Top 50 Exact Moments That Killed TV Shows

[00:00:00]Uh, Scrappy, they looked a lot like your uncle Scooby and his friend.

[00:00:04]>> Yeah, well, crooks are tricky that way.

[00:00:07]>> Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're looking at a chronology of some of the most notoriously bad moments from throughout TV history. For this list, we'll be running through the history of television, creating a timeline of the exact moments that some of the most popular shows went downhill.

[00:00:22]>> Welcome to my humble abode.

[00:00:28]>> October 29th, 1965, The Great Gazoo, The Flintstones.

[00:00:34]Halfway through their final season, The Flintstones family got a very special extraterrestrial visitor, and he did not come in peace.

[00:00:41]>> I am the Great Gazoo, and I thank you for rescuing me.

[00:00:46]>> [laughter] >> Hey Fred, do you see what I see?

[00:00:51]>> I see it, but I don't believe it.

[00:00:53]>> Instead, The Great Gazoo crash-landed right into the show's world-building.

[00:00:57]While no one ever expected the Hanna-Barbera cartoon to be historically accurate, throwing in an actual alien ruined the best thing about The Flintstones. That Fred, Wilma, Barney, and Betty were just normal people dealing with normal people's issues, albeit with the occasional dinosaur. The Great Gazoo shifted the series' fundamental sense of humor into a weirder, more off-kilter direction that no one was happy with.

[00:01:18]>> The last person we need in our lives is the Great Gazoo.

[00:01:24]>> You called, gentlemen?

[00:01:26]>> Well, no, not really.

[00:01:28]>> So, next time you want to throw aliens into The Flintstones, yabba dabba don't.

[00:01:35]January 25th, 1974, Cousin Oliver, The Brady Bunch.

[00:01:41]Everybody knows the cast of The Brady Bunch.

[00:01:44]>> They started out as a former family.

[00:01:46]That's the way we [music] all became The Brady Bunch.

[00:01:49]>> It's two parents who have three children each, their housekeeper, and a random cousin. Well, it can be easy to forget that another cast member was added in the show's last season. The young cousin Oliver was likely added to try to hook younger audiences into caring about the series.

[00:02:03]>> Oliver!

[00:02:04]>> HEY, OLIVER.

[00:02:05]>> HEY, HONEY.

[00:02:07]>> While the show was already on the decline in ratings, many point to Oliver's awkward insertion as the final nail in the coffin for The Brady Bunch.

[00:02:15]>> Wish you could have stayed with some other relatives.

[00:02:17]>> Yeah, but I guess there's nothing we can do about it. We're stuck with him.

[00:02:21]>> In fact, the character was so infamous that the addition of a kid character to a show struggling with ratings is sometimes called Cousin Oliver Syndrome.

[00:02:33]>> [music] >> September 20th, 1977. Fonzie jumps the shark. Happy Days.

[00:02:39]You know the phrase jumping the shark?

[00:02:40]It's a term used to describe a moment so absurd or over the top, there's no hope the show will ever come back from it. In a literal sense, it comes from this scene in Happy Days.

[00:02:51]>> [music] >> You wouldn't know from looking at it, but this used to be a mindful family comedy about making a life in the '50s.

[00:03:11]But sagging ratings forced the team to refocus on the wackadoo Fonzie instead.

[00:03:15]>> Fonzie, you did the challenge.

[00:03:17]>> Yeah.

[00:03:18]>> But But what did you really win?

[00:03:20]>> Ah, come on, Red. How often does a guy like me get to bump off a guy like that?

[00:03:24]>> Rather than preach good morals, Fonzie, well, he jumps over sharks. This moment wasn't just the beginning of the end for Happy Days, it was the end, full stop.

[00:03:35]September [music] 22nd, 1979.

[00:03:37]Scrappy-Doo. Scooby-Doo and Scrappy-Doo.

[00:03:41]With a looming threat of cancellation and an audience that was growing weary of the whole let's split up routine, Scooby-Doo had no choice but to take drastic measures, aka introduce what might be the most annoying animated character ever created, Scrappy-Doo.

[00:03:56]>> Oh boy, New York, my old neighborhood, my old gang.

[00:04:01]>> Okay.

[00:04:02]>> And I can't wait for them to meet my uncle Scooby.

[00:04:07]>> He loves me.

[00:04:09]>> He is unlikable, headstrong, juvenile, narcissistic, and left such a bad taste in everyone's mouth even the live-action movie had to bring it up. Even worse, the show made room for Scrappy by pushing Fred, Daphne, and Velma to the sidelines before writing them out of the show entirely. Suffice it to say, this was not the Scooby-Doo people wanted, needed, or deserved.

[00:04:30]>> Scrappy-Dappy-Doo!

[00:04:32]>> And Scooby-Dooby-Doo, >> [music] >> September 26th, 1986, All a Dream, Dallas.

[00:04:42]The season 8 finale of Dallas saw the death of Bobby Ewing. Throughout season 9, his loved ones and viewers mourned his passing.

[00:04:50]>> Thank you for coming, honey.

[00:04:52]>> Oh, I'm so sorry, honey.

[00:04:53]>> But everyone was more shocked when they got a shocking finale cliffhanger where Bobby's ex-wife Pam discovers him in the shower.

[00:05:04]>> Good morning.

[00:05:06]>> The season 10 premiere wildly reveals that the entirety of season 9 was all just a dream Pam had. While Dallas continued afterwards, audience trust was understandably shaken when they learned an entire season of the show they were devoted to week after week didn't really happen.

[00:05:23]>> It's over.

[00:05:25]None of that happened. [music] >> February 11th, 1996, Lois and Clark's first wedding, Lois and Clark, The New Adventures of Superman.

[00:05:36]>> Well, we're getting married in 4 days and I've never been happier in my life and every time that things are going great between us, something happens. And I just know that something bad is going to happen to mess up our wedding. I just know it.

[00:05:46]>> Will they, won't they romances are tough to pull off on their own, but mixing them with superheroes is doubly difficult. Lois and Clark managed to pull this dynamic off, at least for its first few seasons. The show found increasingly ridiculous ways to stop their two leads from getting together at last, but nothing beats their first attempt at getting married. During this plot point, Lois is replaced by a frog-eating clone before we get into a further story arc that involves amnesia.

