Gentle warning - there are very light spoilers ahead for Paradise. I won’t spoil anything important to the story or the plot, though. If you want to catch up to Episode 7, you can do that with a Hulu subscription or a Disney+ subscription.

Paradise is one of my favorite shows on the 2026 TV schedule, and this week, in Episode 7, I caught what must be an homage to one of my all-time favorite shows, The West Wing. It came along with yet another little Easter egg line, delivered by James Marsden as President Cal Bradford in the same scene. In addition to endless twists and turns, Paradise makes a lot of pop culture references, especially when it comes to the soundtrack. However, this is the first time a TV show reference has stood out to me, and I love it.

President Jeb Barlett Had A Reoccurring Line That Bradford Used

Fans of The West Wing (which you can watch with an HBO Max subscription) will know that one of the most common things President Bartlett (Martin Sheen) would use with his staff was “What’s next?” It meant he had all the information he needed on a topic and was ready to move on to the next important bit of business. It goes all the way back to the very first episode; in fact, it was the final line of The West Wing’s pilot. Bartlett explained what it meant best in one of the best episodes of the whole series, “In The Shadow of Two Gunmen, Part I” in Season 2.

This is the exact phrase President Bradford used as he was getting a tour of the bunker in Episode 7 of Season 2 of Paradise, called “The Final Countdown” (another pop culture reference). While on the tour, the chief architect of the bunker, Anders (Erik Svedberg-Zelman), tries to explain how everything works. Bradford asks him to dumb the explanations down to “caveman” levels, but once Bradford does get it, he simply says, “What’s next?” and is ready to move on. Like another fictional president, once Bradford understands something, he’s ready for the next thing. It’s a lovely homage, right?

It’s Not The Only Fun Line During The Tour

The second quick pop culture reference comes a little later in the tour. As Bradford is proving he’s not quite the idiot Sinatra (Julianne Nicholson) thought he was by explaining how empires fall, he drops a reference to CBS’s coverage of March Madness. Bradford, a huge University of Kentucky basketball fan, explains that every dynasty and every empire falls, but before they fall, they have a “shining moment” when they believe they are unstoppable.

This wouldn’t have stood out had Bradford not referenced Kentucky, once a dynasty in college hoops, before saying the line. The line, as NCAA ball fans will know, is from the song “One Shining Moment,” written by David Barrett and usually performed by the late Luther Vandross (other versions have been used on occasion). That song is played at the end of every NCAA Basketball tournament, after the champion has been crowned. It has been a part of every tournament since 1987.

With one episode left to go and quite a few questions to be answered, the Paradise Season 2 finale is sure to be a doozy. I can’t wait to tune in, and hopefully we’ll get to have a little fun on the way, as I did with these two lines.

It was a treat for fans of The West Wing to see Allison Janney reunite with Bradley Whitford on the small screen again when The Diplomat Season 3 hit the 2025 TV schedule. Whitford came on board to play Todd, husband of Janney’s Grace Penn, giving their characters quite a different dynamic from when they portrayed C.J. and Josh in the Bartlet White House. Janney acknowledged this in regards to having to kiss her former co-star, and Whitford had the funniest response.

The cast of The Diplomat — whose third season premiered on the Netflix schedule in October — spoke at an FYC event Saturday in Los Angeles, where Bradley Whitford said he was so impressed with the chemistry that the cast had formed over the series’ first two seasons that he was afraid to mess up the alchemy. At the same time, though, he seems pretty confident about what he brought to the table, saying (per Gold Derby):

Whoa! If that’s not a line that would come straight out of Josh Lyman’s mouth, I don’t know The West Wing.

Bradley Whitford may be self-assured in his acumen at first base, but I think all parties involved — including those of us watching with our Netflix subscriptions — were relieved to see romantic chemistry between Grace and Todd Penn. Nobody wants to watch siblings kiss (outside of The White Lotus, I guess).

How awful would it have been to watch their scenes if they came off as old buddies and not husband and wife? That definitely would have justified creator Debora Cahn’s initial fear about doing a West Wing reunion on the Netflix political drama.

That kissing scene is something that The Handmaid’s Tale actor has discussed before, saying that it surprised him that after so many years, he and Allison Janney could channel their history into romantic roles. In fact, I thought the actors’ comfort around each other added depth to the president and first gentleman’s relationship.

Allison Janney has also described their intimate scene as easy and fun and comfortable because of her history on The West Wing with Bradley Whitford. With any potential awkwardness out of the way, it seems Whitford was just happy to have not messed up a series that he was such a fan of. He said:

I, personally, don’t think he did any such thing, and I’m thrilled that both Bradley Whitford and Allison Janney have been promoted to series regulars for The Diplomat Season 4.

There’s no premiere date for that yet, but while we wait for an update, the first three seasons can be streamed on Netflix, while you can catch C.J. Cregg and Josh Lyman NOT kissing over on The West Wing with your HBO Max subscription.

This story contains NO SPOILERS for The Diplomat Season 3, available to stream now with a Netflix subscription.

The Diplomat Season 3 hit the 2025 TV schedule last week, and I doubt anybody is more excited about that than fans of The West Wing. That’s because Bradley Whitford joined the political drama as the husband of none other than his former co-star Allison Janney. After they worked together for so many years, it seems natural that they could channel that chemistry for the binge-worthy Netflix series, but Whitford admits one thing surprised him about the reunion.

For seven seasons on The West Wing, Allison Janney and Bradley Whitford starred as members of President Bartlet’s senior staff. Now they’re playing spouses Grace Penn, who became president at the end of The Diplomat Season 2, and Todd Penn. Whitford opened up to People about it being surprisingly easy to transition their chemistry into that of a couple, saying:

Going from playing White House colleagues on The West Wing to spouses on The Diplomat is a whole new ballgame, so it could be expected for Bradley Whitford to be unsure of how their chemistry would translate into their new roles.

It turns out Allison Janney wondered the same thing, and she, as well, was pleasantly surprised, saying:

I love hearing how highly Allison Janney thinks of Bradley Whitford, because he’s always been such a joy to watch. What self-respecting West Wing fan doesn’t still find themselves shouting, “Victory is mine!” and demanding the finest muffins and bagels in all the land? And one only has to look at Season 1’s “Celestial Navigation” to see how much fun their shared scenes are:

Allison Janney was promoted from guest star on The Diplomat Season 2 to recurring on the current season, with Bradley Whitford also recurring. The pairing has The West Wing fans not only running back for another rewatch (the entire series can be streamed with an HBO Max subscription), but it’s inspired people (like me) to check out The Diplomat (and I’m so happy I did).

All three seasons of The Diplomat are available to stream on Netflix now.

For even the most die-hard fans of The West Wing, the last three seasons of the show, which you can watch with an HBO Max subscription, are often criticized, or at least, not as beloved as the first four. That change was marked by the departure of the show’s creator and almost exclusive script writer, Aaron Sorkin, who left the show after the dramatic Season 4 finale.

There is one episode in Season 7 that is every bit as good as the dialogue from episodes Sorkin was responsible for. It happened as a direct result of the death of John Spencer, the actor who played Leo McGarry.

The Later Seasons Weren’t As Good As The Early Ones

It is fair criticism, and one that I largely share, that The West Wing took a dip after Sorkin left. However, after a very shaky Season 5, I do believe that it found its footing again in Season 6 with the introduction of Arnie Vinick (Alan Alda) and Matt Santos (Jimmy Smits) as the two candidates vying to take over for President Bartlett (Martin Sheen). Once the race for President got into full swing, the show once again became must-watch TV.

One significant change that resulted from the new plotline was Leo's transition from the resolute Chief of Staff to Bartlet to Vice Presidential candidate for Santos, at the urging of his protege, Josh “Lemon” Lyman (Bradley Whitford), who was Santos’ campaign manager. Tragically, John Spencer died of a heart attack in December of 2005, as the show was entering the final stretch of filming for its final season. The silver lining in the heartbreak was that the show got its last really great episode as a result.

Election Day Part 2 Is The West Wing At Its Best

The episode, “Election Day Part 2,” which aired four months after Spencer’s death, starts like many others. Josh is on the phone with Santos, and they are talking about the candidate’s chances of winning and the possible victory speech. Josh hangs up the phone and runs into Donna (Janel Moloney) in the hotel with a stunned look on her face. She informs Josh that Leo was found unconscious and was taken to the hospital. The opening credits roll, and for viewers, the tears started rolling too, knowing what happened months before.

The next 10 minutes of the show are among the most heartbreaking moments of any television series, ever. As each character learns the tragic fate of McGarry, the emotions of the actors are on full display. Spencer had been a key part of The West Wing cast for all seven seasons, and the effect of his death was apparent. It’s impossible for anyone not to cry, actor or viewer.

When Santos addresses his supporters, he delivers what can only be described as a true Sorkin-esque speech. It’s the kind of speech that made those first four seasons special, and for this one episode, The West Wing was once again one of the best shows in network history.

It’s been a quarter-century since Aaron Sorkin introduced us to President Jed Bartlet and his senior staff on The West Wing, and to this day that remains one of the most rewatchable series in television history. So when I heard that The Diplomat Season 3, premiering this fall on the 2025 TV schedule, would feature a reunion between Allison Janney and Bradley Whitford, I knew I had to see it. I’m now through Season 1, and I’m kicking myself for not getting into this Netflix series sooner.

The West Wing is such a comfort-watch for me. As far as I’m concerned, there are few things better than Aaron Sorkin’s smart, quick dialogue being delivered by brilliant actors playing well-intentioned characters whose only goal is to leave the world a little better than they found it. The Diplomat doesn’t quite rise to that level of idealism, but it’s a super fun ride that I probably should have gotten on earlier.

Allison Janney And Bradley Whitford Playing Spouses Excited Me As A West Wing Fan

When it comes to political series in general, I’ve dipped more than a toe into the genre, enjoying shows like Scandal, Veep and House of Cards but never attempting to make the effort to watch everything available. Keri Russell’s series The Diplomat always fell on my list alongside things like The Americans and Designated Survivor as something I figured I would enjoy but never was a priority.

Then, all of a sudden, The Diplomat became a priority. Allison Janney’s casting in Season 2 had gotten my attention, but with Bradley Whitford joining Season 3 — as Janney’s character’s husband! — yeah, that sealed the deal.

I’ve now streamed the 8-episode first season with my Netflix subscription, and even though neither of The West Wing actors have appeared yet, I’m all-in for this thriller starring Keri Russell and Rufus Sewell.

The Diplomat Has Some Similarities To The West Wing, But It’s Great In Its Own Way

I won’t get into any spoilers about The Diplomat, but the story centers around Keri Russell’s Kate Wyler, who unexpectedly gets appointed to serve as the US ambassador to the UK following an attack on a British aircraft carrier that killed dozens. She doesn’t know it, but she’s also interviewing to take over as vice president of the United States.

There are definitely parts of the Netflix series that feel like The West Wing — particularly when they get into the weeds of international relations. Jargon is spit back and forth across a conference table and information is quickly delivered to Kate as she walks hastily from one meeting to the next, walk-and-talk style. Both shows also inject plenty of humor into otherwise serious or mundane situations.

The Diplomat is a thriller, though, complete with plot twists, tons of behind-the-scenes scheming and a major cliffhanger at the end of Season 1. Now, The West Wing has provided some of the best cliffhangers in TV history, but I’m more likely to feel a sense of satisfaction over some legislation being passed on than to get bamboozled over who double-crossed whom to cause an international incident.

I’d also argue that no relationship on The West Wing is as complicated, infuriating and satisfying as the one between Kate Wyler and her (sometimes estranged?) husband Hal.

The Diplomat Is Keri Russell’s Show, But Rufus Sewell Threatens To Steal It

Kate Wyler is kind of a mess — she spills food on her clothes, she doesn’t give speeches, her hair is often all over the place (Keri Russell’s hair is always its own character, is it not?), and sometimes she doesn’t even try to hide her hangover. I think she’s great, but it can be pretty hard to compete with what Rufus Sewell is doing as Hal.

Hal Wyler is a former US ambassador himself, who has been politically hamstrung after calling the Secretary of State a war criminal. As ambitious as ever, though, he seems to always be about three steps ahead of everybody else, enacting schemes to benefit Kate or, more often, himself.

Just as Hal continuously finds ways to upstage his wife as he seemingly positions himself for a return to power, Rufus Sewell does threaten to steal the show from Keri Russell at times. He brings an energy to every scene, because it’s so hard to know what he’s up to, and what has he already done that we won’t know about until later?

For instance, Kate has already decided to divorce Hal, and he’s going along with it. However, he also knows that a divorce would end her chances of becoming VP, and he’d prefer to stay married anyway. How does she feel about that? It’s super complicated.

Romances Add A Layer To The Diplomat’s Characters That The West Wing Lacked

Kate and Hal’s chemistry is fire, but so is her attraction to UK Foreign Secretary Austin Dennison (David Gyasi). In the eight episodes I’ve seen so far, Keri Russell’s character is caught up in two “will they/won’t they” situations, and this is simply not something The West Wing ever spent too much time with.

Sure, there was Josh Lyman and Donna Moss (Bradley Whitford and Janel Moloney), but they didn’t go past inappropriate workplace flirtation until the very end of the series (and they really lost their luster after they did get together).

CJ Cregg (Allison Janney) sporadically fought the chemistry between her and White House correspondent Danny Concannon (Timothy Busfield) on the grounds of it being a conflict of interest, and of course we got some good moments between Martin Sheen’s President Bartlet and first lady Abbey (Stockard Channing) — “J’accuse mon petit fromage!”

However, the way the relationships in The Diplomat are weaved into the day-to-day happenings makes for a whole new layer of messy. Because in addition to Hal noticing the chemistry between his wife and the UK foreign secretary, he also clocked Deputy Chief of Mission Stuart Heyford’s (Ato Essandoh) relationship with the CIA station chief.

The Cast Is Incredible, And I Haven’t Even Seen Allison Janney Or Bradley Whitford Yet

It should go without saying, but I’ll say it anyway — The Diplomat’s cast is definitely part of what makes this worth watching. Keri Russell is even nominated for a 2025 Emmy Award after also receiving a nod last year. You’ve also got Rory Kinnear as the prime minister, Michael McKean as the president and so many more. I can definitely see Allison Janney and Bradley Whitford fitting right in.

It’s funny to me that The West Wing is what finally made me hit Play on The Diplomat, and I’m completely sold on the show before either of the two Aaron Sorkin players even make an appearance. I know showrunner Debora Cahn was afraid casting Whitford would turn her show into a “West Wing cover band,” but I have to think there are more people like me who will find The Diplomat through that.

I’ll definitely be tuning into Season 3 when it hits the 2025 Netflix schedule on Thursday, October 16 (after I watch the 6-episode second season, of course), and when I do, it will be because I am into the show, not JUST because of The West Wing reunion.

The Diplomat has been bringing political thrills to the Netflix schedule for two seasons now, earning several Emmy Award nominations in the process. The show got an additional boost with the announcement of Bradley Whitford’s casting, which sets up a reunion between him and Allison Janney. All of The West Wing fans who are now rushing to binge The Diplomat ahead of Season 3 should be good news for showrunner Debora Cahn, but I can understand why she wasn’t initially on board.

Keri Russell leads The Diplomat (available to stream with a Netflix subscription), with Allison Janney coming on in Season 2 as US Vice President Grace Penn. Her role will expand when Season 3 premieres on the 2025 TV schedule, and we’ll meet her husband Todd. When it came time to cast for that role, Debora Cahn told EW she initially bristled at the joke of making it a West Wing reunion, saying:

Yeah, that’s a valid concern, with both shows being of a political nature and the beloved Aaron Sorkin creation considered one of the most rewatchable series of all time. You also wouldn’t want to cheapen the effect of The Diplomat with what some might consider stunt casting.

Thankfully, the showrunner’s concerns didn’t last long, as she said:

Seeing Grace Penn interact with her husband will add a new layer to Allison Janney’s character, and because The Diplomat doesn’t feel anything like The West Wing — and Grace and Todd aren’t anything like C.J. Cregg and Josh Lymon — it turns out casting Bradley Whitford wasn’t as much of an issue as Debora Cahn thought it would be at first.

The characters may not be the same, but a first look at Bradley Whitford and Allison Janney together did have fans noting one similarity between Todd and Josh. And, while I completely see where the showrunner was coming from in being hesitant to reconnect two actors who are so well-known for a different series in the same genre, I am so glad that Debora Cahn ultimately chose to put them on screen together again.

I have a lot of faith in Allison Janney and Bradley Whitford to make The West Wing fans see past their former characters.

If you want to catch up before Season 3 begins, The Diplomat is available to stream on Netflix, while you can relive all of C.J. and Josh’s fun on The West Wing with an HBO Max subscription.

It’s been nearly 20 years (or five presidential elections) since Josiah Bartlet left the fictional White House of The West Wing. Yet, with the series as rewatchable as ever for those with an HBO Max subscription, there’s no shortage of calls for a revival. Executive producer John Wells said it’s something he and creator Aaron Sorkin have discussed over the years, but he admitted to being “worried” about rebooting the political drama today.

The West Wing is the kind of show that makes you feel a little better about the world, even if you just have it on in the background while folding laundry. So there’s no mystery why fans are craving more from that idealized universe. It doesn’t help that cast members like Joshua Malina constantly tease reunion talks, or that Richard Schiff pitched an idea that Sorkin apparently loved. The famed screenwriter himself has even teased ideas for new episodes. However, in today’s politically volatile climate, John Wells has reservations, telling THR:

There’s certainly a challenge in today’s world to create anything with “political” in the description without alienating a large portion of potential viewers. Would a theoretical West Wing reboot be able to avoid making political statements? Would audiences infer them anyway? John Wells points out that’s never what The American President-inspired series was about, continuing:

The West Wing evolved from its original premise when Martin Sheen’s President Bartlet ended up being such a profound presence on the series. The president was originally not intended to be a main character, with Aaron Sorkin wanting to focus on the day-to-day happenings of the White House senior staff.

Of course, fans still got that, with Bradley Whitford, Allison Janney, Richard Schiff, Rob Lowe, Dulé Hill, John Spencer and more always trying to put the good of the American people first, even when they fell short. I’d love to think something like that is still possible. I mean, political dramas do still exist on the 2025 TV schedule.

Could we not visit a world where Sam Seaborn was president (assuming he’s been found since Rob Lowe’s “Missing Person” milk cartons went out)? Or, as Richard Schiff supposedly proposed years ago, focus on government outside of the White House, perhaps at the state level, where OG characters could still pop in to consult?

It feels like there are definitely ways to revisit one of the best shows currently streaming on HBO Max, but I also think John Wells has a pretty valid concern. I expect we’ll continue to be teased with such a project for years to come. For now, though, it fans can see two of their favorite senior staffers reunite in a different fictional White House.

Allison Janney plays Vice President Grace Penn on The Diplomat, and Bradley Whitford will join the cast as her husband in Season 3 this fall. Keep your eye out for that 2025 Netflix premiere date, and in the meantime, go ahead and rewatch your favorite episodes of The West Wing on HBO Max.

Nearly 20 years after it aired its final episode, The West Wing remains one of the most rewatchable TV series and inspires near-constant appeals to Aaron Sorkin for new episodes. Over the years, there haas been plenty of commentary and behind-the-scenes stories from the actors who made up Jed Bartlet’s senior staff. However, I can safely say that I wasn’t at all expecting to see Rob Lowe pull out the “Missing Person” milk carton that he apparently distributed to his colleagues when he exited the series.

Rob Lowe was one of the original stars — and easily the biggest name in the main cast — of The American President-inspired series when it premiered in 1999. He starred as deputy communications director Sam Seaborn, a vital cog in the White House machine. After a few seasons, however, behind-the-scenes tension resulted in Lowe leaving The West Wing toward the end of Season 4. Just how bad did things get for the actor? Check out his TikTok:

OK, first off, I’m really curious about what’s happening in this video. Is Rob Lowe having a garage sale? Is his garage just a museum of TV and movie memorabilia from a 40-plus-year career that’s strewn about so that the actor can just happen upon these old gems like the milk carton?

Secondly, we’ve got to talk about this milk carton. This may be hands-down the most petty thing I’ve ever seen in my life, and I’m not mad at it. The audacity Rob Lowe had to not only fashion a milk carton with his headshot but then to send it out to everyone involved in the show is mind-blowing.

He said in the video:

The milk carton then went on to list his height, weight and when he was last seen (Christmas episode, 2002). How’s that for communication from your deputy communications director?

However, I’m not sure it’s completely fair for Rob Lowe to say he was written off the show. It’s not like he vanished with no explanation like Mandy, though I suppose his role was reduced in his final Season 4 episodes.

Reportedly, money was the issue behind his exit, and the actor himself admitted in his book Stories I Only Tell My Friends that tensions rose between him and his castmates when he asked for a raise that producers refused to give him.

Rob Lowe allegedly signed onto The West Wing at $70,000 an episode, with the rest of the main cast making less than half of that. When the show was a success, the other actors’ salaries were reportedly raised to equal Lowe’s, and when he could not secure a bump as well, he allegedly said there was “no longer a place” for Sam Seaborn and left the series.

Regardless of how it all went down 20 years, it’s good that we can all laugh about it now, as Rob Lowe seems pretty tickled by his actions back then.

You can continue to enjoy his days as Sam Seaborn — and all the ones that came after — by streaming The West Wing with an HBO Max subscription. Soon, fans will also be able to see Allison Janney reunite with former co-star Bradley Whitford, who is set to join The Diplomat Season 3 as Janney’s character’s husband. The first two seasons can be streamed with a Netflix subscription.

As President Jed Bartlet’s deputy chief of staff on The West Wing, Josh Lyman was granted access to pretty much any room he wanted, and that includes “the room where it happens.” Even Bradley Whitford, the actor portraying him, had certain privileges when it came to the leader of the free world’s quarters. However, even for those who drink from the keg of glory, there are some spots that are tough to get into. The set of Friends would be one of those.

Bradley Whitford recently looked back on the days of The West Wing (which can be streamed with a Max subscription), where he first worked with The Handsmaid’s Tale star Elisabeth Moss. The cast of The American President-inspired political drama would sometimes travel to Washington, D.C., to shoot on location, and it sounds like portraying one of the White House senior staff members carried a certain cachet. He told EW:

It’s kind of wild to think about security around the White House being lax in any way, but I guess it was safe to assume Bradley Whitford and his castmates had no ill intentions and were too well-known to get away with anything anyway.

The security around the Warner Bros. lot back in Burbank, California, however, made no such assumptions. Bradley Whitford recalled trying to get a script to Friends star Matthew Perry, who appeared on three episodes of The West Wing as lawyer Joe Quincy. With the two NBC shows shooting on the same lot, Whitford thought it would be easy to deliver the scripts to his buddy.

Turns out that wasn’t the case. The Friends set was apparently locked down like Fort Knox, and security not only didn’t care that Bradley Whitford knew Matthew Perry or that he worked there too; they also refused to pass along the script after denying him access to the Chandler Bing portrayer. Whitford said:

Maybe if the actor had come equipped with the finest muffins and bagels in all the land, the security guards might have been more amenable to his needs?

I’m not sure what the norm is regarding security on the sets of popular TV shows, and if people are typically allowed to wander around other sets, but I personally find it good to hear that the security guards took the safety of the Friends cast seriously. As stars of one of the best sitcoms of all time, the six main actors skyrocketed to fame that remains as strong as ever 30 years later.

The same could also be said for The West Wing cast, as the drama also remains one of television’s most rewatchable shows. Fans have maintained hope of a reboot of some sort, and while we still may not know “what’s next” for the Aaron Sorkin universe, we can get excited about another upcoming reunion.

After The Handmaid’s Tale came to end in 2025, thus ending Bradley Whitford’s reunion with Elisabeth Moss, Whitford will now join Allison Janney on The Diplomat (streaming with a Netflix subscription) for Season 3. A first look at The West Wing alums playing husband and wife even had fans making a reference to an old episode, so I guess another rewatch is in order!

If you want to relive either The West Wing or Friends, both series are available in their entirety on Max, and keep an eye on the 2025 TV schedule for The Diplomat Season 3 premiere date.

It’s not too much of a stretch to say that we’ve all been in a position where we put off folding laundry for so long we’re left with a giant mound of clothes, sheets, towels, and orphaned socks. What do you do in that situation? Put on a show that is perfect for background noise, of course!

With some of the best cartoons of all time, one or two of the greatest sitcoms ever made, or random docuseries and educational programs, here’s a list of 32 shows that are perfect for background noise while folding laundry.

Law & Order (1990 - 2010; 2022 - Present)

Law & Order, with its 500-plus episodes, has made the laundry-folding process a little better for decades now thanks to its grisly murders, captivating courtroom sequences, and too many “Jack McCoy” moments to count. This isn’t a knock on the show, but you don’t even really have to pay attention all that much to know what’s going on.

How It's Made (2001 - 2019)

Okay, you might get distracted by the manufacturing processes for things like Crayons, crackers, pillows, bowling balls, and thousands of other items featured on this long-running educational program, but How It’s Made makes for some great background noise. The soothing narration, that catchy music, and endless shots of everyday items being made make this a perfect option.

Home Improvement (1991 - 1999)

Tim “The Tool Man” Taylor (Tim Allen) probably never folded a shirt in his life (at least not properly), but that doesn’t mean Home Improvement is a great option for the laundry-folding machine in all of us. If you’re folding one basket, or two baskets, or trying to save your room from the pile that never goes away, this beloved ‘90s TV show will help you pass the time.

The Simpsons (1989 - Present)

With countless characters we love to hate, all kinds of zany situations, and more than 700 episodes to choose from, The Simpsons is one of those shows you can have on in the background in any situation. So, it’s not all surprising that this is a great option for laundry day.

The West Wing (1999 - 2006)

Considered one of the “peak TV era” shows, The West Wing was a staple of network television in the late ‘90s and early 2000s. That said, it’s not hard to imagine that at least a few people have gone through much of the Bartlet Administration while folding and pressing their laundry.

Friends (1994 - 2004)

When you have an episode with a title like“ The One with the East German Laundry Detergent,” you know Friends is going to be a great show to have on while folding your clothes. The landmark sitcom is pretty much the TV equivalent of a warm blanket, so it makes total sense.

Unsolved Mysteries (1987 - Present)

One of the greatest true crime shows to ever hit the small screen, Unsolved Mysteries has been there for many of us for years. First, the classic episodes hosted by Robert Stack helped us pass the time and eat snacks after school. Now, those very same episodes (as well as the Netflix revival) are there for… laundry. Where all these clothes come from is the real unsolved mystery in households around the country.

