The GoT Effect: Once Great Shows That Got So Bad They Sent You Into A Rage Spiral

[andromeda331]

Merlin – Another fun, interesting show that had a LOT of potential. Unfortunately, the writers were more interested in Merlin/Arthur hoyay, minimizing the female characters and making sure all the boxes next to The Legend of King Arthur plot points were checked (eta: Lancelot, Excalibur, Guinevere, Mordred etc.) than writing a tight story that gave everyone their due. Before it was over Merlin was obsessed with Arthur, and lived only for him. Arthur was a complete dunce who didn’t know his ass from his elbows, much less how to run Camelot. Guinevere  was just there because the legend said she was supposed to be, and Morgana was a raging lunatic without reason. It was a complete mess and extremely frustrating, so much so that I didn’t even make it to end of the final of season.

 

 

I completely agree! I loved this show in the beginning and it had so much potential. 

[spaceytraci1208]

Nip/Tuck got bad, too. After the Carver storyline, it literally got way too OTT.

Indeed! It was one of my favorite shows at the time during its first 2 seasons then it became too much about  the docs' personal lives and there was almost zero focus on their patients (except for Kimber, I guess...)

[Jeebus Cripes]

Felicity went wrong at some point and started to suck. I can't recall the exact season or moment, but I know that I loved the first season, and somewhere along the way I began to loathe the show.

[aradia22]

I watched all of Gossip Girl and Glee and I am not ashamed of that. 

 

I'm going to throw Charmed into the ring. I love it to pieces but it went off the rails at the end. True, it didn't start off brilliant. It was very monster of the week for a while with a very thin metaphor about male demons preying on female victims. I don't think it was an accident that we got a slew of evil boyfriends. And despite the attempts at feminism and girl power there are a host of problematic depictions of women throughout the entire series. But it was fun and I liked the way they played with a lot of different ideas about magic (kind of in the spirit of Harry Potter where you take a lot of cues from existing mythology and then throw your own ideas in there). While there were highs and lows I think the decline started with magic school. By the end, I had it up to here with all the Elders and Avatars and The Triad and whatever else was going on. At some point you're just making up silly names. And don't even get me started on Billie and her sister. 

It's difficult for me to remember when I started watching Bones because I've caught a lot of episodes in reruns. But it's gotten to the point with the show where I can't even remember if I ever thought it was a good show. I have to believe that I wouldn't have watched this long if I didn't enjoy it at first. I think a real low point for me was when Booth was dating the blond journalist because I remember that as the period where the only thing I could really hang onto in the episode was the 5-10 minute conversation at the end between Booth and Brennan, usually at the bar. Once they broke up things improved slightly but I can't believe I would ever sign up for the show that I occasionally watch now. Everything is so goofy. And they've gone from kind of interesting cases with quirky germ of an idea either in the investigation or the victim to a bunch of theme weeks where I have to watch the Booth I used to love routinely insult, stereotype, and abuse a series of innocent "suspects" while the writers debate whether or not Brennan can have some character development or if she's going to learn the same lesson for the billionth time or if she's actually going to regress even further. Because who cares about the audience, right?
 

I will throw in House as well. I'm sure a lot of people turned off the TV before or after the three original doctors (Cameron, Foreman, and Chase) left. I stayed because I have trouble quitting shows. But there was actually some interesting stuff happening with the search for new consultants (or whatever they were called). And then at some point everything got too silly and too crazy. The cases felt super repetitive, I didn't care about anyone, and House was driving cars into people's homes.

[Kromm]

For me Bones was only good through I'd say... Season 2.  I will admit I later found the "Intern of the Week" thing somewhat entertaining, but other than that it was subpar, predictable, and utterly boring.  And it you're going to watch a show as incredibly unrealistic as Bones, at the very least it should be funny/cute instead.  But Bones stopped being that too.

[galax-arena]

I think if you like something, then you shouldn't feel like you have to hide behind things like hate-watching or watching ironically. Just say you know it's ridiculous but you love it anyway. It's the same when someone calls a show a guilty pleasure. Why not just say it's a pleasure. 

There are some shows or movies that I watch and love even though I know they're completely ridiculous. See: The Fast and the Furious movies, or A Knight's Tale. I genuinely adore and love those movies even if they're completely silly and stupid.

