’s been more misses than hits for years, and it might be time to just close the book on Springfield.
The Simpsons
The Simpsons is an animated series set in the fictional town of Springfield, following the daily lives of the Simpson family—Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, and Maggie. Premiering in 1989, the show is renowned for its satirical commentary on politics, media, and American culture, featuring numerous celebrity guest appearances.
6Arrested Development (2003 - 2006, 2013 - 2019)
5 Seasons
Arrested Developmentwas truly one of the most innovative and well-written sitcoms ever made, as its unique sense of humor and strong attention to detail made it stand out. With well-developed characters and a talented cast,Arrested Developmentfollows the dysfunctional Bluth family and the straight-man son Michael (Jason Bateman), who attempts to keep his materialistic family together after their father was arrested in the first episode. With plenty of running gags and a committed cult following, for its first three seasons,Arrested Developmentwas one of the most underrated shows on television.
While this was as good a legacy as any TV show could ask for, things went off the rails whenArrested Developmentwas revived in 2013. The two-seasonArrested Developmentrevival had its moments and even tried to continue its ambitious creative practices with a non-linear structure for season four, but it was clear the show was past its prime. There were doses of self-referential and metafictional humor that used to work so well, but the original run ofArrested Developmentwill always be its glory days.
Arrested Development
Arrested Development, a television series premiered in 2003, follows the dysfunctional Bluth family who are coping with the loss of their fortune. Central to the narrative is Michael Bluth, the diligent son attempting to stabilize the family amidst their eccentricities and financial turmoil.
5Riverdale (2017 - 2023)
As a self-aware reimagining ofArchie Comics, whenRiverdalefirst aired, it appeared to be a genuinely exciting teen drama with a compelling murder mystery at its core. As an odd, daring, and bingeable series that felt likeTwin Peaksfor Generation Z, the wayRiverdaleexplored the dark underbelly of its deceptively normal setting connected with viewers who eagerly tuned in each week to discover the untold evil lurking within this small town. HadRiverdalenot continued long past its prime, it would have earned a reputation as one of the most unique and original teen dramas ever.
Sadly,Riverdale’scontinued existence told a much different story as it dragged on for seven seasons, each with diminishing returns. WhileRiverdale’swillingness to shake up its genre in between series was admirable, it grew increasingly unwieldy as it introduced supernatural concepts and addressed social and political issues with little nuance.There was something special aboutRiverdale’sfirst season, but as later seasons were bloated with 20-plus episode counts, it felt like a lot of content was being made that had very little to say.
Riverdale
A darker take on Archie, Betty, Veronica, and their friends from the Archie Comics series, Riverdale is a CW supernatural mystery series that sees the group trying to illuminate the truth surrounding various strange occurrences and murders in the titular town. When a teenage girl is found dead in the once-quiet town, the event starts a series of ever-growing mysteries that ultimately lead to darker secrets in the town’s history. Led by Archie, the Riverdale gang will attempt to navigate their new normal while dealing with all of the drama that comes with being high school teenagers.
4Glee (2009 - 2015)
6 Seasons
The earliest episodes ofGleewere truly a breath of fresh air in the TV landscape of 2009. With a talented ensemble cast, enjoyable covers of popular songs, and a campy sense of humor that poked fun at the ridiculously cutthroat nature of theater kids in high school,Gleewas an enjoyable satirethat addressed issues of sexuality, gender, race, and family head-on. As a jukebox musical show that was clever and fun to watch, it’s no surprise thatGleequickly became one of the most popular hit shows on TV.
It was not just the teen characters who added toGlee’sappeal as the club’s director Mrs. Schuester and cheerleading coach Sue Sylvester were just as essential to the show’s success. However, the originality ofGlee’sfirst season soon grew stale, and the premise quickly wore thin. AsGleelost its unique appeal in its later years, the series shifted its focus away from the core cast and more toward celebrity guests, gimmicky episode concepts, and over-the-top melodrama.Gleeoverstayed its welcome and, like the best musical performances, should have bowed out early and left the audience wanting more.
