News out of the TCA this week is that "How I Met Your Mother" -- currently in its 7th season and contracted by CBS for eight -- may actually extend beyond 2013, despite earlier suggestions that the sitcom would wrap up next year and the identity of Ted's wife would be revealed. That'd be a lousy idea. Even if most of us have moved beyond caring about the show's initial premise, eight seasons is enough. In fact, notwithstanding a number of great episodes over the last two years, five seasons probably would've been enough.
Nevertheless, despite record ratings, I doubt "HIMYM" will go beyond eight seasons anyhow: Jason Segel is a big Hollywood star now and probably has no desire to stick around; Cobie Smulders' movie career may get a boost from The Avengers; Neil Patrick Harris probably has an awesome talk show in his future; and Josh Radnor has been expressing frustration with working on the sitcom for years now. Those guys don't want to come back. If "HIMYM" were to stick around, it'd have to move ahead 20 years and replace Radnor with his voice over, Bob Saget. And then the show would really run off the rails.
But it wouldn't be the first -- or last -- beloved show to do so. Here are ten other initially adored television shows that overstayed their welcomes.
Scrubs -- One of my all-time favorite sitcoms, "Scrubs" wore out its welcome after its fifth season and 27th schedule change. Granted, it did bounce back with a fairly exceptional 8th season -- its last with the regular cast -- but to most minds it ruined even that with "Scrubs: The New Class" in its 9th season (I have a soft-spot for "Scrubs 2.0," thanks largely to Eliza Coupe).
Roseanne -- "Roseanne" also ran for nine seasons -- from 1988 - 1997 -- but far fewer people stuck around after John Goodman's heart attack in the 8th season. Those who did were met a dreadful 9th season, in which the Connors supposedly won $108 million in the lottery only to find out that the entire season was a dream.
Smallville -- The first few seasons of "Smallville" were outstanding, especially once they moved beyond the villain-of-the-week episodes and brought in the comic-book mythology. But the show began to falter around the fourth season, struggle after Clark Kent died, and downright suck after Lana Lane and Lex Luthor left the show after the seventh season. It would last another three, but very few were witness to those seasons.
Weeds -- "Weeds" was an outstanding show right up until the end of Season Three, which is when it should've ended. Once the show left the suburbs, it lost the appeal of its premise: A suburban housewife forced to sell marijuana to support her children. It's 7th season redeemed the last three seasons somewhat, but it's still a shell of its former self.
Big Love: The drama centered around a polygamous Mormon family wore out its premise quickly. After Roman Grant died at the end of season three, "Big Love" lost its way, veering into complete stupidity when Bill -- who had three and a half wives -- began his run for Senate in the fourth season.
The Simpsons -- Now in its 23rd season and approaching its 500th episode, "The Simpsons" still attracts a sizable number of viewers, but even those who still watch the show don't actually care about it very much. They watch because it's there, out of nostalgic affection, and because every great once in a while, a good episode will interrupt the flow of mediocrity.
Friends -- For seven seasons, "Friends" withstood the will they/won't they relationship of Ross and Rachel, but in the end, it was Monica and Chandler's marriage that truly ruined the show for the remaining three seasons. Chandler -- the show's best character -- became an emasculated sad sack; Joey's only remaining personality trait was the ability to eat lots of sandwiches; and Ross morphed into a perpetual mope.
Dexter -- "Dexter" peaked in its fourth season, and by all rights, should've ended with the Trinity Killer. Having just wrapped its sixth season, and renewed for two more, the show can't get much worse than it did last year. There's only so many times you can run the exact same season-long formula.
The Office -- "The Office" suffered long before Michael Scott left. The show began its long descent into watchable mediocrity after Jim and Pam's wedding. Now the show has no moral center; it's just a collection of eccentric characters bouncing around one another with little rhyme or reason.
The X-Files -- If the "X-Files" had wrapped up after five seasons, it would've gone down as one of the very best dramas of the last 20 years. But by year six, it became abundantly clear that the writers were making it up as they went along, and after David Duchovny left the show in the 7th season, the whole series went to sh*t. It wouldn't completely bottom out until the end of season 9.
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I will say four things in defense of Weeds running 4 seasons long.
Mary.
Louise.
Parker.
Titties!!!!
I agree…..I always forget about her when I’m not watching something with her in it….
But when I am watching something she’s in I say to myself every time “How do I always forget about her? She’s so goddamn gorgeous.”