 

By contrast, take something like Teen Wolf. It's a hot mess of a show. I'm not going to put it in the same circle as F&F or AKT because for me, it's not. I still watch because despite everything, it's entertaining in how much of a hot mess it really is, as opposed to a show like Glee, which is just too boring to even hate-watch at this point. A show like Teen Wolf triggers the masochist and spiteful motherfucker in me. Something like The Fast and the Furious doesn't.

 

Sure, on the one hand, they're all fun to watch in their own way, but ain't nothing wrong with getting a bit more specific about why it's fun, IMO.

 

Sometimes a show does actually fill me with rage to the point where I have to stop watching, because then there's no entertainment left, just hate. I finally quit watching The Vampire Diaries when I realized that I was getting no entertainment value from the show whatsoever because it was pissing me off too much.

Edited June 5, 2014 by galax-arena

[Hanahope]

Battlestar Galactica:  2/2.5 seasons or so of some of the most brilliant television ever, only to have it be an insult to everyone's intelligence from then on. 'Mitchondiral Eve"  Really, BSG?   Angels?

 

Yup.  And I never figured out what the Cylon's Plan was really supposed to be.

 

GoT near misses with Stark reunions

 

Unfortunately that is one thing that's faithful to the books.

 

Desperate Housewives - I stopped watching with the stupid Susan and what's his name having "financial" difficulties and being forced to rent their house and live in an apartment.  The plot line was so ridiculous.

 

Survivor - Primarily because of its insistence on casting "big characters" that create drama and conflict rather than just interesting people.  Notice how there are more people who "quit" the show these days too?

[psychoticstate]

So many good answers here.

 

Let me add American Horror Story to the mix.  I enjoyed season one, even with the flaws.  Season two I found excellent and exceptional and it freaked me the eff out.  Even with some plot holes and issues, it was do-not-miss tv for me.  Season three had me wondering WTF happened.   I was so annoyed and it was so bad, I didn't even finish the season.  Just took it off my DVR. 

[selkie]

I agree with Dexter and House as made for this thread, with House losing it all in the mental hospital eposides.

 

Southland- first two short seasons were brilliant gritty cop drama that were very well-researched. I know the budget got cut big time for the TNT-produced eipsodes, but what killed the show for me was that they went through multiple sets of showrunners, each of who took the characters one step further away from what made them interesting to begin with, and by the end of the season you were wondering just who these people were and why you should care about them anymore. And what they did to Cooper at the end seemed to be a big F.U. to the fans as well as being totally WTF?

[yourpointis]

I will throw in House as well. I'm sure a lot of people turned off the TV before or after the three original doctors (Cameron, Foreman, and Chase) left. I stayed because I have trouble quitting shows. But there was actually some interesting stuff happening with the search for new consultants (or whatever they were called). And then at some point everything got too silly and too crazy. The cases felt super repetitive, I didn't care about anyone, and House was driving cars into people's homes.

 

 

House used to be appointment tv for my household. It really started to nosedive after season three. Although there were a couple of characters the show could have lived without prior to season four - Vogler and Tritter. The former who used his money to throw his weight around and the latter who had a bug up his ass about having things up his ass. The contest (season four) to find three new doctors wasn't all bad. I mean when you end up with names like Ridiculously Old Fraud, Big Love, and Cut Throat Bitch, then things can't be all bad. But they were because we ended up with Thirteen, Taub, and Kutner (who actually imo wasn't bad just barely got any storyline) and Cut Throat Bitch had to die (nooo). Amber (ctb) actually started to make House (and Wilson to a certain extent) interesting again. She challenged House in ways that Cuddy (no means yes) and Wilson (the waffly enabler) ever could.  By the time Martha Masters and company came along, I just couldn't anymore. Hadn't the faithful suffered enough?

[potatoradio]

Not a rage spiral so much as a deep sigh, but ...

 

Parenthood used to be subtle and layered. Now it's all out Lifetime movie levels of overacting and melodrama. Boo.

 

Criminal Minds used to be a pretty decent procedural that balanced character and plot. Now it's torture porn and a bunch of boring vanilla superheroes who never do wrong.

 

 

 

[cynicat]

Criminal Minds used to be a pretty decent procedural that balanced character and plot. Now it's torture porn and a bunch of boring vanilla superheroes who never do wrong.

 

 

I know, so sad!!  I stopped watching about 3 years ago when it switched from being a show that used profiling and brains to catch criminals, to a show about how fabulous the team is, and how great their special effects are. I may even have been a few years late but it was hard to give up Matthew Gray-Gubler.