Glee
In order to escape the stressful reality of high school, a group of misfits decides to join William McKinley’s glee club. Fox’sGleewas created by Ian Brennan, Brad Falchuk,and Ryan Murphy, with Leah Michele, Jane Lynch, and Matthew Morrison leading the cast. The series ran for six seasons between 2009 and 2015 and won six Primetime Emmys.
313 Reasons Why (2017 - 2020)
4 Seasons
The Netflix hit13 Reasons Whywas a prime example of a TV show that should have ended after just one season. Based on a novel by Jay Asher, this teen drama had its premise built into its title, and once the original story about the deceased high school student Hannah Baker’s cassette tape outlining the reasons she ended her life was told, the show should have ended right there. If13 Reasons Whyhad been just a miniseries and allowed the show to conclude naturally, then it would have gone down as a compelling, effective, and thought-provoking teen drama.
However, the popularity of13 Reasons Whywas too much to ignore, and it was decided to artificially continue the show well past its prime. As the show strayed ever further from its original concept throughout its four seasons, the reviews and reception were increasingly harsh. As a melodramatic exploitation of triggering topics,the entire point of13 Reasons Whywas lost along the way, and by the end, it was a draining and off-putting viewing experience that milked the tragedy of its character’s miserable existences for all they were worth.
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.
2Two And A Half Men (2003 - 2015)
12 Seasons
The charisma and appeal of Charlie Sheen were the driving force behind the success ofTwo and a Half Menin its earliest years. As Charlie Harper, the hedonist bachelor whose life was turned upside down when his brother Alan and young nephew Jake moved in with him, Sheen’s real-life womanizing reputation was juxtaposed with the do-gooder attitude of Jon Cryer’s Alan.Two and a Half Menwas essentially a show about family as the siblings contrasted each other in every way.
However,behind-the-scenes controversy meant that Sheen exited the showin the wake of substance abuse problems and a public feud with theTwo and a Half Mencreator, Chuck Lorre. Without Sheen, the show’s premise no longer made any sense, yet the show was still a hit, and, rather than call it a day, Ashton Kutcher was brought in as a replacement. WhileTwo and a Half Mencontinued for four more seasons with Kutcher as the billionaire Walden Schmidt, who inexplicitly allowed Alan to keep living with him, the show was a shell of its former self.
Two and a Half Men
Two and a Half Men follows the Harper family: Charlie (Charlie Sheen), a womanizing, hedonistic jingle writer who enjoys his lazy lifestyle from the comfort of his large beach house; Alan (Jon Cryer), Charlie’s neurotic, far less successful brother; and Jake (Angus T. Jones), Alan’s impressionable son. When Alan’s marriage falls apart, he moves in with Charlie, much to the older brother’s dismay. After bonding with his nephew, Charlie reluctantly embraces Alan’s presence, paving the way for one of television’s most dysfunctional family environments.
It’s truly hard to underestimate how excitedThe Walking Deadwas when it first premiered in 2010. As a horror TV show that had the same intensity and production values as the best zombie-based feature films, this felt like an extraordinary opportunity to flesh out its world and give television its own answer to George A. Romero’sNight of the Livingfranchise. With great characters, high stakes, and an engaging level of worldbuilding, it’s disappointing how muchThe Walking Deadwent off the rails in its later seasons.
The cracks were apparent early on asThe Walking Deadshowrunner Frank Darabont, known for classic Stephen King adaptations likeThe Shawshank RedemptionandThe Mist, was fired from the show after its first season. As the years went on,The Walking Deadfailed to innovate its story structure, and in the later seasons, it felt like it was progressing without any endpoint in sight and that the show had squandered the audience’s goodwill. By the final seasons,The Walking Deadwas much like the zombies it featured, entirely soulless but still somehow sticking around.
The Walking Dead
The Walking Dead is a television series that premiered on June 10, 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.