Yeah, you can’t show those pictures of Mary Louise Parker and act like there’s nothing left on the show. Looking at her for three month’s a year for a half-hour a week is more than enough to get me to pay for Showtime.
I agree with this list so hard.
I agree with all of these, especially Weeds.
Actually, the series finale revealed pretty much all of the series was bullshit. The “lives” of the Conors was based on Roseanne’s book based on an alternate reality she created. My friend just met a black man on blackwhitplanet.c0m. It’s where for men and women looking for interracial’ship for a fabulous lifestyle.It’s a nice place for black white sing’les, to interact with each other…no games or extremes in front of true love..I still have emjoyed it this year. However, if they hook Olivia up with Lincoln, I am done.
This is an amazing spam job.
I’m so amazed by Emily52′s comments, its really messing with my brain
Emily raises some excellent points about the dramatic arc of click here now to buy discount v1agra online and how the writers had completely sold out the original premise with longer lasting erections at the end.
I agree and disagree about things in this article!!11 Actually, it’s mostly spot on. I would also include That 70′s show, which lost TWO of its main characters and replaced them with a former MADtv cast member who wasn’t even funny. I’m not a fan of Ashton Kutcher, but he was pretty tolerable as Kelso. Topher Grace’s Eric was a whiny punk, but relatable, I guess.
What about My Name Is Earl? 2 solid seasons then it fell apart.
This! As soon as Earl went to prison, this show went from a “Must See” to complete shiite.
May I suggest: House, Chuck, Fringe (sorry Patty, it’s true), Lost (duh), Bones. I find I’m watching these shows more out of habit than for any real sense of enjoyment.
You shut your whore mouth.
No Olivia/Peter connection = no real emotional attachment to that alternate universe.
Oh, I think we’ll get that back in the second half of the season.
Plus, I heard that there’s an Astrid-centric episode, and Astrid is the best.
I’m starting to feel the same way about “Modern Family”, LTF. Vergara’s Boobs, Bowen’s boobs and Hyland’s boobs can only entertain me for so long.
You just leave Fringe out of this mister. I can’t live without Walter, dammit!
Yes, Yes, No., God Yes, and No. I am with you in that I watch House and Chuck more out of habit than any desire to keep watching them. Lost’s last two seasons were just awful. Although I completely agree with you on your comment on the emotional attachment to the new universe on Fringe, I still have emjoyed it this year. However, if they hook Olivia up with Lincoln, I am done.
The only real reason I’m still watching House, Chuck and Bones is I feel (and in Chuck’s case absolutely know) the end is near. They have all delivered 5-6 solid seasons in the past ten years and I want to see them through to the end.
Fringe
My favorite. However…I’ve liked this season less than any other. I really don’t care about this alternate universe/timeline where there is no Peter. Peter is necessary for enjoyment. And I’m a straight man.
Chuck is sadly limping to the end instead of going out with a bang, it looks like. Too bad.
Schmoove: perhaps Stonestreet’s boobs can keep the drive alive?
finally gave up on House, actually liked Lost until the end, although it did get a little stupid with all that temple bullshit you wonder if they just pulled out of their ass right before they started filming
Fringe is the TITS. Even more than Sofia Vergara is.
Lost is still the best thing ever. Season 3 sucked until halfway through…there were also references to the Temple long before they got there. People that didnt like the end just didnt understand it.
HOUSE! For crying out loud, take it behind the shed and put it out of its misery. I have 4 episodes on PVR which I can’t bring myself to watch. It should’ve ended when he goes to the mental institute.
I would keep watching Fringe if Olivia was naked, but that is not to be.
And I suspect Dexter will get a lot better once Dexter gets found out and has to either 1) evade capture or 2) stand trial. I’ve been coping myself with the past two seasons waiting for the inevitable “Fall of Dexter” storyline.
This. Although it’s been steadily trending downhill, I still enjoy the show. I’m staying on top of it for the season-long “fall of Dexter” arc.
I totally agree, but I swear to god if they pull some crap where they get afraid of losing people if they don’t do the same thing they have for the past two seasons, I’m going to scream. I get really tired of that.
You forgot the 3º
3) Dexter doesn’t get caught and start fucking her sister for 5 more seasons untill Debra gets killed by some random villain; Dexter gets vengeance and puff, the end.
Eliza Coupe looks like Ginger Lynn.
For anybody that is at work, DO NOT Google Ginger Lynn.
/awaits meeting with HR
Wish I’d read heemoy’s response to this before I highlighted Ginger Lynn and right-clicked “search google for…”
/also awaits meeting with HR
Ginger Lynn is so busted these days. I never really thought she was that hot even back in her heyday, then again I dont’ dig on blondes, so that might have had something to do with it.