[aradia22]

 

But they were because we ended up with Thirteen, Taub, and Kutner (who actually imo wasn't bad just barely got any storyline) and Cut Throat Bitch had to die (nooo). Amber (ctb) actually started to make House (and Wilson to a certain extent) interesting again.

I still haven't decided whether or not I'm glad House gave us Olivia Wilde. I haven't seen her in anything where she's impressed me but from interviews she gives and things she's written, I feel like I should like her. I just find her acting kind of unremarkable. When Taub showed up, I saw him as the replacement husband on The Starter Wife (a Bewitched new Darren kind of situation). I don't think they did anything with him that made him ever feel like a worthwhile addition.

[yourpointis]

I still haven't decided whether or not I'm glad House gave us Olivia Wilde. I haven't seen her in anything where she's impressed me but from interviews she gives and things she's written, I feel like I should like her. I just find her acting kind of unremarkable. When Taub showed up, I saw him as the replacement husband on The Starter Wife (a Bewitched new Darren kind of situation). I don't think they did anything with him that made him ever feel like a worthwhile addition.

 

 

I can't say that I have ever seen Olivia Wilde in anything outside of House. Oh I know she's been in other projects whether acting, writing, or directing, but unlike you, she's never given me any reason to seek out those projects. The only thing she ever did for me was to make me appreciate Jennifer Morrison (Dr Cameron) who I never cared for originally. Who wants a doctor who gets all ethical and has to take the moral high ground all.  the.  time. to the point she just became a tattletale. I think the writers exhausted what they could with Cameron and didn't know what to do with Thirteen. She was a bisexual woman with a death sentence and they stuck her with Foreman. Really?! A less smarter version of House. (This coming from one of the few who actually didn't mind Foreman at times) 

 

I don't even know how Taub ended up having affairs. Yes he was a plastic surgeon who was neither good looking or interesting imo. Just rather mopey. mmv. 

[Kromm]

I can't say that I have ever seen Olivia Wilde in anything outside of House. Oh I know she's been in other projects whether acting, writing, or directing, but unlike you, she's never given me any reason to seek out those projects. 

Most notably she was on The OC, and was the lead actress in Tron Legacy.

[aradia22]

 

The only thing she ever did for me was to make me appreciate Jennifer Morrison (Dr Cameron) who I never cared for originally.

I remember Jennifer Morrison as a good actress on House but for some reason she seems terrible on OUAT. Completely lifeless. I can't add OUAT to the list of shows that were once great and became terrible because it was always just OK and I deluded myself into thinking it would get better and it got worse.

[Athena]

Guys, as I was going through this thread, I made a post-it note of all the ones I agreed with and it came up to eleven shows! That's depressing actually. It means I have been disappointed and TV rejected at least a dozen times.

 

By nature, I am not an angry person so when a show disappoints me or when I drop out, I just get super sad about it. I'll limit myself to these three for now:

 

• Alias - The show that brought me to MBTV/TWOP and consequently, here. I should have bailed in S3, but I held on until Jen Garner's pregnancy and most of the last season. So awful. At least Sydney got a good ending, but that was about it.
• That 70s Show - I refuse to ever watch the last season. It didn't happen!
• Gossip Girl - I just requested this forum because in retrospect, the show was pretty fun and amusing in the earlier seasons. It just became so awful that I skipped out on the last season completely.

 

I agree about Heroes, Buffy, HIMYM, TAR, House, Doctor Who, True Blood and Boardwalk Empire. I actually will watch some of the last three shows, but just without the interest I had before.

[MarkHB]

Who said Doctor Who? I just looked back and didn't find it.

[WedgeOfSpite]

I agree about many of these. What is this last season of That 70s Show I've heard people speak of? I agree, never happened.

 

But to add --a show's whose last season I have never watched all of it, and never will --Veronica Mars.  While season two wasn't as good as season one, I still liked it and thought it was really good television for the most part. And everything about Logan/Weevil teaming up (with or without matching capes), was great. But season three was just horrible. Not that least of which is what it did to it's titular character --she was mostly unlikable to me, and never really called on that. And the crap with the straw feminists --you know the ones who commit sexual assaults (that Veronica jokes about), and set up a fake rape. And speaking about rape -sure! why not have Veronica blame her rape on almost rape victim, Madison instead of oh say, Dick. The guy that was going to rape Madison. No, blame the victim, go commiserate with the attempted rapist and drink out of his flask.  And way too much Piz at the expense of Wallace, and way too much setting up Piz as the "nice guy" we should all want/be with. The third season was so bad that I was happy it was cancelled, and I thought I would never want the show brought back in any way, shape or form. But happy ending --I will say, the Kickstarter video brought back my love of the first two seasons, from it's season 3 death spiral of rage. So much so that I ended up donating a few hundred bucks, and I got a movie and book I liked, and that redeemed the show, and Veronica's character. 