Scrubs (2001 - 2010)

Bill Lawrence’s Scrubs is one of the best comedies set in a hospital and one of the best medical shows of all time. That said, it’s also a perfect show to watch while folding laundry. Well, unless you experience one of J.D.’s elaborate daydreams while sorting socks. Maybe that explains where those missing socks have gone.

Cheers (1982 - 1993)

No judging here, but some of us have a certain stack of clothes that are pretty much like Norm from Cheers at this point. You know that the laundry will be there tomorrow like it was there today and yesterday (and the day before that).

Planet Earth (2006)

Planet Earth is one of those shows that’s perfect for just about any task around the house, especially with David Attenborough’s comforting narration perfectly explaining everything on the screen. And who knows, maybe you’ll go through the entire docuseries and its various sequels and spinoffs by the time you finish.

Burn Notice (2007 - 2013)

Aziz Ansari’s cousin Harris loves Burn Notice, but does he love watching the USA Network original show while folding his clothes? We’re kind of afraid to ask. Regardless, this spy series starring Jeffrey Donovan, Gabrielle Anwar, and Bruce Campbell is one of those shows that feels tailor-made for the mindless task of laundry sorting.

Trailer Park Boys (2001 - 2007; 2014 - 2018)

Trailer Park Boys probably isn’t the first show that comes to mind when you’re trying to be productive, but this Canadian comedy series about the residents of Sunnyvale Trailer Park is the very definition of mindless, crude entertainment. Sure, you won’t want the kids around with the show’s profanity, but this would be great for a late-night laundry session.

30 Rock (2006 - 2013)

With seven seasons and nearly 140 episodes to watch, 30 Rock has more than enough laughs and crazy moments to get you through even the biggest of laundry piles. With its cast of characters working on the fictional TGS sketch comedy series, this beloved NBC comedy will do the trick.

Full House (1987 - 1995)

What would Danny Tanner do? Well, he probably wouldn’t let his laundry situation get out of hand, despite having an ever-growing group of roommates. All jokes aside about the Full House patriarch’s obsession with cleanliness and order, this long-running sitcom has gotten millions of people through laundry baskets over the years. Join in on the fun.

It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia (2005 - Present)

Now, there’s a chance you get distracted by all those absurd It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia side characters (or even the main cast), but this FX comedy series is peak-laundry folding material. Just make sure you don’t come up with some ridiculous scheme to hide the clothes or pass the task on to someone else.

The Office (2005 - 2013)

Though the series did “jump the shark” near the end, The Office is still one of the best American sitcoms ever made. With a total of 201 episodes and thousands of hilarious and iconic jokes, there’s more than enough to keep you entertained while you work your way through that basket of socks that’s been taunting you for years.

Pawn Stars (2009 - Present)

With more than 650 episodes, all kinds of remarkable and odd pieces of memorabilia and historical artifacts, Pawn Stars has been one of the most popular shows on the History Channel for years now. And while we would love to be able to say “I know a guy” who can handle all these clothes, Rick Harrison and company at Gold & Silver Pawn Shop will help make the folding process a little more entertaining.

American Pickers (2010 - Present)

Like a lot of other great History Channel shows, American Pickers is one of those series perfect for background noise. You don’t really have to follow along to the finer points of the reality program, which is perfect when you’re about halfway through a load of clothes that you really need to finish.

Seinfeld (1989 - 1998)

Who would have thought that a show about nothing would be perfect for laundry? Well, that’s the case for Seinfeld. Sure, you’re probably going to get distracted, put mismatched socks together, or accidentally merge the “keep” and “give away” stacks on the foot of the bed, but it’s worth it.

Parks And Recreation (2009 - 2015)

Though it’s unlikely that Ron Swanson would be too fond of spending hours folding clothes, Parks and Recreation is a show that is perfect for the task. Sure, you may be stuck in a pit of clothes that were washed weeks ago before you finally pull yourself out, but it’s all about the journey.

Family Guy (1999 - Present)

Family Guy, one of the best-animated series of the 21st century, is also a great show to have on in the background while doing just about anything. This includes doing laundry. Sure, there are things we’d rather be doing than folding clothes, but this long-running Fox show certainly makes the task less mind-numbing.

Gilmore Girls (2000 - 2007)

Lorelai and Rory Gilmore guiding us through the ups and downs of small-town life is a great way to make doing laundry a lot more fun, or at least more melodramatic. With seven seasons, 153 episodes, and so many romances to explore, this is definitely a great option for folks who’ve put on laundry for like two months.

The UnXplained (2019 - Present)

How did this stack of clothes get so big? Is this clean, cleanish, or dirty? Does William Shatner fold his own clothes? These are questions with no answers, but The UnXplained will distract you from those mysteries while you search for that missing sock or No Country for Old Man bootleg t-shirt that disappeared in the wash.

Suits (2011 - 2019)

From 2011 to 2019, few shows reached the heights experienced by Suits. This USA Network drama about the high-stakes world of corporate law introduced viewers to all kinds of characters and intense situations along the way. And while few, if any, of those managing partners and ladder-climbing associates did their own laundry, they can help you do yours.

The X Files (1993 - 2002; 2016 - 2018)

A show that made it more than 10 seasons, The X Files was one of the most well-known and watched series of the ‘90s. If you want to mix things up with the laundry and imagine a world in which aliens and other paranormal creatures appear (and possibly help fold those fitted sheets), this landmark sci-fi show will do the trick.

The Great British Baking Show (2014 - Present)

The Great British Baking Show, or The Great British Bake Off as it’s known in its native United Kingdom, is one of the most delicious, hilarious, and watchable cooking shows to ever grace the small screen. While we typically prefer seeing these delectable creations (or disasters) in all their glory, maybe folding clothes will distract and prevent you from mindlessly eating as you watch.

Modern Family (2009 - 2020)

There’s nothing dysfunctional about the Dunphy and Pritchett families from Modern Family, right? Well, maybe a little. This long-running sitcom is one the best options when you’re trying to fold clothes, or really do anything around the house. You’ll be so fixated by Phil coming up with some scheme, Cameron and Mitchell having a meltdown, or Jay being over it all that you’ll forget you’re doing laundry.

Somebody Feed Phil (2018 - Present)

Somebody Feed Phil, a show that follows Everybody Loves Raymond co-creator Phil Rosenthal as he travels the globe to eat anything and everything in his field of view. With so many seasons, so many culinary explorations, and some hilarious moments involving a man loving food way too much, there’s a lot to enjoy.

House (2004 - 2012)

House is one of those shows you can start watching halfway through an episode and still get a lot of enjoyment out of it. One of the best medical dramas of the 21st century, this show starring Hugh Laurie as Dr. Gregory House will allow you to solve all sorts of medical problems and mysteries as you fold your kids' clothes that never really seem to get clean.

Grey's Anatomy (2005 - Present)

Since its debut in 2005, Grey’s Anatomy has combined elements of the medical drama genre with romance and sometimes action to create an experience like no other. If you’re looking for hundreds of hours of TV to help make the laundry go from a mound of madness to a stack of clothes you’ll soon forget to put away, this is the stuff.

MTV True Life (1998 - 2017)

MTV True Life was a long-running documentary series that chronicled pretty much every aspect of life for teenagers, adults, and everyone else. With dozens of episodes about everything from wrestling to odd obsessions, you’ll have a lot of variety when you’re folding the sheets.

How I Met Your Mother (2005 - 2014)

How I Met Your Mother has nine seasons of romance, bromance, chaos, and more twists and turns than anyone can count. That’s why it’s such a darn good show for the weekly (or monthly) laundry experience. Watch Ted Mosby fall in and out of love and back in it again as you contemplate your own life, or at least laundry decisions.

Recently I wrote about my experience watching the worst episode of The West Wing as part of my current justification of my Max subscription: a binge-watch of the entire series for the first time. I have watched most episodes of the first four seasons, the Aaron Sorkin years, multiple times in the past. However, back when the aforementioned terrible episode first aired, I shouted “fuck that” at the screen and walked away.

Now, for the first time in my life two decades after the show went off the air, I’m watching the final two seasons in their entirety, though I was briefly waylaid after the show disappeared from Max for a few days. I’m actually fairly shocked by how much I wasn’t spoiled on in the years since, but one particular moment I was not prepared for is causing me serious problems as it leads toward the one moment I do know is going to happen.

I’ve Been Mentally Preparing Myself For The Death Of John Spencer

It’s a terrible and depressing irony that I gave up watching The West Wing following Leo McGarry having a heart attack, and the first time I watched the scene I truly believed they were killing him off. I would later learn that Leo hadn’t died, but then sometime later, actor John Spencer would actually have a heart attack and die, all before the popular political drama came to an end.

I knew that Spencer is going to be gone at some point in Season 7. I don’t know exactly how many West Wing episodes will be left when it happens, or how his death will be explained on screen, but I know I’m going to lose one of my favorite characters on the series; arguably the heart of the West Wing cast.

Watching the rest of Season 6, while I wasn’t sure Leo wouldn’t die at any moment, it was also clear to me that even the new writers of the drama had no idea what to do with Leo after they took him out of the position of Chief of Staff. He’s just sort of floating around through most of Season 6. The character himself is clearly looking for something to do and not sure how to spend his time. And then the end of Season 6 happens and everything goes to hell.

I Had No Idea Leo McGarry Would Be The Vice Presidential Nominee

The end of Season 6 focuses on the Democratic convention as the top candidates jockey for position and obtain the nomination. In the end, Jimmy Smitts' Matt Santos comes away as the Democratic nominee. Now he needs to name a running mate, and he does, in Leo McGarry.

This completely blew me away. This feels like the sort of thing I would have learned through cultural osmosis over the last couple of decades, but somehow I did not. It makes me happy for the character, but it upsets me because I know where it’s all going to end up.

Naming Leo as VP makes sense for the character. He’s a well-known, well-respected operative and with Josh Lyman as Santos’ campaign manager, it makes sense that Josh would want to put his surrogate father in that position.

But, now I have to watch Season 7 knowing that at some point, the Democratic nominee for Vice President will die. Will it happen before the election or after? Who will replace Leo once he’s gone? What was the plan for Leo’s story that will have to be abandoned?

I don’t know the answer to these questions yet, but I’m really not looking forward to learning them. If Leo had been killed off on the show in Season 6, or if he hadn’t been an important character in Season 7, then losing him would have still been sad, but it wouldn’t have felt like we lost the proper goodbye to this great character.

The West Wing may have ended nearly two decades ago and well before the 2025 TV schedule, but the former NBC drama is still popular enough today that there was outcry when it disappeared from streaming and the internet was buzzing when news broke that Bradley Whitford would be reuniting with former co-star Allison Janney on The Diplomat. Their characters likely won't have much in common with Josh Lyman and C.J. Cregg, and I don't foresee any fights over secret plans to fight inflation, but a first look at them together for the Netflix show has many West Wing fans thinking the same thing.

In fact, it's one small detail in the first look photos that prompted flashbacks to The West Wing circa December 2000 and the episode that won Bradley Whitford his Emmy for Best Supporting Actor: "Noël." Take a look at the Diplomat pics below:

Not much is known about Whitford's new character for The Diplomat other than that he'll be the First Husband as spouse of President Grace Penn (Allison Janney). In the photos from Season 3 for fans with a Netflix subscription, Bradley Whitford is sporting a bandaged hand. While we'll have to wait until the show returns for that third season for the context on the bandage, is it any wonder that The West Wing fans on social media immediately started flashing back to the episode in which Josh Lyman had a bandaged hand?

That episode was "Noël," the Christmas episode of The West Wing Season 2 that aired back in 2000, but all was not merry and bright for Josh Lyman that holiday season. Over the course of the hour, a psychologist got through to Josh so that he would stop claiming that he'd simply hurt his hand by breaking a glass. No, Josh had an undiagnosed case of PTSD after being shot, and he slammed his hand through a window when he was triggered by Yo-Yo Ma beautifully playing in the White House.

And I think it's an extremely safe bet that Bradley Whitford's character in The Diplomat will be injured for a very different reason, but I also can't blame fans for making the "Noël" connection and really feel like that I need to use my Max subscription and rewatch that West Wing episode for myself. As for what fans were saying on X (formerly known as Twitter) about the Diplomatic/West Wing connection, take a look:

• @Anyaaaaaaaa8: "His hand still hasn't healed from Noel"
• @ainsleyhcyes: "west wing fandom collectively gasped seeing bradley whitford with a bandaged hand acting with allison janney"
• @LemonLymancom: "just seen bradley whitford with his hand bandaged and we all thought of this"
• @multifandomsgal: "Bradley Whitford’s character’s hand being bandaged just gave me flashbacks to noël"
• @sam_loves_fics: "brad with his hand bandaged, likely thing for his characters to need"
• @joshlymoss: "JOSH JOSH HOW DID YOU CUT YOUR HAND"

Whatever the reason for the bandaged hand in The Diplomat, The West Wing fans are flashing back to what happened to Josh Lyman for good reason! Netflix hasn't announced a premiere date for Season 3 at the time of writing, but I wouldn't count on it too early in 2025. Season 2 only released in late October of the 2024 TV schedule. The hit drama also stars The Americans alum Keri Russell and The Man in the High Castle's Rufus Sewell as well as Allison Janney. You can stream the first two seasons on Netflix now.

The so-called "Golden Age" or "Peak TV era" of television is broadly (and roughly) defined as the running from the debut of The Sopranos to the finale of Better Call Saul. This isn't a perfect description, as there are still some really amazing shows that continue part, like, say, Severance, just to name one. But, for this article, we're going to stick to those parameters. Without further ado, here is our list of some of the truly great shows from the Peak Era of television.

Game Of Thrones

We certainly couldn't make this list without the grand dragon on them all, HBO's Game of Thrones. Though the ending made a lot of people mad and you can argue that the show declined greatly in its last couple of seasons, it doesn't diminish the greatest of the show's early years. With some of the most shocking moments in TV history, the show was must-watch TV for all eight seasons.

Atlanta

Creator and star of Atlanta Donald Glover proved yet again that he is a once-in-a-lifetime talent. Over six years and four seasons the show and its star were showered with acclaim and industry awards, including multiple Golden Globes and Emmys. Not only did Glover win an Emmy for acting on the FX series, but he became the first African-American to win Best Director at the Emmys in the show's first season.

The West Wing

There aren't a lot of network TV shows on this list, but one that simply has to be is The West Wing. For seven seasons in the early 2000s, the NBC hit was one of the best shows in network history. Featuring a long list of stars that included Martin Sheen, Rob Lowe, Dulé Hill, Allison Janney, and many other cast members, The West Wing gave us all a look into all that government can be if we want it to be.

Lost

Pardon the pun, but it's fair to say that ABC's Lost lost its way towards the end. A confluence of events, including a writer's strike, left fans more than a little annoyed with the show's final couple of seasons, but those first few years were simply incredible. The show, which debuted in 2004, was one of the first shows that was ever described as "bingable" and with good reasons, the cliffhangers were amazing.

Mad Men

In a lot of ways, AMC's Mad Men kind of came out of nowhere. Set in the 1960s, it was unlike anything on TV at the time and the longer it went on, the better it got, which is rare for any show. It made a star out of Jon Hamm and fascinated viewers each week both with its wonderful storytelling and its look back at one of the most turbulent and interesting decades in American history.

The Office

In an era when sitcoms were evolving and struggling to keep up with their dramatic counterparts, The Office was one of the biggest shows of all time (that's what she said). Steve Carell's performance as the worst boss in the world became one of the most quotable and memed shows ever. It's true the NBC show did suffer some when Carell left after Season 7, the legacy of the show was well-established by then.

Downton Abbey

If you had bet on a period piece set on an opulent estate during Edwardian England would be a massive hit, most of the time, you'd lose. If you placed that bet on Downton Abbey, however, you'd have won big. There are no action sequences, stunts, or special effects. It's simply a wonderfully told story with fantastic characters played by excellent actors.

Better Call Saul

As a spinoff to another Peak TV era show, Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul found its own place in television history. It's a very different show from the show that birthed it, as it's a little more surreal and, frankly, funny. In some people's eyes, the AMC's show's finale in 2022 marks the end of an era.

The Wire

Famously, The Wire was never a monster hit for HBO. Certainly not on the level of The Sopranos, which ran during roughly the same few years. Still, it has maintained a spot at the top or near the top of almost any list of "Best TV Shows in History." The Wire plays out like a 60-hour movie or a great book. The character development is unrivaled and the storytelling is heartbreaking, uplifting, and frustrating (in a good way). There is no doubt that the show will be remembered as one of the best for a long, long time.

Breaking Bad

What can we write about Breaking Bad that hasn't already been written. Widely considered the best (or close to the best) TV show of all time, the Bryan Cranston-led show was wildly popular with both fans and critics alike. It is one of the darkest shows in history, but that never diminished the love for it.

Narcos

Netflix landed itself a massive hit with Narcos in 2015. Wagner Moura, who played the kingpin Pablo Escobar stole the show with his uncanny and incredible performance as the notorious drug lord and Pedro Pascal found a new level of fame as one of the DEA agents trying to bring Escobar down. The show's third season, which shifted away from the Escobar story after the character's death wasn't quite on the level of the first two, but the show was popular enough to launch a spinoff, Narcos: Mexico, which ran for three seasons as well.

The Sopranos

The Sopranos' debut on HBO in January of 1999 marks the unofficial beginning of the Golden Age of Television - or at least the modern Golden Age. The production value, storytelling, and acting on the show were unlike anything anyone had ever seen. the characters were fully formed almost from the moment they first hit the screen and the story that unfolded, about a mafia boss played by the late, great James Gandolfini trying to keep both his crime family and his actual family together was simply unparalleled. Right down to the end and the show's much-talked-about finale.

Grey's Anatomy

As one of the longest-running prime-time shows in history, Grey's Anatomy has run for almost the entire era of "peak TV." Since its debut in 2005 and over more than 20 seasons and 400 episodes, the show has just kept chugging along with a devoted fanbase who stayed with it over the decades and though the endless cast changes can be frustrating, the show is remarkable.

24

One of the very first "bingable" shows would have to be 24. The Kiefer Sutherland-led action show from Fox kept viewers on the edge of their seats for nine seasons, one TV movie (24: Redemption), and a couple of spin-offs. It all made 24 one of the most bankable franchises of the era.

Six Feet Under

The early 2000s were an incredible era for HBO. Along with The Sopranos and The Wire, the network had another one of the best shows of the era with Six Feet Under. The show told the story of the Fisher family and their trials and turbulations running the family business, a funeral home. Mix in some supernatural elements and HBO had a unique hit on their hands.

Modern Family

Network sitcoms that enter the general cultural zeitgeist are few and far between these days. Certainly not like they were in their heyday of the 1970s and '80s. There are still a few that break through though, like Modern Family. For a time, it seemed as those everyone in the country was watching the ups and downs of the most dysfunctional and wonder families in TV history. For 11 seasons, the ABC hit dominated the ratings and is still a hit on streaming years after airing its finale in 2020.

Orange Is the New Black

Orange Is the New Black wasn't the first "prestige TV" show from Netflix, but it's safe to say it solidified Netflix's spot among the biggest players in the industry. For seven seasons over six years, the prison comedy-drama told the semi-autobiographical story of Piper Kerman, whose book of the same name was the basis for the show. Kerman spent a year in prison and many of the stories in the show reflected or told the experiences she had while in jail.

Deadwood

Many of the best Westerns on film came out many decades ago. On TV, there were big hits in the '50s and '60s like Gunsmoke and Bonanza, but the best Western television show of the 21st Century, Deadwood has almost nothing in common with any of those. The show was dark, crass, and unlike anything else on TV. The verbose language and insane moments made must-see TV at the time. Sadly it was never quite as popular as it should have been and that made for some herky-jerky starts-and-stops between seasons, but the show never dipped in quality.

Friday Night Lights

"Clear eyes, full hearts, can't lose," from a speech by Coach Taylor (Kyle Chandler) in Friday Night Lights has become part of the television canon, just as the show has. Based on the movie starring Billy Bob Thornton about the spectacle that is high school football in Texas, the show has outshined its source material in almost every way.

Veep

Julia Louis-Dreyfus is unique. She not only starred in the biggest sitcom of the 1990s, Seinfeld, but she's followed it up with two more hot shows. First in the '00s she won awards for The New Adventures of Old Christine and then in the 2010s had maybe her best performance as the hapless, power-hungry Vice President on HBO's Veep for which she won an incredible seven Emmys in a row.

House Of Cards

In 2013 Netflix loudly announced it was ready to be a player in the Peak Age of TV with House Of Cards, starring Kevin Spacey and Robin Wright. Based on a British show of the same name, the show highlighted the darkest corners of politics and despite the show losing some steam when Kevin Spacey got caught in the middle of a serious legal battle forcing him off the show and effectively ending his career, it still deserves recognition for all six seasons it ran for.

The Walking Dead

Over 11 seasons and 177 episodes, it's fair to say that not every moment on The Walking Dead was peak TV. That doesn't tell the whole story though, because when The Walking Dead was great, it was really great. The AMC zombie show was a ratings monster and cultivated one of the most dedicated fanbases ever, which led to multiple spinoffs that will seemingly run forever.

Boardwalk Empire

When Boardwalk Empire premiered on HBO in 2009, it came with a lot of hype as the mind behind it, Terrence Winter, had been of the key creative minds behind The Sopranos. While Boardwalk Empire never quite reached the lofty heights of The Sopranos, it was still one of the best shows on TV in its time.

Sons Of Anarchy

Like a few other shows on this list, FX's Sons Of Anarchy isn't a perfect show. There were some ill-advised plot decisions, like moving the gang to Ireland for a while, but like those other shows, when SOA was good, it was really, really good. The characters became our own dysfunctional family who we laughed, cried, and died with over the show's seven seasons. A spinoff, Mayans M.C., wasn't as good, but it also found a fanbase and lasted for five seasons.

The Americans

Of all the shows on this list, the one that maybe flew under the radar more than most has to be The Americans. The FX show was just... cool. It was a spy thriller that brought the Cold War back to U.S. television. Set in the '80s and starring Keri Russell and Matthew Rhys, the show ran for six great seasons and never really fell off as so many other shows do.

30 Rock

How do you follow up an incredible run as a star and head writer on SNL? Well, if you're as talented and funny as Tina Fey, you create one of the most beloved sitcoms of the 21st Century with 30 Rock. If nothing else, the show left us with the important bit of advice that you should never go with a hippie to a second location.

Justified

FX's Justified updated the Western for the 21st Century. Based on a book for Elmore Leonard and starring Timothy Olyphant as a 21st-century lawman with with his heart in the 19th Century, Justified was as noir as you'd expect from a story by Leonard and the acting is, across the board, fantastic.

True Detective

One of the darkest shows during the Peak Era of TV had to be True Detective, especially the first season. The unconventional storytelling was brought to life brilliantly by stars Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson and while the show was still great for a couple of more seasons, it really was that first season that stood out and above the others.

Succession

On HBO's Succession, the entire Roy family are all awful people. It's a show entirely made of characters we love to hate. We hated them so much, we couldn't wait to tune in each week to see what awful things they would do and it made the show unique and magical in that way.

Homeland

Showtime's Homeland started with a bang in its first season, or rather, almost ended its first season with a bang that never happened. The spy thriller starring Claire Danes and Damian Lewis was the ultimate nail-biter as no one really knew how the season would end. While the end of that first season was probably the pinnacle of the show, it ended up airing for seven more excellent seasons.

Battlestar Galactica

Interestingly, though there are some exceptions, Sci-Fi wasn't a huge part of the era. One of those exceptions was Battlestar Galactica, a reboot of the old series from the 1970s. The new version was a mystery wrapped in a space adventure and featured some of the craziest twists of any show from the time.

Barry

It's always cool to see an actor known primarily for their comedic talents take on a more serious role and Bill Hader in Barry is a perfect example. Sure, there is some dark comedy in the show of course, but, especially as the show went on, the character played by Hader was as complex as any character we've seen on TV and Hader is amazing.

For decades, countless TV shows have relied on a trope that has come to be known as the "will they, won't they?" phenomenon, in which the story teases the romantic potential of two central characters with great chemistry. The gimmick has worked on many audiences who love tuning in to see if the couple is one step closer to breaking from their platonic dynamic, however, when that moment finally comes, it does not always lead to a happily ever after, especially for the show they were on. We looked at several classic TV sitcoms and hits of other genres, too, and found some prime examples of couples who perhaps should have stayed friends for series' sake.

Rachel And Joey On Friends

The first couple of seasons of Friends largely focused on the potential romance between Ross Gellar (David Schwimmer) and Rachel Green (Jennifer Aniston), which ultimately proved to be one worth rooting for even during their rough patches. However, Rachel and Joey's (Matt LeBlanc) brief attempt to date after developing feelings for one another was so awkward that it was even acknowledged by the characters before they decided to go back to being platonic.

J.D. And Elliot On Scrubs

When J.D. (Zach Braff) and Elliot Reid (Sarah Chalke) first come together on Scrubs, it is one of the most fun and fulfilling plot developments from the medical comedy's early days. However, their rekindling in Season 8 does not have quite the same magic, which might also be a symptom of its less-beloved final years.

Troy And Britta On Community

Following hints that Troy Barnes (Donald Glover) and Britta Perry (Gillian Jacobs) had developed feelings for each other, the study group members' romance was made official in Season 4. Of course, that season, considered the worst season of the show, is also referred to as "The Gas Leak Year" to explain why everyone at Greendale was acting a little off during that time and we consider this awkward and unfunny coupling an essential example of that.

Mulder And Scully On The X-Files

Creator Chris Carter's The X-Files, which follows the unusual investigations of Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson), is considered to be one of the best sci-fi TV shows of all time but another genre you could lump it in with is romance. However, the series was at its best when it only went as far as implying a spark between the FBI agents but was at its weakest any time it went in more explicit directions.

Barney And Robin On How I Met Your Mother

The first season of How I Met Your Mother saw Ted Mosby (Josh Radnor) going back and forth on his feelings for Robin Scherbatsky (Cobie Smulders) before they finally took the leap in a satisfying way or, at least, far more satisfying than Robin's relationship with Barney Stinson (Neil Patrick Harris). The coupling never quite felt right and the fact that most of Season 9 is set at the weekend, which leads to divorce in the finale, makes it feel even more wasted.