The only umbrage I take with this list is referring to the current ‘Office’ as “watchable”
See Also:
Wheel of Fortune
Meet the Press
NFL on CBS
What about Prison Break. There was no reason for it to go beyond even the first season but they had to slash it’s throat and let us watch the show die a slow 4 season too long death.
Cut off Sarah’s head..then reattach! WTG Ratner!
yea “The Office” needs to be on here, as does “HIMYM”, I feel like “Modern Family” is quickly approaching this as well.
and “The Office” is on here. would help if I click through the whole thing before opening my dumb face.
MF is basically the same thing every week. It’s in it’s what, third? fourth? season?
I vote off Californication. Hank Moody, who was kinda adorable in the first season, is now just a mantard. The shock value is over; the incessant fixation with ‘squirting” gets no more than a yawn from me. NO ONE wants to see Stephen Tobolowsky’s/Evan Handler’s naked butt either.
I believe this is a first for WG. I don’t think squirting has even been touched upon in posts nor in comments. Excelsior!
I beg to differ, LastTexansFan: Three days ago, bottom GIF:
[warmingglow.uproxx.com]
You know, Warming Glow turned into a hardcore sex blog so gradually, I didn’t even notice. Yeesh!
I agree with all of these except for Smallville, the last couple of seasons got better as they delt with a season long storyline insted of a “freak of the week” format. I personally think that Season 10 was the best season of them all.
BTW: Scrubs is one of my favorite sitcoms of all time as well.
It took 10 years for Superman to learn to fly! 10 years!
I sometimes wonder what Ted’s kids did to warrant such a terrible punishment. They could’ve Menendez’ed their mother and I still don’t think it warrants being subjected to that.
Future Ted: “Now kids I caught you smoking behind the house, you can either be ground for a month or listen to me tell the story of HIMYM.”
Kids: “Tell us the story dad! I’m sure it’ll be better than being ground.”
Future Ted: Laughs manically*
Prison Break definitely should’ve made the list. Oh and SPOILER ALERT for Netflixers…Michael dies.
The best argument for a single season series ever.
Was Michael’s body still intatt?
What’s a Michael?
HIMYM has been good/great up until season 7. The current season, season 7 has been dreadful. I am watching it only because I keep telling myself that next season will be its last. I want the payoff. If this is not the case and they resign it for a 9th season, I will flat out stop watching the show. The writers are stalling just to get it to the 8th season. I couldn’t imagine what they would do to stretch the series out for a 9th season.
“Those who did were met a dreadful 9th season, in which the Connors supposedly won $108 million in the lottery only to find out that the entire season was a dream.”
Actually, the series finale revealed pretty much all of the series was bullshit. The “lives” of the Conors was based on Roseanne’s book based on an alternate reality she created.
Noticeably missing: Coach. It was a pretty good show up until the last 2.5 seasons. It became way too preachy and super craptacular when Coach moved to Orlando to coach the Breakers. Also, their football knowledge was on par with a 4 year old girl.
Burn Notice.
This.
How can you make me no longer care about Bruce Campbell? How?
WHAT’D YOU SAY ABOUT THE SIMPSONS.
Look, we ALL love them, but sometimes you can’t let that get in the way. Its tough love man.
2 Broke Girls, Whitney, Rob, Are You There Chelsea, Man Up, Work It, Last Man Standing
Invalid argument. None of those shows were ever welcomed.
Agreed with otto
The Sopranos
That 70′s Show
That 70′s show was like scrubs but less funny but still Laura Prepon. I rest my case.
Next year we can add Boardwalk Empire to the list. With 2 of the best characters gone in Van Alden and Dormady, I don’t see it holding up.
Loved every minute of season 1, then lost my free HBO. Kept up with season 2 via recaps. Have to say I agree about its prospects. Sort of like when the actress who played Tony Soprano’s mother died…something just felt off after that.
The number of people who have said the show now sucks despite not having seen a single second of the show past the finale is one of the more idiotic things in recent memory. I’m also upset about the death of Dormady. I have no idea if the show will “suck,” precisely because it hasn’t even been written or produced yet.
Van Alden isn’t gone. He’s outside Chicago in a town that, wouldn’t you know, became a Capone hotbed. While we may not see Van Alden on the boardwalk for a while, he’s most certainly going to remain a major character in S3. In fact, the showrunner has stated repeatedly that the major characters that didn’t die will be in season 3. But I agree, Jimmy was a big loss. I didn’t care for him much after season 1, but really enjoyed his character in season 2.