[Athena]

Who said Doctor Who? I just looked back and didn't find it.

 

Sorry, it must have slipped in there when I was making the list. It's one of the shows I know other people bailed out on in the last couple of years. I use to love it, but I'm just not interested in it all that much anymore. I'm not crazy with the way Moffat has run the show. It's not rage inducing so much as annoying and sad.

[Kromm]

I agree about Heroes, Buffy, HIMYM, TAR, House, Doctor Who, True Blood and Boardwalk Empire. I actually will watch some of the last three shows, but just without the interest I had before.

Doctor Who resets itself every few years though, so it's not so bad.  Admittedly if someone's dislike is based on the show writing more than the actors, THAT particular reset takes longer. But every actor on the show goes.  And eventually every writer/showrunner.  So I can't really place a show that inherently fluid on my personal list of these.

[smiley13]

Designing Women never recovered from the loss of Delta Burke and Jean Smart.  They were the heart and soul of that show.  That show was pure magic with the original four ladies.  The chemistry was unmatched.

[millahnna]

Most likely I will not be continuing with the Mentalist.  The romantic entanglement of the two lead characters is just... not for me.  It takes a rare show for me to start watching and not finish it (Under the Dumb, Enterprise, Teen Wolf off the top of my head), though, so my own compulsions may drag me back in.  But god I hate it so much. 

 

If Warehouse 13 had been renewed for another full season I might have had a hard time there for the same reason.  But with that one it's sort of hard to say; a full season might have made that romance more palatable (I doubt it but being sci fi means it's more likely I'd have stuck with it anyway and ignored it just like I did in the finale). 

[Kromm]

Most likely I will not be continuing with the Mentalist.  The romantic entanglement of the two lead characters is just... not for me.  

It was doubly annoying, because in the first bunch of episodes post-reboot (at least five or six) they were clearly laying the groundwork for a romance with Fischer. And the two actors (and characters) clearly had chemistry.  Such a waste.  And apparently it's likely to be quite awhile before we see the show again anyway--at least this guy thinks so.

[aradia22]

Warehouse 13 is an interesting one. I was in spite of the silliness and problems because the premise was so fun. I like treasure-hunter/historical kind of shows. Then at some point it started to feel very cheap and all the story problems were glaring. But they'd have episodes here and there (mainly Big Bad multiple episode arc episodes) that improved things and kept me watching. Then it disappeared from hulu and by that time I wasn't watching that much live tv anymore and it's hard to make yourself watch Syfy. Basically, I thought last season was very lackluster but I powered through it and I totally skipped this final season.

[DittyDotDot]

For me Bones was only good through I'd say... Season 2.  I will admit I later found the "Intern of the Week" thing somewhat entertaining, but other than that it was subpar, predictable, and utterly boring.  And it you're going to watch a show as incredibly unrealistic as Bones, at the very least it should be funny/cute instead.  But Bones stopped being that too.

 

My thoughts about Bones exactly. I gave it up about two seasons back.

 

By nature, I am not an angry person so when a show disappoints me or when I drop out, I just get super sad about it.

 

Me too. It's more of a "I know you can do better, I've seen it" situation for me. I just wish there were a few disappointments that I could actually quit on, like say Superntatural, right now.

[jah1986]

The shows that don't make me angry so much as disappointed are the ones that I catch up on like Bones, Burn Notice, Southland. I binged watched these until I caught up to their current seasons so their decline was much more evident. I used to watch Bones fanatically but by the time I caught up to season 6 I just didn't care.

 

Alias, Revenge, Battlestar Gallatica I started with from the beginning. I walked away from Revenge mid-way through season 2, it just got more and more ridiculous. Alias and BSG I kept watching hoping they would recover their former goodness but it never happened. BSG made me feel like I just wasted those years watching, like I want that part of my life back.

 

I watched the first season of Scandal but couldn't bring myself to hate Millie like the show wanted me to so I gave up before I got angry.

