Summary
TV shows have plenty of ups and downs, but one great storyline can easily save a declining TV series. There are many ways that a show can begin to fail, whether it’s due to a fall in critical reception or a dip in ratings.Toward the end of a series, when the writers and creators are running out of ideas, they might incorporate random and inconsistent plot pointsthat are built to fail, which can upset viewers and critics. However, if the show has been on the air for long enough it can reestablish its ability to succeed.
However, the mark of a strong show is how well it can bounce back from near failure and put the show back on track for the future.
For the many storylines that save a show, there are just as many that push TV series to the brink of destruction. Often,show storylines are ruined by actor exits, as writers can’t always prepare for an instrumental character leaving the series amidst an important arc. However, the mark of a strong show is how well it can bounce back from near failure and put the show back on track for the future.With any luck, it’s only the good narrative arcs that viewers rememberand if the show moves on quickly enough, it can achieve this.
10 TV Shows That Were Saved By One Perfect Casting Change
Recasting an actor on a TV series doesn’t mean that a character is gone forever, and sometimes, the new actor brings a fresh take on the role.
8Ben & Chris' Introduction - Parks And Recreation (2009–2015)
Two of the best characters who were added after season 1
The end ofParks and Recreationseason 2 saw big changes for the show in terms of tone, plot, and characters. Season 2 was a vast improvement from the poorly received season 1, but the series still had a ratings problem it needed to fix. They achieved this by cutting the straight-man character, Mark, and adding two characters that served a similar purpose, but created more opportunities for humor; Ben and Chris. Additionally,the show used these shifts to accompany a massive change in Leslie’s characterization and development.
Ben and Chris became two enormously important characters on the show as Ben was Leslie’s main love interest who she later married. Additionally, Chris went on to be Ann’s partner, and both characters created tension and humor in places thatParks and Recreationlacked before.Parks and Recreationwould go on for a total of seven seasons and establish itself as a unique blend of heart and humoron television that audiences responded well to.
Parks and Recreation
Cast
Parks and Recreation is a television series that premiered in 2009, focusing on Leslie Knope, a mid-level bureaucrat in Pawnee, Indiana. She encounters various challenges from bureaucrats and citizens while striving to beautify the town through her role in the Parks and Recreation Department.
7Rachel & Joey Break Up - Friends (1994–2004)
The much-needed end to a pointless and uncomfortable romance
Love them or hate them, Ross and Rachel were always set up to be together onFriends, and most of their other relationships were merely a stalling tactic to keep them apart.
Love them or hate them, Ross and Rachel were always set up to be together onFriends, and most of their other relationships were merely a stalling tactic to keep them apart. Theirwill-they-won’t-they storyline on the TV showis a classic element of sitcoms both then and now, and seeing them get together at the end of the series was satisfying for audiences. However,the relationship between Rachel and Joey nearly ruined everything,as it tainted their friendship and drove an unnecessary wedge between Ross and Rachel.
Luckily, it didn’t take long for the show to scrap this plot point and start fresh in season 10, as it was the final season of the show, and they needed to go off on a high point.After essentially pretending that the Rachel and Joey relationship never happened, the series pivotedto Monica and Chandler moving out of the city, and all of the characters taking steps to move on and enter a new phase of life. This eventually led to Rachel and Ross declaring their feelings for each other and deciding to give their relationship another shot.
Friends
Friends is a television sitcom that debuted in 1994, revolving around six young New Yorkers navigating the complexities of adulthood. The series highlights their friendship as they support each other through personal and professional challenges, encapsulating the ups and downs of life in a comedic and relatable manner.
6The Gentlemen & Tara - Buffy The Vampire Slayer (1997–2003)
A standout episode in a lackluster season & an incredible new character
Willow and Tara’s relationship inBuffy The Vampire Slayeris one of the bright spots to come out of season 4, which was a slump for the show in general.After leaving high school, the writers weren’t sure what to do with Buffy and the Scooby gangnow that they were in college and taking their first steps toward adulthood. The season got off to a rocky start with some of the worst episodes of the show, but two major highlights saved the series and propelled it toward some of the show’s strongest storylines in the coming seasons.
In season 4, episode 10, “Hush,” the demons of the week are the Gentlemen, a group of villains with chilling character designs that take away the entire town’s ability to speak.This episode was the turning point of the season, as Buffy’s identity as the Slayer was revealed to Riley, and Tara and Willow were brought closeras they navigated their feelings for each other. Without “Hush,” season 4 might have brought a premature end to the show.
Buffy The Vampire Slayer
Buffy the Vampire Slayer is a television series created by Joss Whedon, focusing on Buffy Summers, portrayed by Sarah Michelle Gellar, a young woman chosen to battle against vampires, demons, and other supernatural forces while navigating the complexities of teenage life.
5Leaving Behind The Crime Procedural - Lucifer (2016–2021)
Leaning into the mythical and supernatural show elements
After only three seasons,Luciferwas canceled on Fox but was literally saved from ending and fading to obscurity by being picked up by Netflix. Joining the streamer was the best possible course of action for the show and allowed the showrunners to dig more deeply into the best aspects of the show.What gotLucifercanceled in the first place was the fact that it was formatted as a typical crime proceduralwith a slight supernatural twist. However, the protagonist being the devil is much more interesting than an episodic crime drama.
As soon asLuciferseason 4 premiered on Netflix, and introduced Eve as a character, it was clear that things were going to be different from here on out.
As soon asLuciferseason 4 premiered on Netflix, and introduced Eve as a character, it was clear that things were going to be different from here on out. The character relationships were more compelling,Lucifer had the chance to grow and develop into a complex individual,and the supernatural parts of the series were turned up. By the series finale, the show was practically unrecognizable, and this has sparked a legacy that will outlive the show for years to come.