Dawson And Joey On Dawson's Creek

The concept of James Van Der Beek's title character from Dawson's Creek having romantic potential with his childhood friend, Joey Potter (Katie Holmes) was already a little too on-the-nose at the time. Their tumultuous "will they, won't they" arc was so irritatingly drawn out and their inevitable coupling proved to lack some significant chemistry, ultimately making it clear that they were not right for each other.

Steve And Laura On Family Matters

You could argue that making Steve Urkel actor Jaleel White the star of the Family Matters cast was the true beginning of the end for the sitcom in terms of overall quality, considering it was originally supposed to be about his neighbors, the Winslows. However, seeing the stereotypical nerd's one-sided crush on Laura (Kellie Shanygne Williams) turn into an actual relationship might be the series' furthest leap over the shark.

Sam And Rebecca On Cheers

Perhaps the quintessential example of an ideal "will they, won't they" relationship is that of Sam Malone (Ted Danson) and Diane Chambers (Shelley Long) from the Cheers cast, whose relationship may have ended by bittersweet means but was fun and satisfying while it lasted. As a result, the bartender's similar "will they, won't they" dynamic and eventual romance with his manager Rebecca Howe (Long's replacement, Kirstie Alley) was not necessarily a detriment to the long-running series but deeply pales in comparison.

Luke And Lorelai On Gilmore Girls

An essential example of a "will they, won't they?" dynamic being far more entertaining than the inevitable romance is Lorelai Gilmore (Lauren Graham) and Luke Danes (Scott Patterson) from the Gilmore Girls cast. Everything about the single mother's relationship with the diner owner, especially their witty banter, was at its peak when they were still strictly friends who occasionally flirted.

Maddie And David On Moonlighting

One of the first couples that comes to mind when the topic of "will they, won't they" arcs with disappointing turnouts is brought up is David Addison (Bruce Willis) and Maddie Hayes (Cybill Shepherd) on the Emmy-winning comedy, Moonlighting. The pair – a sarcastic detective and a former model managing a private investigation firm – drove each other nuts and teased a potential romance for several seasons until they finally gave it a shot but with an underwhelming reception from critics and audiences alike.

Erin And Andy On The Office

If there is one undeniably positive thing we can say about Andy Bernard (Ed Helms) and his relationship with Erin Haynes (Ellie Kemper), it is that the hapless Dunder Mifflin salesperson and flighty receptionist make a much better couple than he and Angela Martin (Angela Kinsey). However, Andy and Angela's tragically one-sided dynamic (particularly due to her secret affection for Dwight) led to jokes and storylines that were far more interesting by comparison.

Damon And Elena On The Vampire Diaries

The CW's hit vampire TV show, The Vampire Diaries, boasted the distinction of having a "will they, won't they" arc that branched off from a different trope: the love triangle between Elena Gilbert (Nina Dobrev) and undead brothers Stefan (Paul Wesley) and Damon Salvatore (Ian Somerhalder). While "Delena" ended up becoming the winning couple, the challenges they faced – from memory-erasing storylines to Dobrev's exit from the cast – made for an exhausting watch until their happy ending in the series finale.

Daenerys And Jon On Game Of Thrones

Most fans of Games of Thrones would agree that the HBO original series started to go downhill once the writers began deviating from the original source material, George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire novels. One such disappointing element of the epic fantasy show was the romance between Jon Snow (Kit Harington) and Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke) – a relationship that saw the fan-favorite characters veering into directions that seemed unnatural for how they were developed.

Nick And Jess On New Girl

Even though they retained a pleasantly platonic relationship early on, anyone who has ever seen a sitcom likely was able to predict that Jessica "Jess" Day (Zooey Deschanel) and Nick Miller (Jake Johnson) from the New Girl cast were destined for romance from the beginning. For how much it was a delight watching the roommates become a couple, most would agree that the show was always at its best when they were still friends.

Booth And Brennan On Bones

Fans of Bones would argue that seeing forensic anthropologist Temperance Brennan (Emily Deschanel) and FBI agent Seeley Booth (David Boreanaz) officially becoming a couple after years of teasing did not ruin the crime procedural by any stretch. However, many viewers were disappointed to see the series immediately jump ahead and show them settled down and with a baby on the way instead of taking the time to show the natural evolution of their relationship.

House And Cuddy On House

Admittedly, it was fun to watch Dr. Gregory House (Hugh Laurie) flirt with Dean of Medicine Dr. Lisa Cuddy (Lisa Edelstein) but no one could have imagined that such as selfish, manipulative, and emotionally unavailable jerk like him could be in a loving relationship with her. Of course, it was these very behaviors that doomed their romance, which ended permanently when Edelstein left the hit medical drama.

Rory And Jess On Gilmore Girls

The romance between Rory Gilmore (Alexis Bledel) and Dean Forester (Jared Padalecki) was a sweet tale of first love that made Gilmore Girls' inaugural run a winning first season. Unfortunately, after Luke's troubled nephew, Jess Mariano (Milo Ventimiglia), moved to Stars Hollow and piqued Rory's interest, it ruined the relationship and, after she and Jess became official, her likability began to wane.

Buffy and Spike On Buffy The Vampire Slayer

Buffy Summers (Sarah Michelle Gellar) and Angel (David Boreanaz) briefly shared a romance that Buffy the Vampire Slayer fans would agree was fun and exciting. In fact, we can think of several reasons why Buffy should have picked Angel over Spike (James Marsters), who was never intended to be a regular character in the first place anyway.

Josh And Donna On The West Wing

There is no denying that among the West Wing cast members, Bradley Whitford's Josh Lyman and his assistant Donna Moss (Janel Moloney) had one of the most irresistible dynamics. However, when their relationship became more than strictly professional, the coupling was largely deemed as coming too late into the political drama to make for a satisfying outcome.

Jane the Virgin

Jane the Virgin was an otherwise sweet and inspiring dramedy who did not know how to handle the blossoming romance at the center of it all. Because of various contrived developments and signs of incompatibility, the title character (played by Gina Rodriguez) and Rafael (Justin Baldoni) are considered one of the weakest TV couples in recent memory.

Max And Helen On New Amsterdam

One of the biggest mistakes that a TV show can make when pairing up a "will they, won't they?" couple is changing the fundamental makeup of each character. That is how many fans felt when Dr. Max Goodwin (former The Blacklist cast member Ryan Eggold) and Dr. Helen Sharpe (Freema Agyeman) struck up a relationship on the NBC medical drama, New Amsterdam.

Clark And Lana On Smallville

Smallville established at the very beginning that Clark Kent (Tom Welling) had a crush on classmate Lana Lang (Kristin Kreuk) and eventually formed a relationship with her that was riddled by an unstable foundation before they split in Season 8. Luckily, soon after, Clark would begin dating his true soulmate, Lois Lane (Erica Durance).

Jackie And Fez On That '70s Show

To be fair, fans and critics would agree that That '70s Show had already been experiencing a steep decline in quality by the time Jackie Burkhart (Mila Kunis) developed a crush on Fez (Wilmer Valderrama) out of the blue in the seventh and final season. However, seeing them finally come together in the finale following years of Jackie rejecting him just felt weird and the creators seemed to agree, based on how they split them up and got Jackie and Kelso (Ashton Kutcher) back together for That '90s Show.

Zack And Kelly On Saved By The Bell

Watching Zack Morris (Mark-Paul Gosselaar) pursue Kelly Kapowki (Tiffani Thiessen) to no avail was always one of the most fun things about Saved by the Bell. Watching the often horribly behaved sitcom kid become a true romantic and win Kelly's heart just felt off-brand and things only became more ridiculous when they got engaged during Saved By the Bell: The College Years.

Coulson And May On Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D.

Fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe have enjoyed shipping characters, but few "will they, won't they?" couples in the franchise were more popular than Phil Coulson (Clark Gregg) and his colleague, Melinda May (Ming-Na Wen). It is just a shame that it took Coulson's imminent death, and with only days left to spare, to inspire them to finally give a relationship a try.

Shawn And Juliet On Psych

Fans of Psych would likely agree that the best relationship on Psych is Shawn Spencer (James Roday Rodriguez) and Burton "Gus" Guster (Dulé Hill). Yet, it might be a hot take to say that Shawn's slowly built-up coupling with Det. Juliet O'Hara (Maggie Lawson) was added to show for a needless element of romance but without taking the time to build the relationship into something genuinely worth rooting for.

Lane And Zack On Gilmore Girls

There are many polarizing romantic storylines on Gilmore Girls but most fans have come to agree that Lane Kim (Keiko Agena) and Zack Van Gerbig (Todd Lowe) have the worst. To be frank, they just feel Lane's former bandmate is a bad influence on her.

Oliver And Felicity On Arrow

While audiences are willing to suspend disbelief for all kinds of reasons when watching a comic book TV show, fans and critics had a hard time believing the relationship between Oliver Queen (Stephen Amell) and Felicity Smoak (Emily Bett Rickards). The wealthy vigilante and his employee-turned-lover were incompatible for an irritating number of reasons.

Pete And Myka On Warehouse 13

What made the coupling of Secret Service agents Pete Lattimer (Eddie McClintock) and Myka Bering (Joanne Kelly) a low point for SyFy's Warehouse 13 was that there was no actual "will they, won't they" buildup. They were clearly and perfectly platonic duo until Pete realizes he is in love with Myka completely out of the blue.

Michael And Holly On The Office

Let's make something clear: seeing Michael Scott (Steve Carell) find a happy relationship with Holly Flax (Amy Ryan) was a grandly heartwarming sight. We're only counting their relationship because it led to Carell's exit from NBC's The Office cast and, with it, the series' creative downfall.

Maeve And Otis On Sex Education

Over the course of four seasons, it seemed like Netflix's Sex Education was building toward a long-awaited happily ever after for Otis Milburn (Asa Butterfield) and Maeve Wiley (Emma Mackey). Unfortunately, the series betrayed its centerpiece couple by introducing a long-distance relationship plot, ultimately ruining them for good.

Lucifer And Chloe On Lucifer

Despite having the actual Devil as its main "hero," Lucifer is a fun, bizarre take on the crime thriller genre. Yet, many fans felt that the show went in an overly dramatic direction when the title character Tom Ellis and Det. Chloe Decker (Lauren German) became a romantic couple.

The West Wing is one of my all-time favorite shows. At this point, I’ll watch basically anything that Aaron Sorkin writes. However, one of the unfortunate things about the fact that Sorkin is mostly focused on making movies these days is that there’s just nothing on TV quite like The West Wing anymore. Although I've been told Netflix’s The Diplomat is certainly close, and now it’s even closer since it’s added a second member of The West Wing cast for Season 3.

I don’t watch The Diplomat, but every time I see something about it I get one more reason to start it. Honestly, considering how often Netflix cancels shows, any project that makes it to Season 2, nevermind 3, is probably worth checking out. Certainly, since the show deals with politics and politicians, it has more than a passing resemblance to The West Wing. I’ve also been a fan of Keri Russell since she was on The Mickey Mouse Club (no, I’m not kidding). Then, when the show added Allison Janney in Season 2 I came awfully close to watching.

However, now I’m out of excuses because Season 3 is bringing Bradley Whitford into the fold.

Bradley Whitford And Allison Janney Together Again Is Going To Be Glorious

Allison Janney joined The Diplomat in Season 2 as the Vice President of the United States, but by the end of the season, she had ascended to the top job. Today, Deadline reports that when Season 3 catches up to the new President, we’ll also be introduced to her spouse, who will be played by fellow West Wing cast alum Bradley Whitford.

Any show starring Allison Janey and Bradley Whitford is going to have my attention, but a series that casts them as a married couple is going to demand my attention. Their West Wing characters Press Secretary C.J. Cregg and Deputy Chief of Staff Josh Lyman never had any romance, but their chemistry was off the charts. So, I'm thrilled they're playing a couple on The Diplomat, and this indicates that most of Whitford’s scenes will likely be with Janney, as they should be.

Whitford’s role is recurring, meaning he likely won’t be a major player in whatever the plotline of the season is, but he’ll also be around for more than just a brief cameo.

Guess I’m Going To Start Watching The Diplomat Before Season 3 Arrives

The Diplomat Season 3 renewal was announced back in November, but the show had already been filming for its new season. While no release date for the next season has been placed on Netflix's 2025 schedule, there were 16 months between Seasons 1 and 2, which would put Season 3 somewhere in the first quarter of 2026 if that gap is maintained.

I guess I’m running out of excuses not to watch The Diplomat. While I will continue to light a candle in prayer that Aaron Sorkin’s occasional teases of bringing back The West Wing end up bearing fruit one day, until then, this may be the next best thing.

If you ask me what my favorite TV show of all time is, I will probably answer The West Wing. As someone who studied political science, I’ve always had an interest in government in politics, and Aaron Sorkin’s fairytale, inspired by his movie The American President, about a government of brilliant people trying to do good is just my kind of show. Having said that, I have a confession to make: I’ve never actually seen the whole series.

When I say The West Wing is my favorite TV show, I’m referring exclusively to the first four seasons of the show, the one in which Aaron Sorkin was the writer and showrunner. At the end of the fourth season, Rob Lowe left the show, but more importantly, Aaron Sorkin stopped writing it. I held on for as long as I could, but ultimately I too left The West Wing, largely because of one episode that infuriated me at the time, and it turns out it still does.

I Stopped Watching The West Wing 20 Years Ago And Never Went Back

Recently, I decided to do a full rewatch of The West Wing. Or in my case, a full rewatch of most of The West Wing, and a first-time watch for the portion of the show I never actually saw.

I watched the first four glorious seasons and reveled in The West Wing cast's incredible chemistry. I loved episodes like “Let Bartlet Be Barlet” and “Game On.” I still watch two of my favorite episodes, “Shibboleth” and “The Indians in the Lobby,” every Thanksgiving, but watching them in context again was quite special.

And then Season 5 began. If you had asked me when I stopped watching the show, I would have said it was at some point during the first non-Sorkin season. It's a slog. The music of Sorkin’s dialogue is clearly out of tune. The romance of the show had been replaced with bog standard serialized drama.

It turns out I watched more of The West Wing the first time around than even I thought. It was when Season 6 began, and started out exactly like Season 5 that I gave up, but it was the second episode of the season that broke it all for me.

The Birnam Wood Is The Worst West Wing Episode

The end of Season 5 of The West Wing and the beginning of Season 6 all deal with the president and his administration attempting the herculean task of achieving peace in the Middle East. It’s a storyline that, considering the literal war happening as I’m watching the episodes, has certainly not aged all that well.

The president hosts a summit at Camp David to try and get the two sides to come to some sort of agreement. He is focused on making it happen, but the rest of his staff is far from sure there will be a success, and Chief of Staff Leo McGarry (John Spencer) is trying to talk the president (Martin Sheen) off the ledge. Season 6, Episode 2, titled “The Birnam Wood” brings the fight to a head.

These two have certainly disagreed before. There have been arguments between the men who have been friends for decades, but there’s an anger between them here that is uncomfortable as a fan who cares about both characters.

Leo offers to resign if the president is no longer interested in his council, and the president, angry at the offer, accepts it. To make matters worse, the episode ends with Leo having a heart attack alone in the woods, with nobody seemingly aware it has happened.

20 years later, I know that Leo doesn’t die, but at the time I certainly wasn't so sure. Even if he did, it was clear the relationship here would never be the same again. Character dynamics changing is part of any story, but a story in which these two are not friends was simply not a story I was interested in finishing.

The West Wing Does Get Better

I had always been told the show got better (though never as good as the early years) following the rough Season 5. Still, I had real trouble pressing play on the next episode of The West Wing.

It does get better almost immediately, and while the ramifications of the terrible Season 5 and early Season 6 are still here, and character relationships are a mess, it settles into being a good version of a different sort of show.

There are some great West Wing episodes, certainly more good than bad, even with almost all of Season 5 being so rough. And there's fun to be had in the later seasons. There are a lot of returning characters that appeared early in The West Wing and then disappeared, and seeing them again is like coming home.

As I write this I haven’t quite finished my complete viewing of The West Wing yet. I’ll likely finish Season 6 shortly after writing this, and will then finish up the show in the coming days. But because the show is now better, I’m confident that the place I stopped before is literally the worst episode of the show.

The fictionalized White House of Aaron Sorkin’s The West Wing has long been a place of respite for TV fans. In a political climate that seems to be increasingly turbulent, this series — one of the best shows streaming on Max — has brought comfort with Sorkin’s quick, funny dialogue and its senior staffers who just want to do what’s best for the American people. However, when the 2025 TV schedule kicked off on January 1, Max subscription holders panicked when they realized The West Wing had been quietly removed. Days after its mysterious disappearance, President Bartlet is back, and the fans’ reactions are priceless.

As for why one of the most rewatchable TV series was taken off of Max, it was allegedly a “cost cutting measure,” after The West Wing maybe wasn’t getting as much of an audience as they would have liked. Either way, as of January 8, all was returned to normal, with the streamer announcing its return with a clip of President Josiah Bartlet proudly and patriotically making his way back to the White House on foot. As relieved as the so-called “Wingnuts” were, you can imagine they had some pretty sassy reactions to the drama, including this callback about how “the Internet people have gone crazy”:

Bradley Whitford’s Josh Lyman was only just learning how intense things can get on the Internet back at the turn of the century, and another clever West Wing fan had an equally relevant comparison — adding to the Lord of the Flies and One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest references in the above clip — that the deputy chief of staff wouldn’t have understood, writing on X (Twitter):

I identify with both fandoms, and I agree.

Another fan posted some strong words of warning for Max from President Bartlet himself, who said:

I wouldn’t want to “tempt the wrath of the whatever from high atop the thing,” but it does seem like The West Wing fans are clearing out of the Situation Room and discovering that they are, in fact, OK after going the first eight days of 2025 without Josh, CJ, Toby and the rest. As one fan put it:

Another captured the all-too-rare smile of Richard Schiff’s Toby to declare herself safe from the temporary removal of The West Wing on Max, posting:

Being reunited with the 1999 HBO drama was like Donna (Janel Moloney) seeing her beloved boss Josh upon his return to the office. It definitely was the nights when we missed you the most:

So where do we stand on the finest muffins and bagels in all the land? Because we’ve got some celebrating to do.

It’s a relief to many that The West Wing has victoriously returned to its streaming home, and while we will hopefully continue to have these six seasons of television at our disposal, there’s always the hope for new content. Aaron Sorkin himself teased some reboot ideas, so as we hit Play on one of the best TV series on one of best streaming services, we’re all wondering, “What’s next?”

Throughout the history of television, there are examples of characters from shows just disappearing. In one episode they are there, and in the next, they are gone without so much as an acknowledgment from the remaining characters. Or sometimes a half-baked reason that doesn't come until years later. It's like they never existed at all. This is our list meant to remember those characters we have lost to the curse of being written out with no explanation.

Chuck Cunningham - Happy Days

Maybe the most famous example of this is Chuck Cunningham (Gavan O'Herlihy), Richie and Joanie's older brother on Happy Days. His disappearance has become so famous it's become known as the "Chuck Cunningham Syndrome." Though he was never a main star, he was still around in the first season until one day he wasn't and he was never even mentioned again. Harsh.

Santiago Herrera - Friday Night Lights

Linebacker Santiago Herrera on Friday Night Lights was a pretty major character in the second season of the show. Despite seemingly being a leader on the team with Coach Taylor working with him a lot, Santiago vanished from the team after Season 2 and was never even mentioned again.

Monica Dawson - Heroes

On Heroes, Monica Dawson had a unique power that allowed her to imitate anyone around her's power. That would be one of the most useful powers anyone on the show had (save for Sylar). Dawson, played by Dana Davis, is a main character in Season 2 and then is dropped from the show and is never ever mentioned again, without a real explanation.

Mutt Schitt - Schitt's Creek

Mutt Schitt, played by Tim Rozon is the very good-looking son of Mayor Roland Schitt (Chris Elliot). He plays a big supporting role in the first two seasons of Schitt's Creek, especially as one of Alexis' potential love interests. He was seen less and less as the show went on until only being spotted once in Season 3 and one final time in Season 4 before never being sighted or mentioned again

Celia Hodes - Weeds

For a while, Celia Hodes (Elizabeth Perkins) was a semi-regular reoccurring character on Weeds. She seemed to idolize Nancy and hate her at the same time. Despite being an antagonist for the first four seasons, by Season 5 she's only mentioned occasionally in passing until after Season 6 when the character completely falls off the radar and is never heard from again.

Leah Murphy - Grey's Anatomy

Dr. Leah Murphy, played by Tessa Ferrer, had a fairly brief, but action-packed couple of seasons on Grey's Anatomy during Seasons 9 and 10. She was fired at one point, but earned her job back the character seemed like she might make it for the long, but it wasn't to be and after one brief appearance in Season 13, she completely disappeared from the show.

Tiger - The Brady Bunch

When The Brady Bunch first hit the airwaves, it was just the six kids that made up the blended family, there was also the boys' pet dog Tiger. Tiger often made a mess of things, including Mike and Carol's wedding, but he was beloved. Until he wasn't. Tragically, the dog who played Tiger was hit by a car and killed, and rather than replace him, the producers just wrote the poor mutt right out of the show, though his doghouse remained in the backyard for years later.

Mr. Turner - Boy Meets World

For a while there, it seemed like Mr. Turner (Anthony Tyler Quinn) might be a very important teacher on Boy Meets World as he mentored Shawn and even took him in for a time. He was a regular character for three seasons before he dropped off the face of the earth after Season 4. He was mentioned briefly in the series finale, but fans never really got any closure from his sudden departure from the cast.

Judy - Family Matters

One of the most notorious examples of a character simply vanishing was the youngest Winslow child on Family Matters, Judy, played by Jaimee Foxworth. After Season 4, she was completely gone from the show as though she'd never existed. For shame Carl! Ignoring one of your daughters!

John Bennett - Orange Is The New Black

John Bennett was a key character during the first three seasons of Orange Is The New Black, and even had an affair with one of the inmates (Daya) and got her pregnant. Despite this, by the end of Season 3, he had quit his job and was never really even mentioned again. Fan theories abound, but ultimately it was the real world interfering as actor Matt McGorry simply quit the show.

Mandy Hampton - The West Wing

Right up there with Chuck Cunningham in notoriety is Mandy Hampton (Moira Kelly) in The West Wing. A full cast member and one of the stars in the show's first season, she completely disappeared and was never even mentioned again from the beginning of Season 2 on. Like the "Chuck Cunningham Syndrome," her disappearance has become shorthand for this kind of thing happening with fans calling it "Going to Mandyville."

Ser Ilyn Payne - Game Of Thrones

Ser Ilyn Payne, played by the late Wilko Johnson, was one of the scariest characters in Game of Thrones. He was King Joffery's executioner and despite playing a larger role in the books, he disappeared from the show after Season 2. Johnson had a major cancer scare and though he didn't end up dying from it, he was given only a few months to live at the time. He wasn't recast out of respect for Johnson. He is mentioned later once by Tywin Lannister in Season 6, but he's never seen again on screen, nor is his absence ever explained.

Tina Pinciotti - That '70s Show

Donna Pinciotti (Laura Prepon) was referred to as an only child for most of The '70s Show. This, however, is an example of confusing retconning for many hardcore fans. In Season 1 of the show, Donna had a sister, Tina Pinciotti (Amanda Fuller) and she is even seen on screen, not just mentioned. After one more throwaway joke in Season 2, Tina is never even mentioned again and Donna refers to herself as an only child. Did something sinister happen? We'll never know.

Mike - My Three Sons

As the name of the show would imply, on My Three Sons, there were, at least in the beginning, three sons. Mike, Robbie, and Chip were Steve Douglas' sons on the show for the first years. Mike, the oldest, played by Tim Considine, who left the show after Season 5, went to college and is barely ever mentioned again and he's never seen again. He doesn't even show up for weddings. He's just...gone.

Seven - Married... With Children

In Season 7 of Married... With Children, Peg's 12-year-old nephew Seven is introduced. It's a clear attempt at the "Cousin Oliver" effect when a young, precocious kid is randomly introduced to make the show "cuter." For Seven, however, it doesn't last long, as after 12 appearances, the show simply forgets about him, despite a few inside jokes (like appearing on the side of a milk carton).

Brooklyn Nine-Nine

In the pilot episode of Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Detective Daniels is introduced as part of the team in the squad house. He seems like he'll be at least a semi-occurring character, but instead, he's never seen or heard from again.

Ben Geller - Friends

Even fans of Friends can admit that Ross (David Schwimmer) is pretty awful most of the time. Nothing is worse, however, than how he seemingly abandoned his first son, Ben. Ben wasn't a regular on the show, but he did appear multiple times. At least until his daughter, Emma, is born with Rachel. Ben, who was played by Cole Sprouse for a couple of seasons, is never even mentioned again and never meets his half-sister. Harsh, Ross.

Gwen Grandy - The Mindy Project

Gwen Grandy (Anna Camp) is one of Mindy's best friends on The Mindy Project. They talk all the time and Gwen even named Mindy as her newborn's godmother. Then Season 2 happened and Gwen was just gone from Mindy's life without even an explanation. Poof, the best friend is gone forever.

Robin Sylvester - Glee

Did you know Sue Sylvester (Jane Lynch) on Glee had a child? You might vaguely remember that she was pregnant at one point and in Season 3 fans even meet the child. Then the baby is hardly ever mentioned again and never seen on screen. We know that Sue was selfish and mean, but wow.

Tori Scott - Saved By The Bell

Tori Scott, played by actress Leanna Creel in the final season of Saved By The Bell was a very brief, but very serious girlfriend of Zach Morris. Sadly for Tori, after Jessie and Kelly returned to school after leaving for a time, the character was unceremoniously dropped and never mentioned again. It's not even clear if Zach broke up with her or if she fell off a cliff. She was just gone.

Amy Jessup - Fringe

Before she was cast in Suits, Meghan Markle had an all-too-brief role in Fringe. Markle's character Amy Jessup was introduced in Season 2 of the show and seemed to be a new, full member of the team. However, after two episodes, she was gone and no one ever found out why. She's never mentioned again,

Jenny Kelly - Sabrina the Teenage Witch

Sometimes there is off-screen drama that causes a sudden disappearance and that may be the case here with the character Jenny Kelly (Michelle Beaudoin) in Sabrina The Teenage Witch. Jenny was Sabrina's best friend and a major character in Season 2, but she didn't even get the dignity of a proper send-off when she suddenly disappeared from the show, never to even be mentioned again.

