TV Show Whose Decline Saddens You the Most

[amybrickwallace]

SVU. Need I say more?

[SoapDope]

Dallas. 

[Khan]

 

I tried watching last night's episode, guest-starring Jennifer Esposito, whose career remains a puzzle to me.  (Why keep hiring her when 1) she either quits each series she works on, or is fired; 2) she's never been "all that" as an actress; and 3) she's no more-or-less beautiful than a half-dozen other actresses who bounce around TV?)  

 

My TV set was on and tuned into the show for the whole hour.  However, I couldn't tell you one thing about the episode if my life depended on it.  (Something to do with hookers...?  And dirty cops...?  But, that's practically every other episode of SVU.)

 

Well, I can say this much: everyone who hates that Ice-T doesn't have more to do on the show needs to STFU and have a seat Right. Now.

[amybrickwallace]

++++++ to everything you said, @Khan. Another thing is how cloistered the show has felt the past few years. They used to have all sorts of extras running around, playing uniformed cops, witnesses, etc. It has a claustrophobic feel about it that it didn't even in the last year of Meloni/Stabler.

 

Speaking of which, I have wondered more than once how things would have turned out had Hargitay/Benson left in 2011 and Meloni/Stabler stayed. Yes, the dynamic would have been radically different. The show probably would have been cancelled by 2013 or 2014. As bad as the scenes with Noah are, Elliott's ultra-annoying family would have gotten much more airtime with Olivia gone. Baby Eli would have been every bit the Scrappy Doo that Noah is now.

[amybrickwallace]

 

I agree. I also loved the revamped version of the theme song/opening titles that aired from Seasons 3-5.

[applcin]

I'll add Space:1999. With the idea of making the show more appealing to the American audience the 2nd season, they essentially dumbed it down and monstered it up. Three regular characters disappeared without explanation, one suddenly appeared as if he'd been there all along. The command center was revamped.  But, worst of all, the stories got worse and Maya became the deus ex machina whose metamorphic ability helped save the day...resulting in people running around in gorilla suits. Koenig seemed even more brooding and hot-headed, sometimes unlikeable.

I grew up watching reruns of this show and Star Trek one after the other and saw how the popularity of one climbed (even with some of its clunker stories) while the other just became something to mention in documentaries about sci-fi, not even meriting a revisit or remake. It also lacked the character chemistry that helped popularize Trek, despite being headed by the married Landau and Bain.

I've always thought, with better writing and not having altered the style so much, this show might have had a chance to last longer.
 

[juppiter]

The Simpsons needs to be mentioned. Season 2-9 is one of the greatest and most influential shows in history. The first few episodes of season 10 are good, and then there is a huge, noticeable decline in quality. There are flashes of brilliance in the next 3-4 seasons after that, but it would never reach the brilliance of seasons 2-9 again (with the only exception being season 12’s terrific, clever “Trilogy of Error,” which was classic Simpsons.) And now they’re on season 30 and it’s been a zombie longer than it was ever good. Really makes a case for Jerry Seinfeld going out on top. 

[SFK]

 

This is a topic my dad and I discuss from time to time. We share the opinion that when you're being paid millions of dollars, ride that horse until she won't ride no more. It's not just about personal fulfillment or artistic integrity (in some cases, "artistic integrity" certainly belongs in air quotes), but when I think of all of the good that a person with excess millions can do in this world. My philanthropy would be off the charts. In any case, I think all of the examples we've mentioned here lend themselves to the very American notion that shows should go on for years and years and years. We could take a hint from British programmes and Latin American novellas, content to shine brightly for short runs and be done with it. But network television in particular is so hungry for quality hits, that they will bleed a dollar maker for every last drop.

[juppiter]

 

The thing is though, the show is still highly profitable and will likely be for decades. The people making money on the back-end (including, strangely enough, Steve Bannon) had more of an incentive to end it while it was still getting rave reviews, so they could make more money off of it in syndication. 9 really great seasons are an easier sell than 10 good seasons and 20 bad ones (case in point, if I see a Seinfeld rerun on TV and nothing else is on, I’ll watch it. If it’s a newer simpsons, I’ll keep hunting.) Jerry’s decision to stop it may indeed have been driven by money and not art. I hope this post made sense.... I know what my argument is but had difficulty putting it into words. TL;DR: By 1997, back-end revenue was more attractive to Jerry than his salary. 

[DRW50]

If Seinfeld had wanted to go out on top he should have ended the show 3-4 years earlier.

[SoapDope]

I noticed in later seasons of Seinfeld, Elaine went from being cute, gullible and naive to being a mean, cold, nasty bit*h. It happened around the time she went to work for Peterman, cut her hair shorter, and hooked up with Putty.

 

 

[juppiter]

 

Oh I so disagree with this. I think it kept its quality to the end. A matter of opinion I guess. 

 

Her character certainly evolved and changed over time, and I see what you’re saying, but to me, JLD sold it. Maybe not for other folks but YMMV. But 90s NYC certainly could harden folks like our Baltimore native Laney. I bought it.... maybe because JLD is such a good actress. I still think Elaine is the best sitcom role for a woman ever outside of maybe Lucille Ball on I Love Lucy. 

[amybrickwallace]

 

I can never hear "Shining Star" by EWF and not picture Elaine dancing.

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[dragonflies]

Seinfeld had quality? When did it ever have that? The show was horrible from start to finish. To me it's one part of the "dumbing down of America" shows

[Gray Bunny]

I'm currently rewatching the entire series of The Wonder Years, and even though the show itself retained its quality, it was one of those series whose lifeline depended on the lead actor staying young as long as possible. By the 5th season when Fred Savage's voice finally dropped and Kevin was in highschool, the magic of its early years started waning.