To the lost….
Invalid argument. None of those shows were ever welcomed.
No idea why that comment posted here.
Anyway, “Boardwalk” showed it has balls as big as church bells in killing off Jimmy rather than letting him wriggle free despite the overwhelming odds — cough*KurtSutter*cough — and they’ve teed up some interesting shit for the next season as Nucky goes full-on badass.
And as others said, Van Alden is in Cicero, soon to be Capone’s base of power, so we’re going to see a whole lot more there.
“Dexter” peaked in its fourth season…
Dexter peaked in its first season; second, tops. John Lithgow played the shit out of that role, but the rest of the season was awful (albeit better than S3). Of course, none of them can hold a candle of suckage to that which was S6. GUUUHHHHH.
Bingo! First season was fantastic, then it started going downhill. Lithgow offset the crappy season 3 memories, but it still sucked.
The first one is gold and is the reason why EVERYBODY still watches dexter. S2 was goood but doakes death depresses me. S3 was a lot of fun. S4 was like S2 but more depressing and awesome. S5…. S6 was REALLY annoying with all the religious BS and whats up with that 1 episode with brian back on? couldn’t just get him for the rest of the season and turn it into a blood fest?.
Six Feet Under. The first two seasons were gold. Began to fall apart when Nate married that crazy chick from Seattle. Completely skipped seasons 3 and 4 and didn’t return until the kickass finale.
Best series finale ever.
Second that, by far for me the best series finale ever.
“I’m talking Night Court in its fifth season Laaaaame.”
I’m talking Louie five minutes into the first episode, lame!
Trolls be trolling.
Obvious troll is obvious
Nip/Tuck. Good LORD, that show didn’t need to be 6 seasons.
Any Ryan Murphy show past one season has outstayed its welcome. He can’t write a second season and beyond for shit. (Granted Nip/Tuck did have some good stuff, moreso than his other shows)
Agreed. The drug lord season was great, and then the fucking wheels came off.
Does WWE Raw count? I think it should count.
I’ve seen all of those shows except for Smallville. Were Smallville and Roseanne ever good?
For Smallville the show was great up until his arch nemesis in the series left the show, who can really name Superman’s villains not named Lex Luthor? And Darkseid.
Rosanne was a typical crap ABC sitcom the first 2 years. Then, she seized control and made it really good for about 5 years. Then, she just gave up and it was garbage.
Kneel before Zod!
“Rescue Me” should have ended after season 3 (I think it was 3, the season finale where Tommy’s dad died at the ballpark).
dont know if it was 3 or 4, but that is precisely the moment. good call
The Real World
Game of Thrones
They killed my ni**er Ned before the end of season1.
WUH?? Nakedness and midgets SHALL NEVER END!!
All I’ll say without posting too many spoilers, George RR Martin (author of the source books) must really really hate his characters. I’m 6 books in and can’t recall a single GOOD thing happening to them.
agree with most of those…. except smallville. a lot of ppl say the show faltered after lex & lana left… i think it got way better. by the time lex and lana left the show, those two (as well as clark) were pretty much stagnant… their absence forced the show to basically move ahead, and for the better. the whole clark/lana/will they/won’t they shit was finally gone, and lex was already a full-fledged villain, so… no more real story to tell from that end. it made for a better shift to the more comic-book nature that the show became. season nine vs. zod and the kandorians was a definite highlight of the series for me.
X-Files really first started going downhill as soon as they pulled back the curtain on the shadowy old man cabal. But I thought the ‘Search for Mulder’ storyline introducing Robert Patrick and bringing back the genius hybrid kid was one of the best arcs of the whole series.
3 words for Weeds: butter eating contest.
HIMYM is holding back Josh Radnour’s career!
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.
I think we’ll also be able to put Arrested Development up here in 2014 unless Mitch Hurwitz pulls some magic out of his butt the next two years and keeps the show fresh.
I was bummed at first when “Party Down” got canceled-slash-all-the-stars-went-to-do-other-things… but now I realize it ended at a perfect spot after two glorious seasons.
um, Heroes
how did 24 stay off this list? And Supernatural? 2 brothers driving around the country killing monsters=fun. Two brothers involved as key players in demon/angle/Satan war that makes absolutely no sense and is clearly made up as they go along= sh*t.
