Every great TV show has that one storyline that went the wrong direction. Whether it’s an awkward romance or a beloved character acting out of their depth, these storylines take away from the story for a moment and make you question the writers. Even the greatest shows on television have their missteps and cheap subplots that may even become tedious at times to get through. There could be a number of reasons why these storylines didn’t work, such as puzzling character decisions or contrived romantic conflicts, but they all had the same result: We hated it.
From Joey and Rachel’s awkward romance on Friends to Glenn’s illogical dumpster dive on The Walking Dead, these are the worst storylines from otherwise great TV shows. Vote up the storylines you wish you could forget
The Other Elevens In ‘Stranger Things’ Season 2
Photo: Netflix
Season 2 of Stranger Things was generally a massive success with one glaring problem: the introduction of new “Elevens” with mutant abilities. What made Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) so special in the first place was the fact that she was one of a kind. She was mysterious and unconventional, yet so easy to root for. So when Season 2 introduced a group of super-human test subjects in the form of ’80s punk rocker/anarchists, fans were a little taken aback. While the idea is solid, the execution of the subplot was where the show went wrong.
It didn’t help that the storyline was largely condensed into a bottle episode, taking up the entirety of episode 7. “The Lost Sister” became the lowest-rated episode in Stranger Things history, with many fans displeased by the change of tone and story. Despite all that, the new group of test subjects just weren’t all that interesting. Their leader, Kali (Linnea Berthelsen), changed up Eleven’s look and even tried to get her to commit an act of murder. Fans were happy when the storyline was left behind, and the writers seemingly have no plans to dig it back up.
When ‘Lost’ Randomly Introduced Two New Characters In Season 3
Photo: ABC
At the start of Lost’s third season, fans began to notice that two new Oceanic Flight 815 survivors had been added to the series’ cast. Nikki (Kiele Sanchez) and Paolo (Rodrigo Santoro) were created by the show’s creator Damon Lindelof in response to the writers not focusing on any of the other survivors who got stranded on the island. Fans were confused by the sudden introduction of two new survivors with speaking roles, wondering where they had been for the past two seasons.
Fans quickly despised Nikki and Paolo, arguing that they added nothing new to the series – which was relatively true. The new characters weren’t really given much to do, considering that all of the show’s central storylines already revolved around the main characters. In response to the backlash, Lindelof wrote an episode later that season to explain their backstory while simultaneously killing them off the show. The pair may be the show’s most forgettable characters, but being buried alive was a satisfying way to watch them go.
Jim And Pam Having Marital Problems In The Final Season Of ‘The Office’
Photo: NBC
By the time Season 9 of The Office came around, the feeling was mutual that it was time for the sitcom to end. Although the eighth season was able to retain some magic without Michael Scott (Steve Carrell), the show’s ninth season failed to come up with interesting storylines for our beloved characters. Andy Bernard (Ed Helms) was turned into a whinier, more bitter version of his old self; Daryl (Craig Robinson) was inexplicably dumbed down; but worst of all was Jim (John Krasinski) and Pam’s (Jenna Fischer) marital problems that occupied the last half of the season.
Jim and Pam have always been one of TV’s strongest couples. It was hard to buy that Jim working part-time in Philadelphia was the catalyst that was going to tear apart their marriage. A lot of their issues, such as Jim working long hours and Pam struggling to maintain a household for a couple of days a week, were not significant enough to see it affect their marriage. The worst of it all was the introduction of Brian (Chris Diamantopoulos), a boom operator from the documentary crew who wedged himself between them. We knew that eventually Jim and Pam would see the light and come out stronger than ever, rendering that entire storyline as pointless and contrived.
At least Season 9 fixed Nelly (Catherine Tate) from her borderline unlikable Season 8 personality.
