# 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:** 9
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2025, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-got-worse-as-they-became-more-popular/1017305/161 "2025-10-16T19:42:14Z")
> [@TRC4941](#): > > I loved Northern Exposure. It was a can’t-miss show back in the 90s. I thought I’d rewatch it. Oh boy! I watched S1 & 2 before I gave it up. Same here. I was looking forward to rewatching, but just couldn’t put up with it. > [@DrDeth](#): > > I did not like the tension thing at all. But at least Booth was competent in the early seasons. Later on, he became a clownish Mr. Mom. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2025, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-got-worse-as-they-became-more-popular/1017305/162 "2025-10-16T22:14:00Z")
> [@TRC4941](#): > > I didn’t remember all of the wacky episodes. That’s odd. The only thing I remember about Northern Exposure was wacky episodes. ---
**Author:** ![ZonexandScout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zonexandscout/32/544_2.png) [@ZonexandScout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZonexandScout)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2025, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-got-worse-as-they-became-more-popular/1017305/163 "2025-10-17T22:42:47Z")
I’m adding _The Diplomat_ to my list. This season has quickly devolved into a bad Lifetime movie. Personally, I find its attitude about both professional men and professional women to be demeaning. ---
**Author:** ![TRC4941](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trc4941/32/6792_2.png) [@TRC4941](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TRC4941)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2025, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-got-worse-as-they-became-more-popular/1017305/164 "2025-10-20T14:14:09Z")
> [@Kent\_Clark](#): > > That’s odd. The only thing I remember about Northern Exposure was wacky episodes. In my mind, it was a show about a big city doctor trying to make a life in a small Alaskan town with some quirky people. ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2025, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-got-worse-as-they-became-more-popular/1017305/165 "2025-10-20T14:21:46Z")
Married With Children is to me the best example of a show just getting worse as it gets older and more popular. It was just “edgy” when it started with Al and Peg being cranky, but still loving each other. Kelly and Bud were just “bad” kids and the neighbors were irritatingly perky and wholesome. But slowly, Kelly became an idiot, Bud became a sex-obsessed loser, Peggy became the laziest person in the world, and Al (and the rest of the show) descended into bottom-feeder misogyny. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2025, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-got-worse-as-they-became-more-popular/1017305/166 "2025-10-20T14:28:27Z")
> [@Dinsdale](#): > > > [@TRC4941](#): > > > > I loved Northern Exposure. It was a can’t-miss show back in the 90s. I thought I’d rewatch it. Oh boy! I watched S1 & 2 before I gave it up. > > Same here. I was looking forward to rewatching, but just couldn’t put up with it. I think in my rewatch I got into season 3, but lost interest and stopped watching at some point. ---
**Author:** ![dorvann](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/df705f/32.png) [@dorvann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dorvann)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2025, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-got-worse-as-they-became-more-popular/1017305/167 "2025-10-20T17:53:07Z")
The Jerry Springer Show began as a serious(well semi-serious) show that had legitimate guests and discussed real actual issues. But after ratings sagged the production company demanded changes and the show ended up devolving into a freak show with fake guests and scripted fights by the end of its run while experiencing an increase in viewership. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2025, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-got-worse-as-they-became-more-popular/1017305/168 "2025-10-20T19:49:57Z")
> [@Hypno-Toad](#): > > Married With Children is to me the best example of a show just getting worse as it gets older and more popular Good point. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2025, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-got-worse-as-they-became-more-popular/1017305/169 "2025-10-20T22:25:41Z")
You could probably put _Always Sunny_ in the same category. Started out somewhat sensible, funny situations and they just kept pushing the limits till it became unwatchable ---