[00:06:15]>> How you feeling?

[00:06:18]>> Fine, I guess.

[00:06:23]I'm sorry, do I know you?

[00:06:25]>> Even the campiest Silver Age comics had less silly plot threads than this.

[00:06:30]>> Don't be ridiculous. If I give you the gun, I can't shoot Lois. Duh.

[00:06:35]>> You're not going to shoot Lois. You're not going to shoot me.

[00:06:39]You're going to give me THE GUN.

[00:06:41]>> NO!

[00:06:42]>> SHOOT ME!

[00:06:44]>> [music] >> SEPTEMBER 24TH, 1996, winning the lottery, Roseanne.

[00:06:51]Roseanne was once the number one show on television. However, during its final season, well, the first final season, the show took a drastic turn. The average Conner family won the lottery.

[00:07:04]>> WE WON THE LOTTERY!

[00:07:07]>> [screaming] >> INSTEAD OF BEING A DOWN-TO-EARTH FAMILY IN RELATABLE SITUATIONS, the characters were suddenly thrust into many outlandish plot lines due to their fortune. There were dream sequences galore, celebrity guest stars, and lots of nonsense that took the show further away from its roots. Even before the finale's last-second rug pull, fans agreed that Roseanne had lost its spark.

[00:07:30]>> I began writing about having all the money in the world, and I imagined myself going to spas and swanky New York parties, just like the people on TV, where nobody has any real problems and everything's solved 30 minutes.

[00:07:43]>> The only solace was that the poorly received season officially became non-canon after the show's revival.

[00:07:51]>> [music] >> February 28th, 1997, Arturo's Death, Sliders.

[00:07:58]This show ran the gamut of behind-the-scenes issues. We're talking creative arm wrestle, network changes, cast shake-ups, and more. But, it all began with actor John Rhys-Davies.

[00:08:09]>> I'm all right.

[00:08:11]It will all sort itself out in a few days when we're home.

[00:08:13]>> Disappointed with the direction of the show, he asked to be written out, putting fan favorite Maximilian Arturo 6 ft deep in the process. It set a precedent that opened the floodgates for more cast departures. Only one original actor stayed with the series to its conclusion. You can imagine how difficult it was to write a satisfying story when characters were dropping like flies. So, even with slider technology, there's no alternate reality where Arturo's death doesn't completely ruin the show.

[00:08:40]>> Goodbye, Professor.

[00:08:44]>> Goodbye.

[00:08:46]>> We're going to miss the hell out of you.

[00:08:49]>> September [music] 28th, 1997, Skinner the Imposter, The Simpsons.

[00:08:55]Across hundreds of episodes and counting, you're bound to find a few stinkers here and there. But, it's rare to find a moment so universally despised its stench taints the entire series.

[00:09:06]>> It's true. I'm I'm an impostor.

[00:09:14]That man is the real Seymour Skinner.

[00:09:17]>> A moment like the end of The Principal and the Pauper. There, The Simpsons discover that Principal Skinner, a character who has been a staple in Springfield since the very first season, was an impostor all along. Fans were outraged to see such a long-standing recurring player tossed aside as a throwaway gag.

[00:09:34]>> BUT, I'M A HERO.

[00:09:36]>> And we salute you for it. Now, don't come back.

[00:09:41]>> I'm sorry, Seabourne. It's nice you're alive, but you're just not what I'm looking for in a son.

[00:09:47]>> So much so, many hardcore Simpsons viewers consider this episode a massive change in direction for the series, and not in a good way.

[00:09:57]October 2nd, 2001, Buffy is resurrected, Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

[00:10:03]We're just going to say it. Fakeout deaths are the worst, especially when they involve the main character. They're often an uninspired way to generate drama, and the oh wow, they're actually alive reveals are not usually shocking as we never buy their deaths in the first place. One of the worst offenders is Buffy the Vampire Slayer, which ends its fifth season in startlingly dramatic fashion with the death of its titular character.

[00:10:31]>> Don't listen to me. Listen.

[00:10:35]I love you.

[00:10:36]>> Her sacrifice is both emotional and meaningful, and it concludes the overarching story in a satisfying manner. Enter season 6, and no way, she gets resurrected. It's unoriginal, it's boring, and it ushers in a darker era of the show that many fans believe is both unnecessary and inferior.

[00:10:56]>> [music] >> May 9th, 2002, Mark Greene's death, ER.

[00:11:01]Cook County General Hospital is no stranger to high-profile cast departures. That's the reality when it comes to a long-running show like ER.

[00:11:08]>> What are we supposed to do?

[00:11:09]>> I don't know.

[00:11:10]Swim?

[00:11:12]Walk on the beach?

[00:11:14]Surf?

[00:11:14]>> And yet no surgery in the world could patch up the damage Mark Greene left behind. As one of the very last original cast members to leave the show, Dr. Greene's death signaled the end of ER's first chapter. It seemed like the show knew it, too, and ensured he went out with an emotional sucker punch of an episode.

[00:11:31]>> Be generous with your time, with your love, with your life.

[00:11:45]>> The ensuing seasons aren't awful by any stretch of the word, but still, it's safe to say that whenever people think of ER, it's Mark Greene that comes to mind.

[00:11:55]November 17th, 2002, Connor and Cordy, Angel.

[00:12:01]While Angel's son Connor remains a polarizing figure among fans of the show, it isn't until season 4 that he actually helps ruin it.

[00:12:09]>> Let's give Cordy a little space. It's not like the world's going to end right this second.

[00:12:13]>> One episode sees Connor and Cordelia, his father's on-off love interest, have sex. This starts a literal apocalyptic event.

[00:12:26]Not only does the event herald doomsday within the show, it also marks the downturn in quality from then on. And the whole thing is just really off-putting. Their weird relationship and the fallout from their affair deserved harsh judgment. While the next season does shake things up, the shine was off the apple by then.

[00:12:50]>> [music] >> May 15th, 2003, Joey and Rachel's romance, Friends.

[00:12:56]What happens in Barbados stays in Barbados.

[00:13:00]>> What?

