21 TV Shows That Really Should Have Ended After Just 1 Season
When it comes to TV shows, there are few things worse than finding a life-changing, mind-blowing show you can’t get enough of — only to find that actually, you’re getting more than enough of it. I recently asked the BuzzFeed Community to share the TV shows they thought should have finished after one season, and found myself nodding at all the responses…
1.
“I think Stranger Things could have ended at Season 1. I love the show, but each season gets more convoluted and bloated, and the first was a good one that left just enough open to interpretation.”
2.
“Squid Game. How are you going to make this poor man go back after giving him the ending he dreamed of? It wrapped up so good only for the producers to milk the cash cow after Season 1’s success. Not to mention they’re apparently making an American version now? Just let it rest.”
4.
“Heroes! The first season was mind-blowing and so promising. The second season was the greatest disappointment I’ve experienced from a TV show.”
5.
“Prison Break had two or three excellent seasons, then they got thrown into some foreign prison after escaping the initial one. Come on man, what are we doing here?”
6.
“The Handmaid’s Tale. The book has the perfect haunting, open ending, and the show should have stuck with it.”
7.
“Supernatural. It was a fun show with different monsters every episode and then it turned into a biblical angel/demon dumpster fire where characters get resurrected from the dead left and right like some ridiculous soap opera.”
8.
“24…it was too much. But I totally understand why people loved it!”
9.
“Euphoria. Season 2 was mediocre, and Season 3 is never happening (despite what they keep saying). Should have just called it quits after Season 1.”
10.
“How I Met Your Mother.”
11.
“The Following starring Kevin Bacon. The first season was a perfect limited series. Unfortunately, it was successful so the network wanted to milk it for all it was worth. The other seasons devolved into nonsense until it was mercifully canceled.”
12.
“Westworld. Started out great by expanding on the ideas from the original film, and the plot had real mystery and twists that felt tied up by the end. Then the creators just wanted to keep having more twists, and were worried that fans would guess these twists, so they went in some truly dumb directions.”
13.
“What If from Marvel. The first season was cool — little stories that eventually melded together. The second season was hit or miss. Some episodes were cool, but the ending was honestly my least favorite episode. Season 3 was awful. The writing was bad, and the ideas themselves were either terrible or off-the-wall wild.”
14.
“The End of the F***ing World. It was such a perfect first season, and while I didn’t dislike the second season, it wasn’t necessary at all.”
15.
“13 Reasons Why. Yes, I recognize it’s a super controversial show, but it was one of my favorite books in middle/high school. The first season (which actually followed the book) should have been enough. I have no idea why they thought it was necessary to keep going.”
16.
“How to Get Away with Murder. Should have stopped at Season 1.”
17.
“Finding Joy! It was a lovely Irish TV series and the first season was perfect. Sweet and heartfelt and funny. It didn’t need a second season, but it got one. The second season was a train wreck and undid all the emotional growth from the first season. ”
18.
“Russian Doll. It had a great ending for Season 1. Season 2 was like an unnecessary and subpar sequel.”
19.
“The Affair. It started as an interesting story about why the affair happened and the consequences after, dropped into a nonsensical murder mystery for Season 2, and in the later seasons, it just felt like they kept going because no one told them to stop.”
20.
“Big Little Lies. Some things should just be a limited series.”
21.
“Riverdale. The first season was so intriguing…the murder, the mystery, the romance! I thought it was a cute nod to the comics. Then what the heck happened? Cults, organ harvesting, every family with a criminal history, the speakeasy, memory loss, the gargoyle king, and don’t forget Archie fighting a bear and not dying! I only watched as long as I did because it was like a trainwreck I couldn’t look away from…what a waste!”
What TV show do you wish had ended after just one season? Share in the comments or the form below!