Top 10 Worst TV Dramas EVER
There are your “Mad Men”s, your “Sopranos,” and your “Wire”s. And then there are these. Welcome to WatchMojo.com, and today we're counting down our picks for the top ten worst TV dramas of all time.
For this list, we'll be looking at television dramas that are considered poor by either or both TV watchers and critics, no matter how brief their run may have been. We'll also be somewhat liberal with the definition of “drama.” Basically, as long as the show generates conflict and emotion from its characters, it can be included. Also, we won't be considering miniseries, despite how bad “The Kennedys: After Camelot” was.
#10: “Charlie’s Angels” (2011)
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No, we aren’t talking about the 70s show. That’s a classic. We’re talking about ABC’s 2011 reboot, which was both horribly misguided and unnecessary. Didn’t we just have two movies about the Angels? Not only was the idea lazy, but it seemed as if every facet of the production was as well. The scripts were atrocious, and critics often lambasted the three main actresses for being bland. It also did away with the campy fun of the original and presented itself far too seriously. At least the 70s version had strong female characters at a time when that was relatively rare.
#9: “Supertrain” (1979)
“Supertrain” is the Holy Grail of failed television. At the time, it was the most expensive TV show ever produced in the United States. NBC put a massive amount of money behind its marketing, hoping that it would be the next big thing. Think “Game of Thrones” of the 70s. However, the show ended up being both a critical and ratings disaster. Unsurprisingly, it was cancelled after just nine episodes. Despite a valiant effort from NBC to save their hopeful cash cow, it was an utter failure that nearly bankrupt the network. It’s now regarded by many as the biggest television flop of all time.
#8: “Hunters” (2016)
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In the modern landscape of television, a show needs to be exceptional to get noticed. It’s no surprise that “Hunters” was quickly buried and forgotten about. “Hunters” was a Syfy show about an organization that protects the world from alien terrorists. The entire show was roasted by critics, who called it generic and clichéd and criticized the amateurish production values. It even holds the distinction of being the rare TV show to hold a 0% critics’ rating on Rotten Tomatoes. After weak viewership, the last six episodes were pushed from 10:00 to midnight and the show was cancelled after just one season.
#7: “Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders” (2016-17)
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“Criminal Minds” has been around forever, and while it isn’t considered prestige television by most, it’s still a safe show that continues to generate millions of viewers. Spin-offs were inevitable, but this one lacks the appeal of the original. “Beyond Borders” followed the basic “Criminal Minds” outline, only this time it involved American citizens who were in trouble in other countries. If the generic, decades-old storylines weren’t bad enough, the show was also riddled with xenophobia, as the show often portrayed foreign countries as dangerous, violent hellscapes. Given the uneasy political climate of the mid-2010s, this was the opposite of what was needed on our TV screens.
#6: “Eldorado” (1992-93)
It’s no secret that soap operas aren’t thought of as the highest form of drama. But the classic soap opera could seem like “The Wire” when compared to “Eldorado.” “Eldorado” was primed to be BBC’s next big, ambitious soap. In the end, it was a mess. Critics called the acting horrendous, as many of the actors had little or no prior experience, and many characters spoke in bizarre and unbelievable accents. The production itself was also amateurish, as the show often suffered from sound problems due to filming in inappropriate locations rather than in a studio. The production difficulties resulted in the nervous breakdown of a producer, and the show was swiftly cancelled after just one year.
#5: “Stalker” (2014-15)
“Stalker” was a CBS procedural that starred Dylan McDermott as Detective Jack Larsen, a man who must work with his team to solve various stalking cases. Yes, “Stalker” was generic and tropey, but that’s not why people found it so terrible. After all, there are tons of generic shows out there. Instead, “Stalker” was viciously attacked by critics due to its overly-nihilistic and violent tone, fearmongering, and misogynistic tendencies. It was considered an ugly show full of ugly characters and situations, and it was cancelled after just one season due to its dreadful reviews and inadequate audience size.
#4: “Ironside” (2013)
Like “Charlie’s Angels,” “Ironside” was a misguided attempt at remaking a classic series. This time, the target was “Ironside,” an NBC drama than ran for eight seasons throughout the 1960s and 70s. The 21st century show garnered controversy before it even aired by casting a non-disabled actor in the role of the disabled Robert Ironside, and it only got worse from there. “Ironside” was butchered by critics for its manipulative treatment of disabilities, its unpleasant main character, and derivative nature. Turns out that audiences don’t like being preached to, as the show lasted only nine episodes – and only four of those aired on broadcast TV.
#3: “Cop Rock” (1990)
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You’re going to have to bear with us while we describe “Cop Rock,” because it sounds like something we made up. Trust us, it isn’t. The show was created by Steven Bochco, the same man who gave us police procedural classics like “Hill Street Blues” and “NYPD Blue.” Only this time he blended hard-hitting cop drama with musical numbers. Yes, this is essentially “NYPD Blue” as a musical. The concept itself is ridiculous, and the tonal imbalances left us questioning whether we should take it seriously or not. It was unsurprisingly cancelled after just eleven episodes, and it quickly went down in history as one of television’s most bizarre productions.
#2: “South Beach” (2006)
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“South Beach” had a few big names behind it. Future “Breaking Bad” star Giancarlo Esposito starred as gangster Robert Fuentes, and Jennifer Lopez was billed as an executive producer. But despite the talent, “South Beach” ended up being one of television’s worst shows. It was considered both pretentious and mindless, and the dialogue was heavily criticized due to its numerous clichés and platitudes. The show failed to garner, well, ANY interest, as it was one of the lowest-rated shows in television at the time. It was quickly cancelled after eight episodes, and it has yet to appear on home video due to extremely low interest. Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few dishonorable mentions. “The Colbys” (1985-87) “Damien” (2016) “Manimal” (1983)
#1: “Viva Laughlin” (2007)
“Viva Laughlin” really should have worked. CBS put a ton of money behind it, and superstar Hugh Jackman both starred and served as executive producer. But even Jackman’s star power wasn’t enough to save this production. “Viva Laughlin” squandered all its potential in just about every area. Its writing, acting, and directing were all heavily criticized, with some critics calling it the worst TV show ever. Despite the budget, it was cancelled after just two episodes due to the scathing reviews and lack of viewers. It’s now considered one of the biggest failures in American television history, both critically and commercially.
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