[00:13:01]>> [music] >> Unless you're Joey and Rachel, whose head-scratching romance somehow spilled over into the next season. Look, Friends is a cultural touchstone for good reason, but even its most ardent defenders will agree this fling is just plain bad. It's telling that it only lasted a few episodes before both the couple and the writers realized they're better off as, well, friends.

[00:13:24]>> Well, how come Monica and Chandler could do it.

[00:13:34]>> I guess they weren't as good friends as we are.

[00:13:39]>> Aw.

[00:13:42]I bet you're right.

[00:13:44]>> September 28th, 2004. The Carver reveal.

[00:13:47]Nip/Tuck.

[00:13:50]Nip/Tuck is a great guilty pleasure show because it's not afraid to dive into absolutely ridiculous territory.

[00:13:57]Throughout some of the show's early seasons, an ongoing storyline involved the Carver.

[00:14:06]This masked criminal's assaults left his victims disfigured and often in the care of the plastic surgeons the show focused on. Although the Carver's identity was much speculated about, it ultimately was a rival plastic surgeon to protagonists Christian and Sean named Quentin Costa.

[00:14:35]>> [music] >> It was an incredibly obvious and groan-worthy turn. And after this storyline, the show only delved into increasingly absurd storylines to one-up it.

[00:14:48]May 18th, 2005. Eric leaving That '70s Show.

[00:14:55]>> [music] [music] >> While this '70s themed sitcom may have been about hanging out with a group of quirky teens and their parents, Eric Forman was seen as the main protagonist.

[00:15:16]So, when actor Topher Grace departed the show at the end of season 7, That '70s Show was left without its central character.

[00:15:23]>> This is weird.

[00:15:25]I mean, me leaving.

[00:15:30]It's like it's real.

[00:15:31]>> The rest of the cast did try to forge on without him. However, the subsequent season 8 was just a mess. A ton of plot lines like Hyde's wife with an adult profession or Jackie and Fez getting together just didn't work.

[00:15:45]>> Stop it.

[00:15:46]>> You smiled first.

[00:15:47]>> thinking about Donut Heroes.

[00:15:50]>> Uh Fez, we're forcing this.

[00:15:53]>> By the time Eric returned for the finale, the 70s were over.

[00:15:58]>> I think it's time we honor all the brain cells that survived the 70s. Despite our best efforts, some of those bastards pulled through.

[00:16:06]>> May 19th, 2005, Marissa shoots Trey, The O.C.

[00:16:12]Imogen Heap's classic "Mmm, what you say?" refrain became the stuff of parody because of this moment. After finding out that his older brother Trey assaulted Marissa, Ryan gets into a FIGHT WITH HIM.

[00:16:25]>> [screaming] >> TO PROTECT RYAN, MARISSA shoots Trey, leading to a dramatic cliffhanger. This twist was accompanied by an infamous musical cue.

[00:16:39]>> Mmm, what you say?

[00:16:42]Mmm, that you [music and singing] only meant well, well, cuz you did. Mmm, what you say?

[00:16:49]>> Although this moment spawned many memes, it didn't do much to keep the show fresh or deliver a boost in ratings. Many point to this scene as the moment The O.C. jumped the shark.

[00:17:00]Mmm, what you say?

[00:17:03]May 25th, 2005, Not Vaughn, Alias.

[00:17:07][music] Created by the legendary J.J. Abrams, Alias is a classic piece of sci-fi television. But, it hit a major speed bump with the horribly planned twist of not Michael Vaughn. Sydney's handler and eventual lover, Vaughn revealed in the fourth season finale that he was not actually Michael Vaughn and that he was not allied with the CIA.

[00:17:28]>> I don't understand, Vaughn.

[00:17:31]What are you telling me?

[00:17:33]>> Well, for starters, my name isn't Michael Vaughn.

[00:17:35]>> Unfortunately, an ill-timed and painfully contrived car crash keeps him from revealing more. What follows is a total mess of a subplot that includes a kidnapping and a fake out death.

[00:17:50]It's like Abrams and his team wrote a twist for the sake of having a twist, not actually having any idea of where it was going or how to resolve it.

[00:18:00]>> [music] >> November 15th, 2005. April Nardini, Gilmore Girls.

[00:18:07]>> This classic comedy-drama had a pretty solid run. It would have been darn near perfect if it wasn't for the introduction of Luke's long-lost daughter, April.

[00:18:15]>> I'm sorry, did you say your father?

[00:18:17]>> Yes, science fairs have gotten so political lately.

[00:18:19]>> Storylines like long-lost kids are usually heralds for disaster and that is certainly the case here. Not only was April herself pretty bland, maybe even a little irritating at times, but she introduced an absurd element of soap opera into an otherwise cozy show.

[00:18:33]>> Did your mom explain that this isn't necessarily a one-time thing? I was thinking maybe we could make it semi-regular or even just, you know, regular.

[00:18:42]>> Uh, okay.

[00:18:44]>> Good.

[00:18:44]>> She completely upended the status quo and seemed like nothing but a plot device to stir things up. Drama for the sake of drama, in other words. April didn't fit and she kind of ruined everything.

[00:18:57]>> [music] >> November 5th, 2006. The disaster episodes, Desperate Housewives. [music] >> A fun satire on suburbia, Desperate Housewives was an enormous success, winning many accolades and becoming a ratings juggernaut for ABC.

[00:19:11]>> Carolyn Bigsby planned on it being an ordinary day.

[00:19:17]>> You come out of there, damn it.

[00:19:19]>> But as every housewife knows, >> Damn it. Nobody goes anywhere.

[00:19:26]>> [music] >> plans change.

[00:19:28]>> The show always towed a tricky tonal line, often veering between tantalizing mystery, absorbing drama, and scathing satire. So, few knew what to do with the show's famous disaster episodes, an annual tradition between the third and seventh seasons. These episodes saw the characters of Wisteria Lane living through some type of dramatic occurrence that would inevitably kill off an antagonist. The show's first foray into chaos, an episode titled Bang, was admittedly one of the show's best episodes, but replicating this format over the show's subsequent seasons eventually became tired and only served to lazily eliminate a problem.

[00:20:03]>> The best Christmas [music] ever.

[00:20:09]That's what everyone had wanted.

[00:20:13]>> [music] >> But something went wrong.

[00:20:17]>> January 29th, 2007, Jack's family, 24.

