# TV shows that got worse as they became more popular **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 21, 2025, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-got-worse-as-they-became-more-popular/1017305 "2025-04-21T13:53:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2025, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-got-worse-as-they-became-more-popular/1017305/61 "2025-04-24T19:55:10Z")
> [@Dr.Strangelove](#): > > One common pattern is Flanderization. I.e., take a popular character, but keep amplifying their stereotypical attributes until they’re a caricature of themselves. > [@Dr.Strangelove](#): > > That said, the specific example of Ned Flanders doesn’t fit here I’m surprised the trope got named after Ned Flanders because it doesn’t seem to me that he really became a more stereotypical, caricatured version of himself. If anything, Homer was ‘Flanderized’ the most-- he changed from a bumbling, angry but caring and somewhat realistic dad in the early years, to what I believe one of the writers described as “a figure of pure, raging Id”. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2025, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-got-worse-as-they-became-more-popular/1017305/62 "2025-04-24T20:11:43Z")
Lisa is another one that got Flanderized more than Flanders. I think it’s just that Flanderized is a funny word. ---
**Author:** ![Graceful](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Graceful](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Graceful)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2025, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-got-worse-as-they-became-more-popular/1017305/63 "2025-06-18T16:36:35Z")
Honestly, “The Walking Dead” was okay at first, but then it all went to hell - the same old thing, lots of chatter and no zombies at all. “Prison Break” also went downhill - how much longer can you run, it’s like a parody. ---
**Author:** ![Push\_You\_Down](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/push_you_down/32/9095_2.png) [@Push\_You\_Down](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Push_You_Down)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2025, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-got-worse-as-they-became-more-popular/1017305/64 "2025-06-18T16:52:15Z")
The Office - starting season 3/4. The show was huge and was raking in money and cultural cache and it showed. Celebrity guests, big weird set pieces, so much licensed music, everyone had stylists…it lost the sense of grounded “docu-comedy.” ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2025, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-got-worse-as-they-became-more-popular/1017305/65 "2025-06-18T17:37:20Z")
_ **Happy Days** _ had about as much relevance to life in the '50s as _ **The Jetsons** _. Actually, I’d say _ **The Jetsons** _ had more, since it recycled all the traditional themes of '50s TV (working stiff husband, grumpy boss, devoted housewife, cute son and teenaged daughter, dutiful maid, loyal dog). ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2025, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-got-worse-as-they-became-more-popular/1017305/66 "2025-06-18T18:55:05Z")
I feel like this happened to _Monk_. I always loved Tony Shaloub-- in fact when he played the Italian cab driver Antonio on _Wings_, he was sexier than the two pilots. When the series started, Adrian Monk had a back story involving the car bomb death of his wife and his continuing efforts to get reinstated to the San Francisco police department. He had some quirky OCD behaviors but they were simply part of his total character and made him extra observant, analytical, and insightful. In later seasons, the plots started to mock him and turn him from a competent, sometimes brilliant, detective into some kind of oddball nutcase. There would be long scenes showing him checking and rechecking something, making fun of his OCD. There was an episode where his aversion to heights was dwelt on to the point of being insulting and belittling. As I recall, there was an episode where he thought and behaved as if he were 5 years old (or was it 3?). C’mon! I could never re-watch the later episodes. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2025, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-got-worse-as-they-became-more-popular/1017305/67 "2025-06-18T19:07:20Z")
I’m re-watching early episodes of That 70’s Show, and I’ve been surprised at how good it was at the beginning. It seems once all the kids had been paired romantically, they ran out of ideas. I don’t even want to think about the Randy episodes. 🤮 And damn, that Wilmer Valderrama can dance! I was watching with a big goofy smile of joy on my face. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2025, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-got-worse-as-they-became-more-popular/1017305/68 "2025-06-18T19:08:43Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > _ **Happy Days** _ had about as much relevance to life in the '50s as _ **The Jetsons** _. Actually, I’d say _ **The Jetsons** _ had more, since it recycled all the traditional themes of '50s TV (working stiff husband, grumpy boss, devoted housewife, cute son and teenaged daughter, dutiful maid, loyal dog). In fairness though, _Happy Days_ did try to stick to “life in the 50s” for the first two or three seasons. Richie and his friends loved hot rods and sock hops, they all hung out at the drive-in burger joint, the girls all looked like they stepped straight out of the 1950s, and there were various hoods (of whom Fonzie was just one) as the plot demanded. Further, the plot of one episode revolved around the 1956 election; another was about beatniks. But once it became _Fonzie and his Friends,_ the 1950s tone withered away. Not totally, but it wasn’t played up as much. Then when Fonzie jumped the shark, it was all over. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2025, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-got-worse-as-they-became-more-popular/1017305/69 "2025-06-18T20:26:59Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > In later seasons, the plots started to mock him and turn him from a competent, sometimes brilliant, detective into some kind of oddball nutcase. Yep, he went from a brilliant detective with a quirk- into a semi-comedy with keystone kops, and him being a quirky guy who did some mysteries. The later episodes are travesties. > [@Spoons](#): > > But once it became _Fonzie and his Friends,_ the 1950s tone withered away. Not totally, but it wasn’t played up as much. Then when Fonzie jumped the shark, it was all over. Yep. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2025, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-got-worse-as-they-became-more-popular/1017305/70 "2025-06-18T20:31:24Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > But what ruined it for me was watching Keen I would end my sentence there. I literally could not watch Megan Boone’s acting. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2025, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-got-worse-as-they-became-more-popular/1017305/71 "2025-06-18T20:44:53Z")
