Some shows shouldn't go past their first season. They might have a wonderful premise best suited for a short story, like the criminally underrated Scream Queens; perhaps they are too overblown and would benefit from being a one-off, like the now-infamous Glee; or perhaps they are just concepts that shouldn't be allowed to fall into their own devices, like Once Upon a Time.
For whatever reason, fans think these shows shouldn't have gone past their first season. Fans on Reddit have come up with numerous shows that overstayed their welcome, arguing that, had they ended on season one, they might be remembered among the best examples of their respective genres.
1 'Glee' (2009-2015)
Few shows have aged as badly as Glee. Once a commercial juggernaut and critical darling, the show slowly degenerated, ending its six-season run as a shadow of its former self. Nowadays, it's best remembered for its highly controversial cast and the increasingly horrible stories that come out about its troubled production.
However, Season 1 of Glee was genuinely great, with catchy musical covers, likable characters, and a pleasant plot that made it instantly addictive. Redditor u/supes1 believes that "season 2 of Glee became the exact type of show they were parodying in season 1," while u/CookieCatSupreme thinks Season 2 felt "lost," with episodes written "on the go" instead of "being prepared."
2 'The Handmaid's Tale' (2017-)
Elisabeth Moss earned her long-overdue Emmy for her tour de force performance in The Handmaid's Tale season 1. An adaptation of Margaret Atwood's seminal novel, The Handmaid's Tale, is set in the dystopian country of Gilead and follows June, a fertile woman forced into child-bearing slavery.
Redditor u/TheFamilyJulezzz thinks the show should've ended in Season 1 because "no TV writer could ever hope to compete with Margaret Atwood." Indeed, starting in Season 2, The Handmaid's Tale has introduced significant changes to the show's narrative, further straying from the source material. While some of these changes have been well-received, it's clear the show is now its own thing.
3 'Heroes' (2006-2010)
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Heroes began with an intriguing premise that took advantage of the superhero boom of the early 2000s. The show centered on a group of average people who discovered they had superpowers and worked together to prevent future catastrophes.
Season 1 was universally-acclaimed and garnered several accolades, including nominations for the Emmy and Golden Globe awards. However, Heroes lost steam in future seasons, with the show falling victim to its own devices. u/OdoWanKenobi blames several factors for the show's decline, commenting that it "was originally intended to be an anthology, but the characters became too popular, so they had to keep them around." The infamous 2007 writer's strike did Heroes no favors; at least it's stellar first season remains a masterclass in genre storytelling.
4 'American Gods' (2017-2021)
The underrated Ian McShane stars in Bryan Fuller's American Gods, based on Neil Gaiman's 2001 eponymous novel. The story centers on the battle between the Old and New Gods and the man caught in the middle.
Although never a ratings juggernaut, American Gods received positive reviews, with audiences celebrating it as a classic in the making. However, fans perceived a steep decline in quality after season 1, with Redditor u/djkhan23 stating that "Bryan Fuller leaving killed the show." u/AtraposJM claims "the writing was really poor in S2," agreeing that the show should've ended after Fuller's departure.
5 'Once Upon a Time' (2011-2018)
ABC's fantasy show Once Upon a Time was television's response to Enchanted. The show focused on a large and diverse group of fairy tale characters sent to the real world by the Evil Queen's curse. Only Snow White and Prince Charming's daughter can break it, aided by her son, who she gave away for adoption and who somehow ended up in the cursed town.
Although season 1 was innovative and charming, future seasons became overly contrived and outright silly. u/babblingrant36 criticized the show's "extremely repetitive storylines," while Eroticawriter4 thinks the show "just stopped trying" after season 1.
6 'Homeland' (2011-2020)
Claire Danes and Damian Lewis received rave reviews for their work in Homeland season 1. The show centered on Carrie Mathison, a CIA officer with bipolar disorder who suspects Nicholas Brody, a recently-released POW, was turned during his time with al-Qaeda.
Tense brilliantly acted, and with clever writing, Homeland was an instant success. However, future seasons saw a decline in quality, with u/RugRuggly believing that Season 2 and on had "nowhere near the quality of the first season." Fellow user u/maroon6798 thinks "S1 would be the best season of TV ever if they pulled the trigger (literally) with Brody and had him actually go through with the attack."
7 'Scream Queens' (2015-2016)
Emma Roberts and future cultural sensation Keke Palmer joined Oscar nominee Abigail Breslin and Oscar winner Jamie Lee Curtis in Ryan Murphy's wicked satire Scream Queens. The first season followed a college sorority targeted by a masked killer called the Red Devil.
Campy as hell, Scream Queens Season 1 was the definition of a guilty pleasure. However, Season 2 was unnecessary, according to u/party_daz, who believes "the show would've been a classic satire if season 1 had just been left alone." Budget issues made season 2 feel smaller and dumber, and not even the show's ridiculously talented ensemble could save it.
8 'Broadchurch' (2013-2017)
Future Oscar winner Olvia Colman joined David Thewlis in the BBC's crime drama Broadchurch. The first season revolved around the death of a local 11-year-old boy and the consequences on the small coastal town of Broadchurch.
Although the show remained critically acclaimed throughout its three series, some fans believe Seasons 2 and 3 failed to reach the heights of the original. u/stump2016 stated that both seasons "felt more like afterthoughts, and nothing had the emotional impact of the first." Fellow user u/radicalqueerwarrior goes one step further, claiming Seasons 2 and 3 were excuses to "milk this as hard as possible."
9 'True Detective' (2014-)
Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson starred in season 1 of Nic Pizzolatto's anthology crime drama True Detective. The plot revolves around two homicide detectives who must revisit a seventeen-year-old case concerning several unresolved crimes.
Season 1 of True Detective received universal critical acclaim. However, Seasons 2 and 3 didn't come anywhere near to the original, with many fans believing it was a mistake to make them. u/bl4ckCloudz thinks that "season 2 goes off the rails with the plot," and while Season 3 is "pretty good," it doesn't "capture the same lightning in a bottle as season 1."
10 'Killing Eve' (2018-2022)
Sandra Oh and Jodie Comer deliver career-best performances in season 1 of Killing Eve, one of the great shows about female antiheroes. The series chronicles the cat-and-mouse chase between British Intelligence investigator Eve and psychopathic killer Villanelle. As their relationship evolves, the two develop an obsession with each other.
Most fans agree that season 1 was so spectacular because of Phoebe Waller-Bridge's exceptional writing; her departure severely affected the show. Redditor ptazdba feels like "things weren't pushed far enough" in Season 2, while dolce_bby blames having different head writers on each season for the story being "almost disconnected in a way."