When Joey And Rachel Started Hooking Up In ‘Friends’
Photo: NBC
Joey (Matt LeBlanc) and Rachel (Jennifer Aniston) hooking up in Friends wouldn’t be as controversial as it was if Rachel hadn’t been pregnant with Ross’s (David Schwimmer) child at the time. Aside from being awkward and forced, it seemingly came out of nowhere, and fans didn’t buy the whole Rachel/Joey romance, which lasted from Season 8 all the way into Season 10. Even the actors, LeBlanc and Aniston, protested the storyline to the producers, but it was no use.
It just didn’t make sense. Rachel had a baby on the way and Joey was the opposite of mature. And aside from all that, it was clear by the end of the series that Ross and Rachel were always meant to be together. Why waste time on a friends-with-benefits storyline? The hardest pill to swallow was believing that Joey and Rachel were more interested in hooking up than respecting their friendship with Ross.
At the end of the day, it just didn’t compute and ultimately led nowhere.
When Landry Killed Someone In Season 2 Of ‘Friday Night Lights’
Photo: NBCUniversal Television Distribution
Friday Night Lights was a hit because of its down-to-earth characters and a story grounded in realism. No flashy action sequences or shootouts – just small-town drama with the compelling backdrop of high school football. The show was met with consistent praise from critics… except for the unnecessary murder-coverup subplot in Season 2 that revolved around one of the show’s most harmless characters, Landry Clarke (Jesse Plemmons).
The subplot was conceived by producers to amp up the action in the show’s second season, resulting in a violent storyline that was downright nonsensical. The storyline begins with Landry taking the life of an assailant who was attempting to assault his crush, Tyra Collette (Adrianne Palicki). Instead of going straight to the police, the two get rid of the body and cover up the evidence. Why? Landry is a good kid and it seems out of character to keep the event a secret (not to mention melodramatically absurd to rope him into a murder subplot in the first place). Eventually, he does confess, and to nobody’s surprise, the charges are dropped, ending the series’ strangest plotline.
The ‘Breaking Bad’ Storyline About Marie Being A Kleptomaniac That Was Randomly Dropped
Photo: AMC
Breaking Bad’s biggest writing error was an early Season 1 storyline involving Hank’s (Dean Norris) wife Marie (Betsy Brandt) that was never brought up again, nor resolved. Of course, we’re talking about the brief storyline in which Marie is a kleptomaniac despite having a high-paying job and a cop for a husband. The storyline begins in Season 1, episode 3, “…And the Bag’s in the River,” as Marie inexplicably steals a pair of shoes from the mall, culminating in her sister Skyler (Anna Gunn) almost getting arrested in the season finale for trying to return a stolen baby tiara.
When the show returns for Season 2, Skyler is no longer talking to Marie over the tiara incident, causing Hank lots of grief. It’s not until Walt (Bryan Cranston) goes missing that the sisters are on speaking terms again. Once Walter is found safe, Skyler forgives the incident, and the two carry on as usual, but Marie’s kleptomania is never brought up again. It isn’t known if she stopped or went to therapy for her condition, but the show had bigger things to focus on.
Ann And Tom’s Relationship In ‘Parks and Recreation’
Photo: NBC
Ann (Rashida Jones) and Tom (Aziz Ansari) getting together in Parks and Recreation makes about as much sense as Leslie Knope (Amy Poehler) loving to read but hating libraries. Tom began putting the moves on Ann from the first episode of the series, but after four seasons of him obnoxiously pursuing her, they finally get together. And it goes horribly for both of them. Tom is clearly not the right type for Ann but the couple stays paired up until the beginning of Season 5.
Although Ann does have a history of dating obnoxious men (early Andy Dwyer – before they fixed his character), Tom’s behavior toward Ann came off as nauseating and borderline gross. The two would constantly break up and get back together; sometimes Ann even forgets they’re dating. Their relationship finally implodes when they strangely agree to move in together in the show’s fifth season. They pretend to continue dating in order for Tom to win a bet, despite Ann wanting out. Thankfully, Ann and Tom eventually go back to being “friends” and move on from their absurd romance.