**Author:** ![Infovore](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/infovore/32/420_2.png) [@Infovore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infovore)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2025, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-got-worse-as-they-became-more-popular/1017305/170 "2025-10-22T02:51:49Z")
Two I want to mention that I haven’t seen yet (if they’re there, I managed to miss it): **House M. D**. Brilliant show for the first few seasons, but just got crazier and crazier until it ended up with House just completely going off the rails. I watched the whole thing, but started to lose interest about the time he ended up going to the funny farm, and lost it completely when he drove his car into Cuddy’s house. Just too over the top. **CSI - the original Vegas one.** I loved this show, especially when it was “here’s a couple of interesting crimes to solve with forensic techniques.” But the longer it went on, it became more focused on the relationships between the characters and less on the crimes. Also, it focused on “annoying, smarmy serial killer of the season” to the point where I don’t even watch those episodes in rerun anymore. And here I’m talking about Nate Haskell and the Gig Harbor Killer (aka Zack Morris Goes Bad). I liked Millander, the first Serial Killer of the Season, but those other two became more caricatures than believable serial killers. ---
**Author:** ![dorvann](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/df705f/32.png) [@dorvann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dorvann)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2025, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-got-worse-as-they-became-more-popular/1017305/171 "2025-10-22T13:49:55Z")
**WCW Monday Nitro** The show started as a fairly normal pro wrestling show with decent ratings against its competitor WWF Monday Night RAW, Then two WWF wrestlers(Scott Hall and Kevin Nash) jumped over to WCW and kicked off their NWO storyline which led to WCW beating WWF in the ratings for a while. Except the actual Nitro show deteriorated in quality as the NWO storyline dominated the entire show with announcers talking about it through the matches that had nothing to do with. And it just kept going on and on with no sense it would EVER end. Eventually though the ratings collapsed to the point their parent company ended up canceling the show and selling WCW to their competitor WWF. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2025, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-got-worse-as-they-became-more-popular/1017305/172 "2025-10-22T14:32:35Z")
> [@Infovore](#): > > But the longer [CSI] went on, it became more focused on the relationships between the characters and less on the crimes. And I HATED the characters! Catherine was a bad boss, and she covered up actual murder! Saaaaair ah was annoying as fuck, and her GSR bogged down the show (hence [my thread that she murdered Grissom and kept his corpse in a chair in her living room](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gil-grissoms-dessicated-corpse/931285), so they could always be together!) Warrick was annoying after about season 4, and Lawrence Fishburn was a stupidly thought out character, and Liev Schreiber’s corrupt CSI could have been a great addition. Except, you know, for being a murderer Nick was OK, but they made a mess of “let go my” Greggo trying to give him something to do. ---
**Author:** ![Infovore](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/infovore/32/420_2.png) [@Infovore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infovore)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2025, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-got-worse-as-they-became-more-popular/1017305/173 "2025-10-22T14:53:22Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > And I HATED the characters! Catherine was a bad boss, and she covered up actual murder! Saaaaair ah was annoying as fuck, and her GSR bogged down the show (hence [my thread that she murdered Grissom and kept his corpse in a chair in her living room](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gil-grissoms-dessicated-corpse/931285), so they could always be together!) Warrick was annoying after about season 4, and Lawrence Fishburn was a stupidly thought out character, and Liev Schreiber’s corrupt CSI could have been a great addition. Except, you know, for being a murderer Nick was OK, but they made a mess of “let go my” Greggo trying to give him something to do. Oh, yeah, I could have written this post! And let’s not even get started about Finn in the later seasons. Between her and Catherine, a good 90% of their problems could have been solved if they hadn’t been so pathetically stupid about their relationships with men. You mentioned Laurence Fishburne - my spouse and I call him “Super Ray” because it was so ridiculous that this guy with _zero_ forensic experience (yeah, he was a doctor, but still) just waltzed in and basically took over the department. Sure, he wasn’t the boss on paper, but by his second season it felt like he ought to be. And I never forgave the writers for the hell they put his poor wife though at the hands of that Temu Hannibal Lecter, Nate Haskell, who was just so EEEEEVVVVVILLLLL. The CSI Vegas reboot was even worse, though. I think there were maybe two or three characters I liked, the show focused even _more_ on relationships instead of crimes while dragging the crimes out throughout the whole season, and I wanted to punch Josh Folsom in the face. _Damn,_ but that guy was an idiot. ---
**Author:** ![bmasters1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b5e925/32.png) [@bmasters1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bmasters1)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2025, 9:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-got-worse-as-they-became-more-popular/1017305/174 "2025-11-29T09:15:22Z")
> [@Infovore](#): > > the show focused even _more_ on relationships instead of crimes while dragging the crimes out throughout the whole season Inexcusable– even though I’m not the _CSI_ fan, it’s not on (apparently the Australian way of saying BS) to have so much relationship drama in a crime show; after all, it’s not called _RI_ (relationship investigation), but _CSI_. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2025, 9:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-got-worse-as-they-became-more-popular/1017305/175 "2025-11-29T09:52:01Z")
