Having a long-running TV show is a tricky thing. Namely because quality can ebb and flow depending on the season, for even the most acclaimed projects. Most shows have at least one clunker of a year, whether it be in the beginning of the series, the final season, or somewhere in between. And I've picked the worst season from 32 major television shows. Let's break it all down.
To be clear: this isn't to say that these seasons are unwatchable or made me dislike the show at a whole. Well... mostly. But these are the installments of major shows that simply didn't stand up to the rest of its run. Here are those shows, including major titles like Game of Thrones, Breaking Bad and more.
Lost - Season 6
Damon Lindelof and J.J. Abrams' Lost was quintessential water cooler programming at the height of its run on ABC. But there were a few seasons that failed to really resonate with fans, including Season 6. The final season's big mystery was surrounding its flash sideways, which was finally revealed in Lost's controversial series finale. And it's for the way that it attempted to stick the landing that makes Season 6 the worst.
Dexter Season 8
There are a number of final seasons on this list, as it's fairly common for long-running shows to decline in quality as the years go on. Dexter was definitely in that category, with Season 8 offering a less than satisfying antagonist for Michael C. Hall's title character to face off against. Dexter's finale is also widely panned, so much so that a new season New Blood was produced to give the killer protagonist a better sendoff. And yes I'm still mad about Deb's fate.
Gilmore Girls - Season 6
Gilmore Girls has a wildly popular fandom, who re-watched the original series annually. But there are some parts of the show that remain controversial, perhaps the biggest of which is Season 6. In it there's a huge block of episodes where Rory and Lorelai are not speaking. And it's really not the same show without the titular Gilmore Girls snacking and dropping pop culture references. While Season 7 feels off because it was done without Amy Sherman-Palladino, the feud between protagonists puts Season 6 at the bottom of the list for me. As someone who watched the show live, those months of weekly episodes was especially painful.
Grey's Anatomy Season 17
For a show to run as long as Grey's Anatomy has, there's going to be some ups and down in terms of quality. There are a number of season that don't work for the fandom, but for me the worst has got to be Season 17 aka the Covid season. Grey's incorporated the pandemic in real time into its main narrative for the season, with actors wearing masks and face shields in scenes to make the set a safe space. The results were awkward, and Meredith spent most of the season in a Covid related coma. While Grey's brought back McDreamy, George, Lexi, and Sloan during Meredith's beach scenes, I still would have preferred to see her involved in the show's main plot.
Weeds Season 6
Showtime's dramedy Weeds began with an intriguing premise: a widower in the suburbs starts selling marijuana in her affluent neighborhood to provide for the family. But as the show went on the stakes kept getting higher and higher for Mary-Louise Parker's protagonist Nancy. Season 6 saw the Botwin family on the run, hiding from the Esteban. While it was fun to see the Weeds cast in new situations, it ultimately ends up being a season without too much substance. And the gag of their road trip from hell got old after a while.
The Office - Season 1
While there are plenty of shows with disappointing final seasons, there are also some that struggled to find their footing with early episodes. The US version of The Office is in that category, and it was unclear if Season 2 was even going to happen. Following the first season's performance, The Office made Steve Carell's Michael Scott more likable, with his issues coming from a deep need for approval. And once we understood how Michael ticked, his bonkers managerial choices became endearing rather than enraging. And now its one of the most popular network comedies of all time.
Game of Thrones - Season 8
Anyone who watched HBO's megahit fantasy series Game of Thrones probably could have guessed which season I was going to include on this list. The eighth and final season stood out among the rest for its strange pacing, and for delivering long-awaited moments like the CleganeBowl. Unfortunately, the final few episodes took some bold jumps that fans didn't appreciate include Dany breaking bad. The series finale of Game of Thrones is still controversial to this day, although fans have returned to Westeros via the new prequel House of the Dragon.
Roseanne - Season 9
Roseanne was a super successful comedy series in the '90s, running for a whopping nine seasons originally. Part of its appeal was because the Conners family was working class, and was therefore more relatable to typical TV audiences than other picture perfect sitcoms. Then Season 9 happened, with Roseanne and Dan winning the literal lottery. The whole season felt out of place as a result, including the wild Roseanne finale which basically undid everything we saw throughout its tenure on the small screen. Luckily that finale would end up being retconned when the show returned to the small screen and was given a spinoff with The Conners.
The Walking Dead - Season 9
AMC's The Walking Dead was wildly popular throughout its first few seasons, but some fans ended up eventually losing interest and falling off. What's more, some quit the show after Negan brutally killed off Glenn. But for me the worst chapter in its run on AMC was Season 9. We all knew it was going to be Andrew Lincoln's last few episodes on the show, which seemed to really slow down its momentum. Eventually The Walking Dead would get better by becoming more of an ensemble project without Rick, but this transitional period was a low point for me.