Mark Brendanawicz - Parks And Recreation

Mark Brendanawicz, played by Paul Schneider, was a key character in the early days of Parks And Recreation until he was written out completely when the actor left the show and the producers re-tooled and brought in new characters. Brendanawicz was never mentioned again.

Mo-Mo - Nurse Jackie

Mo-Mo (Haaz Sleiman) in the first season of Nurse Jackie provides a lot of much-needed fun and comic relief with his snarky asides to Jackie (Edie Falco). Sadly, it seems the show's producers didn't think the character was really necessary so he was written out after Season 1 without much explanation, despite being such buddies with Jackie. He deserved much better.

Molly Parker - The Facts Of Life

The character of Molly Parker, played by the great Molly Ringwald in the first seasons of The Facts Of Life and a couple of episodes of Diff'rent Strokes, met an unfortunate end when Ringwald was fired from the show in favor of other, older actors. Her leaving wasn't given any kind of explanation until years later when it's briefly mentioned that she left to become an actress. It seems like everything worked out just fine for Molly Ringwald.

Dr. Grace Miller - Scrubs

Dr. Grace Miller on Scrubs, played by Bellamy Young, was introduced with a lot of hype and promotion. She was essentially playing the female version of Dr. Cox and fans immediately hated the character. The backlash was so bad that she was dumped after just a handful of appearances as though she never existed. It's too bad because Young was great in the role.

President John Keeler - 24

24 went through presidents like people with a cold go through Kleenex. One president who lasted a couple of seasons was President John Keeler (Geoff Pierson), but after he was shot down in Air Force One and left incapacitated, his VP, Charles Logan, took over. It's completely unclear if Keeler died or was simply too injured to return as the character is basically never mentioned again.

Nebula Lawrence - Boy Meets World

Boy Meets World had a little bit of a habit of introducing seemingly important characters only to have them fall by the wayside without explaining why. Nebula "Nebby" Lawrence (Krystee Clark) is the perfect example. She was introduced in an episode of Season 1 and as her name implies, she is the sister of Topanga. That was her first and only appearance on the show and for the rest of the show's run Topanga is an only child. Nebby is never heard from again.

Caitlin - Heroes

Caitlin (Katie Carr) on Heroes gets at least a little explanation as to why she disappeared. She is introduced as a love interest for Peter in Season 2 and together they travel to the future, where she gets stuck and seemingly remains there forever, as she's never mentioned again, nor is her ultimate fate.

Frank Cubitoso - The Sopranos

Frank Cubitoso (Frank Pellegrino) was introduced as the head of the New Jersey office of the FBI in the first season of The Sopranos. He plays a recurring and pivotal role in trying to take down Tony and his crew for a while until he pretty much disappears after the murder of Adriana.

Nina Cassady - Law & Order

Characters coming and going from Law & Order was pretty standard fare for the long-running procedural. Most of the time though, they at least get some kind of send-off or at least an explanation. That was not the case for Detective Nina Cassady, played by Milena Govich, who lasted just one season before she was gone without so much as a hint as to what happened to her.

Behrooz Araz - 24

The Araz family were the main villains in Season 4 of 24 and while the fate of Navi and Dina Araz is clear (both are killed), the fate of their son Behrooz is left hanging. He is traded in a prisoner swap for Jack Bauer and the men who take him find the hidden trackers CTU hid on him. But after that, he just disappears and is never heard from again.

Is there a single TV show that, for the entirety of its run, managed to keep its story going without any retcons? For one reason or another, it is common to see a popular series amend or completely disregard a pre-established story or character detail, often leading fans to wonder if they are losing their minds. Don't worry: you're not crazy but merely a victim of some confusing or even just annoying TV retcons like the following.

Cory And Topanga's Origins (Boy Meets World)

The romance between Cory Matthews (Ben Savage) and Topanga Lawrence (Danielle Fishel) could have been the perfect sitcom love story if the classic TGIF comedy could keep the details of their relationship straight. When Fishel first joined the Boy Meets World cast, she was initially introduced as the weird student in Cory's elementary school class but, when she is later reinvented as his love interest, the show tries to play them off as sweethearts since childhood.

Dan Is Alive (Roseanne)

Not only is Season 9 of Roseanne, in which the Conners' lives change when they win the lottery, revealed to be a fantasy in the series finale but we also learn that Dan (John Goodman) was dead the entire time, having suffered a heart attack. This controversial plot twist was ignored in 2018 when the sitcom was revived for a tenth season before it was rebranded as The Conners.

The Fate Of Frasier's Father (Cheers/Frasier)

On one episode of Cheers, Frasier Crane (Kelsey Grammer) tells his friends at the bar that his late father was a research scientist. However, in Frasier's self-titled and equally beloved TV show spin-off, we see Martin Crane (John Mahoney) is alive and well and a retired cop. In an episode where Ted Danson appears as Sam Malone, the show tries to explain that Frasier's dad was "dead to him" at the time after a bitter argument.

Sara Was Not Dead After All (Prison Break)

In the third season of Prison Break, Michael (Wentworth Miller) learns that Sara (Sarah Wayne Callies) was kidnapped and beheaded, only to see her come back in Season 4, which reveals it was never actually her head. In reality, the reason for the character's demise was due to a dispute involving Callies' contract but, when she was able to work out a deal to return to the series, her earlier death was rewritten as a head fake.

Jimmy Olsen Was Not Who We Thought He Was (Smallville)

In its sixth season, the acclaimed DC TV show Smallville introduced the iconic character of photographer Jimmy Olsen (Aaron Ashmore), only to kill him off three years later. It is at his funeral that we learn that his real name is Henry James Olsen and that the real Jimmy Olsen was his never-before-seen little brother the whole time.

Kramer Was Originally Named Kessler (Seinfeld)

In the pilot episode of Seinfeld, Jerry (Jerry Seinfeld) calls his next-door neighbor by the name Kessler but, from the next episode on, Michael Richards' character is referred to as Kramer, after Larry David's real-life friend on whom the role is based. The series tries to explain this in Season 9's "The Betrayal" with a flashback to the characters' first meeting when Kramer tells Jerry that the name on his buzzer is incorrect.

Bobby's Death Was All A Dream (Dallas)

When Patrick Duffy decided to quit the CBS primetime soap opera, Dallas, his character, Bobby Ewing, was written off the show in Season 8 when he was run over by his sister-in-law, Katherine Wentworth (Morgan Brittany), and was buried after succumbing to his injuries in the Season 9 premiere. However, after the writers urged the actor to come back to the cast, the Season 10 opener revealed everything that happened in the previous season was imagined by his wife, Pamela Barnes Ewing (Victoria Principal), in her sleep.

Gossip Girl's True Identity Does Not Make Sense (Gossip Girl)

As revealed in the series finale of Gossip Girl, Dan Humphrey (Penn Badgley) was the mysterious blogger the entire time but, if that's true, why does he act surprised by several posts about him, his friends, and his relatives in earlier episodes? Furthermore, Gossip Girl publicizes the fact that Dan and his girlfriend, Serena van der Woodsen (Blake Lively), share a half-sibling, which he adamantly wants kept secret. So, why on Earth would he make that public, even anonymously?

What Ever Happened To Judy Winslow (Family Matters)

YouTuber Vee Infuso debunked an urban legend believing that the youngest Winslow child, Judy, once walked up the stairs in a Season 4 episode never to be seen again. While Jaimee Foxworth's actual final appearance in the Family Matter cast came later that season in "Mama's Wedding," her subsequent absence (due to the writers having nothing interesting to come up with for her) was never explained nor acknowledged for the remainder of the series.

The First Time Chandler Said "I Love You" To Monica (Friends)

In one of the most ridiculous Friends episodes, "The One Where Everyone Finds Out," Chandler (Matthew Perry) is coerced by Phoebe's (Lisa Kudrow) feigned seduction into admitting that he is in love with Monica (Courteney Cox) to everyone's surprise, including her own. However, the otherwise touching moment seems to forget about an earlier Friends Thanksgiving episode, "The One With All The Thanksgivings," in which Chandler lets his feelings for Monica slip when she surprises him with a turkey on her head.

A Time Lord's Maximum Number Of Regenerations Changes (Doctor Who)

Early on in the long-running, classic sci-fi TV show's history, it is established that the title character of Doctor Who, like all Time Lords, can only regenerate a total of 13 times. However, that rule has since been negated as the 13th Doctor actor, Jodie Whitaker, was later replaced by Ncuti Gatwa.

The History Of Superheroes Dates Back Longer Than We Thought (Arrowverse)

After adopting his vigilante alter ego at the beginning of the hit series, Arrow, Oliver Queen (Stephen Amell) is said to have become the first superhero. Yet, later down the road as the Arrowverse franchise would continue to evolve with its multiple spin-offs, it was discovered that superhero teams have existed as early as World War II.

Kimmy Gibbler's Sibling Count (Full House/Fuller House)

When Kimmy Gibbler is first mentioned in the 1987 pilot for Full House, D.J. Tanner (Candace Cameron Bure) says she has three sisters but the character (played by Andrea Barber) says in Season 3 that her parents stopped having kids after her. This could imply she is merely the youngest in her family but she was also known to mention having an unseen older brother named Garth. Furthermore, in Netflix's revival, Fuller House, we are introduced to her younger brother, Jimmy (Adam Hagenbuch).

Dean Loses His Urban Philosophy (Gilmore Girls)

When Jared Padalecki first joined the Gilmore Girls cast as Dean, the character was introduced as a Chicago native who had moved to Stars Hollow fairly recently and loves obscure books and movies. However, when New York transplant and obscure book and movie lover Jess (Milo Ventimiglia) is brought into the mix, Dean is suddenly reinvented as a more rural individual who has lost his cultural interests and thinks of Stars Hollow as his true home after living "most of his life" there.

The Disappearance Of Donna's Sister (That '70s Show)

We are willing to bet that, even if you considered yourself a huge That '70s Show fan, you had absolutely no recollection that Donna (Laura Prepon) had a sister. Tina Pinciotti (Amanda Fuller) makes one appearance in Season 1 and is subsequently mentioned only once more in a throwaway joke from Season 2's "Vanstock" but, from that point on, Donna is referred to as an only child.

Daenerys Goes Bad (Game Of Thrones)

Here is an example of something that is not so much a retcon but a deeply confusing and quite maddening TV character evolution that suddenly comes out of nowhere. One of the most heavily criticized aspects of the eighth and final season of Game of Thrones sees the normally level-headed and fair Daenerys (Emilia Clarke) become a coldhearted tyrant who commits unimaginably brutal crimes without a second's hesitation.

Are Jason And Cheryl Really Twins? (Riverdale)

There are a number of notable inconsistencies regarding the characters in the Riverdale cast, but one of the more glaring involves Cheryl Blossom (Madelaine Petsch) and her brother, Jason (Trevor Stines). While initially established as fraternal twins, later episodes of the Archie Comics-inspired dramedy imply that they are in two different grade levels at school.

Who Made Spike A Vampire? (Buffy The Vampire Slayer)

A lot of Buffy the Vampire Slayer fans like to count the sudden appearance of Buffy's never-before-seen younger sister Dawn (Michelle Trachtenberg) as a retcon. However, the sentient form of power's inclusion is explained by fake memories implanted into the characters' minds after she is sent to Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) to protect, so we are not counting that. Instead, we will mention how Spike (James Marsters) refers to Angel (David Boreanaz) as the vampire who turned him until it is later revealed that Drusilla is his true sire.

Why Sheldon Knocks Multiple Times (The Big Bang Theory)

One of the most iconic running gags on The Big Bang Theory is Sheldon Cooper's (Jim Parsons) compulsion to knock on people's doors three times, which was only first introduced in Season 2. However, in Season 10, he explains that he formed the habit after accidentally walking in on his father having an affair and wants to give people enough time to "get their pants on" with his courteous and incessant signal.

When Claire Gets Her Powers (Heroes)

In the first season of Heroes, it is established that Claire Bennet (Hayden Panettiere) developed her rapid healing ability later in life when she hit puberty. However, in a later episode when she meets her birth mother, it is revealed that she was indestructible even when she was an infant.

The Rules Of Being A Vessel Are Inconsistent (Supernatural)

At one point in the 15-season run of Supernatural, it is established that being a vessel for a spiritual entity will result in the host's death once the entity no longer requires their physical form. However, Sam (Jared Padalecki), Dean (Jensen Ackles), and even the Lucifer-possessed President Jefferson Rooney (David Chisum) end up just fine after their time as a vessel ends.

Tina Admits She Was Faking Her Stutter (Glee)

When Tina (Jenna Ushkowitz) is first introduced in the first season of Glee, she speaks with a stutter that suddenly disappears after she joins the glee club. She eventually reveals she faked it hoping that it would make Artie Abrams (Kevin McHale) like her more.

Randy Suddenly Gains An Uncle (Monk)

Even a detective show as clever as Monk has been known to make a few logical errors from time to time. For instance, Lt. Randy Disher (Jason Gray-Stanford) says at one point that he has two aunts but no uncles but, in the Season 5 episode "Mr. Monk Visits a Farm," he inherits land from a recently deceased family member... his uncle, Harvey (Jack Kehler).

President Barlett's Death Tax Repeal Veto Is A Surprise (The West Wing)

In Season 2 of creator Aaron Sorkin's The West Wing, it is mentioned by political commentator Mark Gottfried (Ted McGinley) that President Josiah Bartlett (Martin Sheen) vetoed a Republican-backed education package. However, in the following season when he vetoes a repeal of the "death tax," it causes an uproar as people claim he had never used the veto before.

Barney Suddenly Knows How To Drive (How I Met Your Mother)

In Season 2 of How I Met Your Mother, we discover that Barney Stinson (Neil Patrick Harris) not only does not know how to drive a car but is absolutely terrified to get behind the wheel. Yet, two seasons later, in one of the best HIMYM episodes, "As Fast as She Can," he makes multiple attempts to get a speeding ticket to prove he can talk his way out of one and is also seen driving plenty of times afterward. Perhaps he could have worked up the courage to finally learn how to drive by then but there is absolutely no mention of it, making his sudden acquirement of this skill a bit sudden.

Fans Still Missed Moriarty (Sherlock)

At the end of Sherlock's third season, a message from the detective's archnemesis, Moriarty (Andrew Scott) suggested the criminal mastermind would play a pivotal role in the following season. Unfortunately, fans would discover that he had no involvement in Season 4, which is less of a retcon and more of an infuriating cop-out.

Walker Blood Is Not A Source Of Infection (The Walking Dead)

Early seasons of The Walking Dead established that getting blood from one of the undead in your eyes or mouth or in a wound would prove fatal, yet later seasons ignore this rule almost completely. This retcon goes further than just the TV series as it is an acknowledged and important detail in the Robert Kirkman-penned comic book series that inspired the AMC hit.

Al Dreamt Peg's Pregnancy (Married…. With Children)

By the end of Married… with Children's first season, half of which saw Peg (Katey Sagal) pregnant, it is revealed to have been all Al's (Ed O'Neill) dream but there is actually a dark truth to this retcon. As the actor explains in her memoir, Grace Notes, Sagal's real-life pregnancy at this time was written into the show but when she suffered a miscarriage, it was decided that the show would not bring another child into the cast.

SpongeBob Knew Sandy As A Child (SpongeBob SquarePants/Kamp Koral: SpongeBob's Under Years)

In the second-ever episode of SpongeBob Squarepants, "Tea at the Treedome," we see the title character (voiced by Tom Kenny) meet Sandy Cheeks (Carolyn Lawrence) for the very first time. However, the prequel spin-off, Kamp Koral: SpongeBob's Under Years, suggests that the sea sponge and the squirrel knew each other when they stayed at the eponymous camp as children.

Peggy's Mom Keeps Changing (King Of The Hill)

The first time King of the Hill introduces Peggy's mother, she is depicted as a suburban homemaker but is later reinvented almost completely as the wife of a bitter old rancher. That is not even counting the fact that, in an episode when Bobby's secret admirer turns out to be his grandmother playing a trick, the elderly woman in question is neither Hank's nor Peggy's mother.

Andy's Father's Name Changes (The Office)

In NBC's The Office, after proposing to Angela (Angela Kinsey), Andy (Ed Helms) refers to his mother and father as Andrew and Ellen Bernard, implying that he is Andy Bernard Jr. However, when we meet his parents in "The Garden Party," the father is identified as Walter Bernard Sr. (Stephen Collins) and Andy explains that he used to be named Walter Jr. before his younger brother (played by Josh Groban) was deemed more worthy of the moniker.

The Rules For Transferring Powers (Mighty Morphin Power Rangers)

In Season 2 of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, when Jason (Austin St. John), Trini (Thuy Trang), and Zack (Walter Emanuel Jones) are forced to leave, the team needs to acquire a special sword to transfer their powers to Rocky (Steve Cardenas), Aisha (Karan Ashley), and Adam (Johnny Yong Bosch). However, in the following season, when Kimberly (Amy Jo Johnson) needed to give her powers to Kat (Catherine Sutherland), she just handed over her power coin.

A "bottle episode" is a term used when a TV show, usually in an attempt to save money on sets, keeps the action all in one place. Some of these episodes justify their singular setting by trapping the characters inside against their will while others incorporate more clever storytelling devices. Let's cover some of the most interesting and entertaining examples of a bottle episode in TV history with the following.

Mad About You - "The Conversation"

Sometimes, raising an infant might have parents feeling trapped in their own home (or even a singular location in their home) which is a topic explored in an episode from the sixth episode of the hit Paul Reiser TV show, Mad About You. Filmed in one single-shot take, "The Conversation" depicts Paul (Reiser) and Jamie Buchman (Helen Hunt) talking while they wait for their infant daughter to cry herself to sleep.

Breaking Bad - "Fly"

Considered by some to be one of the best Breaking Bad episodes and by others to be the worst, "Fly" earns its title from an insect that Walter White (Bryan Cranston) discovers making itself at home in the lab owned by Gus Fring (Giancarlo Esposito). Directed by Rian Johnson, the episode sees him and Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul), determined to save their jobs (and lives), spending an entire night struggling to rid the lab of the "contamination," while having heartfelt and complex discussions regarding the current state of their lives.

Seinfeld - "The Chinese Restaurant"

In an episode of one of the all-time best sitcoms that left some network executives confused from behind the scenes, Jerry (Jerry Seinfeld), George (Jason Alexander), and Elaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfuss) spend 20 minutes waiting to be seated for dinner before heading to the movies. Despite not featuring Michael Richards' Kramer, Season 2's subdued yet witty "The Chinese Restaurant" is one of the best Seinfeld episodes and one that most strongly defines the NBC comedy's schtick as a "show about nothing."

The West Wing - "Isaac And Ishmael"

One of the most powerful bottle episodes in TV history was a standalone from Aaron Sorkin's Emmy-winning political drama called "Isaac and Ishmael," which was broadcast before the official Season 3 premiere as a tribute to the victims of the tragedy on September 11, 2001. Described as a non-canonical play by the West Wing cast in a cold open where the actors directly address the audience, the episode is primarily set in the mess hall of the White House, which has been put on lockdown amid a terrorist attack, forcing some of those inside to investigate the matter and others to discuss it from a philosophical perspective with some visiting students.

Friends - "The One Where No One's Ready"

In Season 3's "The One Where No One's Ready," the Friends cast is hanging out when Ross shows up urging them to prepare to leave for an event. Depicted in real time and taking place almost entirely in Monica's living room, the episode proved popular enough to convince the producers to do at least one bottle episode per season for the remainder of the hit series' run.

The Twilight Zone - "Five Characters In Search Of An Exit"

Some of the most interesting stories told on horror anthology TV shows are bottle episodes but that is not the only reason why "Five Characters in Search of An Exit" is a shoo-in for one of the best Twilight Zone episodes. As the apt title suggests, the Rod Serling-penned Season 3 story, following a group of strangers trapped in a room with no windows or doors and no memory of how they got there, is a wickedly surreal mystery with a killer twist ending.

Brooklyn Nine-Nine - "The Box"

One of the best episodes of Brooklyn Nine-Nine, "The Box," sees Jake Peralta (Andy Samberg) and Captain Holt (Andre Braugher teaming up to see if they can get a dentist suspected of murder to give a confession before they are legally forced to release him from the interrogation room. Sterling K. Brown gives an Emmy-nominated performance in the Season 5 favorite as the stone-cold potential perp who forces Peralta to pull out every trick in the book to break.

Frasier - "My Coffee With Niles"

The Season 1 finale of Frasier (a spin-off show as good as its predecessor, Cheers) served as an homage to the 1981 dramedy, My Dinner with Andre. "My Coffee with Niles" takes place entirely during a cafe conversation between the title character (Kelsey Grammer) and his brother (David Hyde Pierce), during which they discuss happiness and Niles, for the first time, admits his feelings for Daphne (Jane Leeves).

Family Guy - "Brian & Stewie"

For its 150th show, Family Guy aired a bottle episode that stripped away its opening credits, musical score, the typical cutaway gags, and most of the characters. The entire plot of "Brian & Stewie" takes place inside a bank vault where the eponymous dog and baby (both voiced by creator Seth MacFarlane) find themselves accidentally locked inside for more than 24 hours.

Community - "Cooperative Calligraphy"

Likely responsible for teaching a generation of viewers about the concept of a bottle episode, one of the best episodes of Community, "Cooperative Calligraphy," is identified as such by Abed (Danny Pudi) in one of his signature meta moments. The Season 2 favorite sees the study group lock themselves in the study room for an entire night at the request of Annie (Alison Brie) to figure out who among them took her pen.

Parks And Recreation - "Leslie And Ron"

The seventh season of Parks and Recreation saw Leslie Knope (Amy Poehler) and Ron Swanson (Nick Offerman) on non-speaking terms for mysterious reasons until it was addressed and resolved in the season's fourth episode, aptly titled "Leslie and Ron." Locked in a room at the office by Ben (Adam Scott), the former coworkers are forced to talk through their feud, which we learn was caused by a sidelined Ron asking Leslie for a job to be closer to his old friends, only to be stood up.

Archer - "Vision Quest"

One of many examples of a bottle episode in which multiple characters find themselves trapped in an elevator comes from the sixth season of Archer. In "Vision Quest" much of the main cast of the animated spy comedy series get at each other's throats more than usual when they share a lift at ISIS that suddenly breaks down.

Kenan & Kel - "Freezer Burned"

Nickelodeon's Kenan & Kel aired a few episodes that saw the eponymous duo (played by All That cast members Kenan Thompson and Kel Mitchell) stuck in one place. One instance is Season 3's "Freezer Burned" in which Kel accidentally points a restaurant's restroom sign in the wrong direction, causing himself, Kenan, Kenan's family, and many others to become trapped in the freezer.

Grey's Anatomy - "The Room Where It Happens"

While all bottle episodes take place in one setting, not all are necessarily set during just one period of time. For instance, "The Room Where It Happens" from Season 13 of Grey's Anatomy takes place in a single operating room in which multiple characters recall their own memories of the most significant moments they have experienced there.

How I Met Your Mother - "The Limo"

Some TV shows get away with covering more ground than the typical bottle episode allows by keeping most of the action inside a mode of transportation. For instance, "The Limo" follows the How I Met Your Mother cast hopping between multiple New Year's Eve parties in a limousine driven by the recurring character Ranjit (Marshall Manesh), marking the beginning of his transition from taxi driving.

Hey Arnold! - "Das Subway"

Sometimes even a bottle episode set in a mode of transportation still sees the characters stuck in one place, like in the Season 1 Hey Arnold! episode, "Das Subway." Arnold and his friends decide to get home from the movie theater by taking the subway but end up sharing it with a bunch of stir-crazy passengers when it breaks down mid-trip.

Castle - "Cuffed"

Some bottle episodes manage to show scenes from outside the main setting by the use of flashbacks. That is how the Season 4 Castle episode, "Cuffed," explains how Richard Castle (Nathan Fillion) and Kate Beckett (Stana Katic) ended up handcuffed together and trapped in a small room where they struggle to retrace their steps.

Supernatural - "Baby"

Rarely do bottle episodes and road trip episodes crossover but Supernatural achieved it in its eleventh season with "Baby," which is named after Dean Winchester's (Jensen Ackles) beloved Impala. The entire story – following him and Sam (Jared Padalecki) on a demon-hunting journey – is entirely told from inside the car.

Drake & Josh - "Tree House"

In the fourth season of Drake & Josh, the titular pair of stepbrothers (played by Drake Bell and Josh Peck) must reconstruct a neighbor's tree house that they accidentally destroyed. Upon finishing it, they find themselves trapped inside, having forgotten to cut out an exit before putting up the final wall. Their sister, Megan (Miranda Cosgrove), refuses to help them find a way out, and, to make matters worse, two twin sisters are waiting to meet them at the movie theater.

The X-FIles - "How The Ghosts Stole Christmas"

"How the Ghosts Stole Christmas" is a fun holiday episode from the sixth season of one of the all-time best sci-fi TV shows, The X-Files. It sees FBI agents Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) becoming trapped in a house haunted by the spirits of a dead couple (played by TV icons Ed Asner and Lily Tomlin) who want to prove to them how lonely the season can be.

Chicago Fire - "My Lucky Day"

The rescuers fall desperate for a rescue in a Season 9 episode of NBC's Chicago Fire ironically called "My Lucky Day." Firefighters Christopher Herrmann (David Eigenberg) and Joe Cruz (Joe Minoso) become cut off from outside communication when they and two others board a freight elevator that breaks down in the middle of a building fire.

Eureka - "H.O.U.S.E. Rules"

In the first season of the hit SyFy series Eureka, newly appointed sheriff Jack Carter (Colin Ferguson) considers leaving the small town of brilliant people after being blocked from investigating a crime. However, his A.I.-equipped smart house tries to convince him to stay by luring other locals into the home and locking them inside.

Leverage - "The Bottle Job"

The title of the Season 2 episode of Leverage, "The Bottle Job," has a triple meaning – one being that it is a bottle episode. The other meanings refer to Academy Award winner Timothy Hutton's character, Nate, taking up his drinking habit again, as well as the team's task to commit an elaborate con that would take weeks in only 90 minutes.

The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air - "Did The Earth Move For You?"

While there are many examples of bottle episodes used to help two characters mend their issues with one another by trapping them together, the Season 2 premiere of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air sees two characters grow apart as a result. In "Did the Earth Move for You?" the victims are Will Smith (Will Smith) and his new girlfriend, Kathleen (Tisha Campbell), who learn too much about each other after an earthquake leaves them trapped in the Banks' basement.

