10 TV Shows That Went on Longer Than They Needed To

Longevity is the goal of any television show. TV favorites like Law and Order: SVU and Grey’s Anatomy are prime examples, with each maintaining a loyal fanbase that would be distraught if their go-to show called it quits. However, there are numerous other shows where the fans moved on, and the networks didn’t catch the hint.

Sometimes, it’s a stagnation of plotlines that causes viewers to flip the channel, while other times, cast members who can’t be replaced leave, and the series never feels the same way again. The following collection of shows lost their spark but hung around a little too long anyway.

10

‘Arrested Development’ (2003-2019)

Created by Mitchell Hurwitz

You may not be able to pick your family, but you can pick when you visit them in prison in the cult comedy series Arrested Development. Following Michael Bluth (Jason Bateman) as the moral compass to the eccentric and spoiled Bluth family, Arrested Development was the best show people weren’t watching for three seasons on Fox. Arrested Development would launch the careers of stars such as Will Arnett and Michael Cera while reinvigorating Bateman’s comedic presence in movies.

It was disappointing to see Arrested Development not receive more acclaim during its run, but what’s often overlooked is it received a strong send-off that neatly wrapped up the series. When it was announced Netflix would produce another season, a growing fan base was excited to see their favorite. However, scheduling conflicts kept the tight ensemble separated, and without the cast’s combined interactions, the later seasons feel like a poor comparison to the brilliance of the first three seasons.

9

‘The Walking Dead’ (2010-2022)

Created by Frank Darabont

Based on the comic book series of the same name by Robert Kirkman, Tony Moore, and Charlie Adlard, The Walking Dead initially follows Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln), a sheriff’s deputy, as he searches for his family in the midst of a zombie apocalypse. While Rick struggles to avoid the bite of a “walker,” he soon learns the surviving humans are just as much of a threat. The success of the series would lead to a franchise that includes spin-offs Fear the Walking Dead and The Walking Dead: Dead City.

When The Walking Dead premiered, it was one of the most inescapable cultural sensations in the medium of television, comic books, and anything you could sell with a zombie on it. That’s what makes it so disappointing that The Walking Dead couldn’t end on a high note that honored how important and influential the horror series was. Viewership had declined so drastically by the time the flagship series ended that most people assumed it had been canceled long before.

8

‘That 70s Show’ (1998-2006)

Created by Mark Brazill, Bonnie Turner & Terry Turner

Just hanging out never looked as much fun as when the gang from That 70s Show sat together in Eric Forman’s (Topher Grace) basement. The popular sitcom followed a group of young teens passing the time in their small town of Point Place, Wisconsin. The group relied heavily on Eric for his house and car, but that didn’t stop them from giving him and one another a hard time.

When That 70s Show debuted, it was a major win for Fox, featuring a young cast of unknowns who had electric chemistry to go along with a novel, eye-catching premise. As the case with many sitcoms, the characters of That 70s Show eventually had less to say over the years, and their storylines were reaching a natural conclusion. However, when stars Grace and Ashton Kutcher decided to leave, That 70s Show continued for an additional season that had lost the magic that made it unique.

7

‘Oz’ (1997-2003)

Created by Tom Fontana

Oz brought viewers into the dangerous and unpredictable world of Oswald State Correctional Facility, otherwise known as Oz, by the prisoners who call it home. When the series starts, a new experimental cell block called “Emerald City” where creator Tim McManus (Terry Kinney) can take a new approach to rehabilitating prisoners. The inmates are less interested in turning a new leaf and more focused on surviving, as threats lurk around every corner of the prison.

Oz always operated in a sense of heightened theatrical nature with its characters and plots, choosing interesting over realistic when it came to storylines. This inclination led to an addictive, entertaining series, especially for its time before the wave of prestige television soon to come. However, the philosophy would eventually become silly. By the time the ghost of Luke Perry arrived to haunt prisoners in order to avenge his being bricked into a wall, the signs were clear the series had lost its way.

6

‘Dexter’ (2006-2013)

Created by James Manos Jr.

Killers in Miami should hope they get jail time because if they’re set free, Dexter Morgan (Michael C. Hall) is likely going to line them up as his next victim in Dexter. The series follows Dexter as he works for the Miami PD as a blood splatter analyst, never letting on that he’s one of the city’s most prolific serial killers. Dexter never targets innocents, instead choosing to feed his bloodlust by executing killers who escape justice.