[00:20:23]For five seasons, one could make the argument that 24 was the best show on TV. It was probably the most exciting with thrilling story lines, a unique time-based concept, and some brutally gritty drama.

[00:20:35]>> I can't even begin to imagine what you went through over there, Jack.

[00:20:39]What is the reason you're here now?

[00:20:41]>> And then season six happened. The main problem with this batch of episodes is the inclusion of Jack's father and brother, who are revealed to be terrorists working with Charles Logan.

[00:20:50]By making the antagonistic threats a part of Jack's family, the show veered way too far into soap opera territory, and many complained that the storyline was ridiculously contrived.

[00:21:00]>> There are four more bombs out there.

[00:21:02]This isn't a joke, Gray.

[00:21:06]Tell me now how do I find McCarthy?

[00:21:08]>> The nuclear bomb and its mind-boggling lack of repercussions certainly didn't help.

[00:21:14]September 24th, 2007. Season 2 and beyond. Heroes.

[00:21:21]This super-powered drama had one of the most pronounced sophomore slumps in all of TV.

[00:21:41]Initially, it told a mostly self-contained story of ordinary people with superpowers coming together to save the world in season 1. But, season 2 meandered through several new and often unresolved plot points before ending abruptly due to the writer's strike. The show never really recovered from the blunders made during season 2 and seemed to flounder for a direction.

[00:22:06]As much as we loved villains like Sylar, characters definitely overstayed their welcomes past season 1.

[00:22:12]>> Almost forgot how good this feels.

[00:22:18]>> When combined with elements like time travel and uneven CG, it became clear that Heroes really lost its way.

[00:22:27]November 19th, 2007. Agrestic burns down. Weeds.

[00:22:33]Sort of a funnier Breaking Bad, Weeds chronicles the illegal activities of Nancy Botwin, a typical suburban soccer mom who turns to weed dealing after her husband dies.

[00:22:43]>> Give me a little respect. I'm the biggest game in the private community of Agrestic.

[00:22:48]>> Drugs sell themselves, biscuit. You ain't >> The show was a critical success for its first three seasons when the town of Agrestic was still, you know, a town. In the third season finale, Nancy burns her house down to destroy incriminating evidence while the rest of Majestic faces wildfire. Removing the primary setting and starting a new elsewhere was certainly a bold creative decision, but it was a huge swing and a miss. Few liked the new setting and the removal of the unique concept of a drug-dealing soccer mom, so the show's reputation went up in smoke.

[00:23:20]>> [music] >> October 28th, 2008, House and Cuddy kiss. House.

[00:23:27]It's pretty much a rule that the longer a show goes on, the more likely it is that the main characters will hook up.

[00:23:33]Yes, even if they had seemingly few serious romantic feelings towards each other. Case in point, House [music] and Cuddy. The two first lock lips in the fifth season episode Joy, as House tenderly consoles Cuddy after her adoption falls through.

[00:23:52]Thus began a wildly unnecessary romance that filled the otherwise cold and gritty drama with a derivative will-they-won't-they subplot. It also ruined the character of Dr. House.

[00:24:03]Suddenly, he was Mr. Romantic, caring less about his patients' health and giving cheesy speeches about love.

[00:24:09]>> Words don't matter. Actions matter.

[00:24:12]>> You're really going to take a stand here?

[00:24:14]You can't say it.

[00:24:15]>> Nope.

[00:24:17]>> Why?

[00:24:17]>> Because I forgot to grab a V.

[00:24:21]>> With that kiss, House lost its identity and became just another ho-hum medical drama.

[00:24:29]>> [music] >> December 1st, 2009, season 9, Scrubs.

[00:24:35]The final season of Scrubs felt entirely unnecessary. By the time the show's eighth season wrapped up, it felt like everything had come to a close.

[00:24:44]>> Eight years of great memories. [music] This place will live forever.

[00:24:48]>> But then season 9 came along with a mostly new cast of characters in a new location. Only a few fan favorites were were to supporting or cameo roles.

[00:24:57]Although it was supposed to feel like a continuation, it essentially felt like a different show.

[00:25:02]>> Part of me hates how familiar this seems. I hope I can find a way to make this all feel new.

[00:25:07]>> Oh my god, the first day of med school.

[00:25:09]Everything is so new.

[00:25:10]>> And to be fair, that is what show creator Bill Lawrence intended it as, but network executives meddled to keep the show under the same name.

[00:25:18]>> Oh good god.

[00:25:21]>> While it might have found more success as a spin-off, it definitely didn't succeed as the technically final season of Scrubs.

[00:25:30]>> [music] >> March 23rd, 2010, literal cork, Lost.

[00:25:37]This complex and mystical mystery-focused show was divisive and much discussed throughout its run.

[00:25:43]>> You want to know a secret, Jack?

[00:25:45]Something I've known a long, long time.

[00:25:53]You're dead.

[00:25:54]>> But the undebatable final straw for many occurred in its finale. An earlier episode in the final season had the mysterious island's immortal protector Jacob introduce a clever metaphor. He describes the location as being like a cork preventing evil from spreading to the rest of the world.

[00:26:11]>> Cork is this island.

[00:26:16]And it's the only thing keeping [music] the darkness where it belongs.

[00:26:21]>> Unfortunately, it wasn't just a turn of phrase. Fans couldn't help but face-palm when the glowing source of the island's magical powers revealed in the final episode had a literal cork in it.

[00:26:38]Although we're all for striking imagery, even the show's die-hard fans had to admit that this turn was a little too on the nose.

[00:26:47]March 25th, 2010, One Course Meal, SpongeBob SquarePants.

[00:26:53]When Mr. Krabs discovers Plankton's phobia of whales, the money-hungry mongrel dresses up as his daughter to push his nemesis to the brink.

[00:27:00]>> I can't risk [music] stepping into the light. The whale might see me.

[00:27:05]>> And even though this is supposed to be a children show about a happy-go-lucky sponge, he succeeds. By the episode's end, Plankton tries to end it all just to put a stop to his suffering. But surely that's dealt with gently, right?

[00:27:17]Or at least played off with some black humor? The answer is no and no. Rather, the whole episode is a mean-spirited exercise in how not to write a good episode of television.

