Top 10 Worst Final Seasons of TV Shows
#10:“Lost” (2004-10): Season 6
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“Lost” became a global phenomenon thanks to its tantalizing mysteries. Viewers tuned in every week in the hope of gleaning answers. While some mysteries would get resolved, there were a great deal more that weren’t. That’s what made Season 6 such a big disappointment to longtime fans. It also jumped between events on the island and a ‘what if’ world where Oceanic Flight 815 never crashed. The disconnect between the two storylines had us all scratching our heads. The reveal that the alternate world was really purgatory wasn’t the neat wrap up we were hoping for. Add on some vague and uninteresting island lore, and you’ve got “Lost” at its weakest.
#9: “Weeds” (2005-12): Season 8
To be fair, this Showtime original had left its heyday long before it reached the final season. The charming premise of a widow selling maijuana to support her family instantly grabbed critics and viewers alike. However, by the end, it was hard to root for Nancy Botwin. Her antics of screwing everyone over, including her children, had gotten old several seasons ago. Shane’s potential for a good ending crashed when they made him a crooked cop, and Doug starting his own cult was a nonsensical thread that added nothing to the story. Speaking of story, the final season revolved around the forgettable plot of Nancy and co. going corporate. When the finale jumped forward several years to show them all wealthy, we found it pretty hard to care.
#8: “Heroes” (2006-10): Season 4
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With the modern superhero boom still in its early days, NBC’s original creation instantly got everyone’s attention. “Heroes” was a hit during its first season, but sadly ran out of steam almost immediately. In 2007, the WGA writers' strike saw the producers scramble to salvage the show’s storylines. Viewership plummeted and by the time the 4th season ended, it had retained only around half of its fan base. We’re surprised anyone stuck through it all. Season 4 had somehow made a carnival of ne’er-do-wells boring, with the villain being a messy combination of motives. Sylar, the villain of the stronger early days, surprisingly turned good. And most other characters barely served a purpose, if at all. Naturally, it was canceled soon after.
#7: “Game of Thrones” (2011-19): Season 8
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The final season of this epic fantasy featured the same level of incredible effects, stunts, set and prop design, and acting that made it a phenomenon. That, in part, is why it was such a major disappointment. With only six episodes, Season 8 was a mad dash to the finish line that placed spectacle over substance. The character arcs of Dany, Jaime, and Jon still have fans angry today. Daenerys’ descent into madness felt particularly poorly handled. The short episode count also meant ‘The Long Night” wasn’t actually all that long. And the less we hear about its controversial cinematography, the better. Also, Bran as King? How is that satisfying?
#6: “Scrubs” (2001-10): Season 9
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This medical sitcom gained a passionate following thanks to off-the-wall humor and a tremendous amount of heart. Although NBC canceled it after the seventh season, ABC picked it up to give it an ending. Season 8 was a high point and the finale was as perfect an ending as viewers could’ve hoped for. However, when it was well-received, ABC got greedy. It decided to bring “Scrubs” back for a ninth season. Unfortunately, the majority of the writing staff had left and half the characters were replaced by far less likable ones. The pivot to med school could’ve been an engaging one. But the jokes felt thin and there was no heart, making “Scrubs” seem like a severely watered-down version of its former self.
#5: “Roseanne” (1988-1997): Season 9
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Long before this sitcom received a revival in 2018, its final season in the late 90s disappointed fans everywhere. What had made it a hit was its focus on a working-class family. Viewers related to their struggles and laughed along as they worked through them. But Season 9 took all that away when the Conners won the lottery for $108 million. Gone were the realistic plotlines. Instead, the family enjoyed its ridiculous wealth and received convenient happy endings. It was a complete 180 of what had made the show great. In a final backstab, the finale revealed none of it actually happened. It was all a story made up by Roseanne, who couldn’t cope with losing her husband to a heart attack.
#4: “True Blood” (2008-14): Season 7
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“True Blood” hit at just the right time, releasing during the peak of modern vampire mania. But by the time its run ended, the creative juices had long since dried up. Characters we once loved no longer felt like themselves and the plotlines on display just went around in circles. Sookie and Alcide as a couple never made sense, nor did they draw any passion from fans. Jason and Violet’s weird relationship wasn’t too pleasing to watch either. Coupled with these plotlines were baffling creative decisions, like choosing to kill Tara off-screen, only to make her a ghost to draw the death out. It’s no wonder some viewers feel like Season 6 would’ve made a better ending.
#3: “That ‘70s Show” (1998-2006): Season 8
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The history of TV is full of sitcoms that continued on past their prime. Sadly, “That ‘70s Show” sits pretty high on that list. To be fair, it can be challenging for a show to continue when the main character leaves. After Topher Grace’s Eric left in the Season 7 finale, the show weirdly kept him tied to plot points. Additionally, Ashton Kutcher only appeared in five episodes to give Kelso an ending. The show attempted to fill their holes with new character Randy Pearson, who proved a pale imitation as Donna’s new love interest. The group dynamic just didn’t work and the writing suffered as well, leading to a major decline in viewers until it limped across the finish line.
#2: “Dexter” (2006-13): Season 8
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Like many shows, “Dexter” got weaker the longer it went on. Despite this, Season 8 had a decent start. Of course, no one remembers that as the rest of the terrible season overshadows it. Important plot points are completely forgotten about, such as anything to do with LaGuerta’s death from Season 7. Others go nowhere, like giving Masuka a daughter. It all came down to poor writing, which culminated in one of the most hated finales in TV history. Dexter ended up faking his own death, leaving his son Harrison to whatever fate, and living in secret as a lumberjack. It was a poor note for the Bay Harbor Butcher to go out on.
#1: “How I Met Your Mother” (2005-14): Season 9
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“How I Met Your Mother” comedically stretched a meet cute across multiple years. But stretching a single wedding weekend over an entire season was miserable. Simple plotlines wore extremely thin, like chronicling Marshall’s journey to the Inn for over half the season. The one bright spot was Cristin Milioti as the fabled Mother, whose charm actually lived up to expectations. But the finale ruined even that. It jumped around throughout the years, showing Barney and Robin getting divorced three years later, only for Barney to have a daughter with a one night stand. Worse, Ted’s story concludes with the Mother’s passing, only for him to once again proclaim his love for Robin, at the urging of his kids. What a waste of time!