This Is Us - "The Waiting Room"

Most episodes of This Is Us jump back and forth between different time periods but Season 3's "The Waiting Room" takes place entirely in the modern day without any flashbacks. However, for what it lacks in appearances by Milo Ventimiglia as Jack, it makes up for it by keeping the Pearsons (and the audience) on their toes as they stay in a hospital waiting for the birth of Kate's baby.

MacGyver - "Phoenix Under Siege"

Before Die Hard, there was the Season 2 MacGyver episode, "Phoenix Under Siege," which boasts a few plot similarities. Mac (Richard Dean Anderson) and his grandfather, Harry Jackson (John Anderson), stop by the Phoenix Foundation to look for some tickets to a hockey game only to become trapped inside the building when it is invaded by terrorists.

Scrubs - "My Full Moon"

The Season 8 Scrubs episode, "My Full Moon," is a notable bottle episode as being one of the few times we see Turk (Donald Faison) and Elliot (Sarah Chalke) teaming up. They are left in charge of four interns at Sacred Heart on the night of a full moon, hence the title.

Teen Titans Go! - "Bottle Episode"

Never has a series taken the concept of a bottle episode as literally as the 29th show from the third season of Teen Titans Go! Aptly called "Bottle Episode," it sees the team of young superheroes struggling to figure out an escape when they become trapped in a large glass bottle.

Moonlighting - "Between A Yuk And A Hard Place"

Taking place months after the previous episode when Maddie (Cybill Shepherd) suffers a miscarriage, "Between A Yuk and a Hard Place" sees her and David (Bruce Willis) reunited when they become trapped in an elevator. At the end of the episode, it is revealed that Agnes (Allyce Beasley) and MacGillicudy (Jack Blessing) intentionally caused the elevator to break down, giving the couple a chance to work out their issues.

The Dead Zone - "Cabin Pressure"

In the second season of USA Network's series adaptation of Stephen King's The Dead Zone, Johnny Smith (Anthony Michael Hall) has a psychic vision that the plane he is currently traveling on is bound to crash. The episode is set entirely on a jet and is even depicted in real-time.

Black-ish - "Hope"

Creator Kenya Barris' ABC dramedy Black-ish was never afraid to address tough real-life topics and one of the most powerful examples is Season 2's "Hope." It takes place entirely in the Johnsons' living room as they watch a news report of a police brutality case, which prompts a difficult discussion regarding racial injustice.

That's My Bush! - "Trapped In A Small Environment"

From South Park creator Trey Parker and Matt Stone, Comedy Central's short-lived series That's My Bush poked fun at common sitcom cliches while also offering a humorous inside look at the then-current George W. Bush administration. It once took aim at the "trapped in a small environment" trope in an episode called "Trapped in a Small Environment," in which the president and his neighbor, Larry (John D'Aquino) get stuck in an elevator, giving them an opportunity to work through a feud.

Almost every show that goes for multiple seasons eventually does the thing fans dread the most: the jump the shark. Not every show jumps the shark, but it's usually inevitable for long-running shows.

Jumping the shark can mean a few different things. Sometimes, it's the creative pinnacle of the show and everything that comes after feels like coasting. Sometimes it's a moment so absurd, that there is simply no way for the show to ever recover from it. Here is our list of some of the best shows and the moment they jumped the shark.

The Principal And The Pauper - The Simpsons

When a show has been on the air as long as The Simpsons, it wouldn't be surprising to see fans arguing over when it actually jumped the shark. However, for The Simpsons, it's usually agreed upon that "The Principal And The Pauper" is the moment all was lost. Fans hate it, cast members hate it... it's just... hated. It's hated for ruining the canon of the show and creating a fake Skinner.

Cousin Oliver Joins The Bradys - The Brady Bunch

Another way people sometimes refer to the jump-the-shark moment is by calling it the "Cousin Oliver" moment. That's when a new, younger, and cuter cast member is added to a family sitcom when the original kids get too old. It's easy to point to the Cousin Oliver moment on The Brady Bunch since it's the genesis of the term.

The Connors Win The Lottery - Roseanne

The charm of the Connors on Roseanne is their working-class family dynamics. It was something that was rarely seen on TV in those days and it made the "real" to fans of the show. Then they won the lottery and all of a sudden everything that made them real was gone. Womp womp.

Joey And Rachel - Friends

Friends really started getting ridiculous when Rachel and Joy started hooking up behind Ross' back. Two couples within the group of six was enough, no one needed a third. Luckily it didn't last long and the show recovered a little from it, but it was definitely the beginning of the end.

Matthew Crawley's Death - Downton Abbey

One of the things that made Downton Abbey so interesting in the beginning was the dynamic between the established family at Downton with the heir they never knew in Matthew Crawley. When things were finally getting resolved, Matthew was suddenly killed off in a car crash and we had to start all over again. The show never recovered to its early heights.

Jim And Pam Get Married - The Office

It was the moment everyone was waiting for. Jim and Pam finally got married! We all laughed and cried tears of joy. The problem? Where does The Office from there? Yeah, it seems no one really knew and even though the show soldiered on, it never quite regained the magic it had before that wonderful moment.

Season Nine Was A Dream - Dallas

Not only was the big reveal at the end of Season 9 that Bobby Ewing was alive and the whole season had been a dream the moment that Dallas jumped the shark, it made fans furious. Everyone felt cheated and in a way, they were. It's always a mistake to pretend to kill off a character.

Jefferson D'Arcy Moves In - Married... With Children

Ted McGinley is a great actor with an unfortunate reputation of being one reason shows jump the shark. TV fans point to shows like Magnum PI and The Love Boat as examples, but the most famous example is when he joined the cast as D'Arcy's new husband on Married... With Children. For lack of any better moment, we'll go with this one.

Sam Sells The Bar - Cheers

A show jumping the shark in the first episode of a season is very rare, but that's what Cheers did. Season 5 of Cheers ends with Diane (Shelley Long) leaving Boston, never to return. Season 6 opens with Sam having sold the bar to sail around the world. The show might not have gone off the rails with Diane leaving, but Sam selling the bar ended the golden age of the show.

Zoey Barlett Getting Kidnapped - The West Wing

One of the best cliffhangers in TV history comes at the end of Season 4 of The West Wing when Zoey Bartlett (Elisabeth Moss) is kidnapped. It's a moment that writer Aaron Sorkin set up way back in Season 1. It was the pinnacle of the show and after Sorkin left at the end of the season, the show really struggled to reach its early heights. IT never really did.

Negan Kills Glenn And Abraham - The Walking Dead

Negan is the ultimate baddie in The Walking Dead and once he was introduced and he murdered Glenn and Abraham, there was simply nowhere for the show to go to reach a more emotional peak. That was it. The show continued on, but it never came close to that moment ever again.

McNulty's Serial Killer - The Wire

The Wire didn't jump the shark until its final system, but when McNulty invents the serial killer, suddenly a show famous for being grounded in reality went way off the rails. It's still a point of contention with fans of the show and it always will be. It's not one of McNulty's best moments, that's for sure.

West Beverly Grads Go to College - Beverly Hills, 90210

A show about high school, even a classic like Beverly Hills, 90210 is always going to struggle when the main cast graduate. 90210 did an okay job making the transition and it had more seasons after high school than before, but it was never as good as it was in the first three seasons. Donna Martin Graduates!

Fonzi Jumping The Shark - Happy Days

You knew this one had to be on the list, right? The Fonz jumping the shark while wearing his leather jacket in Happy Days is the origin of the term and one of the most infamous moments in all of TV history.

Not Penny's Boat - Lost

Lost is one of the most controversial shows in history. Fans love it, and those same fans also hate it. Almost no one thinks the show ended well, but everyone agrees that the moment we learn that the boat supposedly coming to save the castaways isn't what they think it is is the creative peak of the show.

Sam Joins The Drummonds - Diff'rent Strokes

In one of the most famous examples of the "Cousin Oliver Effect," Diff'rent Strokes introduced Sam, a new kid living with the Drummonds. The show was simply never the same again.

John Dutton Becomes Governor - Yellowstone

Yellowstone was never a show that was grounded in much reality, but when a sociopath and criminal like John Dutton (Kevin Costner) gets elected governor, it's a bridge too far. Everyone's favorite TV anti-hero was halfway believable as a rich guy fighting off everyone from his land, but the governor? Come on. Making his first speech with a black hat on is a little on the nose, too.

The Cylon Reveal - Battlestar Galactica

Make no mistake, the moment of the Cylon reveal on Battlestar Galactica is an all-time great TV moment. The problem is, the show lost its way a little as so much had been building for that moment.

Spock's Brain - Star Trek (TOS)

There honestly might not be a moment when the original series of Star Trek jumped the shark, but if you have to pick one, it's probably the "Spock's Brain" episode. It's a favorite for some, but it's not without its detractors, who call it the cheesiest episode of the show.

Leaving Westworld - Westworld

This may be the most devastating jump-the-shark moment on this list. Westworld's first season is universally praised. In the end, when the show "leaves" Westworld it goes off the rails and the next two seasons are a disaster. It truly never recovered.

House Destroys Cuddy's House - House

The balance between genius and chaos is what made House a great show. Dr. House (Hugh Laurie) was on the edge. It's when he went over the edge by crashing a car into Dr. Cuddy's house, the show never got back to where it was before, when it was truly great.

The Gang Goes To Ireland - Sons Of Anarchy

Sons Of Anarchy was always a show that was over-the-top and ridiculous. It was part of the Charm of the motorcycle gang from Charming. About halfway through Season 3, a bunch of the gang takes off for Northern Ireland for... some reason. It feels like such a desperate attempt to breathe life into the show when it didn't really need it yet.

Frank Underwood Becomes President - House Of Cards

The best thing about House Of Cards is watching Frank Underwood (Kevin Spacey) and his desperate craving for power. When he finally reaches the pinnacle, the motivation is lost and that is reflected. Spacey's legal problems ultimately spelled the end of the show, for all intents and purposes, but it jumped the shark long before that.

A Different Darren - Bewitched

Replacing a popular actor is difficult, especially if it's in an existing role. Dick York, the original Darren on Bewitched was forced to leave the show because of medical issues, and a new actor, Dick Sergeant stepped in. Sergeant was great in the role, and it's not his fault the show faltered, but it just never regained the steam it had before York got sick.

Laverne and Shirley Move To LA - Laverne & Shirley

There are a ton of TV sitcoms set in Los Angeles, but very few are set in Milwaukee. What made Laverne & Shirley so charming was that midwest vibe it had when the two titular characters worked in a brewery. In Season 6, everyone ups and moves to LA and the show's charm was sucked out of it almost immediately. It stumbled along for another few seasons, but it was never the same.

Topher Grace Leaving - That '70s Show

Some shows can survive the main character leaving, but some just can't. That '70s Show is an example of the latter when Topher Grace, who played Eric Foreman, left the show. Though it was an ensemble cast, Eric was really the core of the whole friend group and they just never found the chemistry the earlier seasons had.

Victorian Sherlock - Sherlock

It was a bold decision by the creators of Sherlock to set an episode in Victorian London, the true time period for Sherlock Holmes. It's a decent episode, but the problem was that what made the show great was that it was a very modern and very contemporary take on the Sherlock Holmes stories. By setting it in the late 19th Century it was more like every other adaption of the Holmes stories, and the show lost some of its charm.

The Elevator Drop - LA Law

Rosalind Shays (Diana Muldaur) on L.A. Law was one of the great TV villains of the 1980s. Still, her ridiculous death by falling down an empty elevator shaft was so silly that it spelled the end of the show. The show wouldn't end for another few seasons, it felt like such a cheap end after she had started a relationship with another character, softening her character.

Leo Joins The Cast - Growing Pains

Usually, the actor in a "Cousin Oliver" moment ends up living in obscurity. That is not what happened with the Growing Pains Cousin Oliver moment when the family invited a homeless kid named Luke Brower to live with them. Bower was played by none other than Leonardo DiCaprio. Wow. Still, it didn't save the show from getting canceled soon after.

Song Beneath the Song - Grey's Anatomy

The 18th episode of Season 7 of Grey's Anatomy was... a musical. There are a lot of ways of looking at the episode, called "Song Beneath the Song." Some love and some loathe it. Either way, it's a classic jump-the-shark moment, even for a show that used music brilliantly.

Even the best shows have their fan-favorite seasons. The seasons that most fans are perfect, or at least close to perfect. It's hard to judge based on reviews and even on Rotten Tomato rankings which one fans think is the creme de la creme of their favorite show, so we looked at Ranker, Rotten Tomatoes, IMDB, and other spots to nail down just which season of these classic shows fans love the most.

The Office - Season 2

Season 2 holds the top spot for The Office. That makes a lot of sense as it's really when the classic sitcom came out from under the shadow of the British show on which it was based and found its own footing. Michael Scott (Steve Carrell) separated himself from David Brent (Ricky Gervais) and the rest is history.

The Sopranos - Season 3

The Sopranos is one of the few shows that most fans agree doesn't really have any bad seasons. Some are better than others, sure, but, especially out of the first four, how do you separate them? Season 3 is as good a choice as any as Junior gets out of prison and begins his power grab against Tony, Tony's mother is at her worst, and it ends with one of the most devastating murders in the show's run.

Atlanta - Season 1

It's no surprise here that the first season of Atlanta sits on top. The show's four-season run is great, but it never quite matched the incredible impact or lofty heights of that first magical season. It won a slew of awards in the first year, something it also never matched again.

Seinfeld - Season 5

"The Puffy Shirt," "The Marine Biologist," "The Dinner Party," and "The Hamptons" are just a few of the stone-cold classic episodes of Seinfeld in Season 5. This is a show where almost any season could be the favorite as there are classic episodes in all of them, even the first. But Season 5 seems to be the one fans love the most.

Cheers - Season 4

As much as hardcore fans of Cheers love Coach (Nicholas Colasanto), it's not surprising to see the first season with Woody (Woody Harrelson) rank at the top. Season 4 is when the show really came into its own and became the ratings monster it would remain for the rest of its run on NBC in the '80s.

The Wire - Season 4

This is one choice that some fans will definitely disagree with. Not because Season 4 of The Wire is bad, because, oh boy, it certainly is great, but because Season 3 is at least as good if not better in the eyes of many fans, with a bunch of the best episodes. Still, the season following the kids in school comes out on top here, as viewers are introduced to a whole new generation of corner boys and future crew members.

The West Wing - Season 2

It's hard to pick just one season out of the first four for The West Wing. What probably puts this one over the edge is the season finale, "Two Cathedrals," which is one of the best episodes of any television show, ever. The whole season is incredibly good, but the ending is magical.

Gilmore Girls - Season 3

Season 3 of Gilmore Girls hits the top spot for the WB favorite likely pushed to the top for moments like the big reveal of Jess' father towards the end of the season and other milestones throughout the season.

The Simpsons - Season 4

This one is sure to spur some debate. The general consensus of fans of The Simpsons is that basically Seasons 2 through 8 or 9 are basically perfect. Still, it's easy to see why Season 4 won out here, with classic episodes like "Marge vs. the Monorail," "Homer the Heretic," "Duffless," "Mr. Plow," "Last Exit to Springfield," and "Whacking Day," which has a number of the best quotes from The Simpsons.

This Is Us - Season 1

It's hard to argue that the first season of This Is Us isn't the best. The first episode ends with an incredible twist and throughout the rest of the season, audiences get, well, emotionally connected, to the characters in a way that few other shows have ever matched. The tears of later seasons would have never happened without that incredible foundation.

Saturday Night Live - Season 15

How do fans choose one season of a show that has been on the air as long as Saturday Night Live? Surely every generation has its own favorite, but Season 15 is as good a choice as any with a powerhouse cast that includes the great Phil Hartman, Dana Carvey, Jan Hooks, and Mike Myers in his first season as a full cast member.

Breaking Bad - Season 5

Yet another show on this list that has multiple amazing seasons that could be in contention here. There have been very few shows that have ended as well as Breaking Bad so it tracks that its final season would come out on top here. Even the Guinness Book of World Records named it the "most acclaimed" series of all time after it ended.

Friends - Season 5

No doubt that hardcore fans of Friends will have something to say here, but most will agree that if Season 5 isn't the best, it's one of the best. The season starts with the aftermath of Ross saying "Rachel," and ends with their drunken wedding in Vegas, all while Monica and Chandler's relationship grows into more than just hooking up.

Game Of Thrones - Season 4

This one was pretty surprising as well, as most might expect Season 3, with The Red Wedding to rank at the top, but maybe the death of Joffrey at The Purple Wedding and the rise of Daenerys as a conquerer is too much to resist. Not to mention the fight between Oberyn and The Mountain. And Tyrion killing Tywin... Okay, yeah it makes sense.

Abbott Elementary - Season 1

Abbott Elementary burst onto the scene as the freshest and best network sitcom in years. It won every award it could after that first season and while it's remained consistently great, it's never matched those early heights when it was all so new and so funny.

It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia - Season 5

Sometimes it feels like It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia has been on since the dawn of time, and it kind of has. There have been many great seasons, dozens of great episodes, and even more legendary scenes and lines. For fans, it reached its zenith in Season 5, but it's not like they've turned away from it in later seasons.

24 - Season 5

The most impressive thing about 24 is how it continued to raise the stakes season after season. Just when it seemed like it couldn't get any better, Season 5 came out and blew everyone away. It cleaned up at the Emmys and it's easy to see why as it was Jack's most exciting adventure, and at times the most devastating, of his brutal career at CTU.

Slow Horses - Season 3

Slow Horses is one of the outliers on this list because the seasons are so short, only six episodes in each, but they pack a ton into those six. Every season of the show has been acclaimed, with most having scores of 100% on Rotten Tomatoes. Still, Season 3 ranks best for fans, with Season 2 right behind it.

Sherlock - Season 2

The first two seasons of Sherlock are two of the best seasons of TV ever, even if they are only three episodes each. Season 2 ended with one of the all-time great cliffhangers - or cliff-fallers as it may be. In the third and final episode, "The Reichenbach Fall," Sherlock takes a dive off a building to outwit Moriarty, and viewers are left wondering about his fate.

Lost - Season 1

Lost is one of the most dissected, discussed, and disagreed over shows in TV history. One thing that almost no one argues over though, is how great the show's first season was. From the moment Jack's eyes open in the first episode to Jack and Locke looking down at the blown-open hatch in the last scene, it's a white-knuckle ride that takes viewers on one of the greatest adventures ever.

Grey's Anatomy - Season 6

Well, of all the seasons of Grey's Anatomy, and there are many, it's easy to understand why Season 6, which ends with a cliffhanger when multiple characters were shot in a mass shooting at the hospital. It was the peak of the show.

Mad Men - Season 4

Season 4 of Mad Men is really the downward descent into booze and bills for Don Draper as he continues to struggle with who he really is. It marked a shift in the decade in which it takes place as the wholesome early sixties start to get darker, just like Don's life. Of course fans are going to love this season most.

Blue Bloods - Season 1

Despite its controversial canceling, Blue Bloods has a ton of hardcore fans. Those fans still love Season 1 the most, which is understandable as it really sets the tone for the show and for the dynamics of the Reagan family and includes all the original members, some of whom left the show years before it ended.

Black Mirror - Season 3

Yet another show on the list that is sure to have people arguing over which season really is best. The consensus seems to be that Season 3, Black Mirror's first on Netflix is the best, though that may just be because of exposure. To be sure though, it's a great season with some powerful episodes that resonate, as well as some of the more controversial ones among fans.

Downton Abbey - Season 1

Downton Abbey is not a show anyone would have expected to gain such a large and loyal following, given that it's a period drama set in Edwardian England. But fans it has and passionate they are, especially for the show's excellent first season when we meet the upstairs and the downstairs parts of the Crawley family.

House - Season 1

Medical Procedurals often go on and on, but House is a show that only works with its main character so when Hugh Laurie was ready to go, so was the show. There is no question it felt like it was just running through the motions at the end, but in the beginning, there was no other show like it and that's what makes its first Season the fan favorite.

Dexter - Season 4

Season 4 of Dexter was unquestionably the peak of the show. The race to find the Trinity Killer was in full swing and by the end of the devastating season, viewers learned that maybe there was a killer out there more resourceful, more evil, and more cunning than Dexter as it ends with one of the most tragic seasons in TV history.

Luther - Season 1

Idris Elba got everyone's attention as Stringer Bell on The Wire but he proved he was more than a one-hit wonder with Season 1 of Luther. He could play a cop with loose morals as well as he could a criminal and we loved him for it.

True Detective - Season 1

Until the fourth season of True Detective, called True Detective: Night Country, there was no question that Season 1 would be at the top of fan favorites. Even now, with the show back on its feet after a couple of misses, Season 1 still wins, at least for now.

Law & Order - Season 5

Of all the Law & Order seasons, it makes total sense that Season 5 would top the list of favorite seasons. it's when the show cast really coalesced into the characters fans really love. Most notably, Sam Waterston joined as Jack McCoy and Chris Noth took his final bow on the show.

Curb Your Enthusiasm - Season 6

Is there really a "best" season of Curb Your Enthusiasm? There are great, cringy moments in every season but Season 6 comes out on top for fans for one important reason: it introduced Leon (JB Smoove) and the rest of his family to the show and the show began to reach new heights it never would have without them.

Westworld - Season 1

This one really isn't a huge surprise, as many fans really didn't like Seasons 2 or 3 of Westworld, but Seasons 1 and 4 are so good we had to include them. Season 1, especially, is brilliant.

The West Wing was one of the most popular and successful TV dramas when it was on the air in the early 2000s. In an era when it seems every popular series is being remade or rebooted, creator Aaron Sorkin has been asked more than once if a West Wing sequel series could be in the cards. Now, after a recent trip to the actual White House, it sounds like a return trip to the fictional West Wing may be closer than ever. So, in the words of Martin Sheen’s Jed Bartlett, I wonder “What’s next?”

Aaron Sorkin and some cast members from The West Wing were recently at the actual White House as part of a celebration of the 25th anniversary of the series. Variety asked Sorkin if he would ever consider bringing back the show, and he’s upfront about the fact that he would do so if he had ideas for it. It sounds like coming up with ideas hadn’t been something he’d really been spending time on, though that may be changing. Sorkin said...

Apparently, spending the day at the White House has gotten some of Sorkin’s creative juices flowing. He said that being in the building and just walking around caused him to come up with at least a couple of ideas for episodes that the original show never tackled that he now wishes they had done. Sorkin continued…

Sorkin didn't go into detail about his ideas, but that may be a good thing. It could indicate that he wants to keep the ideas secret in case he actually decides to use them, in theory. The odds of a West Wing reboot have always seemed pretty slim, but it’s probably safe to say the possibility is greater now than it has been in the past.

One of the reasons Sorkin says he’s never really considered a West Wing reboot is the show would necessitate a new cast, and he thinks the audience would probably have a hard time accepting a new ensemble. To be sure, the West Wing cast of Martin Sheen, Rob Lowe, Bradley Whitford, Allison Janney and more are absolutely iconic and will forever be known for their West Wing roles.

It's unclear if West Wing owner Warner Bros. has looked into a revival series. Thus far it seems its mostly been fans, and cast members like Richard Schiff who have suggested ideas to bring the show and at least some of the cast back.

Still, Sorkin has revealed some ideas for how to do a West Wing reboot. He’s suggested that Sterling K. Brown could star in such a series, and seeing his work as Leo McGarry from the West Wing special that was produced for Max a few years ago (filling in for the late John Spencer) it seems clear he’d be perfect in such a role.

There are even ideas within the show itself that could help make a reboot happen. Before Rob Lowe left The West Wing it was suggested his character could be President one day. Perhaps that's a way to make a reboot happen while including at least some of the original cast. As a fan I would love to see more, in whatever form it takes.

From the best sitcoms that are perfect for a comfort watch to intense dramas that you rewatch in an effort to dissect a juicy story even more, there’s something incredible about returning to a great show. It’s a pastime many enjoy, however, the choices of what to watch seem endless. With that in mind, here are some of the most rewatchable television shows. 

Parks And Recreation 

If you are like me, you’ve seen the best episodes of Parks and Recreation – like “Flu Season,” for example – so many times you can recite the majority of said episodes from memory. OK, maybe that’s an over-exaggeration, however, it highlights just how good and rewatchable this workplace mockumentary is. Led by Amy Poehler, the Parks and Rec cast was always firing on all cylinders, cracking viewers up with hilarious one-liners, fantastic inside jokes (like Treat Yo’ Self) and a heartfelt story about a dysfunctional parks department. 

The Office

From deeply funny office shenanigans to heartfelt relationships like Pam and Jim’s The Office captured folks’ hearts from 2005 to 2013, and it’s continued to in the years since. To this day, this workplace mockumentary is a favorite among many, and it’s a zeitgeist staple as viewers continue to watch it on repeat, quote it constantly and use iconic memes that have surfaced because of it. As it gets older, it just feels like The Office gets stronger, because not only is it finding new audiences all the time, but it’s also infinitely rewatchable. 

New Girl

While workplace comedies are great, there's nothing quite like simply hanging out with friends, and that’s what New Girl is. Filled with a cast of quirky characters, New Girl follows Jess (Zooey Deschanel) as she moves in with three random guys, and what ensues is a hilarious and lovably chaotic story about found family. It’s because of silly inside jokes and bits, like True American, deeply complex and romantic storylines like Nick and Jess’s and the adorable friendship that’s formed between these roommates that makes this Fox comedy something folks always return to. 

The Good Place

The Good Place is one of those projects that you’ll have a different experience with every time you view it. The first time, you’re simply trying to figure out what in the afterlife is going on, and once you have the epiphany with Kristen Bell’s Eleanor and yell “Holy mother-forking shirtballs” your entire perspective on the show changes. However, it’s not just the plot twists that make this philosophical comedy rewatchable; its cast, led by Bell and Ted Danson, is beyond lovable and hilarious, and The Good Place’s heart is so big, all you’ll want to do is spend more time in this afterlife. 

Brooklyn Nine-Nine

Led by Saturday Night Live legend Andy Samberg, Brooklyn Nine-Nine is a delightful comedy all about a group of detectives working together in New York City. While whodunnits and crimes of the week are involved, what makes this show rewatchable is Brooklyn Nine-Nine’s silly cast of characters who are played by incredible comedic actors like Samberg, Andre Braugher, Stephanie Beatriz, Terry Crews and so many more. 