The first season was an excellent debut for the darkly comedic series, taking many cues from the book “Darkly Dreaming Dexter” by Jeff Lindsay. The next few seasons wouldn’t capture the same magic, but there was still enjoyment to be had following the killer until it peaked with season four and Dexter’s time with the Trinity Killer (John Lithgow). After season four, things began to gradually decline with cringe-inducing storylines like his adopted sister Debra falling in love with him. Dexter continued to stumble until the creative team sent him to his logging retirement (that wouldn’t last) in its eighth season.

5

‘Happy Days’ (1974-1984)

Created by Garry Marshall

Television viewers of the 1970s were transported to the golden age of the 50s when the sitcom Happy Days premiered. Following the life of Richie Cunningham (Ron Howard), a teenager growing up in 50s-era Wisconsin, Happy Days saw Richie hang out with friends, spend time with his family, and avoid the wrath of Arthur “Fonzie” Fonzarelli (Henry Winkler). The series was a massive hit for ABC, running for 11 seasons.

There’s no better example of a show overstaying its welcome than the series that originated the term ‘jumping the shark.’ Even though Happy Days was the launching pad for countless spinoffs like Laverne & Shirley and Mork & Mindy, the quality began to suffer as the show drifted away from its original premise and became a show that centered primarily on the Fonz. By the time Winkler hung up his leather jacket, Happy Days was running on fumes.

4

‘Scrubs’ (2001-2010)

Created by Bill Lawrence

Daydreams become realities on the long-running hospital sitcom Scrubs. The series starred Zach Braff as J.D., an intelligent but inexperienced medical intern at Sacred Heart Hospital. While learning how to become a better doctor, he will learn invaluable life lessons along the way under the tutelage of his tough-as-nails mentor, Dr. Cox (John C. McGinley). When things get too hard, he always has his best friend Turk (Donald Faison) close by for support.

Scrubs managed the near impossible by sticking the landing and delivering an emotionally satisfying finale that gave the characters closure. Unfortunately, ABC wanted to continue making episodes, and with vital members of the cast not set to return, the decision was made to pivot and launch a soft reboot. With longtime viewers happy at the way things had ended in season eight, only the most ardent fans stopped by for a curiosity watch, and they didn’t stick around for more.

3

‘Lost’ (2004-2010)

Created by J.J. Abrams, Damon Lindelof & Jeffrey Lieber

A plane crash leaves a group of bruised and battered survivors to rely on one another to survive on a mysterious island in Lost. Featuring a diverse cast of characters with their own complicated backstories, the survivors spend each week looking for a way off the island or the ability to contact anyone for help. However, they slowly begin to realize the island may be hiding secrets that are the key to why they crashed there in the first place.

If Lost were made now, whether it landed on a network or cable, there would be a better understanding of how to program it. With a serialized story that required planning to execute properly, Lost suffered from the creative gymnastics required to spread the story over 24 episodes a season. By the time co-creator and showrunner Damon Lindelof was given the go-ahead by ABC to finish the story with fewer episodes, the damage had already been done.

2

‘House of Cards’ (2013-2018)

Created by Beau Willimon

The first original series produced by streaming service Netflix, House of Cards was a tense political thriller that gave viewers no choice but to root for the bad guy. When Frank Underwood (Kevin Spacey), a soulless politician in Washington, DC, is passed over for an appointment he assumed was secured, he begins a series of schemes to destroy his enemies on the way to the top. Faithfully by his side is the equally cold and calculating Claire (Robin Wright).

Although House of Cards’s first few seasons were incredibly strong, its quality started to dip when Frank’s pursuit of the White House was over, and he had the power he craved. Accusations of Spacey’s alleged misconduct led to his departure from the show, with Wright taking over as the lead for the sixth and final season. The sixth season would prove to further tarnish the series with storylines that didn’t ring true to the remaining characters.

1

‘How I Met Your Mother’ (2005-2014)

Created by Carter Bays & Craig Thomas

A show that famously overstayed its welcome was the romantic sitcom How I Met Your Mother. The series followed Ted Mosby (Josh Radnor) as he told his teenage children the story of how he fell in love with their mother. The series played as one large flashback to Ted in his youth as he hung out with his best friends in New York. The group experienced the peaks and valleys of romance with the help of their tight-knit support system.

The creators of How I Met Your Mother were prepared to end the show multiple times when low ratings indicated an early exit was imminent, but they didn’t appear as ready to extend the series when CBS called for another season. Jason Segel, who played Marshall, was not interested in doing another season, so the plot was reworked to have him appear less. That, along with a shift to a new location for the majority of the season, broke the established rhythm of the show. After all of these concessions were made, it only led to one of the most heartbreakingly disappointing finales of all time.

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