I agree with all the shows mentioned (except GoT) and will never watch them again. After reading these posts I will also refrain from watching Gilligan’s Island ever again, EVER!
“But the show began to falter around the fourth season, struggle after Clark Kent died….” When you write that Clark Kent died on Smallville, you make it plain that you never watched this show and have no idea what you’re talking about.
He probably was referring to his dad.
I disagree about Smallville. The show did falter around that time but this was because the Lana thing was stupid and Lex was as well by this point. The show kind of re-invented itself when Clarke moved to Metropolis (in fact I think they should have stopped Smallville and started a new show called Metropolis) and it just got better and better. Each episode became like a mini-movie with big screen production values. Awesome show and I’m sorry they stopped at 10 seasons.
Was this list really necessary? Doesn’t every good TV show “overstay” it’s welcome? And if a good TV show only lasts 3 seasons, don’t you bitch and complain to bring it back for another 3? I’m pretty sure every good show has a premise, and I’m pretty sure the more you watch it, the more you get used to it and settle with it. Which is why good TV shows find ways to reinvent/retinker their premise- Dexter doing just that at the end of season six, and having an endpoint I think will hopefully bring this show back up. The problem with everyone bitching about this show, is that they get one huge cliffhanger out of nowhere season ending and they expect EVERY season to do the same thing- which is a tired premise in itself. Blow me.
Agreed tremendously
Is anyone here over 30? The mack daddy of “overstaying it’s welcome” was M*A*S*H, with Happy Days a close second.
Of those 2, I’d actually say Happy Days is well ahead of M*A*S*H in that respect. When you get an actual description for over-staying your welcome based on one of your episdoes (Jumping the shark), you’ve won the crown.
You have a point, and I almost used that phrase in my original post, but M*A*S*H lasted 4 times longer than the war it portrayed, the characters became caricatures of themselves, and the show became Alan Alda’s personal soapbox. I watch a show to be entertained, not to be told “WAR IS BAD” every week. I sort of got that early on.
On the other hand, casting Ted McGinley is the death knell for any show.
A couple things
First – I haven’t seen the most recent Season of Dexter but as of yet I consider it the best series on television. Even considering the diminishing quality it is still heads above 90% of the other shows on the air.
Second – How in the world do you not include Heroes? I can only yell “REALLY?” so many times at the tv while the characters just let the bad guy get away for no reason before I just stop watching. That show got tired half way through season 1 and then dropped off strongly with each subsequent season.
Third – I can’t understand how ANYBODY considers The Office watchable. Every episode is a small handful of mediocre jokes interspersed by huge chunks of awkward scenes.
Agreed
Agreed
and Agreed
Family Guy. Brilliantly, stupidly funny for its first three seasons, then quickly descended into an unfunny, preachy platform for Seth MacFarlane’s political views.
How about Two and a Half Men? The inclusion of Ashton K has been painful to watch. Nothing about that show is funny anymore.
Two and Half Men was never welcome.
I agree on raising the bar high on everything as a critic but still: Friends, Dexter, etc. are all awesome to me and I enjoy every season of it, once a show gets in to you, you start loving the characters and begin caring about them more than the show itself.
Thats what happend to Friends, it become more about “hey there is chandler!” than how funny the show actually ended up being.
Prison Break – it should have only been two seasons – the escape and the chase. But what the hell, the third season was absolute shit. The fourth season was okay, but p4p it would be a 3 to the first season’s 10.
Also, why all the hate on the last season of Dexter? I enjoyed it a lot, was fun.
I liked the last season too, even if some aspects kind of threw me (Uhm, Deb is in love with Dexter? I guess that really didn’t add up for me). But the twist in who the killer was still surprised me, and I was really glad that for once I didn’t see it coming even if it was obvious to everybody else.
But I thought it was a good season, especially compared with all the other shitty stuff coming out. I’m done with HIMYM if the next season isn’t the reveal. More than 8 seasons? Are you kidding me? This season isn’t even watchable.
And can I say that it absolutely BAFFLES me that Family Guy was not only zombie-fied AND is still on the air, but we still have to wait another year for some new ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT?? I’m hoping that with the entire original team they will make a mindblowingly awesome season and movie.
I will agree with The Simpsons and The Office, but despite the writers strike season and the stupid ninth season Scrubs was awesome and Friends was grat all the way until the end.mthe only story arc I hated was the Joey Rachel romance. It got really dumb to me. Supernatural is a show that could go on this list though and anyone thing Walking Dead will one day make this list? http://www.nerdsayswhat.wordpress.com