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Top 10 Overrated TV shows

Updated on August 26, 2015
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Let’s be honest, in this day and age everywhere you look there is a new hit TV show, with rage reviews and an outrageously large audience. It can be easy for a TV show to get swept up in a tide of very enthusiastic fans, and somehow gain popularity overnight, becoming a household favourite, and there is no lack of shows which have done so over the last couple decades. The question that needs to be asked though, is how many of these shows are actually worth all the hype, and how many of them are just mildly entertaining and very overrated?

10. Lost

IMDb Rating: 8.5

What it’s all about

Lost is a television drama, containing both supernatural and sci-fi components, which was first aired in 2004, and ran for 6 seasons. This show follows the story of a group of people who survive a plane crash and are stranded on a deserted island. The style of this show focused very heavily on flashbacks and flash-forwards in order to tell the story and develop the characters.

Why it’s overrated

Despite being the creation of writer J. J. Abrams, and a highly successful show, Lost was incredibly overrated. Not only did the constant flashing forward and backward make for a choppy, and confusing plot line, but the story itself was also incredibly convoluted at times and seemed to go through seasons when it completely lost its direction. Lost is also often said to have concluded in one of the worst series finales of all time. Even the most devoted fans struggled to defend the end of this show, which left viewers with more questions than ever about what had happened, and with very few answers. Despite the fact that this show was highly acclaimed, and won many awards, we’re calling it out as being one of the most overrated TV shows ever made. v

9. Supernatural

IMDb Rating: 8.7

What it’s all about

Supernatural is a fantasy horror TV series, which first aired in 2005. This show follows the lives of two brother, Sam and Dean Winchester as they hunt demons, ghosts and a variety of other supernatural monsters. Later joined by Castiel, an angel, and third main character, this show veered more towards a religious mythology story line after season 4.

Why it’s overrated

It’s impossible to ignore the huge, very devoted fan base of Supernatural, but that doesn’t change the fact that this show is incredibly overrated. The huge change in the way the story was told between seasons one and two was a disappointing change, not necessarily made for the best. Season one’s ‘monster of the week’ style worked much better for the show and that change, along with the change between season 3 and 4 to religious mythology made for a very overrated show. Eleven seasons in, and with no end in sight, this mildly entertaining, but very overrated show has been dragged out much longer than it should have been, which has resulted in a reparative, forced feeling plotline. The only hope this show has is to either end before it gets any worse, or pull itself out of the rut it has fallen into.

8. Dexter

IMDb Rating: 8.9

What it’s all about

Dexter is a crime drama mystery series, which first aired in 2006, and ran for 8 seasons. This show is centred around a character called Dexter, who works as a blood pattern analyst for the police. Dexter is also a vigilante serial killer, who tracks down and murders murderers who had gotten away without any punishment from law enforcement.

Why it’s overrated

This show had a lot of ups and downs throughout it’s lifetime, and as seems to be a trend with a lot of these kinds of shows, it is credited with one of the worst endings in TV history. Once again this show ended up with a completely unsatisfying story line, leaving fans angry, and wanting more from the writers. However, more than just the ending the actual storyline of this show is poor, seeming to fizzle out at some points, leaving entire seasons bare of anything worth watching or following. The acting at times is absolutely cringe worthy and while many fans may be willing to overlook these flaws, they result in a completely overrated TV show, which is average at best.

7. The Simpsons

IMDb Rating: 8.9

What it’s all about

The Simpsons is an animated sitcom, which was first aired in 1989, and has since released more than 500 episodes, claiming the title of the longest running American sitcom. This show follows the incredibly dysfunctional Simpson family through their daily lives, and all the drama that comes with it.

Why it’s overrated

Yes, this show is popular, and has been around for a long time, but that doesn’t mean it should just keep going forever. This show ran out of steam seasons ago, going from an average show, to one which seems to be running on its name and current fan base alone. The often crude sense of humour, and repetitive nature of the show earns it the title of overrated, and definitely not worth the 8.9 rating it has got on IMDb.

6. Seinfeld

IMDb Rating: 9.0

What it’s all about

Seinfeld is an American sitcom that originally aired in 1989, and ran for 9 seasons. This show was set in an apartment block on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, and followed main character Jerry Seinfeld, and his group of friends through their daily lives.

Why it’s overrated

Unpopular opinion alert, Seinfeld is supremely overrated, and is average at best. Yes, the show can be amusing at times, but in general the humour seems forced, and the characters range from annoying to completely intolerable. And on top of that fact is the unsatisfying series finale which, like many other shows on this list, left fans incredibly angry. Despite the huge fan base of this show, which survives until today, the fact that this show is overrated can’t be avoided.