American Horror Story: Apocalypse
Ryan Murphy's anthology series American Horror Story is usually quite popular every October, but some of the seasons are stronger than others. There was a lot of hype surrounding Apocalypse ahead of its premiere, as it would serve as a crossover and feature the return of beloved characters from both Coven and Murder House. Unfortunately, the final result failed to live up to that premise, and instead felt like a bit of a jumbled mess. Considering how long fans like me waited to see the witches return to the screen, it was a letdown that final result left so much to be desired.
Friends - Season 9
Friends is another insanely popular network comedy, one that was a complete sensation during its whopping ten seasons on the air. But some seasons were better than others, especially regarding its main plot line. Season 9 suffered because the show was originally going to end there, before negotiations were made to do the tenth and final season. And as such, the main storyline felt muddled and somewhat anticlimactic as a whole. Luckily the Friends finale would end up providing a great ending when it finally aired.
Breaking Bad - Season 1
Breaking Bad is one of the most acclaimed TV shows to be on the air in years. It consistently performed well at the Emmys, and fans have applauded the final season as a whole, especially the Breaking Bad finale. But the show was also a bit of a slow burn at first. I personally had to try multiple times to get through the first season of Breaking Bad, before things started really heating up with the introduction of Giancarlo Esposito's Gus Fring. So Season 1 is at the bottom of my ranking for the story of Heisenberg.
The Simpsons - Season 1
The Simpsons is a groundbreaking animated television show that has the honor of being the longest running American show on television. There's been plenty of discussion over the years about the quality of the series, which has gone through ups and downs during its decades on the air. And for me Season 1 was another example of a show that struggled to find its footing. Obviously the beloved series ended up hitting its stride, but I feel the OG episodes don't necessarily stand the test of time.
Riverdale - Season 3
The CW had a hit on its hand with Riverdale, which served as a gritty adaptation of Archie Comics. The show's unique visual language made it fun to watch, and I'd typically binge watch a full season once it dropped on Netflix. But Season 3 saw the show take a wild turn. Rather than simply being a murder mystery, Riverdale began dealing with the supernatural for the first time. And there were some serious growing pains. Although we never could have known that Riverdale's finale would include a wild quad twist.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer - Season 1
This one might be a controversial pick for fans of the show. Buffy the Vampire Slayer is my favorite TV show of all time, and it's one that I often come back to throughout any given year. And while some fans don't like Season 6's dark tone, the show's first season is the weakest for me. During Season 1 Buffy functions much more like a procedural, rather than moving forward and overarching narrative. I personally think the show is best when Buffy's ensemble cast is all assembled, which doesn't happen until later seasons. Plus Season 1 just looks super dated.
Heroes - Season 2
Heroes was a huge hit when it debuted on NBC, with the show offering an original live-action superhero story. Unfortunately, the momentum of that show came to a screeching halt with the Writer's Strike of 2007-2008. Season 2 ends up rushed as a result, and failed to meet the expectations of the series. What's more, Heroes' sophomore season introduces a number of character we'd never see again. One can only imagine which shows will be similarly affected by the recent WGA strike.
Seinfeld - Season 8
Seinfeld is another comedy on this list that is pretty universally acclaimed. But that doesn't mean the iconic '90s sitcom didn't have a few low points throughout its run on TV. Season 8 was the first chapter Seinfeld without creator Larry David, and the difference was pretty obvious. Case in point: the show no longer opened up on Jerry performing a stand up set.
True Blood - Season 7
True Blood arrived at the height of the early aughts vampire craze, and provided a R-rated take on the blood suckers. The show was violent and campy, and soon became a sensation. But like so many other popular shows, the Anna Paquin-led series failed to stick the landing with its final season on the air. True Blood's finale was generally panned, and the final season felt a bit messy as a whole. I mean, they killed Tara at the beginning of Season 7... offscreen. The disrespect!
Happy Days - Season 5
Happy Days had an impressively long run on the air, and made household names out of talents like Henry Winkler and Ron Howard. The show had a long impact on pop culture as a whole, especially its somewhat infamous fifth season. Season 5 featured Fonzie famously "jumping the shark", which has now become a term for when shows go too far and lose the audience.
New Girl - Season 5
New Girl had a long run on Fox, and has continued to have a life via streaming. But Season 5 failed to bring it the same way the rest of the show did. Namely because Zooey Deschanel was on maternity break, and the show was without its titular character. While Megan Fox's replacement character Regan was a great foil for Nick, the show just wasn't the same without Jess.