[00:27:27]>> You mean this entire time it's been Krabs masquerading as a whale? Why, that conniving bottom-feeder!

[00:27:36]>> Longtime fans reacted so poorly, many consider this the specific moment SpongeBob's glory days ended.

[00:27:44]>> [music] >> March 31st, 2011, the musical episode, Grey's Anatomy.

[00:27:50]We don't know why TV shows keep going to the musical episode well. They almost never work. They're often an odd standout at best and a show-ruining debacle at worst. Unfortunately, Grey's Anatomy belongs in the latter category.

[00:28:05]>> Life's [music] like an hourglass, glued to the table. No one can find the rewind button now.

[00:28:13]>> The medical drama was going quite swimmingly until season 7, when Shonda Rhimes penned the wildly divisive song "Beneath the Song". The show's first musical episode, yes, first, it received some harsh reactions from both longtime fans and critics.

[00:28:27]>> I've got me running on sunshine.

[00:28:29]>> [music] >> Ain't no clouds getting in my way.

[00:28:36]I must be running on sunshine. [music] >> Many things, from the choice of songs to the subpar singing and bizarre tone, were criticized. For many, including lead actor Patrick Dempsey, the idea of doing a musical was {quote} a big [music] mistake.

[00:28:53]September 19th, 2011. Charlie's death, Two and a Half Men.

[00:28:59]Charlie Sheen's exit from Two and a Half Men is the stuff of TV infamy. Following a very public rant in which he disparaged the show's creators, the actor was fired. Within the show, Sheen's character, Charlie Harper, was abruptly killed off screen.

[00:29:14]>> I want to thank you all for coming.

[00:29:17]I know this is a very sad day for all of us.

[00:29:20]>> Speak for yourself.

[00:29:21]>> Ashton Kutcher was swiftly brought in to replace him. Even those who weren't Sheen's biggest fans had a hard time getting on board with the change.

[00:29:28]Kutcher's character completely changed the dynamic of a show that had already strayed far from its titular premise.

[00:29:34]>> This is Walden.

[00:29:37]He's going to buy the house.

[00:29:40]Welcome to my humble abode.

[00:29:43]>> Whether you thought Sheen was winning or not, most felt that Two and a Half Men definitely lost out.

[00:29:51]December 18th, 2011. Deb catches Dexter, Dexter.

[00:29:57]There have been plenty of points where the show about a serial killer killer has been said to have gone off the rails. While its infamous finale was criticized, the proverbial nail in Dexter's coffin came earlier. The season six finale sees Dexter's adopted sister Deborah catch him in the act of slaying the season's villain in a church.

[00:30:16]>> Maybe everything [music] is exactly as it should be.

[00:30:21]>> While on her way there to confess her very non-sisterly feelings for him.

[00:30:27]>> You told me you accepted me being a killer. I feel like if you love me, you'll accept this.

[00:30:31]>> If I love you If I love you, I went to the church that night that you killed Travis Marshall to tell you that I'm in love with you.

[00:30:38]>> Deb learning the truth was a A point that could have had a lot of potential.

[00:30:42]However, it just put a character who'd already gone through the wringer in earlier seasons through even more trauma. This turn also damaged the one consistent relationship Dexter still had left on the show.

[00:30:54]>> Do what you got to do.

[00:31:02]>> [music] >> May 22nd, 2012, graduation, Glee.

[00:31:08]As every great teen drama knows, there always comes a point of no return, the dreaded graduation day.

[00:31:14]>> This week's assignment is easy.

[00:31:16]Graduation is just a few days away.

[00:31:18]There is nothing left to prepare for. Our work here is done.

[00:31:22]So, there's only one thing left to do.

[00:31:24]Say goodbye.

[00:31:25]>> Glee is a prime example of how it can all go wrong. Instead of boldly following the original cast in their post-high school life, the musical split its screen time between them and a new crop of thinly developed knock-offs.

[00:31:37]Now, to be fair, Glee's vocals had gone pitchy long before the season 3 finale, but completely pivoting away from so many beloved characters left a hole in its harmonies the show never managed to truly fill.

[00:31:54]For all intents and purposes, graduation day was Glee's final bow.

[00:32:00]October 14th, 2012, Matthew and Sybil's deaths, >> [music] >> Downton Abbey.

[00:32:06]It's hard for any show to deal with the loss of a major character, and Downton Abbey had to do it not just once, but twice in the exact same season. Poor Sybil died shortly after childbirth in a scene that reaches Shakespearean levels of tragedy.

[00:32:19]>> Somebody do something.

[00:32:20]>> The human life is unpredictable.

[00:32:23]>> Then, in that year's Christmas special, Matthew met his own end driving from the hospital where his wife had just given birth. The one-two punch of losing both Matthew and Sybil, especially given the heart-wrenching circumstances, proved too much for Downton Abbey to overcome.

[00:32:37]>> We don't always get our just deserts.

[00:32:44]>> Without Matthew's romantic spark or Sybil's political sass, the Yorkshire country estate was never quite the same again.

[00:32:51]>> [music] >> December 2nd, 2012, Broken Heart, Homeland.

[00:32:57]Despite her astute professionalism, Carrie Mathison couldn't protect the country from the greatest threat of all.

[00:33:03]>> The Attorney General's ready to honor our agreement with you, but as we discussed, there are a few things we'll need to do first.

[00:33:08]>> No, not foreign enemies. We're talking about bad writing. Specifically in the episode Broken Heart, which follows an Al-Qaeda extremist as he hacks into the Vice President's pacemaker over Wi-Fi.

[00:33:18]We aren't joking. Once a gritty Emmy winner representative of TV at its absolute best, this preposterous episode began Homeland's steep decline into embarrassment. Somehow, the show's plot lines only grew more and more ludicrous with each passing season until the whole thing felt like an unintentional comedy.

[00:33:37]>> Call doctor.

[00:33:40]I don't think so.

[00:33:41]>> If you want our advice, treat Broken Heart like the end of Homeland. It'll save you a lot of headaches.

[00:33:48]December 17th, 2012, Dan is Gossip Girl, Gossip [music] Girl.

[00:33:54]Throughout this drama series, the titular mysterious character of Gossip Girl narrates the show while revealing embarrassing and juicy details about people.