Troy And Britta’s Relationship In ‘Community’ Season 4
Photo: Sony Pictures Television
Troy (Donald Glover) and Britta’s (Gillian Jacobs) relationship wasn’t exactly the worst part about the Dan Harmon-less fourth season of Community, but it didn’t help, either. Troy and Britta’s romance was gradually set up in the show’s third season, but when Community returned for its fourth year, without the creative force behind the show (Harmon was sacked by Sony after the third season), everything felt off, especially the lack of chemistry between the two characters.
Fans noted that Troy and Britta seemed to spend time with everybody but each other and were confused by the lack of “romance” between the couple. They eventually broke up later that season via a very awkward “body switch” trope where Troy pretended to be Abed (Danny Pudi) in order to avoid doing the deed himself, which is more like the Troy we know and love. Harmon returned as the showrunner in Season 5 and tried to correct some of the storylines that were ruined in the “gas leak” year – but this one managed to correct itself.
Betty’s Weight Gain In ‘Mad Men’
Photo: AMC
One of the most questionable Mad Men storylines appeared in Season 6 in the form of “Fat Betty.” That was the name given to Betty Draper (January Jones), ex-wife of Don Draper (Jon Hamm), by fans after the show returned for its sixth season and it was revealed that the once-slim Betty Draper had inexplicably put on a noticeable amount of weight. Betty’s weight gain became the forefront of her storyline, along with a brief cancer scare that ended up being a fatty deposit as a result of the weight gain.
Although the “Fat Betty” storyline was intended to make Betty’s character more sympathetic and relatable, the storyline was met with disdain from critics and immaturity from fans. Critics felt bad for not only the character but the actress, January Jones, for being bastardized by the writers. The most disappointing reaction, however, came from the fans, who devolved into mean-spirited jokes and body shaming. The backlash from “Fat Betty” is something fans will always remember about Mad Men – and Betty’s character.
‘How I Met Your Mother’ Season 9 Was All About Barney And Robin
Photo: CBS
Here’s the thing – Barney (Neil Patrick Harris) and Robin (Cobie Smulders) were a good couple. Great, even. But having How I Met Your Mother‘s entire final season dedicated to Barney and Robin’s wedding hurt the show more than they could imagine. After waiting eight years, the Mother, Tracy (Cristin Milioti), was finally introduced, and we barely got to see any of her. Instead, we got a variety of filler episodes dedicated to setting up Barney and Robin’s wedding, which didn’t actually matter at the end of it all, considering they get divorced in that same season.
The writers would have been better off focusing on Ted (Josh Radnor) and Tracy’s relationship rather than a marriage that was doomed to fail. Aside from episode 16, “How Your Mother Met Me,” which prominently featured Tracy (and became one of the highest-rated episodes of the show), Season 9 really spun its wheels leading up to the infamous finale. On top of it all, Jason Segel, who portrays Marshall Erikson, only appeared in a limited capacity for the first chunk of the season, making the season overall the least favorite among fans.
That Time Catherine Martell Disguised Herself As A Japanese Businessman Named Mr. Tojamura In ‘Twin Peaks’ Season 2
Photo: ABC
It’s hard to imagine Twin Peaks could get any weirder than the first season, but the surreal mystery show’s second season took a hard left turn after the network pushed David Lynch and Mark Frost to resolve the murder of Laura Palmer (Sheryl Lee) prematurely. With the main mystery wrapped up, the rest of the season focused on some of the show’s minor characters, mostly spinning wheels until the unforgettable finale. But perhaps the strangest storyline that came out of Season 2 was “Mr. Tojamura,” AKA Catherine Martell (Piper Laurie) in full “yellowface.”