 

Amazing Race just makes me sad. I introduced my dad to it and he likes it but he has no the former greatness of the show. I would love to see all the sharing of information stop or slow down. The sense of entitlement, like you have to give me the right answer is just frustrating.  The show works better when everyone just runs their own race and isn't working in a pack mentality.

[Athena]

Since @Leigh-Ann just finished it for her marathon viewing diary: Misfits. I was so disappointed with the finale of S3 where my favourite characters leave and the resolution of their storyline is both depressing and full of plot holes. I refused to watch any season afterwards, and consequently, blocked a lot of it from my mind.

[aradia22]

Yeah, Misfits is a good one. There's some good stuff that happens when they start to bring in new characters but it was never quite as good and the show ultimately never lived up to the promise of its premise. For example, they could have done soooo much more with Curtis' powers.

[lucindabelle]

OMG yes to Nip/Tuck. When it stopped being case of the week itw as just another soap and got more and more far-fetched.

Why can't the writers ever just stick to procedurals?

With Grey's Anatomy, and this year even with Law & Order, they seem to think we won't care unless it's about the main character. WRONG. I don't want a movie in 12 parts. I want a one-hour story I can digest in the few hours I am done with work and not sleeping.

[mightycrone]

Weeds.  Once Elizabeth Perkins was gone, so was my interest.  

[millahnna]

Since @Leigh-Ann just finished it for her marathon viewing diary: Misfits. I was so disappointed with the finale of S3 where my favourite characters leave and the resolution of their storyline is both depressing and full of plot holes. I refused to watch any season afterwards, and consequently, blocked a lot of it from my mind.

 

I almost gave up on that one, too.  I'm glad I stuck it out because despite the total cast overhaul, I think they went out on a fine note in their final season (and set up the movie nicely).  But I have a lot of friends who gave up at that same point and I so totally feel them on why. 

[Anna Yolei]

Weeds. Once Elizabeth Perkins was gone, so was my interest.

God, I forgot about that. The show was already in a tailspin by the end of season four when the drug kingpin shit was introduced. Season five felt like a funeral march.

[aradia22]

I think one of the great weaknesses of Misfits at the end was Rudy and Jess. There was a sweetness there but it ultimately felt too much like Simon and Alicia. Not the interracial relationship but the "we need to have an epic romantic relationship" on the team. I wish he could have just stayed with the nun. Also, when Misfits started it seemed to have higher stakes while at the end it seemed like they were struggling to make up drama.

[Athena]

I think one of the great weaknesses of Misfits at the end was Rudy and Jess. There was a sweetness there but it ultimately felt too much like Simon and Alicia. Not the interracial relationship but the "we need to have an epic romantic relationship" on the team. I wish he could have just stayed with the nun. Also, when Misfits started it seemed to have higher stakes while at the end it seemed like they were struggling to make up drama.

 

Replying in Misfits forum and All Episodes Talk thread.

[choclatechip45]

Season 3 of The OC is still depressing even though its been years. The only season I cannot watch a repeat from.

[Irlandesa]

OMG yes to Nip/Tuck. When it stopped being case of the week itw as just another soap and got more and more far-fetched.

Why can't the writers ever just stick to procedurals?

With Grey's Anatomy, and this year even with Law & Order, they seem to think we won't care unless it's about the main character. WRONG. I don't want a movie in 12 parts. I want a one-hour story I can digest in the few hours I am done with work and not sleeping.

 

Maybe I'm misunderstanding you but neither Nip/Tuck or Grey's Anatomy were intended to be anything other than soap operas.  Nip/Tuck was a skillfully executed serial in its first two seasons with cases of the week peppered in and GA started with a one night stand.  I love procedurals too but I wouldn't look to Shonda Rhimes or Ryan Murphy shows to fill that hole since that's not what they do. Both of these creators start off with well done soap but soon can't help themselves and go over-the-top which is why it's so easy to sour on them.Nip/Tuck's demise was especially fast.

 

Dick Wolf does do procedurals.  With the exception of a few seasons in the middle, the original recipe L&O stuck pretty well to its procedural roots.  Heck, even when it incorporated more personal stories, it was heavily procedural.  SVU and CI strayed more from their procedural roots. 