Gilmore Girls

These days, Gilmore Girls is considered the perfect autumnal comfort show, and many go back to it over and over again because of its cozy vibes. On top of the lovely energy that radiates out of Stars Hallow, the Gilmore Girls cast is also staked with an incredible crew of regulars and a revolving door of iconic recurring characters. Plus, how could you not want to rewatch the love story of Luke and Lorelai, Rory’s messy romantic drama with Dean, Jess and Logan as well as the incredible tale of a mother and daughter that lies at the heart of this beloved show? 

Gossip Girl

You know, sometimes you just need a good drama that will make you want to scream at the TV, and Gossip Girl is just that. The 2000s CW drama was a teen staple back in the day as it followed a group of high schoolers whose lives were always on blast because of the titular gossip site. It was praised and criticized at the time for how scandalous it was, and to this day people come back to Gossip Girl for the relationships, fashion, characters and, of course, the gossip, because as the titular writer says, “you know you love me…”

Arrested Development

Dysfunctional comedy is always fun, however, it’s hard to think of a show that does it better than Arrested Development. Of course, the series is rewatchable for its hilarious storylines and quippy dialogue, however, it’s the incredible ensemble that really makes it, as actors like Jason Bateman, Michael Cera, Will Arnett, Tony Hale, Alia Shawkat and more brought the funny all the time.  

Futurama

While it’s been canceled, renewed and moved networks numerous times, Futurama remains one of the most rewatchable shows, and that’s why these attempted cancellations and moves haven’t sent it to its ultimate end yet. The animated series has been around since 1999, and for over two decades, it has been a fun animated comfort show that many have turned to when they need a good laugh and some fun sci-fi. 

Friends

Whether you tuned in live during the late ‘90s and early ‘00s, caught chunks of episodes on Nick at Night when it was in syndication or streamed all ten seasons on Netflix (back in the day) or Max (now), Friends has been a seminal show for many. Watching the shenanigans of Ross, Rachel, Chandler, Joey, Phoebe and Monica was not only hilarious but relatable. It’s simply a show about six friends living their lives, and I think it's that relatability mixed with an incredibly special cast that has kept people coming back to it for decades. 

Breaking Bad

The story of Walter White almost feels like a legend now. Widely considered one of the best television shows of all time, Breaking Bad tells the story of a down-on-his-luck man who turns into a drug lord. Led by Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul, this series made an unforgettable mark on television history when it was released in 2008, and it’s something worth studying and watching over and over again. 

Bob’s Burgers

Can I apply a few personal anecdotes here? When I was in high school, I had a friend who would watch Bob’s Burgers every night before going to bed. As an adult, I have another friend who just completed another rewatch of the series. So many adore this wonderful animated series about a family who owns a burger joint, and it is so easy to rewatch and fall in love with. So, it rightfully deserves a place on this list. 

Dexter

The world loves an anti-hero, and it doesn’t get much better than Dexter. The series follows a blood splatter expert, played by Michael C. Hall, however, the thing is, he’s also a serial killer. Going on this journey with the titular character, and getting into his mind to figure out why he goes about life in the way he does is fascinating. It’s also one of many reasons why people keep coming back to Dexter. 

Fleabag

If you need a short, sweet and perfect two seasons of television, Fleabag is the show for you. The series was created by and stars Phoebe Waller-Bridge, and it follows her titular character as she goes about life in London while handling grief. On top of that, Season 2 introduces Andrew Scott’s Priest – a.k.a. The Hot Priest, as the internet likes to call him – and the incredible love story between him and Fleabag. 

Scrubs

Bill Lawrence has made a lot of terrific shows, however, Scrubs is his classic. The series, starring Zach Braff, is a fun workplace comedy about a hospital, and its irresistible ensemble and heartfelt friendships are what keep many coming back to it. 

Ted Lasso

Ted Lasso started out as an ad for NBC Sports, and then by some miracle it turned into one of the best comedies in recent memory. The titular coach of AFC Richmond is played by the mastermind behind the show, Jason Sudeikis. And he and his creative team brought together Ted Lasso’s epic cast that made names like Hannah Waddingham, Brett Goldstein and Phil Dunster those of the household variety.

Overall, this show about an American football coach in the UK coaching soccer (I know, I know...it’s actually football) is heartfelt and thoughtful, and it’ll have you smiling from ear to ear from beginning to end. You know what they say, “We’re Richmond ‘til we die!”

The X-Files

What makes a supernatural case of the week show even better? Having David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson lead it as the beloved crime-solving duo of Mulder and Scully. 

Buffy The Vampire Slayer

Vampires, action, romance and high school drama. Honestly, this show has everything. Buffy the Vampire Slayer is a seminal early 2000s teen drama about Sarah Michelle Gellar’s titular vampire slayer, and it was impossible not to fall in love with her and her friends. 

The West Wing

If you are in need of a fast-talking, snappy and fun drama, The West Wing is your show. It follows Martin Sheen’s President Bartlet and his incredible staff who are played by fantastic actors like Bradley Whitford, Allison Janney, Richard Schiff and Rob Lowe. From the mind of Aaron Sorkin, this show all about what it’s like to be the president is a quippy yet thoughtful series about running a country and it’s irresistible and infinitely rewatchable. 

Yellowstone

Between the deep family story at the center of this show and the intense moments in Yellowstone, this modern Western was born to rewatch. It’s filled to the brim with compelling stories about the Dutton family that will have you hitting the next episode button immediately. While the show’s primary conflict has always been the same – they’re always battling to save their ranch – the new threats and long-lasting deep relationships are what make it so great.  

Seinfeld

Seinfeld is famously “a show about nothing,” and that might be the primary reason why it’s so easy to view over and over again. The series, starring Jerry Seinfeld, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Jason Alexander and Michael Richards, works because of these four and their chemistry, and watching them simply live life and make jokes is something so many can do over and over again.

Sherlock

It’s elementary my dear Watson, the Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman-led Sherlock is a fantastic modern adaptation of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s work, and with each viewing new details emerge that make it even better. The series was comprised of 15 episodes across four seasons, and each mystery Sherlock and Watson solved was dense with detail and intrigue.

There’s a reason the story of the great detective keeps getting told, and you’ll understand why when you realize that you can watch Sherlock over and over again. 

Supernatural

I realize 15 seasons – or 327 episodes – is overwhelming, however, it also proves just how beloved Supernatural is. The series about Jared Padalecki’s Sam Winchester and Jensen Ackles’ Dean Winchester is beloved by many, and watching the two of them fight off evil over and over again is something so many fans can do on repeat, as proven by its 15 seasons. 

That ‘70s Show

That ‘70s Show is all about a group of teens growing up in the suburbs of Wisconsin who all gather in a basement to hang out. It’s a simple and relatable concept, and between that and its stellar ensemble, it’s no wonder everyone loves to say “Hello Wisconsin!” more than once. 

Psych

A silly case-of-the-week show about a guy who is pretending to be a psychic is obviously made for comfort viewing, and fans have been doing just that since 2006. 

Avatar: The Last Airbender

No matter what age you are, it’s always a good time to watch Avatar: The Last Airbender. As someone who watched the show for the first time in elementary school, and has seen it many times since, I can attest to this. Seeing Aang master the elements and work to defeat the Fire Lord and his evil plan is a masterful work of animation that is action-packed, deep, silly and heartfelt. 

Its handling of hard themes like prejudice and colonization are poignant and accessible, and its morals about love and acceptance are something everyone needs. So, yeah, this is 100% a show you should see multiple times throughout your life. 

Schitt’s Creek

How can you not want to watch David and Alexis bicker, Johnny aimlessly try to wrangle his family and Moira be Moira over and over again? The beloved comedy from Dan and Eugene Levy about a rich family who loses their money and has to move to a small town is quirky and unique while also fitting right in with the best comedies. Also, how can you not rewatch it simply to try and nail Moira’s ambiguous accent?

Community

Between the silly classes, paintball battles and Troy and Abed’s end credits, Community is a quirky comedy that’s one for the ages. It’s so fun to go back and remember all the silly inside jokes and ridiculous moments that happened at Greendale Community College. 

Cheers

Sometimes, you just want to go where everybody knows your name. Need I say more? No. But I will, because returning to that bar to see Sam, Carla, Cliff, Norm, Frasier, Woody and more is always a wonderful time. 

The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel

This fast-talking period piece about a woman making her way in the world as a stand-up comedian in the 1950s is a wonderful romp. Created by Amy Sherman-Palladino, this series has the quick-witted silliness Gilmore Girls has, and it’s chock full of incredible and high-octane performances from Rachel Brosnahan, Alex Borstein, Tony Shalhoub and more. 

The Simpsons

Talk about an all-time classic. The Simpsons has been around since 1989, and it’s still going strong. The animated comedy is so easy to watch, and the characters – like Homer, Marge, Bart and Lisa – are so iconic that this show is one that fans want to come back to over and over again. 

Grey’s Anatomy

Medical drama, romance, McDreamy; Grey’s Anatomy has it all. Between its heart-pounding medical cases and simultaneously heartwarming and heartwrenching romance, it’s easy to understand why this show has been on for over two decades and why folks keep coming back to see what’s going on at Grey Sloan Memorial. 

What all these shows have in common is they’re all deeply loved by their fans, which is why they keep returning to them time and time again. 

If not absorbing storylines and appealing characters, what is it that keeps us coming back to tune into our favorite TV shows week after week, season after season? It could be the way some episodes end with a shocking final moment right before fading to black, leaving us in eager anticipation to see the mystery revealed or, at least, what comes next. Let’s take a look back at some of television’s most iconic cliffhangers that had the world buzzing.

The Finale (The Sopranos)

One of the most controversial series finales of all time is the final episode of The Sopranos, “Made in America,” which ends with the titular family meeting at a diner where Tony (James Gandolfini) looks up to see who has entered the restaurant right as it cuts to black. This non-ending, so to speak, launched countless fan theories regarding what happens next — such as, did the patron who entered the restaurant kill Tony? — but creator David Chase has never conceded to provide a concrete explanation.

Hank Discovers Walt Is Heisenberg (Breaking Bad)

The jaw-dropping ending to one of the best episodes of Breaking Bad, Season 5’s “Gliding Over All,” sees Hank Schrader (Dean Norris) using Walt (Bryan Cranston) and Skyler’s (Anna Gunn) restroom, where he comes across a copy of Walt Whitman’s Leaves of Grass given to Walt by Heisenberg’s one-time partner, Gale Boetticher (David Costabile). The look on the DEA agent’s face, when he realizes the elusive criminal he had been chasing for so long is his own brother-in-law, is priceless, but it would be another year before viewers could see the hunt really begin.

The Mother Of Dragons (Game Of Thrones)

One of the most memorable moments from Game of Thrones occurs in the first season finale, “Fire and Blood,” in which Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke) emerges from the embers of a burning pyre, accompanied by three infant fire-breathers. This ends the first season of the prestige drama on a captivating note and marks the beginning of the fan-favorite character’s reign as the Mother of Dragons.

Ross Says Rachel's Name At His Wedding (Friends)

The Friends cast endures a few amusing plot twists in the Season 4 finale — such as the start of Monica and Chandler’s romance — but the biggest surprise occurred at the very end during Ross’ (David Schwimmer) nuptials to Emily (Helen Baxendale). When the officiant asks him to repeat, “Take thee, Emily…” he instead says the name of ex-girlfriend, Rachel (Jennifer Aniston), who had initially appeared at the venue last minute wanting to ruin the wedding. This, of course, marks the beginning of the end of his second marriage.

Dale Cooper’s Doppelganger (Twin Peaks)

No cliffhanger from creators David Lynch and Mark Frost’s Twin Peaks perplexed and unsettled audiences like the Season 2 finale, when it is revealed that Special Agent Dale Cooper (Kyle McLachlan) is still lost in The Black Lodge and has been replaced with an evil look-alike. Just as Laura Palmer (Sheryl Lee) foretells the real Cooper in the episode, it would be another 25 before fans got to see the story continue in Showtime’s Twin Peaks revival in 2017.

"Resistance Is Futile" (Star Trek: The Next Generation)

One of the most iconic moments in the Star Trek franchise comes from the Season 3 finale of The Next Generation when the U.S.S. Enterprise-D crew discovers Captain Picard (Patrick Stewart) has been transformed into a Borg named Locutus. Commander Riker (Jonathan Frakes) then orders an attack on the enemy's ship before the scene cuts to a caption reading, "To be continued..."

Who Did Negan Kill? (The Walking Dead)

The Season 6 finale of The Walking Dead introduced the most fearsome villain from Robert Kirkman's comic, Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan), who establishes his dominance by choosing one series regular to kill by use of "Eenie, Meenie, Miney, Moe." Before it fades to black, we see the murder occur from the perspective of the victim, who is revealed to be Abraham (Michael Cudlitz) in the Season 7 premiere, in which Glenn (Steven Yeun) is also fatally bludgeoned by Negan's barbed baseball bat, Lucille.

"We Have To Go Back!" (Lost)

Many believe Season 3's "Through the Looking Glass" is the best episode of Lost, primarily for the way it ends the season. It is revealed that the supposed flashbacks of Jack Shepard (Matthew Fox) off the island were really flash-forwards when he tells Kate (Evangeline Lilly) that they must return to the place they had seemingly escaped at some point.

Dexter Discovers Rita's Body (Dexter)

Many fans agree the best season of Dexter is its fourth, especially for the upsetting way it ends when Michael C. Hall's titular, homicidal anti-hero discovers he did not get rid of his worst enemy, The Trinity Killer (John Lithgow), soon enough. He returns home to find his wife, Rita (Julie Benz), dead in their bathtub and their infant son, Harrison, sitting in a puddle of her blood.

Who Shot J.R.? (Dallas)

When it comes to TV cliffhangers, there is absolutely nothing more iconic than the Season 3 finale of Dallas (one of the top-rated TV shows of its time), which ends with Larry Hagman's double-crossing oil baron, J.R. Ewing, getting shot by an unknown assailant. For the entire summer of 1980, audiences all over the country obsessed over who shot J.R. before it was revealed to be Kristin Shepard (Mary Crosby) in the Season 4 premiere.

The Upside Down Spills Into Hawkins (Stranger Things)

Every season of Stranger Things has ended with a hint at the Hawkins Crew's next adventure, but none has been more epic than Season 4's final moment. The gang realizes that their war against Vecna is far from over as the cold, dusty world of the Upside Down begins to mend with their dimension.

Addison Is Introduced (Grey's Anatomy)

In its first year, one of the most appealing elements of Grey's Anatomy was Meredith (Ellen Pompeo) and Derek's (Patrick Dempsey) blossoming romance, which was derailed by an amusing reveal in the season finale. Meredith discovers that she is McDreamy's mistress when she meets his wife, Addison (Kate Walsh).

Buffy Sacrifices Herself (Buffy The Vampire Slayer)

The title of Buffy the Vampire Slayer's Season 5 finale (and 100th episode overall), "The Gift," refers to the titular hero (Sarah Michelle Gellar) giving her life to save Dawn (Michelle Trachtenberg) and the world by jumping into a portal and stopping a release of demons. The final shot of her tombstone left fans heartbroken until the Season 6 announcement convinced them that they had not seen the last of the Slayer after all.

"Who's Been Hit?" (The West Wing)

The first season of Aaron Sorkin's hit political drama ended with a shocking assassination attempt, leaving viewers in the dark over who from the West Wing cast may have succumbed to the violence. The Season 2 premiere revealed that President Bartlet (Martin Sheen) and Deputy Chief of Staff Josh Lyman (Bradley Whitford) were shot but, thankfully, both survived.

Rachel's Pregnancy Is Revealed (Friends)

The most shocking Friends cliffhangers seem to happen in season-ending wedding episodes, like in "The One with Monica and Chandler's Wedding," during which Pheobe (Lisa Kudrow) assumes the bride (Courteney Cox) is pregnant after finding a pregnancy test in her apartment. However, after Monica assures Chandler (Matthew Perry) that she is not with the child, a final close-up of a visibly concerned Rachel (Jennifer Aniston) hints she is the expectant mother.

Marissa Shoots Trey (The O.C.)

The second season of The O.C. ends with Marissa (Mischa Barton) shooting Trey (Logan Marshall-Green) to prevent him from killing his brother, Ryan (Ben McKenzie), after he confronts him about trying to take advantage of Marissa. The buzzed-about cliffhanger served as the inspiration for a hilarious SNL Digital Short that especially took aim at the scenes use of Imogen Heap's "Hide and Seek."

Jim And Pam’s First Kiss (The Office)

One of the most epic moments in Jim and Pam's relationship timeline on The Office takes place in the Season 2 ender "Casino Night." We would have to wait until Season 3 to learn the aftermath of Jim (John Krasinski) and Pam (Jenna Fisher) sharing a kiss after he reveals his true feelings for her.

Blowing Open The Hatch (Lost)

The mysteries surrounding the island from Lost only got more intriguing by the end of its first season when Locke (Terry O'Quinn), Jack, Kate, and Hurley (Jorge Garcia) finally got the hatch open with a bundle of dynamite. However, Hurley tried to stop the explosion after noticing his unlucky lottery numbers etched on the side of the hatch, suggesting that only more trouble might be brewing underneath.

Sherlock Jumps From A Building (Sherlock)

In the second season finale of the modern reimagining of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's most famous character, Sherlock, Sherlock Holmes' (Benedict Cumberbatch) rivalry with Jim Moriarty (Andrew Scott) comes to a head when the foe takes his own life and the detective seemingly does the same by jumping from the roof where their showdown took place. Of course, as the final shot of the episode confirms, the reports of Sherlock's death are greatly exaggerated, but how he survived the fall is not revealed for another year and and half.

Who Shot Mr. Burns? (The Simpsons)

The Simpsons (one of the all-time greatest animated TV shows) would take aim at Dallas' most iconic cliffhanger when the sixth season finale ended with Mr. Burns (Harry Shearer) getting shot by an unknown assailant. After a summer break, the following episode revealed that Homer and Marge's infant daughter, Maggie, was the culprit, and may have done it intentionally.

The Abrupt Finale (Pushing Daisies)

A cliffhanger that never received a proper resolution was at the Season 2 finale of Pushing Daisies, which sees Ned (Lee Pace) and Chuck (Anna Friel) show up at her aunt's doorstep to reveal she is alive. After ABC canceled the fantasy dramedy after two seasons, showrunner Bryan Fuller was forced to add a brief epilogue to provide some closure to the characters' arc, but it still left fans unsatisfied.

Rory Reveals She Is Pregnant (Gilmore Girls: A Year In The Life)

In 2016, Netflix revived Gilmore Girls for a four-episode limited series event called Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life, which follows the further experiences of Lorelai (Lauren Graham) and her daughter, Rory (Alexis Bledel), over the course of four eventful seasons. The final line of the final episode comes from Rory, confessing to her mother that she is having a baby.

The Death Of Jon Snow (Game Of Thrones)

Out of all the many deaths on Game of Thrones, one of the most shocking and devastating comes at the end of the Season 5 finale when Jon Snow (Kit Harrington) is assassinated by his own men. However, Fans would be delighted to see him resurrected the following season.

Jesse Shoots Gale (Breaking Bad)

One of the most mind-blowing Breaking Bad moments occurs at the end of Season 3 when a doomed Walt (Bryan Cranston) tricks Mike (Jonathan Banks) into letting him call Jesse (Aaron Paul), alerting him to kill Walt's intended replacement, Gale. While the act would save Walt's life, this was the first time the young man had ever killed someone and it would haunt him for a long time.

Helly Tells The Truth (Severance)

The Apple TV+ original TV show Severance takes place at a tech company that surgically separates its employees' personal memories from their memories at the office. In the Season 1 finale, Helly (Britt Lower), after discovering she is the daughter of Lumon's CEO, decides to reveal the miserable truth behind this process at a business gala at the same time Mark (Adam Scott) discovers that his supposed dead wife is the company's wellness counselor, Ms. Casey (Dichen Lachman). Just then, they reverted back to their "innie" form before the episode cuts to black.

Kima Greggs Gets Shot (The Wire)

In the final moment from the 10th episode of The Wire's first season, a bust gone wrong results in Kima Greggs (Sonja Sohn) getting shot. That would have been the end of the character who was meant to have a smaller role had HBO executive Carolyn Strauss not convinced creator David Simon to keep her around longer.

Zoey Gets Kidnapped (The West Wing)

In the penultimate episode of The West Wing's fourth season, it is discovered that First Daughter Zoey Bartlet (Elisabeth Moss) went missing at her graduation party. The season ended with Zoey still missing and President Bartlett stepping aside temporarily. The event echoes a premonition from the first season in which President Bartlet tells his daughter that no crisis would be worse than her kidnapping.

Mulder Vanishes From The Boxcar (The X-Files)

In the Season 2 finale of The X-Files, "Anasazi," Mulder (David Duchovny) finds a box car buried under a quarry full of alien bodies with smallpox vaccine scars, which he discovers right as the roof hatch is closed. When the Smoking Man arrives, he discovers Mulder is somehow gone and then orders for the boxcar to be destroyed, leaving fans wondering if and how the FBI agent managed to get away safely.

Logan's True Intentions Are Revealed (24)

As a series told in real-time, just about every episode of 24 ended with some sort of a cliffhanger, and one of the best comes at the end of the 16th episode of Season 5. A phone call with Christopher Henderson (Peter Weller) reveals that President Charles Logan (Gregory Itzin) was the true orchestrator between the deaths of David Palmer and Michelle Dessler.

Who Shot Agent Cooper? (Twin Peaks)

At the very end of the first season of Twin Peaks, Special Agent Dale Cooper returns to his room at the Great Northern Hotel and, after answering a knock at the door, is shot by an unknown shooter. Thankfully, he survives and it is later revealed that the assailant was Josie Packard (Joan Chen).

Junior Shoots Tony (The Sopranos)

The Season 6 premiere of The Sopranos ends with Tony (James Gandolfini) being shot by his own uncle, Junior (Dominic Chianese), who mistook him for a long-dead mobster who robbed him years earlier. Tony struggles to call 911 but, as soon as he gets ahold of them, he passes out before the screen fades to black.

Miguel’s School Fight Injury (Cobra Kai)

In the Season 2 finale for Cobra Kai, a fight breaks out between several rival high school students from the rival dojos but ends when Miguel (Xolo Maridueña) is kicked by Robby (Tanner Buchanan) over a balcony and lands on a stairway guardrail. It would be revealed later that the injury left him paralyzed but, luckily, only for a few episodes of Season 3.

When it comes to TV shows, character deaths are relatively common, as plenty of shows have axed main or supporting players throughout their runs. Feelings over such casualties can vary, with some eliciting waves of tears and others causing people to celebrate. What we’re going to discuss here are the fictional fatalities that fall into that first category. So break out the tissues as we discuss the notable demises that still break our hearts.

Joyce Summers (Buffy The Vampire Slayer)

To say that Buffy the Vampire Slayer features its fair share of brutal and otherworldly deaths would be an understatement. Yet it’s the natural passing of Buffy’s mom, Joyce Summers, that arguably still hurts fans the most today. The matriarch dies in Season 5 due to a brain aneurysm, and her body is ultimately found by her daughter. Joyce’s death shakes Buffy and her friends to their cores, but it also prompts them to grow up and take a greater step towards adulthood.

Nate Fisher (Six Feet Under)

Mortality is a major theme of Six Feet Under and, while every main character’s demise is chronicled by the end of the show, one that really sticks out is the passing of lead character Nate Fisher. Diagnosed with arteriovenous malformation, Nate dies of a brain hemorrhage in a hospital with his brother, David, by his side. While Nate’s death prompts his family to cope with their grief and ultimately move forward with their lives amid the series’ final episodes, it’s a gut-wrenching development nonetheless.

Glenn Rhee (The Walking Dead)

The Walking Dead’s heartbreaking deaths are all painful in some way or another, but few can hold a candle to the moment Glenn Rhee is killed off. In Season 7, the thoughtful young man dies at the hands of the Saviors’ leader, Negan, who beats him to death with his barbed wire baseball bat, Lucille. Glenn’s death itself is sad, but it’s even more unfortunate considering that he leaves behind his wife, Maggie, and their unborn child.

Prue Halliwell (Charmed)

Drama between Charmed cast members Alyssa Milano and Shannen Doherty is said to be a contributing factor to the death of the latter actress’ character, Prue Halliwell. At the end of Season 3, Prue is murdered by a demon named Shax. In addition to marking the end of the character, this event also serves as a turning point for the remaining Halliwell sisters.

Hank Schrader (Breaking Bad)

Special Agent Hank Schrader is one of the best Breaking Bad characters and arguably has one of the most distressing deaths in the franchise’s history. Following a shootout, Hank is killed by neo-Nazi leader Jack Welker in the acclaimed episode “Ozymandias.” Schraeder’s drug-dealing brother-in-law, Walter White, witnesses the event and is left distraught. The loss of Hank is tremendous, and the only point of comfort is that Walt later avenges him by killing Jack.

Bill McNeal (NewsRadio)

The passing of comedian Phil Hartman in 1998 is what prompted the producers of the hit NBC sitcom NewsRadio to kill off his character, Bill McNeal, ahead of the fifth and final season. It’s explained in the premiere that Bill died (off-screen) from a heart attack, and his co-workers mourn him heavily. The episode is an emotional tribute to the character and the work of the great Hartman.

Dr. Mark Greene (ER)

One of the key storylines from ER Season 8 involves Dr. Mark Greene dealing with a serious brain cancer diagnosis. His health sadly declines as the season goes on and, in the penultimate episode, Greene dies. The situation is truly bittersweet as, before he passes on Greene, he’s able to spend time with his wife, Elizabeth, and daughters, Rachel and Ella.

Ned Stark (Game Of Thrones)

Game of Thrones killed off Eddard “Ned” Stark in truly Shakespearean fashion. Joffrey Baratheon goads Stark into admitting to “treason” in order to save his children’s lives and his own. Stark eventually makes that declaration during a public hearing, though Joffrey orders him to be killed anyway, in what’s truly a devastating turn of events.

Caitlin Todd (NCIS)

Caitlin Todd’s death at the tail end of NCIS Season 2 might be one of the most tragic moments in the history of TV. The character is murdered via a sniper attack by Mossad double-agent Ari Haswari, who later reveals that he only did it to hurt Todd’s colleague, Leroy Jethro Gibbs. Caitlin’s demise is only made worse by the fact that her final words are “Wow, I thought I'd die before I ever heard a complim…”

Mark Sloan (Grey's Anatomy)

Mark Sloan’s death can be attributed to injuries sustained during a plane crash in Grey’s Anatomy’s eighth season finale. Mark is taken off life support in the Season 9 premiere after being in a coma. And that tragic event only adds to the sadness that his co-workers feel after Sloan’s lover, Lexie Grey, succumbed to injuries from the crash in the Season 8 finale.