After being presumed deceased in the fire that destroyed the mill, ex-owner Catherine Martell reappears later in the season as a Japanese businessman named Mr. Tojamura to trick Benjamin Horne (Richard Beymer) into doing business with her. The storyline never really led to a big conclusion or paid off in any way, mostly just coming off as farce. The strangest aspect of all was that Lynch had not told anybody that Piper Laurie was playing Mr. Tojamura, and even went as far as to convince the cast and crew that Tojamura was played by an Asian actor who had appeared in Akira Kurosawa films.
Glenn’s ‘Death’ In ‘The Walking Dead’ Season 6
Photo: AMC
So far, Glenn (Steven Yeun) is the only character in The Walking Dead to die twice, and not as a zombie. The Walking Dead‘s sixth season started off with a bang with three action-packed episodes in a row that were some of the best of the series. Everything was going well until the end of episode three’s “Thank You,” which saw Glenn take a dive off a dumpster and collapse into a giant walker herd, followed by what looked like Glenn being disemboweled and eaten alive.
Except it wasn’t Glenn. Nicholas (Michael Traynor) had landed on top of Glenn after shooting himself, and it was his corpse that was being torn apart, allowing Glenn to hide under the dumpster for safety. But the show didn’t reveal that until the seventh episode of Season 6, even going as far as to remove Yeun’s name from the credits. Fans had figured out very early on that it wasn’t Glenn’s body being torn apart and felt cheated by the cheap fakeout. When Glenn was revealed to be alive, the conclusion to the storyline was met with anger rather than relief.
Considering Glenn perished for real just a handful of episodes later, his first “death” seemed like a waste of screen time.
Buffy’s Magically Conjured Sister In ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’
Photo: 20th Television
By the fifth season of a show, you’d assume you know all there is to know about the protagonist, at least on a surface level. So when Season 5 of Buffy the Vampire Slayer premiered and introduced Buffy’s (Sarah Michelle Gellar) little sister Dawn (Michelle Trachtenberg), it led to a lot of confusion from dedicated fans. Not only was Dawn never mentioned prior to her introduction, but she also premiered as a main cast member, changing the status quo. Fans found it difficult to justify her existence and embrace her as a main character all at once.
Although fans did eventually warm up to Trachtenberg’s character, it took them a while to accept her as a part of the show. She was especially hated throughout Season 6 – AKA the “dark season” where Dawn was often seen complaining or brooding. Trachtenberg did the best she could with the role, but fans weren’t interested in a younger, cynical version of Buffy. Dawn eventually did find a way to naturally coexist in the Buffy world, but she could never truly win over the entire fanbase.
The Trip To Belfast In ‘Sons of Anarchy’ Season 3
Photo: FX
The trip to Northern Ireland in Sons of Anarchy‘s third season was a huge step back for the show. The series had gained major momentum in Season 2 following Season 1’s slower-paced storytelling; the show’s third season found the MC traveling to Belfast for multiple episodes after the kidnapping of Jax’s (Charlie Hunnam) son, Abel, in the Season 2 finale. Abel was snatched by Cameron Hayes (Jamie McShane), a member of the Irish crime organization formed by ex-members of the Irish Republican Army.
While Abel’s abduction was a shocking twist, the “Where’s Abel?” storyline was dragged out over the entire course of Season 3 and fans got a little tired of it. Jax did eventually manage to retrieve his son in the season’s penultimate episode, but not before a wild goose hunt leading to a five-episode stint in Belfast. While it was entertaining, the MC’s little vacation in Northern Ireland just ended up feeling like a colossal waste of time.
However, the writers did manage to make up for it with arguably the best season finale the show has ever had.
George And Susan’s Relationship On ‘Seinfeld’
Photo: NBC
Everyone hated Susan (Heidi Swedberg) on Seinfeld – not only the audience but the cast, as well, finding it difficult to film scenes with Susan despite not having any hard feelings toward the actress, Heidi Swedberg. They could just never find the right rhythm or chemistry. Susan was introduced in Season 4 as an NBC executive who works on the in-series pilot episode and becomes a love interest of George (Jason Alexander). They date briefly, but George decides he doesn’t want to be with her and comes up with ways to end the relationship, seemingly putting an end to that storyline.