[Anela]

Heroes, Scandal, Vampire Diaries (which I'd never intended to watch in the first place). On the last one, nobody dies for long, and a girl is in love with two serial killers (basically)- one snaps necks when he's pissed and pouting, but a lucky few have rings that bring them back to life. the witch keeps getting hurt, and how many doppelgangers are there going to be?? It's all ridiculous, and I loathe love triangles as it is.

 

Lorelai was too quiet and sad, in the last season of Gilmore Girls.

 

There are so many shows that I just stopped watching. I still watch Grey's, but now that they've brought in another surprise sister? Ugh. I hated the denny stuff, hated Izzie losing her mind, and meredith going ahead and having sex with mcsleazy at the prom. ghost denny was priceless.

[blugirlami21]

Vampire Diaries is just too ridiculous to watch now, nothing on that show makes sense anymore.  And it truly has the love triangle from hell, it just won't die. 

 

Supernatural is lather, rinse, repeat.  Dean dies, Sam saves him.  Sam dies Dean saves him and Sam gets mad.  The angels want to take over the world again.  The show isn't even funny anymore, I just come away feeling bad for the characters because their lives suck so bad.  What happened to Dean in the finale saddens me.

 

The new sister on Grey's is almost enough to make me finally quit next season.  It's bad enough that Sandra Oh is no longer going to be on the show but to add another unknown sister who just happens to work at the same hospital?  Really?

Edited June 11, 2014 by blugirlami21

[lucindabelle]

I don't care what they were "intended" to be, I enjoyed Nip/Tuck and Grey's much more when the shows focused on the cases and the lives of the people was secondary. Which pretty much describes the whole first year of Nip/Tuck.

 

The Carver and the knife was a great way to end the season but it never recovered after that. It's a balance of case/soap that went way off.

 

I quit Grey's after the plane crash. I'd had it. Shooter, stolen heart, ferry crash, then plane crash? please. I tried watching an episode but just couldn't get back into it. I hate the whole long lost relative trope on pretty much any series. It does happen-- happened to a friend of mine-- but it's rare, and my friend and the sibling she didn't know about do not work together or even live within 100 miles of one another. It just feels so contrived. Hated it on Gilmore Girls too.

[blueray]

Heroes: I loved this show in the first season, thought it was okay in season 2. But somewhere in season 3 I got so confused with the different timelines, that I realized I no longer cared. And stopped watching.

 

Bones: I loved the early seasons. But honestly the show went down hill after what they did with Zach :(. While I continued to watch a few seasons afterwards it wasn't as good. I stopped watching somewhere in season 6 I think.

 

Smallville: Early seasons were great. But by season 7 I realized the only Character I still liked was Chloe (Lois and Jimmy were okay). I stopped watching for a while. But I have seen until season 9 now, I doubt I'll ever finish the show.

 

As for Charmed and Gilmore girls. Both shows had a bad last season (both of which I watched hoping it'll get better). In Charmed's case the last episode was okay, not the best but I remember being a satifing finale. Gilmore Girls got better once Lorali broke up with Christapher and the mess with the new found Luke's daughter was behind her. I honestly didn't mind April, it was that there was no reason why Luke won't have told Lorali about her, since the relationship happened before he met her and he honestly didn't know about her.

Edited June 11, 2014 by blueray

[Guest]

Designing Women never recovered from the loss of Delta Burke and Jean Smart.  They were the heart and soul of that show.  That show was pure magic with the original four ladies.  The chemistry was unmatched.

 

Designing Women.  Compared to the travesty that happened there, every other show falls in the category "I was mildly annoyed when the show started to suck." 

 

I was a kid when I watched this and when that show went bad, it went so bad that it was actually traumatizing.  It seriously wasn't suitable for anyone of an impressionable age.  OK, it wasn't suitable for anyone.  I found the bullying of Delta Burke and Jean Smart in their last season deplorable.  

 

It went from a show about strong and empowered to women to the precursor to Mean Girls where the tiny petite (intelligent) women went after the larger (dumb) women.  All this because of Burke's statements about working conditions turned into a tabloid nightmare, contentious negotiations and criticism over her weight gain. 

 

And the Thomason's just couldn't find the professionalism to keep the behind the scenes stuff off the show as much as possible.  Instead they decided to bully Delta Burke through Suzanne.  But to make matters worse, they did the same thing to Jean Smart for no other reason than she was closer to Burke's body type than Annie Potts and Dixie Carter.  Not to mention the message they sent to the viewers.