[00:34:02]>> Hey Upper East Siders, Gossip Girl here, [music] and I have the biggest news ever.

[00:34:08]>> In the final episode, it's revealed that Dan Humphrey, aspiring writer and love interest of Serena, was the mystery person. But this wasn't exactly a clever reveal.

[00:34:18]>> This is uh a hell of a thing you pulled off, kid.

[00:34:22]I'm in awe.

[00:34:23]>> Dan being Gossip Girl creates a whole host of plot holes within the show.

[00:34:28]These include occasions where Dan couldn't have posted as Gossip Girl when he leaked compromising info about himself or went after those close to him.

[00:34:37]>> You told the whole world about her losing her virginity.

[00:34:40]>> No, she sent that tip in herself.

[00:34:42]>> Most bafflingly, there were times when he reacted to posts he allegedly made with shock when he was alone. This one reveal made the show make less sense and left it worse off than before.

[00:34:57]May 26th, 2013, the revival, Arrested Development.

[00:35:03]It's every fan's dream to have Netflix swoop in and revive their favorite show for another season. Sadly, those who tuned in for the Hail Mary fourth season of Arrested Development were left majorly wanting.

[00:35:15]>> Michael, do you have something for me?

[00:35:17]>> Does bad news count?

[00:35:18]>> There's that Bluth wit.

[00:35:19]>> Due to the cast's rising profile, the series struggled getting all the Bluths in the same room. Their solution?

[00:35:26]Scatter them to the wind. For a show once defined by its ensemble, isolating every character to their own story arc was an irrevocable mistake. Season 5 was a slight improvement, but by then, the pep was already out of the Bluths' step.

[00:35:40]As sad as it is to admit, Arrested Development should have just ended with season 3.

[00:35:44]>> What say we give them no choice but to keep themselves [music] all together for a while.

[00:35:53]>> November 24th, 2013, Brian's death, Family Guy.

[00:35:59]12 seasons in, those good old family values needed something fresh to keep them engaging.

[00:36:04]>> You know, we should take this home and set it up. Get some fresh air. Get some exercise. Yeah, well, I suppose I could use a new hobby now that the time machine is gone. You sure you're not going to miss that thing?

[00:36:12]>> Nah, I was getting bored of it anyway.

[00:36:14]>> So, Family Guy killed off Brian. Almost immediately, petitions were signed, tweets were written, and the show generated more headlines than it had in years. But, a measly two episodes later, Stewie went back in time to save Brian, rendering the whole situation moot.

[00:36:31]>> BRIAN, LOOK OUT!

[00:36:34]>> WHAT THE HELL?

[00:36:36]>> You're alive, my friend.

[00:36:37]>> What? Of course I'm alive. What the hell's going on here?

[00:36:40]>> Fans were quick to point out the charade was a cheap attempt at creating buzz, and while it worked in the short term, it had the opposite effect on long-term supporters. Many felt that if Family Guy needed to cheat its way to an emotional reaction, it was already past the point of saving.

[00:36:55]>> [music] >> January 1st, 2014, Sherlock's over and under explained return.

[00:37:01]>> [music] >> Sherlock.

[00:37:03]>> It really bothers you.

[00:37:04]>> What?

[00:37:04]>> What people say.

[00:37:05]>> About me, I don't understand. Why would it upset you?

[00:37:08]>> This modern update of Sherlock Holmes started strong with engaging spins on old mysteries and great chemistry between its two leads.

[00:37:15]>> We're deciding.

[00:37:16]>> Deciding?

[00:37:18]>> Whether to come back with a warrant and arrest me.

[00:37:21]>> You think?

[00:37:21]>> Standard procedure.

[00:37:22]>> Should have gone with him?

[00:37:23]>> The series stalled for the first time due to the season 2 finale. In that episode, Sherlock somehow faked his death after jumping off a building.

[00:37:38]After years of fans obsessing over how he did it, the show returned with half a dozen possible versions of how it happened.

[00:37:46]>> What?

[00:37:47]Are you out of your mind?

[00:37:49]>> I don't see why not. It's just as plausible as some of your theories.

[00:37:53]>> Look, if you're not going to take it seriously, Laura, you can >> I do take it seriously.

[00:37:56]>> But none of them were definitive. Many viewers saw this as the creators thumbing their noses at the fan base.

[00:38:03]Unfortunately, this kicked off a trend of increasingly incredulous twists that had fans longing for the early days of the show.

[00:38:10]>> He's dead. I mean, [music] you told me he was dead, Moriarty.

[00:38:13]>> Absolutely.

[00:38:16]>> March 31st, [music] 2014, The Mother Dies, How I Met Your Mother.

[00:38:22]>> I'm serious. I like this girl. [music] So, here's the deal with the deal.

[00:38:26]Robin's my new best friend. Nobody bangs her.

[00:38:30]>> Hey, hey, hey. She only rejected me three times. She's still very much in play.

[00:38:34]>> Although the entirety of the sitcom's final season raised a few eyebrows because it's mostly set over a few days, the show's last episode got them really upset. After getting to know and come to love the titular mother Tracy at last, fans got their hearts broken. We see Ted finally meet her before his ever-present narration reveals that she later died of an unspecified illness.

[00:38:57]>> Every sleepy Sunday afternoon, through every speed [music] bump, every pang of jealousy or boredom or uncertainty that came our way, I carried that lesson with me.

[00:39:09]And I carried it with me when she got sick.

[00:39:12]>> This bad turn was then followed by a reveal that Ted still has feelings for Robin. Since the show sank a season into tracking her wedding with Barney, it also feels like her time was wasted.

[00:39:23]Ruining the entire premise of your show and character development is impressively bad.

[00:39:29]>> And that, kids, is how I met your mother.

[00:39:34]>> That's it.

[00:39:35]>> That's it.

[00:39:37]>> No, I don't buy it. That is not the reason you made us listen to this.

[00:39:43]>> May 11th, 2014. Elsa, Once Upon a Time.

[00:39:48]A sarcastic >> Oh, look. It's Elsa. What a surprise.

[00:39:52]Appeared to be the main audience reaction of the Frozen star appearing in ABC's Once Upon a Time because it was a twist that pretty much everyone saw coming from a mile away.

