10 TV Shows With Amazing Ideas That Flopped Badly

There’s a special kind of sting when a TV show with a fantastic idea just doesn’t pan out. We’ve all been there, excited by a fresh concept, only to watch it stumble and fall. It’s more frustrating than a show that’s simply bad from the start, because we see the glimmers of what could have been. The current golden age of television is bursting with creativity, but not every great idea translates into a great show. Let’s dive into ten prime examples of TV series that squandered truly promising concepts.

10. Revenge

Imagine a modern-day “Count of Monte Cristo.” That was the brilliant premise behind Revenge. A mysterious young woman, Emily Thorne, arrives in the affluent Hamptons. Her mission? To exact vengeance on the wealthy elite who wrongfully imprisoned her father, leading to his death. Armed with a meticulous plan years in the making, she aims to shatter the lives of everyone involved in his downfall.

The first season of this ABC drama was genuinely thrilling and had viewers hooked. However, subsequent seasons lost their way, becoming an overly complicated tangle of plotlines that dragged on far too long. The initial sharp, focused narrative diluted into a soap opera, ultimately leading to its cancellation after four seasons in 2015. A sequel was announced in 2019, but the original’s missteps serve as a cautionary tale.

9. The Lying Game

The Lying Game presented a tantalizing setup: Emma, a foster kid struggling with poverty, discovers she has an identical twin sister, Sutton. Sutton, adopted into a wealthy family, convinces Emma to swap lives for a few days while she investigates the mystery of their birth mother. Together, they uncover a dangerous conspiracy surrounding their separation and existence.

This premise had all the ingredients for a classic conspiracy thriller. Unfortunately, it devolved into a surprisingly flat teen drama. The storylines were poorly crafted, and the central mystery resorted to clichés in a desperate bid to maintain interest. Audiences didn’t stick around, and the show was abruptly canceled mid-second season, taking its untapped potential with it.

8. The Secret Life Of The American Teenager

Perhaps a controversial pick for “great concept,” but the core idea of The Secret Life Of The American Teenager – a 15-year-old girl navigating an unexpected pregnancy after her first sexual experience – had the potential for a heartfelt and realistic portrayal of teen pregnancy. In an era of shows like Skins or Sex Education that tackle teen issues with nuance, this series felt remarkably shallow.

Beyond its simple synopsis, the execution was widely panned. The writing was often cringeworthy, the acting stiff, and the show’s overall approach to sensitive topics felt lazy and out of touch. It surprisingly ran for five seasons, its main achievement perhaps being the launchpad for Shailene Woodley’s career, though even she later expressed dislike for the show and her character.

7. Another Life

The concept: an astronaut leads a dysfunctional crew on a perilous mission to discover the origin of a colossal alien artifact that has mysteriously appeared on Earth. This setup is ripe for a gripping space opera, a relatively rare genre on television. The potential for thrilling sci-fi adventure was immense.

However, Another Life became a prime example of dumbing down a solid idea. The storytelling was weak, Characters made illogical decisions, and the plot often felt insulting to the viewer’s intelligence. Despite being labeled one of Netflix’s worst original series upon its 2019 premiere, it inexplicably received a second season, baffling many.

6. Heroes

Ordinary people worldwide suddenly develop extraordinary abilities after an eclipse. They must unite to prevent a catastrophic future while being hunted by a shadowy organization called the Company. This was the electrifying premise of Heroes, and its first season was indeed a cultural phenomenon, hailed as groundbreaking television.

Unfortunately, the 2007 WGA writers’ strike severely impacted the show. Season two’s storyline was condensed from 24 to 11 episodes, leading to an uneven and rushed narrative. Heroes never fully recovered. The plot became increasingly disorganized and convoluted, limping to a finish after four seasons in 2010. A 2015 revival, Heroes Reborn, failed to recapture the magic and was canceled after one season.

5. Riverdale

It almost feels too easy to include Riverdale. The show has become a meme, famous for its bewildering plot twists and shamelessly over-the-top drama. Audiences watch, almost in a state of fascinated horror, to see just how absurd it can get. Even cast members have hinted at the chaotic writing process.