 

And I'm sure Burke wasn't innocent in all that stuff; and that doesn't excuse what they did to Burke on the show.  But I think Jean Smart and the viewers were.    I'll never believe, after what she was subjected to on that last season through her character, that Jean Smart quit because she was tired of the show.  She was getting out of a hostile work environment and Burke being gone wasn't going to solve that because Burke wasn't the only problem. 

 

Its been twenty years since I watched this show, but that's how I remember it.

[Bill C.]

At least everybody made nice--several years later, IIRC--but the damage was definitely done.  I might submit that replacing Jean with Jan Hooks actually wasn't that bad (two words: Carlene's Apartment), if still a slight downgrade, but losing Delta Burke and replacing her with Julia Duffy--whom I actually like, but no--was probably the first truly batshit TV decision I can remember coming across, and still one of the biggies IMO.  Combine it with the show taking a turn for the strident at the same time, and damn...yeah, here comes that rage spiral again...

Edited June 12, 2014 by Bill C.

[Bella]

And the apparent canonization of Dixie Carter is something I never got. I saw her perform on stage a few times, and she was good, but not that much more super-wonderful!!! than the other actresses cast as older women.

 

I almost cried when Jean Smart left the show.  

[Bill C.]

I'm not sure if I'd go all the way to canonization (a pedestal, sure, based on some of Julia's more legendary monologues), though bizarrely it does come back to Julia and that "turn for the strident" they did with both her and Mary Jo--and, later, B.J. Poteet--in the last two seasons.  The show could really have only one Julia, and they flubbed it in...overreaction?  Panic?

[bref]

Of those already mentioned, I concur with Amazing Race, Scandal and Glee--all shows that were super enjoyable at one point and plummeted to the depths of unwatchability. My own nomination is Northern Exposure, which was delightful until a) it became giddy with its own quirkiness and b) Rob Morrow decided to hold out for more money and got Suzanne Somersed in the later seasons. Pity.

[Bella]

 

My own nomination is Northern Exposure, which was delightful until a) it became giddy with its own quirkiness and b) Rob Morrow decided to hold out for more money and got Suzanne Somersed in the later seasons. Pity.

 

That was so disappointing. I loved that show, and then they messed it up royally.

[AntiBeeSpray]

I'll agree with Bones.  I really enjoyed the first few seasons: the intelligent banter in the car between Booth and Bones, the Kings of the Lab, the Angelator.... and then they made Zak the apprentice to a serial killer using the dumbest excuse possible and ruined the show.  I barely watched the "looking for a new assistant" season and gave up for good after that.  I still remember how brilliant Emily Deschanel's smile was on the rare occasions she got to use it.

 

Another one for me: Ghost Whisperer.  "Hey, let's kill Jim and make him a ghost!"  Very, very high on the list of Worst Ideas Ever.

 

 

Agreed on both! Hated when they did that to poor Zack :(. He didn't deserve that.

 

As for Ghost Whisperer, that whole show was a cluster-f at times O_o. Couldn't stand watching it.

 

CSI -- the way that they handled Gil and Sara's divorce... wtf?! O_O Talk about alienating A TON of fans, and not just shippers. I watched the show from the beginning, but once I saw (most) of that episode, I couldn't care less about it. Idiots.

 

House -- another show that went down in flames. HATED how they handled House and Cuddy breaking up and the way that they made House overall. Just sickening >_<.

[smiley13]

 

At least everybody made nice--several years later, IIRC--but the damage was definitely done.  I might submit that replacing Jean with Jan Hooks actually wasn't that bad (two words: Carlene's Apartment), if still a slight downgrade, but losing Delta Burke and replacing her with Julia Duffy--whom I actually like, but no--was probably the first truly batshit TV decision I can remember coming across, and still one of the biggies IMO.  Combine it with the show taking a turn for the strident at the same time, and damn...yeah, here comes that rage spiral again...

I could not stand Jan Hooks on the show.  Carlene grated on my nerves much more than Julia Duffy did that season and that is saying a lot.  The BJ character was good, but by the time she was brought in, the damage was done.    

[Mulva]

I agree about many of these. What is this last season of That 70s Show I've heard people speak of? I agree, never happened.

 

I think you're referring to that extended bad acid trip Leo had.

 

I have to add Supernatural.  It went straight downhill in S4 when it went from MOTW to All About The Angels, Sam was trashed, and Dean turned into a jerk.

 

Also, Doctor Who The Moffat Years.