The Ultimate Collection of TV Episodes That Completely Derailed a Show

Summary

Some beloved TV shows have lost viewers and suffered a decline in quality due to poorly received episodes and unresolved storylines.

These episodes let down viewers due to unresolved storylines, lazy writing, excessive violence, and the undermining of beloved characters. Consequently, viewers lost interest and abandoned the shows.

Certain beloved TV series, such as The Walking Dead and Game of Thrones, have aired episodes that were incredibly distressing or simply terrible, leading many viewers to stop watching entirely. This typically happens when shows continue for too long, attempting to prolong their storylines for additional seasons, or when they suffer the departure of a key cast member. It can also occur when a popular show loses sight of what originally made it great.

Throughout television history, there have been various season finales that divided audiences. However, it is a rare occurrence for an episode in the middle of a season to be so universally disliked that it causes viewers to completely abandon the show. Nevertheless, there are a few instances where even the greatest TV shows of all time experienced a rapid decline in viewership well before the season's finale due to some of the worst episodes ever aired.

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11 "Stranger In A Strange Land" - Lost

After maintaining respectable viewing figures over its initial two seasons, Lost experienced a significant decline in ratings following season 3, episode 9, "Stranger in a Strange Land." The episode's promotional teases promised major revelations but ultimately failed to deliver on them. "Stranger in a Strange Land" came to symbolize the entire series, constantly introducing more mysteries without adequately resolving existing ones. The negative reception of this particular episode compelled showrunner Damon Lindelof to establish a definitive end date for the series, but for many viewers, it was too little, too late. Disillusioned by the lack of satisfactory resolutions, numerous audience members eventually gave up on the show.

10 "The Principal And The Pauper" - The Simpsons

9 "The Day Will Come When You Won't Be" - The Walking Dead

"The Principal and the Pauper," the second episode of Season 9 of The Simpsons, is widely regarded as the catalyst for the downfall of the show's "Golden Age." The revelation that Principal Skinner was actually an imposter left fans divided, especially considering the nine years of extensive character development and backstory that had preceded it. The situation was further exacerbated by the Deus Ex Machina ending, where every character conveniently chose to forget Skinner's secret. This rendered all the previously revealed information obsolete and pointless. Many viewers found this resolution to be lazy and ultimately became disillusioned with a series that would casually undermine their beloved characters and provide such a lackluster conclusion.

Glen Rhee (Steven Yeun) became a beloved character in The Walking Dead as audiences embarked on the journey with various characters. However, his demise in season 8, episode 1 "The Day Will Come When You Won't Be" left viewers heartbroken. Both audiences and critics felt that the scene portraying Glen's death went beyond limits with its explicit violence, seemingly relishing in the prolonged and brutal depiction simply to imitate a notable moment from the comic book. Notably, Glen's death served as a significant turning point for the show, particularly because the anticipation leading up to Negan's arrival did not quite deliver as expected.

8 "The List" - The Office

Losing a main character from a hit sitcom will never be easy, yet The Office initially displayed the potential to carry on even after star Steve Carell departed. The final three episodes of season 7 seemed to uphold the standard set by previous seasons, and the absence of Carell's character, Michael Scott, was somewhat effectively managed. However, by season 8, this perception had significantly shifted. While the season 8 premiere, titled "The List," garnered reasonably positive reviews, for many, the show simply did not feel the same without Michael Scott. Consequently, The Office gradually lost much of its charm and, as a result, a substantial portion of its viewership.

7 "Sona" - Prison Break

After two seasons of Prison Break, viewers were ecstatic when Lincoln Burrows (Dominic Purcell) and Michael Scofield (Wentworth Miller) successfully escaped from prison. Their meticulous plan, developed since the very first episode, had captivated audiences. However, their unexpected return to prison in season 2, episode 22, "Sona," felt unjustified and seemed like a mere attempt to prolong the storyline for future seasons. This decision rendered everything that occurred in seasons 1 and 2 meaningless, leaving viewers feeling that their time had been wasted.

6 "Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken" - Game Of Thrones

Game of Thrones has several notorious scenes that caused their audiences to be uncomfortable, but one scene in particular led many to abandon the series completely. In Season 5, episode 6 titled "Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken," a sexual assault on Sansa Stark (Sophie Turner) was depicted, which diverged from the events in the books. While some commended the performances, others criticized the episode for its excessive graphic content, disturbing nature, and overall lack of necessity. The level of brutality exhibited in this scene can be seen as almost sadistic, and after witnessing Sansa's victimization for an extensive period of time, numerous viewers felt that Game of Thrones had become too dark to remain engaged with.

5 "Moving On" - House M.D.

Hugh Laurie's portrayal of Dr. Gregory House in House M.D. was lauded for its delicate depiction of a character who was both a callous misanthrope and a tragic figure. However, this nuanced balance was completely shattered in season 7, episode 23, "Moving On," resulting in a significant loss of viewers. Following his breakup with Cuddy (Lisa Edelstein), House recklessly drives his car into her living room window, putting multiple lives at risk. Not only is the scene overly melodramatic, but it also undermines the perception of House as a fundamentally good person. Furthermore, this episode marked Edelstein's departure from the show, leading many to believe that the subsequent seasons suffered in her absence.

4 "Goodbye" - Glee

With a high school setting, characters in Glee were destined to eventually graduate and depart from the series - especially considering its long duration. However, it shouldn't have come as a surprise to the audience, or even the writers, that several main characters would bid farewell in Glee season 3, episode 22, "Goodbye." Despite this, numerous viewers still felt that the conclusion was rushed, leaving many central storylines unresolved or hastily concluded. Consequently, there was a significant decline in viewership as fans grappled with the departure of crucial characters and approached the next generation with caution.

3 "The Exodus: Part 2" - Sliders

In the middle of the third season of the popular science-fiction series Sliders, there were some issues happening off-camera. Disagreements arose between the writers and John Rhys-Davies, one of the beloved cast members who portrayed Professor Maximilian Arturo. Subsequently, Rhys-Davies was let go from the show, and the character of the Professor met an abrupt end in season 3, episode 17, titled "Exodus: Part 2". This decision did not sit well with viewers, as many considered Rhys-Davies to be a standout performer, and his replacement failed to fill the void left by his departure. Consequently, the following seasons never quite managed to capture the same enchantment as the earlier ones.

2 "Four Months Later..." - Heroes

After a remarkable inaugural season, Heroes was poised for a triumphant comeback with its second season opener, "Four Months Later...". Anticipation was high as fans eagerly awaited the unfolding events after the gripping finale of the first season. However, their excitement soon turned into disappointment. Right from the start, the new season appeared to disconnect itself from its predecessor, introducing a multitude of new storylines and characters instead of focusing solely on the beloved originals. This notable shift left viewers feeling less enthusiastic about continuing the series.

1 "The Abominable Bride" - Sherlock

Sherlock proved to be an immensely popular television series during its time, captivating viewers with each season like a televisual event. However, the 2016 special episode, titled "The Abominable Bride," took a peculiar turn by transporting the narrative to a Victorian setting and relying on a somewhat flimsy hallucination premise. While the inclusion of the deceased antagonist, Moriarty, may have been intended to tie the episode to the overarching story, it failed to provide a resolution to the previous season's cliffhanger. Instead, the special only further highlighted Sherlock's inability to move on from Moriarty, inadvertently suggesting to viewers that they could disregard the subsequent season. Unfortunately, just like many other television shows, Sherlock stumbled upon an episode so poorly executed that it ended up tarnishing the overall quality of the series.