The frustrating part is that the initial concept – a dark, moody take on the Archie Comics characters, where teenagers investigate sinister mysteries in their seemingly idyllic town – was genuinely compelling. How could this go so wrong? Perhaps by prioritizing shock value over coherent storytelling and straying too far from the source material’s charm. The result is the legendary train wreck that is Riverdale.

4. The I-Land

The I-Land is often cited not just as Netflix’s worst series, but one of the worst TV shows ever made. Many viewers initially thought its terrible acting and nonsensical plot were intentional parody. Alas, it was simply that poorly executed.

Yet, the idea behind it had merit: ten strangers awaken on a deserted island with amnesia. As they struggle to survive, they discover they are convicted criminals in a virtual reality simulation designed to test their capacity for redemption. Think Lost meets Westworld with a dash of Prison Break. The concept promised intrigue and psychological depth. Instead, viewers got characters written with child-like simplicity, acting so bad it became unintentionally hilarious, and a story devoid of logic, relying on ludicrous twists that led to an ending riddled with plot holes. Thankfully, it was a limited series.

3. Chilling Adventures Of Sabrina

Tone is everything, and Chilling Adventures Of Sabrina struggled immensely with it. Based on the darker Archie Comics graphic novel, Netflix’s reimagining of Sabrina Spellman was initially teased as a genuinely sinister horror story, exploring the satanic aspects of witchcraft in Greendale. The first teasers promised an epic, terrifying ride, building immense hype.

What aired, however, was a muddled teen drama with bland characters and awkward writing. The show couldn’t decide if it wanted to be campy and fun or dark and gritty. This tonal inconsistency made it feel disjointed. It occasionally veered into overly violent territory for a show that often felt like it was aimed at children, complete with random musical numbers and uninspired subplots. Unsurprisingly, sharing a showrunner with Riverdale likely didn’t help. Netflix canceled it after its fourth part in 2020.

2. 13 Reasons Why

It’s rare to see a show’s downfall stem from its own perceived self-importance, but 13 Reasons Why arguably did just that. The first season, while not perfect, attempted to tell a poignant story about a teen girl’s immense pain, using the compelling device of cassette tapes left behind after her suicide. It had the pieces for something impactful.

However, the series arguably had no reason to continue beyond its initial premise based on the book. Its subsequent seasons delved into increasingly controversial and poorly handled territory, seemingly to capitalize on shock value (including an inexplicable shift into a murder mystery in its third season). Despite growing criticism for its often toxic portrayal of serious mental health issues, the creators defended their choices. The show concluded its painful run in 2020 with a widely criticized fourth season.

1. Pretty Little Liars

The setup for Pretty Little Liars was utterly perfect for a teen mystery thriller. After their queen bee, Allison DiLaurentis, vanishes, her four best friends start receiving anonymous, threatening messages from someone known only as “A,” who knows all their deepest secrets. As they try to unmask their tormentor, they uncover a web of lies and deceit in their seemingly quiet town, realizing Allison herself was a manipulative and dangerous figure with many enemies.

It’s baffling how such a flawless premise resulted in one of the most convoluted and poorly written mysteries on television. Instead of focusing on the dark intrigue, the show prioritized endless, repetitive romantic subplots and a bloated cast of one-dimensional characters. The central mystery dragged on for seven seasons, propped up by random subplots and red herrings, with “answers” often feeling like an afterthought. The show became infamous for its terrible writing, culminating in a series finale considered one of the worst, leaving countless plot holes and unanswered questions. A 2018 sequel, The Perfectionists, failed to resonate and was quickly canceled.

It’s always a shame when a show with a killer concept can’t stick the landing. These series serve as reminders that a great idea is only the first step; execution is everything. Hopefully, future creators can learn from these missteps and deliver on the promise their concepts hold.

Which TV shows with great ideas do you think ended up being a huge letdown? Share your picks in the comments below!