I’d say that _ **MTM** _ actually got _better_ after the first few years, since they switched from “Mary’s trials and tribulations dating the dweeb of the week” to focusing more on the series’ other characters. The show’s humor came increasingly from their interaction, rather than anything Mary did. ---
**Author:** ![Coriolanus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/coriolanus/32/18769_2.png) [@Coriolanus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coriolanus)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2025, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-got-worse-as-they-became-more-popular/1017305/72 "2025-06-18T23:14:35Z")
Good point, yet I never said **MTM** got worse - just that it went out on the top of its game. As in “sorry to see it go yet that’s cool” vs “Is that show still on?!” Ala-Simpsons. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2025, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-got-worse-as-they-became-more-popular/1017305/73 "2025-06-18T23:30:02Z")
> [@Coriolanus](#): > > Good point, yet I never said **MTM** got worse - just that it went out on the top of its game. I watched it, but it was long ago, so you both could well be right, if my dim memory is correct. Many shows declines somewhat- even one of my faves- Barney Miller- which got great around season 2, and never jumped the shark or went bad, but that last season- 8 lost some of the magic. Maybe the loss of Fish and Yemana was the cause of some of the lost magic. Still good, though. Of course, any show that stays that good for eight seasons (and never gets bad) gets a gold star. Still I think Monk takes the winner here- it turned into a travesty. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2025, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-got-worse-as-they-became-more-popular/1017305/74 "2025-06-18T23:36:37Z")
I generally liked Monk but I never really liked the ongoing storyline about who killed Trudy. And then various Big Bad Villains were introduced, some who were suspected but didn’t go anywhere. Like Dale the Whale, for instance. ---
**Author:** ![We\_re\_wolves\_not\_werewolves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/838e76/32.png) [@We\_re\_wolves\_not\_werewolves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/We_re_wolves_not_werewolves)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2025, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-got-worse-as-they-became-more-popular/1017305/75 "2025-06-18T23:37:54Z")
> [@Hampshire](#): > > I liked season 1 of Ted Lasso which had a simple premise, was funny, and kept the characters simple. > After it became a hit and they felt the need to flesh out these characters I found myself losing interest and disliking a lot of the people. this is the first show I thought of as well. Season 1 was fantastic, funny, off-beat and joyous. Season 2 was ok, with somewhat more predictable story arcs and less enjoyment it seemed from everyone involved. Season 3 was tedious and full of dreck, with forced feel-good plots and a seeming need to hit a new social justice topic each week. It was almost unwatchable in my mind. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2025, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-got-worse-as-they-became-more-popular/1017305/76 "2025-06-18T23:40:41Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > I generally liked Monk but I never really liked the ongoing storyline about who killed Trudy. For some reason “cop whose wife has been murdered” shows up everywhere- books, film, TV, etc. _The Mentalist_ was fun except the “Red John” episodes which were all pretty bad. ---
**Author:** ![Dallas\_Jones](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dallas_jones/32/3277_2.png) [@Dallas\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dallas_Jones)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2025, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-got-worse-as-they-became-more-popular/1017305/77 "2025-06-18T23:44:07Z")
**M.A.S.H**. Started out with a great emsamble cast. So many possible stories, great characters, great actors, so many directions to go. Writers could focus on a different character’s story each week and never run out of material. Then later it became **All of the Alda All of the Time**. Alda, Alda, Alda. Even Harry Morgan couldn’t save it. Characters and actors started leaving, and we were left with, **All of the Alda All of the Time**. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2025, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-got-worse-as-they-became-more-popular/1017305/78 "2025-06-18T23:47:53Z")
> [@Dallas\_Jones](#): > > Then later it became **All of the Alda All of the Time**. Alda, Alda, Alda. Even Harry Morgan couldn’t save it. Characters and actors started leaving, and we were left with, **All of the Alda All of the Time**. Very true. Mind you, when both Potter and Winchester first got there, the show hit a high point, then got worse. Alda should not have been allowed to direct. ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2025, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-got-worse-as-they-became-more-popular/1017305/79 "2025-06-18T23:48:43Z")
> [@solost](#): > > I’m surprised the trope got named after Ned Flanders because it doesn’t seem to me that he really became a more stereotypical, caricatured version of himself. If anything, Homer was ‘Flanderized’ the most-- he changed from a bumbling, angry but caring and somewhat realistic dad in the early years, to what I believe one of the writers described as “a figure of pure, raging Id”. Flanders - the guy with a pool table and bar in his basement, who bet on a mini-golf game (and enjoyed wearing a dress in public because it reminded him of his fraternity days), changed in character considerably in the first few season, I’d say I agree that Homer was flanderized too - from the guy who got embarrassed when his wife got drunk at a company picnic (while he stayed sober) and was willing to give up a ride in the Duff blimp or take a second job to make his kids happy, changed quite a bit ---
**Author:** ![Coriolanus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/coriolanus/32/18769_2.png) [@Coriolanus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coriolanus)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2025, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-got-worse-as-they-became-more-popular/1017305/80 "2025-06-18T23:54:22Z")
> [@Dallas\_Jones](#): > > Alda All of the Time Sure, yet I don’t have the Nielsen ratings at hand, yet MASH likely never became “more popular” through the seasons. (Of course the finale aside). Many shows like Star Trek, MTM, All in the Family, SOAP were fortunate to even _get_ second seasons (ETA: And perhaps to get a _first_ season) . And in the latter case certainly went downhill before it was cancelled. I reckon only shows by people like Vince Gill (Breaking Bad, Saul Goodman (ETA: Better Call Saul) could you watch a latter episode, perhaps not know what’s quite going on, and want to watch it all. In the olden days, catching cut re-runs were the best you could do. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-got-worse-as-they-became-more-popular/1017305.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-got-worse-as-they-became-more-popular/1017305.md?page=5)