This list includes a number of television shows which have received negative reception from both critics and audiences alike, some of which are considered the worst of all time.
Factors that can reflect poorly on a television series include inherently poor quality, the lack of a budget, rapid cancellation, very low viewership, offensive content, and negative impact on other series on the same channel. Multiple outlets have produced lists ranking the worst television series, including TV Guide , Entertainment Weekly and Mail Online . TV Guide published lists in 2002 and 2010, each of which had contemporary shows near the top of the list.
The following is a list of television series notable for negative reception—some of which are considered the worst of all time by critics, network executives, and viewers (with extremely low viewership despite high promotion). Situation comedy shows make up a large percentage, so they are listed in a separate page.
Both Disney representatives Bob Iger and Diane Disney Miller (the latter being the daughter of Walt Disney) were dismayed by the show's contents, including its use of Mickey in the form of the character Farfour (in which the latter commented to the press that, "What we're dealing with here is pure evil and you can't ignore that." She further commented that, "It's not just [about] Mickey, it's [about] indoctrinating children like this, teaching them to be evil. The world loves children, and this is just going against the grain of humanity." [86] ). [87] Film Threat called the series "a non-stop assault on good taste and intelligence" criticizing the cheap production values and anti-Semitic remarks spewed by the characters. [88] It had also been under fire for its anti-American sentiments. [89] [90]"it's shot as one long, static, droning cut, filmed almost entirely within a corner studio whose only décor is makeshift wallpaper of pastel foam alphabet floor mat blocks, and stars the worst Mickey Mouse knockoff ever. What it lacks visually, though, it makes up for in exciting content, regularly featuring such punchy lines as “How will you sacrifice your soul for the sake of Al-Aqsa?" Yikes".
A series finale is the final installment of an episodic entertainment series, most often a television series. It may also refer to a final theatrical sequel, the last part of a television miniseries, the last installment of a literary series, or any final episode.
The Simple Life is an American reality television series starring Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie. It depicts the two wealthy socialites, as they struggle to do menial, low-paying jobs such as cleaning rooms, farm work, serving meals in fast-food restaurants, and working as camp counselors. The series premiered on December 2, 2003, on Fox, and concluded on August 5, 2007, on E!. A falling-out between Hilton and Richie in 2005 led the series to be cancelled by Fox following its third season. It was eventually picked up by E!, which aired its fourth and fifth seasons. The Simple Life helped catapult Hilton and Richie into international stardom, and maintained a consistently high viewership throughout its run on both networks. It also spawned a number of international remakes.
Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip is an American comedy-drama television series created and primarily written by Aaron Sorkin. The series was about the production of a live comedy series similar to Saturday Night Live. Produced by Warner Bros. Television, Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip ran on NBC for 22 episodes, from September 18, 2006, to June 28, 2007.
30 Rock is an American satirical sitcom television series created by Tina Fey that originally aired on NBC from October 11, 2006, to January 31, 2013. The series, based on Fey's experiences as head writer for Saturday Night Live, takes place behind the scenes of a fictional live sketch comedy show depicted as airing on NBC. The series's name refers to 30 Rockefeller Plaza in New York City, where the NBC Studios are located and where Saturday Night Live is written, produced, and performed. The series was produced by Lorne Michaels's Broadway Video and Fey's Little Stranger, in association with NBCUniversal.
The 2007–08 network television schedule for the six major English language commercial broadcast networks in the United States covers the prime time hours from September 2007 to August 2008. The schedule is followed by a list per network of returning series, new series, and series canceled after the 2006–07 season. The schedule was affected by the 2007–08 Writers Guild of America strike. After that, the next disruption to the networks' primetime schedules would not occur until the 2020–21 season, whose network schedules were affected by the suspension of film and television productions as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The 2008–09 network television schedule for the six major English language commercial broadcast networks in the United States covers the prime time hours from September 2008 to August 2009. The schedule is followed by a list per network of returning series, new series, and series canceled after the 2007–08 season. The schedule omits the Public Broadcasting Service.