House Of Cards - Season 6
When the streaming wars began, Netflix had some major wins with Orange is the New Black and House of Cards. The latter became a prestige drama, with a killer cast that helped people subscribe to Netflix for the first time. But the allegations against Kevin Spacey saw him removed from the show, and it never really recovered. House of Cards Season 6 killed Francis Underwood off camera, while Claire became the sole protagonist. While Robin Wright killed it, the final season just felt off, and the series finale failed to satisfy fans who stuck it out.
Glee - Season 4
Glee became a sensation after its first season on Fox, and had a few years of being wildly popular. But its quality started to wane after its first few seasons on the air, and some folks fell off entirely. Season 4 was when things started to change for me, as it took a number of the biggest characters out of William McKinley High School. Kurt and Rachel became roommates in New York City, and it no longer felt like the same musical series that captured the attention of so many.
Parks And Recreation - Season 1
Just like The Office before it, Parks and Recreation struggled a bit in its first season on the air. The mockumentary comedy was charming, but the cast of Parks & Rec weren't all taking center stage just yet. And Amy Poehler's Leslie Knope was originally criticized for being too close to Steve Carell's Michael Scott. But the show eventually found its footing, and remains popular and utterly meme-able.
Shameless - Season 11
Like Grey's Anatomy, Shameless produced a season that was set at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. While incorporating mask use helped Season 11 be produced on time, it was a pretty distracting plot point. Overall, the final season failed to live up to what the Gallaghers were capable of. And the series finale felt more like a regular episode, leaving a number of unfinished plot points for the audience to ponder.
Angel - Season 4
The popularity of Buffy the Vampire Slayer was so high that after three a seasons a spinoff was produced starring David Boreanaz's Angel. These two shows embraced serialized storytelling long before the MCU would make it commonplace. But Season 4 of Angel is my least favorite, despite some exciting Buffy crossovers. Cordelia Chase ends up possessed for a good chunk of episodes, which was a story that got old. And the writing around Angel's son Connor was downright abysmal, as he remains one of the most hated TV characters of all time.
Community - Season 4
Community is the little show that could, with longtime fans watching as Six Seasons and a Movie came together against the odds. But that doesn't mean that all of its seasons were created equal. Case in point: Community Season 4 aka the Gas Leak Season. It was the first season without creator Dan Harmon, and had a number of gimmicks that failed to really resonate.
The Handmaid's Tale - Season 5
The Handmaid's Tale is available with a Hulu subscription, and is a gripping and grueling adaptation of Margaret Atwood's novel of the same name. But the most reason installment to air, Season 5, didn't hit quite as hard as its predecessors. I think this is mostly because so many of the stories weren't actually set in Gilead, but in Canada. Add in the loss of Alexis Bledel's Emily, and the fifth season was my least favorite so far.
That '70s Show - Season 8
That '70s Show made household names out of its cast of actors. But this level of adoration is why Season 8 ends up being the weakest link during its tenure on the air. The final season continued on without Topher Grace's Eric, and the absence of the show's protagonist was very noticeable. Especially when a new character was brought into the group in an attempt to replace him. Ashton Kutcher also left the show, which is why Season 8 is definitely at the bottom of the list.
Arrow - Season 6
The CW's DC superhero show Arrow is one that famously had ups and downs in relation to quality. Still, many fans consider Season 6 to be the worst entry of the bunch. In it we saw Team Arrow frustratingly get split up, and fans took umbrage with the show's plot and pacing. Luckily there were two more season of Arrow to help and satiate disappointed audiences.
Felicity - Season 4
Felicity has a unique place in the grand history of network TV. After all, we'd never seen a haircut absolutely shake the entertainment industry as when Keri Russell cut off her signature locks back in Season 2. While the show started off as a teen drama, Season 4 ventured into new territory by introducing witchcraft and time travel into the equation. And while J.J. Abrams would prove his sci-fi skills in Star Trek and Star Wars, perhaps Season 4 of Felicity wasn't the right time.
How I Met Your Mother - Season 9
How I Met Your Mother had a seriously impressive run on CBS, with a whopping 9 seasons. The premise of the show meant that all the years of stories from the show's narrator would eventually reveal... how he met the kids' mother. That eventually happened with the entrance of Cristin Milioti. But fans took umbrage with the final season's handling of that plot line, as well as Robin and Barney's divorce.
The West Wing - Season 5
The West Wing is TV history, and helped make Aaron Sorkin into a household name. But the show's fifth season on the air was a bit of a disappointment, namely because it was the first one without Sorkin at the helm. Overall the story felt a bit of a jumbled mess when compared to the previous installments, which were rather universally acclaimed.
As beloved as these series are, even the greatest of TV shows can have a weak season.