> [@dorvann](#): > > Except the actual Nitro show deteriorated in quality as the NWO storyline dominated the entire show with announcers talking about it through the matches that had nothing to do with. And it just kept going on and on with no sense it would EVER end. > > Eventually though the ratings collapsed to the point their parent company ended up canceling the show and selling WCW to their competitor WWF. The nWo storyline did go on for way longer than it needed to, but you can’t blame that for killing WCW. That’s largely due to Vince Russo being given the book and going completely off the rails. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2025, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-got-worse-as-they-became-more-popular/1017305/176 "2025-11-29T15:50:41Z")
_Mission: Impossible_ went downhill once Stephen Hill left. I liked him as the mastermind who oversaw the whole thing, usually from afar. I also preferred the “Dispose of this in the usual manner,” and having the dossier scene being made up of newspaper clippings instead glossies. But Jim Phelps was just another action hero, and there were fewer new people involved with the IMF for just one mission. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2025, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-got-worse-as-they-became-more-popular/1017305/177 "2025-11-29T16:05:02Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > usually from afar That’s because Hill refused to work on the sabbath, and TV show filming usually runs into the weekend. There are whole episodes where he doesn’t appear, or spends the entire episode under one of the famous masks. He also refused to do “dangerous stunt work”, like…walking up stairs. Briggs may have been cool, but Hill was a jerk in those days. Eventually he quit entirely. I guess that’s far. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2025, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-got-worse-as-they-became-more-popular/1017305/178 "2025-11-29T16:16:13Z")
**MASH** has been listed and I disagree. It’s prime seasons are 4-8 and that was also nearly the peak of its popularity. In fact, its final season was its most viewed and I still liked it a lot at that point as well. **The Walking Dead** is an example, though. It was surging around season 4 and that is also when it began to show that, well, they had kind of done all you can do with a zombie escapes how. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2025, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-got-worse-as-they-became-more-popular/1017305/179 "2025-11-29T20:32:50Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > > [@RealityChuck](#): > > > > usually from afar > > That’s because Hill refused to work on the sabbath, and TV show filming usually runs into the weekend. There are whole episodes where he doesn’t appear, or spends the entire episode under one of the famous masks. He also refused to do “dangerous stunt work”, like…walking up stairs. Briggs may have been cool, but Hill was a jerk in those days. Eventually he quit entirely. > > I guess that’s far. According to Hill, he was fired and in most episodes he wasn’t doing any action scenes. The story at the time was that they wanted someone to do action scenes. In any case, the show with Graves was not nearly as good as it was the first season. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2025, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-got-worse-as-they-became-more-popular/1017305/180 "2025-11-29T20:57:50Z")
> [@Infovore](#): > > **House M. D**. Brilliant show for the first few seasons, but just got crazier and crazier until it ended up with House just completely going off the rails. Good point- and his constant sexual harassment of Cuddy would get him fired. It got to the point where the only good parts were House in the free clinic. > [@Infovore](#): > > **CSI - the original Vegas one.** I loved this show, especially when it was “here’s a couple of interesting crimes to solve with forensic techniques.” But the longer it went on, it became more focused on the relationships between the characters and less on the crimes. Right, see Gil Grissom (William Petersen) left the show, and it went downhill. They even had CSIs interviewing suspects!! > [@Infovore](#): > > The CSI Vegas reboot was even worse, though. I think there were maybe two or three characters I liked, the show focused even _more_ on relationships instead of crimes while dragging the crimes out throughout the whole season, and I wanted to punch Josh Folsom in the face. Yep, i just gave up on that one. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-got-worse-as-they-became-more-popular/1017305.md?page=8)