Lucifer
Lucifer, released in 2016, follows Lucifer Morningstar, the former Lord of Hell, who retires to Los Angeles. There, he partners with LAPD detective Chloe Decker to solve crimes. As he distances himself from the underworld, a potential threat looms, risking the unleashing of humanity’s darkest forces.
4Jeff Becomes A Teacher - Community (2009–2015)
Giving the characters a reason to stay at Greendale
Communityseason 4 was an all-time low for the beloved TV show, and although it never fully recaptured the magic of the first three seasons, the series did its best to bounce back. Without the creator, Dan Harmon, season 4 introduced many terrible stories, like Britta and Troy dating and repeats of earlier episodes that were better the first time. However,season 5 was a soft reboot of the show,and a strong return to form in many ways. This success hinged on a strong reason for the gang to stay at Greendale.
This came in different forms for many of the characters, and some of them would eventually move on during season 5, like Donald Glover, but Jeff’s arc was the strongest.He decides to stay at Greendale, be a teacher, and join the Save Greendale committeewith the rest of the characters. It illustrated just how much he had changed from the man he was at the start of the show and proved to the audience thatCommunitywas going to forget season 4 ever happened.
Community
Community is a comedic television series that chronicles the lives of diverse students at Greendale Community College, a fictional and notoriously underperforming educational institution in Colorado. Released in 2009, the show explores the quirky interactions and relationships among the eclectic group navigating their academic and personal challenges.
The Community Movie: Confirmation, Cast & Everything We Know About ‘…And A Movie’
Community is finally getting to fulfill its “6 seasons and a movie” promise. Here’s everything we know about its release and cast.
3Lorelai Leaves Christopher - Gilmore Girls (2000–2007)
The inevitable end to their misguided relationship
The time she spends by herself in season 7 is pivotal for her growth and helps her realize what she actually wants out of life.
Gilmore Girlsseason 7 has many of the most-hated plotlines on the show,but it’s important to remember that the seeds of these arcs began in season 6, before Amy Sherman-Palladino left the series. At the end of season 6, a distraught Lorelai sleeps with Christopher after Luke won’t elope with her. Despite her initial regret, she commits to a relationship with Christopher, even though it’s not what she really wants. Their marriage goes on for an agonizingly long time in season 7, angering viewers.
However, after manymoments that lead to Lorelai and Christopher’s divorce, Lorelai breaks things off and starts fresh as her own person.It’s an important step toward Lorelai and Luke getting back together,but more importantly, it’s Lorelai following her heart and putting her happiness first. The time she spends by herself in season 7 is pivotal for her growth and helps her realize what she actually wants out of life. Though Christopher is Rory’s father and not the worst man on the show, he was never meant to be Lorelai’s happily-ever-after.
Gilmore Girls
In the fictional town of Star’s Hollow, single mother Lorelai Gilmore raises her high-achieving teenage daughter Rory. Mother and daughter rely on each other throughout their own life changes, romantic entanglements, and friendships.
2Katherine Surviving Silas - The Vampire Diaries (2009–2017)
As one of the most iconic characters on the show, she deserved to live
The Vampire Diariesis famous for killing off and resurrecting characters with little regard for consistency or worrying about plot armor. There are many times whenElena should have died but survived thanks to plot armorand many of the most essential characters had a similar kind of luck. However,when it came to Katherine, Elena’s evil doppelgänger, she survived out of pure force of willuntil the very end of her story. Bringing her back after it seemed Silas killed her was a brilliant move by the showrunners.
Silas is one of the many doppelgängers on the show, and he makes a point of draining Katherine’s life force. His entire plotline was boring, overwrought, and mostly a distraction from bigger issues on the show. Fortunately,the writers recognized that Katherine was a much more important character than Silas,and had her survive the encounter, even if it was borderline improbable. Her actual death was much more satisfying and a great tribute to the character.
The Vampire Diaries
Based on the novels by L.J. Smith, The Vampire Diaries is a story about the developing love triangle between Elena Gilbert and two vampiric brothers, Stefan and Damon Salvatore. Set in the town of Mystic Falls, Virginia, the show follows the trio from high school through college as they battle for one another’s affection.
1Sansa’s Triumph Over Little Finger - Game Of Thrones (2011–2019)
And her eventual rise to Queen in the North
Despite starting off so strongly and having a meteoric rise to fame HBO’sGame of Thronesnever fully recovered from the steady decline in quality and ratings after season 5. Based on the novels by George R.R. Martin,Game of Throneshad intricately detailed source material to draw from for the first five seasons, but after the books ran out, the creators were scrambling to think of new and interesting plots for the show. This culminated in the final season,season 8, which is considered the worst of the show.
When Sansa finally reunites with the other Stark children at Winterfell, Littlefinger is still trying to worm his way in and ensure that Sansa remains loyal to him.
However, one of the few bright spots of season 8 came when Sansa finally saw Littlefinger for who he was and cut him loose. When Sansa finally reunites with the other Stark children at Winterfell, Littlefinger is still trying to worm his way in and ensure that Sansa remains loyal to him. However,his attempts to make her distrust her siblings fail, and she teams up with Aryato cast judgment on Littlefinger once and for all. It’s an incredibly satisfying moment that Sansa deserves after going through so much.
Game Of Thrones
Based on George R. R. Martin’s ongoing A Song of Ice and Fire novel series, Game of Thrones is a fantasy drama set in the fictional continents of Westeros and Essos. It follows noble families like the Starks, Lannisters, and Targaryen vying for control of the Iron Throne while a rising threat from the undead looms in the North. The series received significant critical success and amassed a loyal fan base due to its high production values, sprawling sets, iconic characters, and shocking twists.
