Some TV shows are just not worth our time. Whether it’s dull storylines or poor acting, some shows miss the mark and need to be avoided completely.
So before you go getting invested in a TV show that is a total waste of your time, here’s a list of 21 that you should avoid.
Saved by the Bell (the reboot)
Saved by the Bell, the reboot, had fans excited in anticipation of experiencing the nostalgic vibes that this TV show brought them the first time around, from 1989 to 1993.
Unfortunately, the series has been called a waste of time. It was unable to recapture the magic of the original show and fell short of fans’ expectations, both new and old. Peacock canceled the show after just one season.
Secret Invasion
This TV mini-series has been criticized for being a waste of time. The storyline was so convoluted that fans claimed they simply couldn’t keep up. Despite starring Samuel L. Jackson and Emilia Clarke, this series did not impress, and it’s only rated 5.9 stars on IMDB.
The Inbetweeners US
This show is a massive hit in the UK, but its successful format didn’t translate to American audiences, and it was criticized for being “intolerably bland”. Following the juvenile, crude escapades of a group of teenage boys, it wasn’t a TV show that American audiences were drawn towards, or found entertaining, and it was canceled after season one.
Heroes
This series tells the story of ordinary people with extraordinary, supernatural powers and their struggle to use these powers for good and save others from harm and disaster. Running between 2006-2010, the show did have a fan base to start with, but after the first season, as the writing became poorer (possibly due to a writer’s strike at the time) viewing ratings declined due to audiences finding the show boring.
Baywatch (the reboot)
The original series of Baywatch, starring David Hasselhoff (The Hoff) and Pamela Anderson, is the stuff of legends, and a reboot of the TV show was always going to be clutching at straws to recreate the magic of this 90s iconic show. Unfortunately, the 2017 Baywatch didn’t live up to those high expectations. Audiences were left disappointed and underwhelmed with the show, which only managed a 17% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Only Murders in the Building
The all-star cast of this TV show saw the return of famous comedy legends like Martin Short and Steven Martin, but even Selena Gomez was unable to stop this show from feeling like a waste of time, with PrimeTimer.com saying it “had lost its way” by the second season.
Girls
Starring Lena Dunham, this TV show made headlines for bringing some “fresh, new talent” to our screens, but it wasn’t long before the tables turned on this show. Based on four girls living in New York City and trying to figure out life, the show was supposed to be loved by millennials, but it ended up being disliked by them, with many calling it a boring, unrealistic portrayal.
Marvel’s Inhumans
Another TV series from the Marvel Universe that left viewers underwhelmed. The show is based on Marvel’s Inhumans and explores the escapades of the royal family, including Black Bolt, the enigmatic, commanding King of the Inhumans.
Unfortunately, audiences gave the series negative reviews, rating it as low as 11% on Rotten Tomatoes.
The Walking Dead
This post-apocalyptic horror show had a promising start, with fans regularly tuning in to watch the cast battle against flesh-eating zombies. However, after around series five, the quality of the storylines started to decrease rapidly, and fans became numb to the never-ending stream of repetitive zombie conflicts. By series 11, the show was canceled due to declining ratings.
Iron Fist
Based on the story of the Marvel Comic hero Danny Rand, the TV show follows his adventures as a specially trained martial arts superhero. This TV show is reportedly the worst TV show ever produced by the Marvel franchise, with fans calling it “boring” and a waste of time.
Dallas
This TV show was a reboot of the very famous original series of Dallas that ran from 1978 – 1991, but the reboot wasn’t anywhere near as successful as the first show, lasting only two years, 2012-2014, instead of thirteen. Critics claimed that the rebooted show was boring and lacked the same appeal to audiences as the original, with many fans switching off after a few episodes.
The Witcher
Marketed as the next Game of Thrones (GOT), fans had high expectations for this TV show, but very few of them were met. With the show pitted against GOT from the start, these were impossible shoes for a brand-new TV show to fill. Fans were unhappy that the show departed so much from the original plot of the books, by Andrzej Sapkowski upon which it’s based, and critics lambasted it for meandering storylines that ultimately led to viewers losing interest.
The Punisher
Marvel does not seem to translate from comics and film to TV, as many of the Marvel TV series have fallen short of fans’ expectations, and The Punisher is the same. Criticized for its grotesque use of violence, many viewers found this show to be “all action and no substance”. It was released on Netflix in 2017 but canceled by 2019 as it failed to draw in high enough ratings.
Batwoman
Hailed as a mystery adventure series, Batwoman did not impress fans, and the show was canceled after only three seasons. Critics called it boring, with poor acting and bad storylines.
Revolution
In 2027, the show takes place in a post-apocalyptic world that saw a global electrical outrage strike in 2012. A tyrannical militia army has taken over what used to be called the United States of America, and a group of revolutionaries are fighting to defeat them.
This TV show started well, but the writers couldn’t keep up with its initially intriguing storyline, and many viewers criticized it for appearing unrealistic and slow. By the second season, audience attrition reached the point where NBC had to pull the plug.
Real Rob
Based on the real life of comedian Rob Schneider in Hollywood, this TV show never really got off the ground, and Netflix canceled it after the second season. Viewers called the show boring, and it failed to gain traction with audiences. It is still rated 0% by Rotten Tomatoes.
The Secret Life of the American Teenager
One reckless night changes the trajectory of Amy’s life when she finds out she’s pregnant and on the precipice of becoming a teen mom. The show follows the ups and downs of Amy’s situation as she comes to terms with the consequences of that night.
The show ran for five seasons but faced heavy criticisms for bad acting, stilted dialogue, and not handling some serious themes with due care. Audiences weren’t overly impressed, and it only reached a review rating of 38% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Fear of the Walking Dead
A spin-off series from The Walking Dead (TWD), predictably, this show is about flesh-eating zombies in an apocalyptic world; continued. The show had mixed reviews, with some die-hard fans of the O.G. show following it avidly in place of the first series, and it did run for eight seasons. However, it also faced negative reviews more generally for feeling like a cheaper version of TWD and for its repetitive zombie fight scenes.
The show was criticized in an article by Forbes.com that called it out for having “stupid” inconsistencies that devalued its believability.
Chemistry
This American comedy-drama series debuted on Cinemax in 2011, and after only making it to the first season, it was also canceled in 2011. The show was based on the dramatic, near-fatal meeting of an engaged lawyer and a policewoman who embarked on a sexually charged liaison. But after viewers complained about the poor acting, weak plot, and boring pace, the show didn’t make it past season one.
Zoo
This thriller is based on James Patterson’s best-selling book of the same name. In it, a renegade zoologist starts noticing the animals he studies in Africa exhibiting strange behavior. As violent animal attacks against humans begin happening all over the world, Jackson Oz (James Wolk) embarks on a mission to solve the reason behind the mysterious phenomenon.
The show started well but entered a slow and steady decline, which viewing ratings followed after criticisms of poor acting and a boring plot; the show was canceled after three seasons and only managed a 48% review rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
The Grinder
It is based on an actor called Dean Sanderson Jr. (Rob Lowe), who has just finished playing a lawyer on a famous TV show called “The Grinder.” After returning to his hometown, although he is not a qualified lawyer, Dean decides to practice law. This show had mixed reviews, but they were mostly good, and critics did praise aspects of its writing and comedic timing; however, these positives didn’t outweigh the negatives or translate into viewer ratings, which were just too low, seeing the show canceled after only season one.
So even though this show might have had potential, starting a brand new TV series that only has one season does feel like a waste of our time.