5. Friends

IMDb Rating: 9.0

What it’s all about

Another well loved American sitcom, Friends was aired first in 1994 and ran for 10 seasons. This show followed the lives of six friends who lived in Manhattan, over the course of many years. The series finale of this show was watched by more than 50 million Americans, making it the fifth most watched series finale in history.

Why it’s overrated

Everyone has seen an episode of Friends at some point in their life, let’s be honest here, it’s pretty good. The show is entertaining, funny, and everyone has that one character who they can just relate to, and who ends up their favourite. However, this show just went on for two long, there were repetitive, and dragged out story lines, and by the final season all the good things about the show seemed to be barely hanging in there. Yes, the show was good at times, but it was also hugely overrated, and definitely earned it’s spot on this list.

4. Firefly

IMDb Rating: 9.2

What it’s all about

Perhaps one of the less well known shows on this list, Firefly, airing in 2002, and was considered a space western science fiction drama show. Written and directed by Joss Whedon, this show only ran one season before being cancelled by the network. This show followed the lives of a group of people aboard Serenity a firefly class spaceship.

Why it’s overrated

Let’s be honest, the cast of this show is not the problem, in fact it’s probably one of the only things they got right. Firefly, despite being one of the only TV shows within it’s genre, somehow manages to feel clichéd and overdone. The witty, humorous dialog often feels forced, and while the show is entertaining, it definitely doesn’t deserve a 9.2 and a number 12 spot on the list of best TV shows of all time. While any plot holes, and the abrupt ending can be forgiven due to the shows early end, the other flaws of this show have no excuse, and one spot it definitely does deserve is that of number four on this list of overrated TV shows.

3. True Detective

IMDb Rating: 9.3

What it’s all about

True Detective is a crime drama, which has aired two seasons, the first one released in 2014. In this show, each season follows a different story line with different characters, although both the first and the second seasons have revolved around the stories of a police officers in the middle of trying to solve big cases, and their struggles to do so.

Why it’s overrated

The True Detective miniseries seemed to come out of nowhere, suddenly exploding onto the radar and becoming an overnight sensation, prompting the show to bring it back for a second season. And the second season really is just as bad as everyone has said. The first season was average, maybe even decent, even if it didn’t live up to all the hype that surrounded it. However, the second season has missed even the mark of average by far, with terrible miscasting, clichéd plot points, and a storyline which tries way to hard. Altogether, this show is most definitely completely overrated.

2. Breaking Bad

IMDb Rating: 9.5

What it’s all about

Breaking Bad, a crime drama, started airing in 2008 running for five seasons before finally ending. This show follows Bryan Cranston, a chemistry teacher who is diagnosed with cancer, who then turns to making methamphetamine with with a former student in an effort to make some money to leave to his family when he dies.

Why it’s overrated

Another unpopular opinion alert, but this show arguably starts off with the worst, most boring first few episodes of any TV show ever. If you manage to get through the first few episodes of the first season, you’ll find a show in which characters are badly developed, and which has long periods of mind numbingly boring plotline. If you get through all these downfalls, you’ll be watching an average TV show, which is hugely overrated, but thankfully only lasted five seasons.

1. Game of Thrones

IMDb Rating: 9.5

What it’s all about

The show with the highest IMDb rating, Game of Thrones, is a fantasy drama show which aired in 2011, and has plans to run for 8 seasons before wrapping up. This show based on a series of highly successful books by George R. R. Martin, is set Westeros and Essos, two fictional lands where the battle for the Iron Throne, and position as ruler over the Seven Kingdoms has begun. This show follows the many contenders, who are all fighting to bring peace to the kingdoms, and unite them under a single rule.

Why it’s overrated

Anyone who hasn’t heard of Game of Thrones in the past few years has obviously been living under a rock. This show burst into stardom soon after first being airing, doing exceptionally well, as can be seen by its high rating on IMDb. However, this show often seems to just be an excuse for sex scenes bordering on pornographic, and plenty of gruesome, over the top violence. The plot is confusing to follow, and the continuous jumping from one character to another often just detracts from development of characters. While it can’t be denied that this show is entertaining at times, it also has long periods which are incredibly dull, where nothing important seems to happen for episodes at a time. While this show may be worth watching if you’re looking for graphic violence, lots of drama, and many many dead characters, it is still one of the most overrated shows ever aired.

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