Someone Asks “What Show Did You Start And Wind Up Hating So Much You Didn’t Finish It?” And 50 People Share

"One reason why there may be a noticeable drop in writing quality in long-running television series is due to the difficulty in maintaining a fresh and compelling storyline over an extended period. As a series continues, writers may struggle to come up with new ideas or may rely too heavily on previously successful storylines, leading to a sense of stagnation or repetition," entertainment expert Mike, from LA, explained to Bored Panda why there's a noticeable drop in quality in long-running TV shows.

"Another factor that may contribute to a decline in writing quality is changes in the creative team. As writers and showrunners leave or are replaced, the show's tone and direction may shift, resulting in a departure from what made the show initially successful," he said.

"To counteract these challenges, some television series employ a writers' room, a team of writers who collaborate on the series' storyline and character arcs. Additionally, having a clear endgame in mind can help ensure that the series maintains its creative momentum and avoids a drop in quality."

The entertainment expert shared a few examples of TV series that have remained consistently good, no matter how many seasons have been on the air. According to Mike, these include Breaking Bad, The Wire, The Sopranos, Mad Men, Game of Thrones, and The Crown. These are all "critically acclaimed shows that sustained their quality throughout their respective runs."

"These shows all had a clear sense of direction and vision from their showrunners and writers, which allowed them to maintain their creative momentum over an extended period."

We were also interested to get the entertainment expert's thoughts on how playing a single character on a long-running TV show can impact an actor and their career. Mike told Bored Panda that there are certain advantages and disadvantages to this. Here are some of the pros:

• "Consistent work: One of the most significant benefits of playing a character on a long-running series is the steady and reliable income it can provide. Actors who play a popular or iconic character on a successful show may have job security for many years. 
• Increased exposure: Television shows that attract large audiences can raise an actor's profile significantly. The exposure gained from appearing in a popular series can lead to more significant roles and opportunities in the future.
• Character development: Playing a single character for an extended period can allow an actor to explore and develop the character over time. As the character evolves, actors may have more opportunities to showcase their range and acting abilities."

However, there are some cons as well:

• "Typecasting: Actors who play a single character on a long-running series may become typecast, making it challenging to find other roles that are not similar to the character they are known for playing.
• Limited opportunities for other projects: A long-running series can take up a significant amount of an actor's time, leaving little room for other acting projects. This can make it difficult for actors to take on other roles or participate in other productions.
• Lack of creative control: Actors who play a character on a television series do not have control over the writing or direction of the show. If the writing or direction changes in a way that they do not agree with, they may have limited ability to influence the outcome."

In short, playing a single character on a long-running television series "can provide consistent work, increased exposure, and character development," however, it has certain downsides, such as "typecasting, limited opportunities for other projects, and a lack of creative control."

According to Mike, whether an actor should pursue working on a long-lasting series will ultimately depend on their career goals and priorities.

Whether we like to admit it or not, it’s not just good shows that we love watching. Many of us also enjoy the occasional hate-watching binge: putting on a show that we know is bad so we can unleash our inner film critic. Cue grumbling about weak storylines, inconsistent motivations, and one-dimensional characters.

Not only do we get to show the world (or, well, anyone in the same room as us) how we have far better taste than fans of show X, but we can also flex our creative muscles as we proclaim how we’d have done things completely differently—and far, far better. Schadenfreude is a powerful force, and we really do get pleasure from someone else’s misfortune. Say a writer’s script going downhill or watching actors going through the motions with no energy because it’s Season 39 and franchise Y won’t milk itself dry without them.

The fact of the matter is that creating a story is far more difficult than something sitting on the sidelines might think. Everyone who’s ever tried writing a short story, editing a book, or cobbling together a script will know that. It’s way easier to be a semi-decent critic than to be a barely-average writer. Especially for TV where there are so many other factors (from casting and filming to post-processing and marketing) to consider alongside the story.

However, the story itself is still incredibly important. The narrative, the events, the characters, the details, they all have to be believable and grounded in the world’s logic—even if it’s a fantasy, sci-fi, or post-apocalyptic scenario. As we’ve written here on Bored Panda recently, the audience is willing to suspend its disbelief to enjoy a story… up to a certain point.

Yes, you can have dragons and magic and intergalactic space-faring aliens. But the story has to be believable within the context of the world you’re inviting the audience into.

Or, as writer and author Christopher Burke put it to us recently, “There can be a dragon. The dragon can swear, smoke cigars, and drink whiskey if it wants to. But if it starts talking about cigars and whiskey and gets basic facts (which are easily found) wrong, someone's going to notice, and that will pull them out of the moment. The audience will willingly accept the big stuff or they wouldn't watch the movie. It's the small stuff that's distracting, and sometimes you wonder if they could've avoided it."

Characters spouting facts that are just plain wrong. Characters whose motivations flip-flop all over the place and change like the weather. Massive shifts in narrative tone. Storylines that become more and more complex and nonsensical, completely divorced from the show’s roots. Smart characters who become dumb whenever the plot demands it. Dumb characters who are overly dumb because the plot demands it…

…Expository dialogues. Stiff acting. Mary Sue characters that are pushed on the audience as though they’re the second coming of Jesus Christ. A lack of respect for the source material. Nonsensical dramas that don’t actually humanize the characters. Bad costumes and awful CGI. These are just some of the things that ruin our enjoyment of a show! Most of them can be solved with better writing and editing and the courage to stand up for better standards instead of pushing out what’s fast, cheap, and easy.