Kath & Kim, commonly written as Kath and Kim and uncommonly abbreviated as K&K is an American television sitcom adapted from the Australian television series of the same name created by Jane Turner and Gina Riley and well-supported by Magda Szubanski, with their titular roles being portrayed in this series by Molly Shannon and Selma Blair. The series premiered on NBC on October 9, 2008. Turner and Riley served as executive producers and consultants on this version, which was co-produced through Reveille Productions and Universal Media Studios.
The fourth season of Family Guy aired on Fox from May 1, 2005, to May 21, 2006, and consists of thirty episodes, making it the longest season to date. The first half of the season is included within the volume 3 DVD box set, which released on November 29, 2005, and the second half within the volume 4 DVD box set, which released on November 14, 2006. Volume 4 is split into seasons 4 and 5 in regions outside the United States, leading to confusion over season numbers between U.S., Australian, and UK consumers. The last three episodes of season 4 are the basis for the movie known as Stewie Griffin: The Untold Story, and are edited for content; Fox does not include these episodes in the official episode count.
The 2009–10 network television schedule for the five major English-language commercial broadcast networks in the United States covers primetime hours from September 2009 through August 2010. The schedule is followed by a list per network of returning series, new series, and series canceled after the 2008–09 season.
The Marriage Ref is an American reality television series and panel game hosted by comedian Tom Papa and produced by Jerry Seinfeld, in which a rotating group of celebrities decides the winners of real-life marital disputes. The show premiered on NBC on Sunday, February 28, 2010 on the final night of the Olympics before moving to Thursdays. The show's second season debuted on June 26, 2011.
The 2011–12 network television schedule for the five major English-language commercial broadcast networks in the United States covers prime time hours from September 2011 through August 2012. The schedule is followed by a list per network of returning series, new series, and series canceled after the 2010–11 season.
Awake is an American police procedural fantasy drama television series that originally aired on NBC for one season from March 1 to May 24, 2012. The pilot episode had an early release on Hulu on February 16, 2012, two weeks before the series' premiere on television. Kyle Killen, the series' creator, was primarily responsible for the program's concept. Killen and David Slade served as executive producers of the pilot episode, and Killen continued producing the series along with Jeffrey Reiner and Howard Gordon.
Fred: The Show is an American comedy television series, created by Lucas Cruikshank that originally aired on Nickelodeon in the United States from January 16 to August 3, 2012. Lucas Cruikshank, Daniella Monet, Jake Weary, Siobhan Fallon Hogan, and Stephanie Courtney reprise their roles from Fred: The Movie and Fred 2: Night of the Living Fred. A series preview aired on January 16, 2012, and the show officially premiered on February 5, 2012. Fred: The Show came to production after the success of Fred 2: Night of the Living Fred. The show was cancelled after one season due to low ratings and poor reviews from critics. It is considered one of the worst television shows ever made, although it has developed a cult following.
"Pilot" is the debut episode for the television series Smash, which premiered on NBC in the United States on February 6, 2012. The episode was written by series creator Theresa Rebeck and was directed by Michael Mayer. The show revolves around a group of characters who come together to put on a Broadway musical based on the life of Marilyn Monroe. The episode featured a mix of original songs and cover songs, the former being written by series composers Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman.
Minute to Win It is an American television game show which features contestants playing simple games with common household items in an attempt to win a cash prize. The series originally ran on NBC with host Guy Fieri and was revived in 2013 on Game Show Network (GSN) with Apolo Ohno presenting the show.
In 1995, Viacom and Chris-Craft Industries' United Television launched United Paramount Network (UPN) with Star Trek: Voyager as its flagship series, fulfilling Barry Diller's plan for a Paramount network from 25 years earlier. In 1999, Viacom bought out United Television's interests, and handed responsibility for the start-up network to the newly acquired CBS unit, which Viacom bought in 1999 – an ironic confluence of events as Paramount had once invested in CBS, and Viacom had once been the syndication arm of CBS as well. During this period the studio acquired some 30 television stations to support the UPN network as well acquiring and merging in the assets of Republic Pictures, Spelling Television and Viacom Television, almost doubling the size of the studio's television library.
In addition to the Frito Bandito, other [Latino] caricatures such as Bucky & Pepito, an animated cartoon series that appeared in the late 1950s, came under fire.
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