[00:40:13]>> Considering the wild pop culture-shattering success of Frozen, it was only a matter of time before Elsa intruded upon the world of Once Upon a Time. But, her inclusion didn't feel warranted. As a Disney princess from 2013, did not really fit with the show's fairy tale Once Upon a Time theme. Some saw introducing the most popular character in entertainment for the sake of hype and ratings as a desperate attempt at relevancy.

[00:40:36]>> I have a surprise for you.

[00:40:38]>> Really?

[00:40:39]Because surprises tend to [music] be hit or miss in this family.

[00:40:42]>> This one you'll like, I promise.

[00:40:44]>> And finally, fans were split on the resulting Frozen arc, with many voicing their displeasure at its various plot elements.

[00:40:52]January 15th, 2016, sharing Timmy's godparents, The Fairly OddParents.

[00:40:59]In any long-running animated show, it can be hard to keep things fresh. Fans noted that The Fairly OddParents tried to change up its formula with major missteps. The introduction of side characters like Cosmo and Wanda's child Poof was the first bad sign.

[00:41:20]Later on, they had to welcome Timmy's fairy dog. By the time the OddParents got a second godchild named Chloe, it was clear the show had lost its magical touch. No matter what character you think is the worst, most fans can agree that disrupting the show's central dynamic was an awful idea.

[00:41:38]>> Without further ado, I give you the perfect human, Chloe Carmichael.

[00:41:44]>> By desperately adding extraneous characters, The Fairly OddParents had fans wishing for the good old days.

[00:41:52]April 3rd, 2016, cliffhanger bait, The Walking Dead.

[00:41:58]Depending on who you ask, there were a few points where you could say The Walking Dead started shambling downhill.

[00:42:04]But, most will agree that the finale of season 6 was a big mistake.

[00:42:08]>> You broke the rules, so folks had to die.

[00:42:13]The who fired the first shot, we strung him up to make an example of him.

[00:42:17]Could have stopped there.

[00:42:18]>> The finale builds towards the confrontation with the vicious Negan.

[00:42:22]After he makes a show of randomly choosing who he'll take out, he slays one of the group before it cuts to black.

[00:42:37]But, the first-person point of view made it impossible to tell who got the bat.

[00:42:41]Fans felt incredibly put off by being forced to wait for months to see who fell.

[00:42:45]>> You can breathe.

[00:42:47]You can blink.

[00:42:49]You can cry.

[00:42:54]Hell, you're all about to be doing that.

[00:42:57]>> To add insult to injury, Glenn had already received a fake-out death earlier in season 6. Making death into a big stunt felt cheap.

[00:43:06]>> I need you to know me.

[00:43:11]>> November 17th, 2016. Wes is the body.

[00:43:14]How to Get Away with Murder.

[00:43:17]Who killed Sam? Who shot Annalise? Who's under the sheet? As it turns out, they were all the exact same answer, Wes.

[00:43:25]>> Everything okay?

[00:43:26]Wes's gone.

[00:43:29]>> What does that mean?

[00:43:30]>> Just what I said.

[00:43:32]>> Yeah, gone can mean a lot of things.

[00:43:34]>> Whether intentional or not, everything revolved around him. So, when his dead body appeared halfway through the third season, How to Get Away with Murder found itself without a grounding presence. Sure, there were still plenty of the crazy mysteries and jaw-dropping reveals fans had come to expect, but without Wes there to acknowledge the absurdity, the show felt less like a legal thriller and more like a messy farce.

[00:43:55]>> Who is it?

[00:43:57]>> [music] >> It's Wes.

[00:44:00]>> Clearly, this is one murder even Annalise Keating couldn't fully get away with.

[00:44:05]>> [music] >> February 6th, 2017. Michael's death, Jane the Virgin.

[00:44:11]Even in a show inspired by zany telenovelas, killing off 1/3 of the series central love triangle is simply one step too far.

[00:44:19]>> Your husband's death was ultimately [music] the result of his gunshot wound.

[00:44:23]Blood pressure spiked, aortic dissection. We are so sorry.

[00:44:32]>> Don't get us wrong, Michael's death was a bold creative swing that's handled with all the care it deserves. But as a result, Jane the Virgin went from sunny, soapy, and sexy to meditative, mopey, and muddled. The lack of romantic tension dragged down a lot of the storylines that followed. It got so bad, Jane the Virgin went so far as to retcon Michael's death entirely.

[00:44:56]>> Surprise!

[00:44:58]>> At that point though, both Jane and the show's viewers had already moved on to something else.

[00:45:04]June 27th, 2017, A's identity, Pretty Little Liars.

[00:45:10]In the world of television, good things do not always come to those who wait.

[00:45:14]After seven long seasons of misdirects, dead ends, and red herrings, A's real identity is Spencer's evil twin sister.

[00:45:22]>> I don't even know what question to ask first.

[00:45:25]Who are you?

[00:45:27]>> Really?

[00:45:29]How hard did Mona hit you?

[00:45:31]>> Seriously, it sounds like a bad joke, but sadly, the end of Pretty Little Liars is no laughing matter. The evil twin twist is at the very bottom of the trope list for a reason, and this one's literally British to boot. While it's admirable the show made it to the finale before completely abandoning logic, the destination is so incredibly awful, it makes you wonder whether the journey was even worth it.

[00:45:53]>> Don't worry about it. I'll figure it out.

[00:45:56]>> [music] >> January 3rd, 2018, William's parentage, The X-Files.

[00:46:02]Had this classic paranormal thriller already jumped the shark before its divisive revival? Maybe. The conspiracy storyline was a hot mess that didn't go anywhere, and Mulder's absence in the eighth and ninth seasons was painfully felt. But, the shark was officially jumped with My Struggle 3, which opened the 11th and final season.

[00:46:21]>> Dana and I have a history.

[00:46:24]A very important history that goes back 17 years.

[00:46:28]>> Here, it's revealed that William is not actually the child of Mulder and Scully.

[00:46:33]The cigarette smoking man admits that he secretly impregnated Scully with alien DNA, making Will some kind of hybrid with superpowers.

[00:46:41]>> Mulder's not father.

[00:46:46]I'm asking.

[00:46:48]Who's the father?

[00:46:51]>> I am.