Adriana La Cerva (The Sopranos)

It’s honestly hard to feel sympathy for a lot of the characters on The Sopranos, but Adriana La Cerva deserves some. La Cerva, who’s aware of fiancée Christopher Moltisanti’s mob dealings, eventually becomes a mole for the feds after being busted for drug possession. After she tells Chris about this and tries to convince him to disappear with her, he tells his uncle, Tony Soprano, who has Adriana killed.

Jonathan Kent (Smallville)

DC Comics fans surely know that there are many continuities in which Clark Kent’s adopted father, Jonathan Kent, dies. However, that doesn’t make seeing him die from a heart attack – while surrounded by Clark and Martha Kent – in the 100th episode of Smallville any easier.

Mrs. Dolores Landingham (The West Wing)

A character as endearing as The West Wing’s Mrs. Dolores Landingham doesn’t deserve to die at all. With that, many would surely agree that she didn’t deserve to be killed by a drunk driver near the end of Season 2. Landingham’s death still marks one of the most shocking moments in TV history.

Charlie Pace (Lost)

Of the various deaths that occurred on Lost, Charlie Pace’s passing still arguably hurts more than others. The fan-favorite character was killed off during the events of the third season’s finale. It’s in that installment that Charlie is doomed to drown after Mikhail Bakunin blows a hole in the underwater Looking Glass Station, though he dies a hero due to the fact that he saves some of his comrades.

Chet Hunter (Boy Meets World)

The father of Shawn and Jack Hunter, Chet died suddenly during Boy Meets World’s sixth season after suffering from two heart attacks. While the patriarch passes on before being able to formally reconcile with Shawn, the two do so when the younger Hunter later encounters his father’s ghost.

Mr. Hooper (Sesame Street)

Many members of Generation X surely remember one of the most emotional moments in Sesame Street’s illustrious history – the death of Will Lee’s Mr. Hooper, which occurred after Lee himself passed on in 1982. The episode that tackles Hooper’s passing is a truly emotional episode that sees the members of the community paying tribute to the late store proprietor. The installment also remains a groundbreaking piece of work for its exploration of death and grief in a children’s show.

Wallace (The Wire)

16-year-old Wallace possesses one of the most heartbreaking storylines ever presented by The Wire. During the first season, the young drug dealer finds himself in a tough spot after he chooses to cooperate with authorities and provide information on the local drug trade. Ahead of a trial, Wallace is found and killed by former associates, and the sight of the teen begging for his life before the trigger is pulled is still affecting.

Mike Ehrmantraut (Breaking Bad)

The wise and stoic Mike Ehrmantraut is murdered by Walter White, following an argument, amid the final season of Breaking Bad. After being shot by Walt, Mike sits by a riverbank, where he finally passes on. Ehrmantraut’s demise is made sadder due to the fact that Walt and his associate, Todd, later dissolve his body using acid.

Tara Maclay (Buffy The Vampire Slayer)

It’s during the sixth season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer that Tara Maclay is sadly killed by a stray bullet to the heart. Tara’s passing ultimately plunges her girlfriend, Willow Rosenberg, into grief and pushes her towards her darker magical impulses. Willow’s rage is intense – but arguably not as explosive as the fan responses to Tara’s passing were at the time.

Henry Blake (MASH)

As humorous as MASH is, it also features some legitimately heartbreaking moments, and the death of Henry Blake at the end of Season 3 is certainly one of them. Blake is set to be discharged from military service and sent home. But, shockingly, it’s revealed at the end of “Abyssinia, Henry” that Blake’s plane has been shot down over the Sea of Japan and there are no survivors. At the time, this was a shock to viewers and to the actors involved in the scene, as it was a last-minute addition.

James Evans (Good Times)

Those who avidly watched sitcoms during the ‘70s can probably remember the night Good Times killed off family patriarch James Evans Sr. James dies off-screen at the start of Season 4, with his family receiving word of his death from a car accident in Mississippi via a telegram. In the years since that development occurred, fans have argued that James’ death marked a serious shift in quality for the Norman Lear-produced show.

Lawrence Kutner (House)

A TV character death that still hits incredibly hard is that of Lawrence Kutner, who is killed off after two seasons of House. Kutner dies by suicide, in what is an absolutely earth-shattering turn of events. What really makes this development so heartbreaking is that the exact reasons for Kutner’s decision to shoot himself are never made clear.

Edith Bunker (Archie Bunker’s Place)

Edith Bunker, one of the most iconic characters in TV history, dies in her sleep from a stroke in between the first and second seasons of All in the Family spinoff Archie Bunker’s Place. The mere notion of such a lovable character like Edith dying is sad enough, but watching her usually. boisterous husband, Archie, come to terms with her passing really tugs at the heartstrings.

Margaery Tyrell (Game Of Thrones)

Like so many Game of Thrones characters before her, Margaery Tyrell meets a brutal end. Tyrell’s death is due to the machinations of Cersei Lannister, who arranges for the Sept by Qyburn to be burned – with Margaery and many more inside of it.

Ben Sullivan (Scrubs)

Ben Sullivan doesn’t appear in many episodes of Scrubs, but he manages to leave a serious impression through his kindness and very mellow demeanor. So it’s understandable why his eventual death from leukemia is so affecting.

Poussey Washington (Orange Is The New Black)

Orange is the New Black sadly kills off Poussey Washington by having her unintentionally die by suffocation at the hands of Baxter Bayley. Her passing has a profound impact on the other residents at Litchfield Penitentiary. And, while her absence is felt as the show progresses, she at least returns via occasional flashbacks.

Anastasia "Dee" Dualla (Battlestar Galactica)

On the list of Battlestar Galactica’s most shocking deaths is that of Anastasia “Dee” Dualla, Dee dies by suicide by shooting herself in the head – a move that’s slightly prompted by her depression over seeing how ravaged Earth (now a nuclear wasteland) is. And, if that’s not sad enough, the final motivating factor in Dee’s suicide is her reconciliation with estranged husband Lee Adoma, which happens moments before she shoots herself. Dee ultimately wants to hold on to one final moment of happiness, so she ends her life.

Fred Andrews (Riverdale)

Beloved Riverdale character Fred Andrews dies as the result of a hit-and-run incident, leaving his son, Archie, and just about everyone in their eponymous town saddened. His sendoff episode is truly beautiful, as it not only honors Fred but also his portrayer, Luke Perry, whose death necessitated Andrews’ passing.

Lincoln Campbell (Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D.)

At the end of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s Season 3, the titular team is forced to say goodbye to another one of its own – Lincoln Campbell. The young Inhuman sacrifices himself by flying the villainous Hive and a nuclear warhead into space, where they can detonate. While Lincoln’s death hits hard, he goes out like a true hero. 

Teri Bauer (24)

A number of people meet their maker over the course of 24’s nine-season run, and one of the major characters to die early on is Teri Bauer. She loses her life to corrupt CTU operative Nina Meyers, as Nina shoots (the pregnant) Teri to cover her own tracks. Even now, it’s tough to shake the image of Jack Bauer cradling his wife’s body.

J.T. Yorke (Degrassi: The Next Generation)

Degrassi: The Next Generation fans are probably still shaken by the moment that beloved character J.T. Yorke was stabbed to death by Drake Lempkey. J.T.’s passing serves as a “loss-of-innocence” moment for his friends, who continue to cherish his memory. 

Howard Hamlin (Better Call Saul)

If any TV character has ever been in the wrong place at the wrong time, it’s Better Call Saul’s Howard Hamlin. The occasionally smug – but mostly well-meaning – lawyer is savagely killed by drug dealer Lalo Salamanca at Jimmy McGill and Kim Wexler’s apartment. What’s sadly ironic is that Howard goes there to tell off Jimmy and Kim for secretly sabotaging him and is merely killed by Lalo to keep his issues with Wexler and McGill quiet.

It may seem that your favorite character from your favorite TV show was always part of the main cast, but that might not be the case. In fact, some of the most iconic TV characters were never meant to last more than one or two episodes until a behind-the-scenes decision changed their fate. The following are some famous examples that might have you looking at your favorite show's next guest star differently.

Jesse Pinkman (Breaking Bad)

It was not just three-time Emmy winner Aaron Paul's brilliant, empathetic performance as Jesse Pinkman that kept him in the Breaking Bad cast until the end. Creator Vince Gilligan had a pitch for the early demise of Walter White's (Bryan Cranston) student-turned-partner that shocked studio executives so deeply, that he scrapped the idea and, thankfully, kept the fan-favorite character alive.

Andy Dwyer (Parks And Recreation)

The lovably absent-minded Andy Dwyer was originally meant to appear in just six episodes from the first season of Parks and Recreation when he was still dating Ann Perkins (Rashida Jones). Michael Schur found future blockbuster leading man Chris Pratt just too funny not to keep around, leading to his series regular promotion and Andy's eventual romance with April Ludgate (Aubrey Plaza).

Arthur "The Fonz" Fonzarelli (Happy Days)

The role that made Henry Winkler a star would eventually be the star of Happy Days. However, "Fonzy" was originally introduced as a small-sized character before the audience's rousing enthusiasm convinced producers to make his presence more frequent.

Frasier Crane (Cheers)

Kelsey Grammer's stint in the Cheers cast as Seattle-based psychiatrist Frasier Crane was originally meant to last only a few episodes. Yet, he became one of the NBC sitcom's most popular characters and went on to lead his own self-titled spin-off that was arguably as good as the original series.

Spike (Buffy The Vampire Slayer)

Spike started out as just another vampire for Sarah Michelle Gellar's titular hero to fight when he was first introduced in the second season of Joss Whedon's hit series. However, his subsequent popularity would ensure that James Masters got a regular role in the Buffy the Vampire Slayer cast and even became a love interest for Buffy.

Chandler Bing And Phoebe Buffay (Friends)

Before Matthew Perry and Lisa Kudrow were added to the Friends cast as Chandler and Phoebe, the sitcom was going to mainly focus on just four young New Yorkers. That was until the actors' natural charisma convinced creators David Crane and Marta Kauffman that they deserved starring roles instead of occasional appearances like they initially envisioned.

Carol Hathaway (ER)

If the pilot of ER were filmed exactly as it was originally written, it would been the first and last episode featuring Carol Hathaway (Julianna Margulies), who was initially going to take her own life. When test audiences made note of the nurse manager's chemistry with George Clooney as Doug Ross, the head writers kept her alive and on the show until Margulies left in Season 6.

Luke Danes (Gilmore Girls)

Diner owner Luke Danes was originally written as a woman, but creator Amy Sherman-Palladino did a gender swap when the network asked for more male characters. It was not until they noticed the chemistry between Gilmore Girls cast members Scott Patterson and Lauren Graham that their will-they-won't-they dynamic was incorporated into the dramedy.

Lafayette Reynolds (True Blood)

In only the second novel from Charlaine Harris' book series, The Southern Vampire Mysteries, Lafayette Reynolds is murdered. However, the psychic cook's onscreen counterpart (played by Nelsan Ellis) lived on in the HBO series adaptation (and one of the best horror TV shows on Max), True Blood, after developer Alan Ball realized how well the character fit in the world.

Castiel (Supernatural)

Played by Misha Collins (when possessing the body of Jimmy Novak), Castiel first appeared on Supernatural in Season 4 for what was intended to be just a three-season arc. Soon after, however, Collins was promoted to a series regular and the angel would remain a trusted ally to Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Dean (Jensen Ackles) Winchester.

Steve Urkel (Family Matters)

At first, ABC's spin-off of Perfect Strangers followed the lives of the Winslows, until the family sitcom's star family took a backseat to their nerdy neighbor, Steve Urkel. After Jaleel White's Season 1 guest spot rescued the show from cancellation, he made more appearances and was promoted to a series regular in the Family Matters cast in Season 2.

Andy Bernard (The Office)

Ed Helms' role as The Office character Andy Bernard was introduced in Season 3, which was initially conceived as his sole year on the mockumentary sitcom. However, creator Greg Daniels really liked the character and brought him back from anger management to be a permanent fixture of the Dunder Mifflin family.

Sgt. Fin Tutuola (Law & Order: SVU)

While most famous for a song about killing cops, rapper Ice-T's most famous acting role is, ironically, a police officer on Law & Order: SVU. Also ironic is the fact that Fin Tutuloa was originally conceived as a five-episode guest role in 2000, but would remain a regular part of the cast.

Jack Shephard (Lost)

Before Matthew Fox joined the Lost cast as Jack Shephard, the character was supposed to die in the pilot to establish that no character was safe in the survival drama. In fact, Michael Keaton signed on to play the role under this condition but dropped out when they decided to make him the lead because he did not want to commit to a series at the time.

Felicity Smoak (Arrow)

Based on the DC Comics character of the same name, Felicity Smoak was initially introduced in the first season of Arrow in a recurring role. Emily Bett Rickards would be promoted to series regular, however, when the role was promoted to Oliver Queen's primary love interest.

Steve Harrington (Stranger Things)

A prime example of a character who underwent a major personality change is Steve Harrington (Joe Kerry), who was initially introduced in Stranger Things' first season as some archetypal '80s high school bully with an expiration date. However, fans' unexpectedly positive response, thankfully, led to the character's revamping and ensured Keery would be a valuable member of the Hawkins crew.

Boyd Crowder (Justified)

Watching U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens (Timothy Olyphant) and career criminal Boyd Crowder (Walton Goggins) flip back and forth is one of the most addictive elements of Justified. Thus, we are thankful Boyd survived the pilot episode instead of being killed, like in Elmore Leonard's original short story, "Fire in the Hole," and that Goggins was promoted to series regular.

NoHo Hank (Barry)

Anthony Carrigan is easily one of the standouts of HBO's Barry cast for his performance as Chechen criminal NoHo Hank. It is no wonder his role expanded beyond Season 1 despite initial plans to kill him off.

The Armorer (The Mandalorian)

The Armorer (Emily Swallow) is one of the most fascinating and multi-layered characters from Disney+'s Star Wars Universe TV show, The Mandalorian. Her arc nearly ended with the first season in a scrapped scene that depicted her sacrificing her life.

Logan Roy (Succession)

No one could have succeeded in the role that Logan Roy played in HBO's Succession cast, but there could have been a major void left in his place had things gone as originally planned. Brian Cox's role was meant to die after Season 1, but instead survived and became one of the hit dramedy's most beloved characters.

Topanga Lawrence (Boy Meets World)

In creators Michael Jacobs and April Kelly's TGIF favorite, Topanga Lawrence was first introduced as that one weird girl in Cory Matthews' (Ben Savage) class. Soon enough, however, Danielle Fishel would be promoted to a series regular in the Boy Meets World cast after it was decided that the character would be Cory's love interest.

Gunther (Friends)

James Michael Tyler was merely hired on Friends as a background actor for scenes taking place at the Central Perk at first. In Season 2, however, the coffee shop manager was given the name Gunther, and the actor was promoted to a recurring supporting role that went on to appear in 185 episodes total.

Janitor (Scrubs)

The unnamed Janitor was originally conceived as a recurring role because it was going to be revealed at the end of Season 1 that he only existed in J.D.'s (Zach Braff) imagination. Creator Bill Lawrence decided to scrap that idea and make Neil Flynn a main part of the Scrubs cast after noticing the actor's improvisational skills, which ended beautifully for the character.

President Josiah Bartlet (The West Wing)

When Aaron Sorkin first conceived the idea for his Emmy-winning political drama, it was meant to focus primarily on the White House staff, with the President of the United States only showing up every so often or even not at all. Luckily, that changed and Martin Sheen's performance in NBC's The West Wing cast as Josiah Bartlet became one of the most beloved and inspiring highlights of the series.

Elijah Krantz (Girls)

Broadway theatre sensation Andrew Rannells first joined the cast of HBO's Girls as Hannah's formerly closeted college boyfriend Elijah Krantz in a very minor role before coming back occasionally during the first three years. By the dramedy's fourth season, creators Lena Dunham and Jenni Konner decided to add Rannells as a series regular and Elijah went on to become one of the series' most memorably funny characters.

April Ludgate (Parks And Recreation)

April Ludgate from Parks and Recreation is more than just a character who was not originally planned for a big role. There were no plans for her to be a part of the show at all until creator Michael Schur met Aubrey Plaza during the casting process and was so impressed with her talent that he invented a role just for her.

Aram Mojtabai (The Blacklist)

In the first season of NBC's The Blacklist, Aram Mojtabai was brought in by the FBI as a cyber crime consultant for what was only meant to be one episode. However, the writers responded well to actor Amir Arison's ad-libbing, started calling him back for more episodes, and made him a series regular in Season 2. 

Summer Roberts (The O.C.)

Rachel Bilson had very little screen time in the first episode of The O.C. and her character, Summer Robert, was practically written as an unnamed friend to Marrissa (Mischa Barton). Creator Josh Schwartz found the actor's grasp on the character to be very compelling and her chemistry with Seth actor Adam Brody led him to write her a much bigger part for the coming-of-age drama.

Joshua Rosza (The Originals)

Steven Krueger was first brought in for a minor recurring stint on The Originals as Joshua Rosza. However, by season 5, the vampire character became a regular role in the hit supernatural drama.

Killian Jones/Captain Hook (Once Upon A Time)

When ABC's fantasy series Once Upon a Time brought in Killian Jones (who is really Peter Pan's nemesis, Captain Hook), it was initially meant to be for a five-episode run in Season 2. While he quickly became a fan favorite due to his chemistry with Jennifer Morrison, his promotion to a regular role really came about when the cast and crew became deeply impressed with Colin O'Donoghue's performance.

Brittany S. Pierce (Glee)

Heather Morris was initially brought on to the Glee set to help teach the cast members how to do the dance from Beyonce's "Single Ladies" video before she ended up landing a guest role as Brittany Pierce. However, after he discovered her comedic talents, co-creator Ryan Murphy began giving the once-frequently silent cheerleader more things to say before making Morris a series regular.

Kima Greggs (The Wire)

While filming the first season of The Wire, Sonja Sohn discovered by accident that her arc as Shakima "Kima" Greggs was originally intended to end in the 10th episode of the crime drama. Luckily, HBO executive Carolyn Strauss expressed interest in the character, convincing showrunner David Simon to have her survive her planned shooting and come back for the remainder of the series.

Some TV shows stumble their way to the finish line, such as these series that went on way too long. But others end the race cruising to victory, with final seasons and series finales that satisfyingly wrap up the journey their characters were on over the years. From classic comedies like Cheers to acclaimed dramas like The Americans to sci-fi standouts like Buffy the Vampire Slayer, here are TV 32 shows that absolutely nailed their farewells. (WARNING! Obviously there are spoilers ahead!)

Succession

Succession creator Jesse Armstrong could have milked all of that Shakespearean family drama for one or two more seasons but smartly decided to end the hit HBO drama after four seasons because "this was simply how this story had to go," Armstrong told Vulture. And it ended in brutally brilliant fashion, with outsider Tom Wambsgans (Matthew Macfadyen) sniveling his way to the top of Waystar Royco over Roy siblings Connor (Alan Ruck), Kendall (Jeremy Armstrong), Roman (Kieran Culkin) and Shiv (Sarah Snook). 

Breaking Bad

It was inevitable: after five seasons of greed and ruthlessness, chemistry teacher-turned-meth cooker Walter White (Bryan Cranston) had to die. But what a way to go, with an explosive, critically acclaimed final run — both halves of season five won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series in 2013 and 2014 — that not only offered up some of the drama's greatest episodes ("Ozymandias" is one for the history books) but cemented the TV series as one of the best ever.

Newhart

Nowadays, the "it was all a dream" twist has become a cliché but when the CBS sitcom Newhart pulled that very move back in 1990, it cemented itself as one of the most memorable moments in pop culture history. In the final minutes of the comedy's series finale, lead character Dick Loudon (Bob Newhart) woke up after getting knocked out by a golf ball in Vermont — the surprise was that he was now in a Chicago bedroom as Bob Hartley, his famous The Bob Newhart Show character, with TV wife Emily (special guest Suzanne Pleshette) by his side.

Mad Men

Fitting for an iconic and complicated character like Don Draper (Jon Hamm) — and finally earning the actor that much-deserved Emmy for Best Actor — Mad Men left viewers with quite an ambiguous conclusion when it ended in 2015 after seven seasons. The existential finale saw the advertising executive searching for inner peace at a meditation retreat, or was he really just tapping into some Zen as inspiration for that famous Coca-Cola advert? We'll never know!

The Leftovers

Grounded by a standout performance by Carrie Coon as Nora Durst, the conclusion of HBO's The Leftovers was ambiguous yet sentimental, a gratifying and thematically fitting send-off for the complex drama. Following Nora in her decision to enter a radioactive machine that could reunite her with her husband and children who vanished in the "Sudden Departure," the series finale didn't so much answer all of our questions about all the ones who left — we still don't entirely understand the quantum mechanics of it all — as it did give hope to the ones left behind. 

30 Rock

The seventh and final season of 30 Rock said goodbye to Liz (Tina Fey), Jack (Alec Baldwin), Tracy (Tracy Morgan), Kenneth (Jack McBrayer) and Jenna (Jane Krakowski) in equal parts hilarious and heartfelt fashion, with all of the nostalgic callbacks, witty one-liners and delightful absurdism that fans have come to know and love from the NBC sitcom. The series finale also movingly said farewell to the real-life behind-the-scenes folks from 30 Rock by casting them as the TGS crew. 

Parks And Recreation

Co-written by lead Amy Poehler, the series finale of Parks and Recreation warmly said goodbye to both beloved characters and the city of Pawnee. The sweet two-parter took place mostly in the future, with happy endings for all: Garry (Jim O'Heir) being elected mayor (with Christie Brinkley as his wife, no less); Andy (Chris Pratt) and April (Aubrey Plaza) becoming parents; Ron (Nick Offerman) taking over as superintendent of the Pawnee National Park; and Leslie (Poehler) continuing her life of political service...potentially all the way to the White House?

Fringe

The final episode of the Fox sci-fi drama Fringe was a bittersweet one for Olivia (Anna Torv), Peter (Joshua Jackson) and Walter (John Noble). The fifth season had jumped far into the dystopian future overtaken by the Observers. Walter sacrificed himself and took Michael (Rowan Longworth) into a wormhole even farther into the future to stop the Observer invasion from ever happening in the first place. In the process, the story reset back to 2015, where Walter sadly no longer existed, but through time-travel magic, he still managed to send his son a drawing of a white tulip.

Justified

The story of Raylan Givens (Timothy Olyphant) continued with the sequel series Justified: City Primeval, but the end of its predecessor Justified was a more than satisfactory closing chapter in and of itself, especially in wrapping up Raylan's rivalry with friend-turned-foe Boyd Crowder (Walton Goggins). The Harlan County criminal was an endlessly quotable character across all six seasons of the FX drama, but his final words — “We dug coal together" — prove he saved the best line for last.

The Shield

One of the most gripping crime dramas of the 2000s, The Shield lived up to its own reputation with its bold finish, which saw Vic Mackey (Michael Chiklis) trying so hard to stay out of prison that he got a fate worse than incarceration: with blood on his hands, his family running from him, and him banished to a desk job. With police sirens blaring in the distance, Vic grabbed the gun from his desk drawer and left the ICE building. Where he went, we'll never know, but it surely can't be good. 

Cheers

It can be hard to leave those special places where everybody knows your name, but if you have to, at least take "One for the Road." Such is the title of Cheers' standout series finale, which poured one out for all of our beloved barflies: Woody (Woody Harrelson) was elected Boston councilman; Norm (George Wendt) finally got his coveted city job; Cliff (John Ratzenberger) was promoted at the Post Office; and Sam (Ted Danson) chose between reconciliation with the one who got away, Diane (Shelley Long), and the real love of his life, the bar itself. 

MASH

It's the most-watched finale of all time for a reason: seen by a TV audience of 121.6 million, the 1983 end of MASH beautifully brought closure to the dysfunctional members of the 4077th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital. With the Korean War coming to a close, the camp had to go their separate ways, but no departure tugged at our hearts quite like the one between Hawkeye (Alan Alda) and B.J. (Mike Farrell), which saw the former leave on a helicopter only to spot the latter's parting message: the word "GOODBYE" spelled out with rocks on the ground below.

The Sopranos

One of the most polarizing TV finales of all time was also one of the most powerful. That shocking The Sopranos ending was a masterclass in embracing ambiguity and racking up tension, with Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini) seemingly enjoying a simple diner meal and some Journey tunes with his wife (Edie Falco) and son (Robert Iler) while keeping an eye on every patron entering the establishment. As the diner door opened and the bell rang, Tony looked up — and the screen cut to black. Was it Meadow (Jamie-Lynn Sigler), who finally found a parking spot? Or was it someone far more nefarious? Frustratingly and fantastically, we will never know. 

Six Feet Under

It seems so obvious now to end a series about a family that owns a funeral home by fast-forwarding into the future to see how each character dies, but the laying to rest of the HBO drama Six Feet Under felt clever and emotional when it aired back in 2005. An episode of television dominated by death doesn't sound all that cheerful, but getting to see the Fishers years down the line — particularly Claire (Lauren Ambrose), the last one standing at 102 — felt as right and cyclical as life itself. 

Friday Night Lights

"Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose." Such was the motto of football coach Eric Taylor (Kyle Chandler) and the showrunners of Friday Night Lights took it to heart when it came to graduating the high school-set drama series. Despite the gleam of game glory blurring his vision — the East Dillon Lions happily won that tense match-up against the Dillon Panthers — Coach Taylor clearly saw that it was only right for him to leave Texas behind by the series' end, moving to Philadelphia to support his beloved wife Tami (Connie Britton) and her new job as dean of admissions at Braemore College. Couple's goals, much?

The Wire

One of the best episodes of The Wire is its last, which managed to wrap everything up while also leaving things intriguingly open. It showed that Baltimore and all of its complexities would continue long after the credits roll. Things could change — Carcetti (Aidan Gillen) could become governor, Templeton (Tom McCarthy) could win a Pulitzer, Michael (Tristan Wilds) could become the new Omar, McNulty (Dominic West) could leave the police department — but, devastatingly, many things would always stay the same. 

