We’ve all been there when a beloved television series jumped the shark. Instead of being excited for a new episode, we find ourselves no longer tuning in as we realize what others knew all along: the show has overstayed its welcome.
Whether the series is still on the air or has already completed, these are the television shows that should have quit while they’re ahead.
Happy Days
We might as well start with the origination of the trope “jumping the shark.”
I loved watching Happy Days reruns as a kid on Nick at Nite, but now as an adult, I realize they only aired the earlier seasons. I didn’t even realize Fonzi jumped a literal shark until I was older!
It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia
This one hurts, as I absolutely love Sunny. However, I couldn’t help but feel that they had a logical ending point, which was when Dennis seemed to be leaving the show.
The older and more successful the cast has gotten, the more out of touch they are with what made the show endearing in the first place. Sometimes you need to walk out on a high note.
Arrested Development
No comedy will ever match the peak of Arrested Development’s first three seasons. There are so many incredible jokes that you’ll have to watch the series several times over to catch them all.
Sadly, the Netflix seasons, despite their best efforts, failed to live up to expectations. Thankfully, they saw the writing on the wall and stopped after the two revival seasons.
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Game of Thrones
Ironically, this isn’t due to stretching the show out too much. In fact, it’s the opposite: the series rushed through the story’s ending, resulting in a complete mess of a final two seasons.
Showrunners David Benioff and D. B. Weiss were ready to move on to other things, and by the time the final episodes were airing, we were as well.
True Blood
Before Game of Thrones ruled the world, another HBO series dominated pop culture: True Blood.
Sadly, its fall from grace was far more abrupt and jarring. Its first season is still incredible, but everything after that is nothing short of a massive disappointment.
The X-Files
Even as a kid, I never understood why The X-Files continued after David Duchovanny left the show. It’s not the same without Agent Mulder.
Then again, after the first five seasons, a drop in quality began to become noticeable, and the revival seasons couldn’t match the original run.
That ’70s Show
In a similar vein, continuing That ’70s Show without Topher Grace seems silly.
Yes, there are plenty of other characters within the ensemble cast, but Eric Foreman was the glue that held everyone together. His departure should have been the logical ending point, but it kept dragging on.
American Idol
To me, there is only one American Idol, and it features Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul, and Randy Jackson.
The novelty of the reality show has long worn off, and the current crop of judges has no charisma. I couldn’t even tell you anyone who won outside the first handful of seasons.
Ted Lasso
I remember my wife and I agreeing that the third season of Ted Lasso was nowhere near as good as the first two. The show began to feel like a chore to watch, but we were in too deep to stop.
Now you’re telling me that the show is coming back after having a proper finale? Let Ted coach some youth soccer in peace!
The Walking Dead Franchise
I cannot believe that there are still several Walking Dead shows airing or in production.
Yes, the show was massively popular in the 2010s, but the franchise has run its course by now. Let it rest.
Weeds
The second Agrestic burned down is when the show should have ended. We didn’t need to follow up on everything the Botwin family was doing.
We also didn’t need to see Nancy being caught up with a Mexican cartel, or old characters being brought back, but alas, that’s what we got. We’ll always have those first three seasons at least.
The Simpsons
I have no idea how the writers are still coming up with ideas.
The Simpsons has aired for nearly 40 years, though it’s no longer at the forefront of American television like it used to be.
Futurama
From one Matt Groening series to another. Look, I love Futurama. I was upset when it was cancelled and thrilled when it came back the first time.
However, it quickly became clear that the magic was gone. We don’t need to keep reviving the show. Let it rest in peace.
How I Met Your Mother
When you have a pre-planned ending, it’s best to stick with the original timeline. We didn’t need a final season that was stretched out so razor thin.
Yes, it was great spending time with these characters, but again, it’s important to know the importance of ending on a high note.
Grey’s Anatomy
Why is this show still on the air? Sure, Ellen Pompeo is still a part of the cast, but a majority of the characters that made the show iconic are long gone.
We don’t need to keep dragging things out. We’ll be okay in a world without Grey’s.
Family Guy
The original run of Family Guy features some of the funniest writing I’ve ever seen in a comedy.
As the revival continues to roll on, slowly approaching Simpsons territory, it becomes clear that the less Seth MacFarlane is involved, the worse the show becomes. When they decided to temporarily kill Brian, that should have been the sign that it’s time to go off the air.
Seinfeld
Look, I’ll take a bad episode of Seinfeld over the best episode of Friends any day of the week, but I struggle to watch the post-Larry David seasons.
The episodes became too over-the-top, lacking the focused magic of the first seven seasons.
SpongeBob SquarePants
SpongeBob should have ended after the first movie was released. It was a perfect run.
Sadly, the SpongeBob franchise has become bloated beyond belief following the death of Creator Stephen Hillenburg. Modern episodes bear no resemblance to the original seasons.
The Office
Don’t get me wrong, James Spader’s Robert California is a great character, but that’s the only redeeming quality after the loss of Michael Scott. The Office should have ended with that scene in the airport.
Instead, the characters became more and more unlikable over time.
24
Poor Jack Bauer, the guy deserves a long 24-hour nap after everything he’s been through.
The series was only able to do so much with its concept, and Fox flew too close to the sun with this one. We did not need over eight seasons of 24.
Dexter
There are only three good seasons of Dexter: 1, 2, and 4. Cracks in the wall started to show in season 3, but Jon Lithgow’s performance was incredible.
Instead of letting the series die gracefully, especially after that awful ending, we currently have two spin-offs in existence.
Scrubs
There’s a reason why I joke around and say the 9th season of Scrubs doesn’t exist: it’s bad.
The series ended in the best way possible, with eight unforgettable seasons of comedy, drama, and emotion. Then we go to medical school for one of the most forgettable seasons in television history.
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