[00:46:53]William is my son.

[00:46:54]>> Even by X-Files standards, this is silly. Not to mention a complete slap in the face for the Mulder Scully shippers.

[00:47:03]May 18th, 2018, Tyler's assault, [music] 13 Reasons Why.

[00:47:09]Following a controversial first season accused of glorifying its delicate subject matter, 13 Reasons Why doubled down on trend worthy moments for its sophomore run, for better or, in this case, for worse. This time, there were no grander themes to disguise the reality of what Monty did to Tyler in that bathroom.

[00:47:26]>> I'm sorry about everything.

[00:47:28]>> Instead, it felt like shock value for the sake of shock value. Just like that, 13 Reasons Why had finally crossed the line between starting a conversation and pure simple exploitation. And, no matter how hard the next two seasons tried, the Netflix show never could find its way back to the other side.

[00:47:45]>> I mean, you you you don't want to do this.

[00:47:47]I know you don't.

[00:47:49]>> October 10th, 2018, Archie pleads guilty, Riverdale.

[00:47:55]Say what you will about its wild plotting, but once upon a time Riverdale was a pretty solid teen drama with relatable struggles and cozy mysteries.

[00:48:03]>> Maybe you spent most of June, July, August in a courtroom supporting our pal Archie Andrews, who was on trial for a murder he didn't commit, despite the DA's closing arguments.

[00:48:15]>> Then it fell off a cliff. In what can only be described as a truly baffling writing decision, Archie ends up trading high school for a prison cell. Never mind he had a hung jury and was falsely accused. By leaving the classroom behind, Riverdale abandoned any pretenses it was staying on the rails.

[00:48:32]>> Your honor, I accept the deal.

[00:48:35]>> Son, just so I have it straight, [music] though it's legally within your rights, you're ignoring the advice of your counsel. Your own mother.

[00:48:42]>> Yes, your honor, I'm guilty.

[00:48:45]>> While you can almost respect how bonkers it all is, what fans were really left with was a show completely unrecognizable from what it used to be.

[00:48:54]>> No Frank.

[00:48:55]>> November 2nd, 2018. Frank's death, House of Cards.

[00:49:00]>> Let's wish this great nation a happy birthday. Say it with me. Happy birthday, America.

[00:49:06]>> Happy birthday, America.

[00:49:09]>> It's going to be different for you and me.

[00:49:10]>> One more time.

[00:49:12]>> I'm going to tell you the truth.

[00:49:13]>> The streaming era's first prestige series went out not with a bang, but a whimper. After House of Cards star Kevin Spacey was accused of sexual misconduct in October 2017 by actor Anthony Rapp, Netflix made the decision to postpone production on the show's upcoming sixth season. Shortly after, the streamer decided to proceed with shooting, albeit without the canceled actor returning as former president Frank Underwood. Season 6 puts Frank's wife Claire at center stage after Frank's passing from an apparent heart attack.

[00:49:42]>> A man like Francis doesn't just [music] die.

[00:49:45]That would be what's the word?

[00:49:49]Convenient.

[00:49:50]>> The final episodes are ultimately a disappointment on every level and a forgettable note to end on for an otherwise excellent run of television.

[00:49:58]>> This is the highest office in the land.

[00:50:01]Public service is a sacred privilege and no one is above the law.

[00:50:06]Not the father of my child, not me.

[00:50:10]>> May 19th, 2019, King Bran, Game of Thrones.

[00:50:16]Season 8 of Game of Thrones is largely agreed by most fans as being a step down from the rest of the show. It included Dany's rash decision to become a mad queen and torch King's Landing.

[00:50:32]But her crimes were nearly forgotten when Bran Stark was named as the next King of Westeros.

[00:50:38]>> Will you lead the Seven Kingdoms to the best of your abilities from this day until your last day?

[00:50:50]>> Why do you think I came all this way?

[00:50:52]>> He had spent a bulk of the last few seasons as mostly a passive character that delivered exposition to us and learned about the past because people told him to. And Bran's powers of foresight turned him into a mostly flat character who spouted assorted facts with tinges of emotion. Having him on the throne was a boring choice. Fans felt like they and Westeros deserved a better story than this.

[00:51:15]>> Winter fell.

[00:51:17]Winter fell.

[00:51:19]Winter fell.

[00:51:22]>> September 19th, 2020, Bellamy's death, The 100.

[00:51:27]Amid all the sci-fi drama, you could always count on Clark to lead with brains and Bellamy to bring the emotion.

[00:51:33]>> The entire city's a battlefield.

[00:51:37]No time limit, no guns.

[00:51:40]One warrior from each clan fights until only one remains.

[00:51:45]>> The winner's clan takes [music] the bunker.

[00:51:47]Just like that.

[00:51:48]>> The 100 mined their compelling dynamic for years of excellent morally grey storylines, only to flush it all down the drain when the finish line was in sight. With four episodes left to go, Bellamy's character makes a nonsensical 180, forcing Clark to put him down for good. Shippers across the internet lost their collective minds.

[00:52:06]>> This is how we do better.

[00:52:08]This is the only way.

[00:52:11]I'm sorry.

[00:52:12]>> Not only because The 100 treated its leading couple with such little respect, but also because this moment single-handedly ruined everything the show had built up across its seven-year run.

[00:52:23]October 15th, 2021, Love Quinn's death, You.

[00:52:29]There aren't many people out there who can match Joe Goldberg tit-for-tat, and that's exactly what made Love Quinn such a brilliant addition to the series.

[00:52:37]>> Do you know why this is happening?

[00:52:39]Because while I was seeing you, really seeing you, you were busy gazing at a goddamn fantasy.

[00:52:47]>> And also why her death was such a step backwards. It seemed like You had finally found a way to make romance interesting again. While they were both obsessive killers who tried to murder each other, their tense relationship was exactly what the show needed to stay fresh. But when Joe turned the tables and buried his love, pun intended, You effectively restarted from square one.

[00:53:07]>> I had to finally stop you.

[00:53:11]>> [laughter] >> We were perfect for each other.

[00:53:13]>> Without Joe's girlfriend or his rival, everything that followed had a major sense of been there, done that. Did any of these moments make you stop watching your favorite show? Let us know in the comments.