Fast-forward a few years and George finds himself engaged to Susan in the seventh-season premiere. It was a little odd to see George and Susan back together (especially after her brief stint with “lesbianism,” as he put it) but fans went with it. George and Susan were set to be married later that season, but the fans weren’t taking to her. This helped lead to Larry David’s decision to kill off her character in a freak “wedding invitation” mishap in which she succumbed to some kind of poisoning after licking too many cheap wedding envelopes.
McNulty Creates A Serial Killer In ‘The Wire’ Season 5
Photo: HBO
After four masterful seasons, it was clear that The Wire had started to run out of steam with their most dangerous criminal was Jimmy McNulty (Dominic West). In actuality, McNulty was merely forging some records and falsifying crime scenes, but he managed to create The Wire‘s first brutal serial killer… which wasn’t even real. In the show’s fifth and final season, McNulty, with the help of Lester Freamon (Clarke Peters), successfully invented a faux-serial killer in order to receive more government funding for their top crimes police division.
Although it was for a good cause, it’s hard to believe that McNulty would ever go as far as to defraud the Baltimore police department. Sure, McNulty was never the most traditional cop – he did whatever it took to get the job done – but he was never in the business of elaborately lying to his city government and fellow officers. Ultimately, the storyline only really paid off in the most obvious fashion, and got McNulty kicked off the police department – but at least the show still ended on a positive note.
Boyle Being Obsessed With Rosa In Early ‘Brooklyn Nine-Nine’ Seasons
Photo: NBCUniversal Television Distribution
Charles Boyle (Joe Lo Truglio) has come a long way on the police comedy Brooklyn Nine-Nine. Starting off as an awkward, sometimes borderline creepy dork, he was extremely dependent on Jake Peralta’s (Andy Samberg) guidance and one-sided friendship before fully coming into his own as a character. But it’s hard to forget how standoffish he was back in the early seasons when he had a huge crush on Rosa (Stephanie Beatriz).
It was the way he crushed on Rosa that made everyone uncomfortable. Boyle would constantly scheme and badger her, despite Rosa expressing her disinterest on multiple occasions. He even took a bullet for her in the Season 1 episode “Christmas.” Boyle becomes a lot more likable later on when he finds a love interest of his own and actually becomes close friends with Rosa. The sitcom trope of a character fiercely pursuing another reluctant character is way overdone, but thankfully Brooklyn Nine-Nine was quick to curb that storyline for Charles’s sake. Now he’s one of the strongest characters on the show.
Littlefinger Is Outsmarted In ‘Game of Thrones’ Season 7
Photo: HBO
Some would say it started much earlier, but Season 7 of Game of Thrones was one of the first notable signs of the show’s declining quality. From magically transporting characters to ex-machina plot holes, Season 7 was just all over the place. Perhaps the worst of it all was the crucifixion of one of the show’s smartest and most cunning characters, Lord Petyr “Littlefinger” Baelish (Aiden Gillen). He spent the season at Winterfell trying to pit the Stark sisters, Sansa (Sophie Turner) and Arya (Maisie Williams), against each other, only to be outsmarted in a Scooby-Doo-type reveal and abruptly executed in front of an audience.
It was clear the writers ran out of story for Littlefinger by that point. Fans had learned not to question character demises on Game of Thrones, since they happened so frequently, but Littlefinger’s exit was questionable at best. It’s hard to believe that Sansa and Arya orchestrated this whole plan to outsmart the master of deception and he hadn’t a clue. It was even odd to see him begging for his life and blubbering like a baby. He would’ve prepared for this moment and had another trick up his sleeve.
His demise was shocking for all the wrong reasons; the real Littefinger would’ve been one step ahead of the Starks and already on his way to take the Iron Throne.
