8 TV Shows That Started Strong But Ended Disappointingly

It’s common for TV shows to start strong with a great first episode, but then disappoint with a poor final episode. Think of shows like Ozark or The Walking Dead. It’s unusual for a series to nail both its beginning and its end, though some, like Breaking Bad, Mad Men, and Six Feet Under, have managed to do just that.

It’s typical for TV shows to take a season or two to really hit their stride, sometimes leading to a fantastic final episode, as seen in shows like The Office. Other times, a show might start strong with a great first episode, but ultimately have a disappointing ending. This is a look at those kinds of stories.

Dexter

The first episode of Dexter immediately grabbed viewers with its unique and compelling main character. We quickly discover Dexter is a blood spatter expert who secretly hunts and kills other killers. This unusual moral code, combined with his dangerous double life and Michael C. Hall’s excellent acting, made for a very strong start to the series.

After eight seasons, the TV show Dexter ended with a finale that many viewers found confusing and frustrating. The episode essentially reversed Dexter’s growth as a character, showing him kill his sister, leave his family, and start a solitary life as a lumberjack. It was such a letdown that some fans regretted investing so much time in the series.

The Walking Dead

The first episode of The Walking Dead is best experienced on a large screen. It feels like a movie, effectively showing the vastness and impact of the zombie outbreak. While packed with exciting action, the episode primarily centers on Rick Grimes adjusting to this frightening new reality and his desperate search for his family.

The first episode of The Walking Dead was a huge hit, instantly making it one of the most popular shows on television. However, its success eventually became a problem. After eleven seasons, the show had expanded into a large franchise with numerous spin-offs and related series.

The last episode of The Walking Dead doesn’t feel like a true ending, and that’s because it isn’t. By the time the show concluded, many of the original cast members were already gone, and those who remained were moving on to new spin-off series. Essentially, the finale wasn’t a conclusion at all—it was just a setup for what comes next in the Walking Dead universe.

Two And A Half Men

The first episode of Two and a Half Men quickly establishes the show’s central idea – Alan and Jake moving in with Charlie – and shows us why it works so well. We begin to see a more caring side of Charlie as he rebuilds his relationship with his brother and steps into the role of a father figure for his nephew.

After twelve seasons, the show lost its original charm. The character Charlie had been gone for four seasons, and the finale felt unnecessarily harsh and cynical. It was clear the people involved were unhappy with the show, and bringing Charlie back just to kill him off again felt cruel.

Killing Eve

Each season of Killing Eve had a new lead writer, which meant the show’s direction shifted constantly. It started very strongly with Phoebe Waller-Bridge in season one, but the quality decreased over time, culminating in a particularly weak final season. Many viewers, including myself, found the death of Villanelle in the finale to be unsatisfying.

Game Of Thrones

The first attempt at a Game of Thrones pilot wasn’t successful, so they filmed a completely new version with a different director, Tim Van Patten (replacing Tom McCarthy). This new pilot, titled “Winter is Coming,” not only got the series off to a strong start, but also turned it into a massive hit. It brilliantly showed how the show could tell compelling, human stories within a medieval fantasy world.

Look, for years, Game of Thrones was just incredible – seriously one of the best shows on TV. But it really fell apart at the end. It was so clear the writers had run out of actual book material to work with. Instead of building on George R.R. Martin’s ideas and fleshing things out, they seemed to just hit the main plot points, and it all felt super rushed and unsatisfying.

Ozark

Okay, when I first heard about Ozark, I thought, “Ugh, another Breaking Bad clone.” You’ve got a regular guy, and it’s cool to see an actor known for comedy taking on a really intense role, who gets mixed up with a drug cartel because he’s backed into a corner. But honestly, after watching the first episode, it became clear this show is something totally different. The whole vibe is unique – the way it looks, the family at the center of it, where it’s set, and even how the story moves forward are all its own. It quickly proved it wasn’t just copying anyone else.

For most of its four seasons, Ozark was a fantastic show, but the ending felt disappointing. The finale introduces a dramatic minivan crash that ultimately doesn’t matter, hinting that the conclusion won’t be satisfying—and unfortunately, it isn’t. Ruth’s fate feels unbelievable, and the abrupt gunshot ending is an overused and predictable trope.

The X-Files

The first episode of The X-Files establishes the show’s central idea: two FBI agents who investigate unexplained phenomena like UFOs and paranormal events. However, even more importantly, it introduces the core relationship between the characters Mulder and Scully, which is fully developed right from the start.

By the time the show finished, the central relationship wasn’t as important anymore, mainly because David Duchovny had already left. While he did return for the very last episode, it couldn’t fix the disappointing ending. The reveal of an upcoming alien attack felt unnecessarily grim, and the finale didn’t offer viewers a satisfying conclusion.

How I Met Your Mother

The first episode of How I Met Your Mother quickly established itself as a worthy successor to Friends. It efficiently introduced the show’s unique storytelling style – older Ted Mosby recounting his past to his children – and, more importantly, a fantastic group of characters. Right from the start, you were drawn to Lily, Marshall, Barney, and Robin and wanted to see what happened to them.

Ultimately, How I Met Your Mother’s biggest strength became its downfall. The show initially used the mystery of Ted’s future wife to grab viewers, but the finale needed to provide a definitive answer. After so many seasons, fans had developed strong opinions about who Ted should end up with, making it impossible for the writers to satisfy everyone.

Even acknowledging how disappointing the situation was, it’s difficult to picture a more frustrating ending to How I Met Your Mother than the one we actually received. The finale quickly dismantled Barney and Robin’s wedding, after an entire season focused on their relationship. And after dedicating a season to Ted and Tracy’s love story, the show killed Tracy off.

I was really happy with how How I Met Your Mother handled Ted and Robin’s story a few seasons back – they made it clear they weren’t meant to be, and it felt right. Then, the show found the perfect person to play the Mother, which was amazing! So, when they ultimately had Ted end up with Robin, even with that blue French horn, it just felt like they were trying too hard to give the fans what they thought we wanted, and it didn’t feel earned or true to the story.

2025-10-28 17:30