The West Wing

The end of The West Wing was the end of an era — literally, as the seventh and final season chronicled the last weeks of President Jed Bartlet's (Martin Sheen) administration. The series finale was a heartfelt farewell to the former POTUS as well as all of the government employees and officials in his orbit, including C.J. (Allison Janney), Leo (John Spencer), Josh (Bradley Whitford) and Donna (Janel Moloney). But it didn't languish in nostalgia: "What are you thinking about?" Stockard Channing's Abbey asked Jed at the show's end. "Tomorrow," he replied. 

ER

The medical drama came full circle for its grand finale, which echoed its premiere episode 15 years prior by taking place over the course of 24 hours in the emergency room of Cook County General Hospital. The cases are dramatic and dizzyingly varied, from emergency cesarean sections to terminal cancer diagnoses to triage patients from an industrial explosion. As the theme music played, the camera pulled out for ER's final, effective shot: the entire exterior of the hospital, seen for the first and only time in the show's history, with all of that curative frenzy happening within. 

Battlestar Galactica

After years spent traversing the stars and avoiding being blown to smithereens by enemy Cylons, the Battlestar Galactica crew and the last remaining humans finally made it to Earth — well, the Earth of the distant past — at the end of the Sci-Fi Channel series. That primitive planet eventually evolves into modern-day civilization and the epilogue picks up 150,000 years in the future, where half-human, half-Cylon Hera has been announced as a "Mitochondrial Eve," the progenitor of modern-day humanity. Leaving us with Jimi Hendrix's warning cry "All Along the Watchtower," the finale chillingly questioned whether humans are doomed to repeat themselves. 

Buffy The Vampire Slayer

There's a lot of pressure with being the "Chosen One," as Buffy Summers (Sarah Michelle Gellar) no doubt learned through seven seasons of the iconic fantasy series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. But after 140-plus episodes of single-handedly saving Sunnydale and suffering greatly in the process, Buffy recognizes that she doesn't have to do it all alone. In the series finale, the Hellmouth crumbles and Sunnydale is destroyed but Buffy has the Scooby Gang and a new crop of Slayers by her side, and a whole future ahead of her.

The Mary Tyler Moore Show

"We kept putting off writing that last show," said executive producer Allan Burns as he accepted The Mary Tyler Moore Show's Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series in 1977. "I think it said what we wanted it to say. It was poignant." Poignant, yes, but also plenty funny, with Mary (TV icon Mary Tyler Moore), Lou (Edward Asner), Murray (Gavin MacLeod) and Sue Ann (Betty White) ultimately getting fired from WJM-TV. From that group shuffle to the tissue box to the swan song of "It's a Long Way to Tipperary," the finale had us laughing and crying in equal turns.  

The Americans

With a high-stakes show like The Americans, it seemed only inevitable for Russian spies Elizabeth (Keri Russell) and Philip Jennings (Matthew Rhys) to be exposed and have to flee the United States for Mother Russia. Despite that eventuality, the FX drama still managed to end on a tensely unexpected and devastating note, with both their American-born children Paige staying behind. That shot of Paige (Holly Taylor) standing on the platform as Philip and Elizabeth's train pulled away will haunt us for years to come.

Parenthood

Over six seasons, Parenthood fans came to love the Braverman clan like their own family, which made it all the harder to say goodbye when the show ended in 2015. But even though the series finale was a tearjerking one, with patriarch Zeek (Craig T. Nelson) dying peacefully in his sleep, a hopeful time-jump showed that all would be well with the Bravermans, with weddings, pregnancies, graduations, vacations and puppies at Christmas all happily in their futures. 

Better Call Saul

It's hard enough to make a great spin-off of an already great show. But to end that spin-off with as much acclaim as its predecessor is a whole other thing entirely. Better Call Saul, part of the Breaking Bad universe, did just that with its sixth season, which saw Jimmy McGill-turned-Saul Goodman-turned-Gene Takavic (Bob Odenkirk) finally facing the consequences of his choices. However, as co-creator Peter Gould told AMC, Saul's end can actually be seen as hopeful: "In spite of the fact that he's in prison, which is terrible, Jimmy is Jimmy again. He's recovered his soul."

The Good Place

Though diehards of The Good Place would have wanted to spend eternity with all of its beloved characters, the NBC afterlife comedy did come to an end in 2020 after four seasons and 53 episodes. But it did so with a characteristically funny and cathartic conclusion, which saw Eleanor (Kristen Bell), Chidi (William Jackson Harper) and Jason (Manny Jacinto) ready to step through the door and move on from the Good Place, and Michael (Ted Danson) made human and allowed to live out a normal life down on Earth. 

Angel

Trying to save the world from evil forces is a nearly impossible but always worthwhile task, as the Angel series finale "Not Fade Away" powerfully showed. After a season of loss, including the deaths of both Cordelia (Charisma Carpenter) and Fred (Amy Acker), it would have been very easy for Angel (David Boreanaz) and the rest of the Angel Investigations team to wallow in their grief and raise a white flag. But, even knowing that it would likely end in their own demise, Angel, Spike (James Marsters), Gunn (J August Richards) and Illyria (Acker) chose to go into battle against the supernatural baddies and fight for good.

Friends

What Friends got so right in its tenth and final season was showing how transient of a town New York City is, especially when you grow from those lively twentysomething years to your more settled thirties. "The Last One" saw Monica (Courteney Cox) and Chandler (Matthew Perry) adopt twins and move out of that famously purple-walled West Village apartment for the suburbs. After Phoebe (Lisa Kudrow), Joey (Matt LeBlanc) and the recently reunited Rachel (Jennifer Aniston) and Ross (David Schwimmer) returned their keys, Chandler landed one final hilarious quote before they went — where else? — to Central Perk one last time.

The Office

Sure, there's an argument to be made that The Office should have ended after Steve Carrell's Michael Scott left Dunder Mifflin Paper Company and Scranton, PA, at the end of season seven. But though the show was shaky in the years following that character's exit, if it had ended years earlier, fans wouldn't have gotten that sentimental happy ending, with Michael pulling off the perfect surprise at the wedding of Dwight Schrute (Rainn Wilson) and Angela Martin (Angela Kinsey) to serve as best man and drop the final "That's what she said." 

Star Trek: The Next Generation

All good things must come to an end, and that includes the adventures of the Starfleet crew of the Federation starship Enterprise-D. In the farewell to sci-fi favorite Star Trek: The Next Generation, Captain Jean-Luc Picard mentally jumps around in time: from the present, then back to the ship's first mission seven years ago and then 25 years into the future. In each era, Picard makes it so that the Enterprise stops a temporal anomaly, which destroys the ship but saves humanity. It all ends up being a test from Q (John de Lancie) but Picard passes, and in the present, he finally joins the crew's poker game.

Fleabag

After the brilliance of Fleabag's first season, it seemed impossible that Phoebe Waller-Bridge and Co. could match the sharp wit and gut-punching emotion with a season 2 of the BBC One dramedy. But PWB managed to prove every naysayer wrong with that devastatingly romantic and electrifyingly funny second — and, judging by that fourth-wall-breaking final scene, last — season, which famously saw our nameless heroine meet and fall for a "quite hot" priest, played by Andrew Scott. 

Veep

The end of Veep, one of the most consistently hilarious shows in all of television, saw Selina Meyer (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) get everything that she always wanted: namely, the Oval Office. Yes, the seemingly perpetual Vice President became POTUS by the series finale, a ruthless political rise that saw her betray those closest to her, especially her loyal aide Gary (Tony Hale). But Selina gets a viciously hilarious comeuppance when, 24 years in the future, coverage of her funeral is interrupted by the breaking news that American icon and "Philadelphia 2 star" Tom Hanks has died. 

Avatar: The Last Airbender

The epic four-part finale of Avatar: The Last Airbender not only gave every major character their chance to shine but also cemented it as one of the best-animated shows of the 21st century. In his spectacular final face-off against Ozai, Aang stays dedicated to pacifism and decides not to kill Fire Lord Ozai, instead using energy bending to remove his firepower as punishment for his crimes. In doing so, the final installments offer up a philosophical exercise that's far more mature and sophisticated than anyone would expect from a "kiddie" show. 

The notion of a TV show going through cast changes for one reason or another isn’t all that unusual. In some cases, an actor might choose to leave a show in order to pursue other opportunities. And, at other times, a character naturally runs their course and is written out, leading to a star being ushered out of a production gracefully. However, there have been a number of instances in which an actor has dramatically exited a popular show for more salacious reasons. And we’re going to talk about a number of those situations.

Mackenzie Phillips (One Day At A Time)

Mackenzie Phillips dealt with substance and alcohol abuse during her tenure on One Day at a Time. As her problems increased and she allegedly became erratic on set, the actress was fired after the fifth season of the Norman Lear-produced sitcom. After voluntarily receiving treatment, Philips was invited back to the series at the start of Season 7. But, as mentioned in her Biography special she was fired one more time early in Season 9.

Delta Burke (Designing Women)

Designing Women cast member Delta Burke, who played breakout character Suzanne Sugarbaker, left the beloved CBS comedy after its fifth season. At the time, Burke was having issues with series creator Linda Bloodworth-Thomason. While appearing on the Glamorous Trash podcast years later, Burke said she and the EP “tried to kill each other” but “survived.” They eventually patched things up and teamed up again for a short-lived spinoff series, Women of the House.

John Amos (Good Times) 

Fans, like myself, would probably argue that Good Times – one of the greatest sitcoms of all time – changed tremendously after John Amos’ James Evans Sr. was written out following Season 3. That creative decision was the result of Amos being incredibly vocal about his frustrations with the direction of the show and even threatening the writers. As the actor explained during an interview, series EP Norman Lear called him up personally to tell him he’d been fired. 

Rob Lowe (The West Wing)

Before he dazzled on Parks and Recreation and after rising to prominence as a “Brat Pack” member, Rob Lowe starred on The West Wing. The show was originally set to center around his character, Sam Seaborn, though the focus shifted early on. Feeling underutilized as time went on, Lowe left the show after four seasons.

Roseanne Barr (Roseanne)

Roseanne Barr’s eponymous ABC sitcom was revived for a tenth season that aired in 2018, and it saw considerable success. Following its renewal, Barr was fired after posting a tweet about former government official Valerie Janet that was condemned as being racist. Her dismissal led to the cancellation of Roseanne and the conception of a spinoff sequel series The Conners.

Janet Hubert (The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air)

Two actresses portrayed Vivian “Aunt Viv” Banks on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, the first being Janet Hubert. By the NBC sitcom’s third season, she and lead actor Will Smith began to butt heads. Both were also dealing with situations in their personal lives. Ultimately, Hubert left Fresh Prince due to getting an unsatisfactory new contract offer and, years later, she and Smith made amends during the show’s 2020 reunion.

Kevin Spacey (House Of Cards)

House of Cards experienced a significant shake-up after Kevin Spacey was accused of being inappropriate towards actor Anthony Rapp while he was still a minor. Netflix eventually cut ties with Spacey and, as a result, he was replaced as the lead of the show by co-star Robin Wright.

Charlie Sheen (Two And A Half Men)

When it comes to an exit from a TV series, few get more dramatic than Charlie Sheen’s departure from Two and a Half Men. During the eighth season of the hit CBS show, he made headlines for partaking in wild parties and even entered rehab. Sheen’s fate was sealed, however, when he made disparaging remarks about series co-creator Chuck Lorre. Men would continue for four more seasons, with Ashton Kutcher taking over as co-lead.

Katherine Heigl (Grey’s Anatomy) 

There are a lot of moving parts to Katherine Heigl’s Grey’s Anatomy exit, but it was truly set in motion after the actress kept her name from Emmy consideration in 2008. Heigl did that because she didn’t think the work she’d done for that particular season was Emmy-worthy. In 2009, the Izzie Stevens actress accused series creator Shonda Rhimes and the producers of initiating long work hours for the cast and crew. And, in 2010, amid Season 6 of the drama series, Rhimes released Heigl from her contract early.

Valerie Harper (Valerie/Valerie’s Family/The Hogan Family)

Amid the second season of Valerie, lead actress Valerie Harper became engaged in a salary dispute with both NBC and production company Lorimar. It was after that season that the Emmy winner was fired, and she ultimately sued both of the aforementioned companies for breach of contract. The series aired for four more seasons – and had two more names. But, ultimately, Harper won her case and was awarded $1.4 million and future show profits.

Robert Downey Jr. (Ally McBeal)

Robert Downey Jr. had experienced a number of personal issues by the time he was cast for Season 4 of Ally McBeal, and they continued throughout his tenure. During that season, he was arrested in November 2000 for drug possession and was taken into custody again under suspicion of being under the influence in Culver City in 2001. With that, Downey was fired from McBeal.

Jeffrey Tambor (Transparent)

In 2017, amid the MeToo Movement, Jeffrey Tambor was accused of inappropriate behavior by his former assistant. Shortly after, one of Tambor’s Transparent co-stars accused him of misconduct as well. Amazon, which had renewed the Emmy-winning dramedy for a fifth and final season, officially fired Tambor in early 2018. His character, who was the lead, was ultimately killed off in the musical series finale special.

Esther Rolle (Good Times)

Esther Rolle took issue with some of the creative decisions made on Good Times, not unlike her co-star, John Amos – who was fired after Season 3 even though Rolle was more publicly vocal about her disdain. Given her discomfort, Rolle left after the fourth season when her contract expired. She did, however, return as a main cast member for the sixth and final season. 

Suzanne Somers (Three’s Company)

Some TV devotees may not be aware that Suzanne Somers exited Three’s Company after five seasons due to a salary dispute with ABC’s execs. Her attempts to renegotiate a new deal proved to be unsuccessful, and her contract was not renewed. Throughout the remainder of the show's run, Somers' Chrissy Snow would be succeeded by two other characters.

Chad Michael Murray (One Tree Hill)

Many were likely surprised when Chad Michael Murray was one of two major stars to exit One Tree Hill ahead of its seventh season. At this point, there’s been no clear reason as to why Murray, who played Lucas Scott parted ways with the show. Some contend that he was ready to leave, but Murray was even recorded saying that the network wanted to drop him to save money.

Lori Loughlin (Fuller House)

Veteran actress Lori Loughlin was starring on Netflix’s Fuller House when she was indicted as part of the 2019 college admissions scandal. In 2020, Loughlin pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud and was sentenced to two months in prison. Given her legal woes, Loughlin’s Aunt Becky was excluded from the sitcom’s final season.

Isaiah Washington (Grey’s Anatomy)

It was in October 2006 that Isaiah Washington made headlines after it was reported that during an on-set conflict with Patrick Dempsey, he insulted their fellow Grey’s Anatomy co-star, T.R. Knight, with a homophobic slur. Washington reportedly issued an apology though, by the summer of 2007, his contract with ABC was eliminated after Season 3. Washington did, however, reprise the role for a Season 10 episode.

Thomas Gibson (Criminal Minds)

Criminal Minds fired Thomas Gibson amid production on Season 12. As has been reported, Gibson, who was directing an episode at the time, had a disagreement with the episode’s writer. The scribe was on set at the time and, during an encounter with Gibson, the actor apparently kicked him. Gibson subsequently expressed regret over his actions.

Shannen Doherty (Charmed)

Few TV deaths were more tragic than that of Shannen Doherty’s Prue Halliwell during Charmed’s third season finale. In the years since she departed the show, Doherty has claimed that her on-set tension with co-star Alyssa Milano caused her to be let go. For her part, Milano said she was “sad” that Doherty blamed her for how everything panned out.

Danny Masterson (The Ranch)

While starring on Netflix’s The Ranch, Danny Masterson was investigated by police due to allegations of assault by multiple women. Masterson was soon fired from the series amid production on Season 3 and, in 2023, he was sentenced to prison.

Ruby Rose (Batwoman)

After leading Batwoman for just one season, Ruby Rose exited the Arrowverse show in 2020. The actress initially attributed her decision to the “taxing” nature of heading up a TV show as well as an allergic reaction to the latex in her costume. However, Rose later made claims of an abusive workplace against her ex-co-stars, The CW and more. Warner Bros. TV denied the allegations as did Rose’s former scene partners.

Cindy Williams (Laverne & Shirley)

Laverne & Shirley lost co-lead Cindy Williams early into the show’s eighth and final season. Williams became pregnant early into production and, as she explained to Today, she wouldn’t sign a new contract due to the producers having her work on her due date. So Penny Marshall’s Laverne DeFazio finished out those last episodes without Williams’ Shirley Feeney.

Chevy Chase (Community)

It’s been well documented that Community’s Chevy Chase had creative differences with series creator Dan Harmon over his character, Pierce Hawthorne. While working on Season 4, the veteran funnyman reportedly had an on-set tirade during which he dropped the N-word. Chase departed the show shortly after that.

Daniel Dae Kim (Hawaii Five-0)

Daniel Dae Kim’s exit from CBS’ Hawaii Five-0 reboot after seven seasons came down to a salary dispute with the network. After the news of his departure was reported, Kim himself (who was one of the procedural’s most recognizable stars) addressed the situation, confirming that he and the network couldn’t agree to terms on a new deal.

Lisa Bonet (A Different World)

Cosby Show spinoff A Different World finished its first season on NBC in early 1988 and, afterward, lead actress Lisa Bonet announced her pregnancy with then-husband Lenny Kravitz. The sitcom’s incoming showrunner, Debbie Allen, wanted to keep Bonet on the show and depict her character, Denise Huxtable, as a single mom. But, as Allen explained years later, series creator Bill Cosby preferred that Bonet be dropped from the show.

Columbus Short (Scandal)

After three seasons on ABC’s Scandal, Columbus Short was removed from the cast of the hit drama series. It was during that time that the actor was dealing with personal issues and was even arrested on a domestic violence charge. Short later explained that he was cut due to his struggles with drugs and alcohol.

Gina Carano (The Mandalorian)

MMA fighter-turned-actress Gina Carano established a polarizing social media presence during her two-season stint on The Mandalorian. Among the controversial posts she shared was a message that seemingly compared being a modern-day conservative to being a Jewish person during the Holocaust. Disney and Lucasfilm fired Carano in 2021 ahead of the highly popular Star Wars show’s third season.

Nicollette Sheridan (Desperate Housewives)

Desperate Housewives star Nicollette Sheridan was written out of the show after the show’s fifth season, with her character, Edie Britt, being killed off. Several years later, the actress filed suit against Marc Cherry, the show’s creator and ABC. Sheridan alleged that Cherry assaulted her on the set and that she was fired for reporting it. Cherry provided an account of events and, in time, the harassment claims were thrown and Sheridan was unsuccessful in getting a retrial.

T.R. Knight (Grey’s Anatomy)

In 2009, T.R. Knight – who played Dr. George O’Malley on Grey’s Anatomy – left the show after the fifth season. Knight said his reason for leaving was due to a “breakdown of communication” with series EP Shonda Rhimes, his own decision to come out as gay and more. This also all came a few years after Knight was allegedly insulted with a homophobic slur by ex-co-star Isaiah Washington. 

Hilarie Burton (One Tree Hill)

Much has been said about Hilarie Burton’s exit from One Tree Hill after the sixth season. The most common assertion has been that the Peyton Sawyer actress couldn’t agree with the network on a new deal. Interestingly, while Burton recalled filming her final scene for the show, she noted that while shooting another sequence, a producer announced on set that the show was renewed for Season 7. However, both Burton and co-star Chad Michael Muray were surprised as they apparently hadn’t been offered new deals.

Justin Roiland (Rick And Morty)

Rick and Morty actor and co-creator Justin Roiland was fired from the Adult Swim show in 2023 after it was revealed that he was facing a domestic violence charge and other offenses in court. Roiland’s case was eventually thrown out later that year. However, the animator and voice actor was later accused of assault and messaging underage girls.

John Rhys-Davies (Sliders)

The sci-fi cult classic Sliders lost cast member John Rhys-Davies when the actor opted to depart after three seasons amid other cast changes. Sometime later, Rhys-Davies explained that he left due to conflicts with the writers. The veteran actor later explained that by the time he left the show, the scripts had become “incomprehensible gibberish.”

At the turn of the 21st century, TV fans got to live in the idealized world of Jed Bartlet’s White House on The West Wing. For seven seasons on NBC, we watched the president’s sometimes-flawed but always well-meaning staff strive to prioritize the needs of the country above all else. As with any administration, or TV show rather, people came and went, but many appeared in a significant number of the series’ 155 episodes. Here are the 32 cast members we saw the most: 

Bradley Whitford - 150 episodes 

It’s funny to think Josh Lyman was in danger of losing his job in The West Wing’s series premiere back in 1999. Instead, Bradley Whitford’s Deputy Chief of Staff was there for the duration, with the actor appearing in more episodes than any of his compatriots. 

Allison Janney - 146 episodes

Has a White House Press Secretary ever been more likable than C.J. Cregg? Over the years she perfected the art of controlling a room full of media, fielding tough questions and disseminating the most important information to the country. It’s no wonder one of Allison Janney’s best characters remained a vital member of the Bartlet White House for the majority of the episodes of the show’s seven-season run. 

Richard Schiff - 142 episodes 

While sometimes awkward in his personal interactions, Richard Schiff’s Toby Ziegler was a master when it came to crafting President Bartlet’s speeches as Communication Director. Toby remained a series regular through all 155 episodes, appearing in 142 and endearing us with his no-nonsense personality, the rubber ball he threw at the wall and his penchant for speaking truth to power. 

Janel Moloney - 142 episodes  

If you ever wondered how important Donna Moss was to Josh Lyman as his senior assistant, just look at how many episodes Janel Moloney appeared in. Though many of the staff’s assistants appeared often in smaller roles, Donna was often featured more prominently for her drive to always be more — and for the flirty repartee she had with Josh that carried a “will-they-won’t-they” vibe through the series. 

Martin Sheen - 141 episodes  

President Josiah Bartlet himself is, of course, one of the most prominently featured characters on The West Wing, but it wasn’t originally intended to be that way. Creator Aaron Sorkin famously wanted the series to revolve only around the senior staff, with Martin Sheen making only a few appearances per season. That plan was quickly scrapped, and Sorkin let Bartlet be Bartlet for the majority of the episodes.  

John Spencer - 136 episodes  

When you think second-in-command at the White House, your mind might go to the vice president, but on The West Wing, it was always Bartlet’s Chief of Staff Leo McGarry. John Spencer’s character was one of the series’ most complex — a war veteran, recovering alcoholic and addict whose dedication to his job resulted in his wife leaving him. Leo would have been in more episodes, however Spencer died of a heart attack before Season 7 was complete. His death was written into the final scripts, with his character suffering the same fate. 

Dulé Hill - 131 episodes 

Long before The Wonder Years, a young Dulé Hill joined The West Wing as Charlie Young, the personal aide (aka “bodyman”) to President Bartlet. Charlie appeared in fewer episodes of the NBC drama’s final season, as Hill began his co-starring role on the detective dramedy Psych. 

NiCole Robinson - 106 episodes 

As senior assistant to the Chief of Staff, Margaret Hooper was just as dedicated to Leo as Donna was to Josh. However, there were definitely no romantic undertones to this relationship. Leo and Margaret were an often-hilarious odd couple, with Margaret being quite quirky. NiCole Robinson’s character was never the main focus, but she was a consistent presence, appearing in many episodes over all seven seasons. 

Melissa Fitzgerald - 101 episodes 

We can’t forget Carol Fitzpatrick (Melissa Fitzgerald), who served as the assistant to Press Secretary C.J. Cregg. Equally as qualified and dedicated as the other senior staffers’ assistants, Carol was often also a friend to C.J., encouraging her boss to have a personal life and talking to her about men. Carol appeared in all seven seasons, though not as prominently in Seasons 6 and 7. 

Rob Lowe - 80 episodes 

Unlike Richard Schiff, Allison Janney and John Spencer, original cast member Rob Lowe did not stick around to see the Bartlet presidency through. The actor portrayed Sam Seaborn, Deputy Communications Director, for roughly the first half of the show’s run, before he left in Season 4. Lowe’s exit from The West Wing has been attributed to a combination of disputes over his salary and the actor feeling undervalued. Despite the drama, Lowe reprised his role in a pair of guest appearances in Season 7, as well as the cast’s stage recreation of Season 3’s “Hartsfield’s Landing” in 2020. 

Joshua Malina - 71 episodes 

Replacing Sam Seaborn as Deputy White House Communications Director was Will Bailey, played by Joshua Malina. Malina joined the cast in Season 4 and remained part of the White House operations — whether that was working with Toby Ziegler or acting as Vice President Bob Russell’s Chief of Staff — through the end of the series. 

Stockard Channing - 57 episodes 

Stockard Channing's presence may have been less prominent near the end of The West Wing’s run, but there's no question the actress was a vital member of the cast as First Lady Dr. Abigail Bartlet. Always sharp as a whip and often at odds with her husband, Abbey was rarely the focus of the plot, but man could Channing steal a scene. She did just that in 57 episodes across seven seasons. 

Kim Webster - 56 episodes 

“Ginger, get the popcorn!” In Kim Webster, we got another of our beloved senior assistants, as she portrayed Toby’s communications aide Ginger in all seven seasons. The majority of her 56 episodes came in the first four seasons — aka the Sorkin years — as Webster appeared in only four episodes total across Seasons 5-7. 

Kris Murphy - 52 episodes 

C.J. Cregg wouldn’t have been able to do her job without members of the press to talk to. Kris Murphy played Washington Post journalist Katie Witt in all seven seasons, though her appearances dwindled as the show went on. Murphy was in six episodes of Season 5, four in Season 6, and just one episode of The West Wing’s last season. 

Timothy Davis-Reed - 52 episodes 

Another member of the White House press corps was Mark O’Donnell, played by Timothy Davis-Reed. He appeared more than 50 times across Seasons 2-7, most prominently in the third and fourth seasons. 

William Duffy - 47 episodes 

William Duffy portrayed congressional liaison Larry, who was one-half of the fan-favorite duo of Ed and Larry. The staffers were practically always together and often confused for one another, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern-style. With that being the case, one has to wonder why Duffy is credited with one more episode than his counterpart. 

Peter James Smith - 46 episodes 

Congressional liaison Ed was played by Peter James Smith. He and William Duffy appeared in all seven seasons of The West Wing, though each showed up only two times in the final two seasons. 

Renée Estevez - 44 episodes 

The senior staffers of The West Wing did form something of a family unit, but for Martin Sheen, it really was a family affair. His daughter Renée Estevez had a small role as Nancy, the assistant to the executive secretary. She appeared quite often outside the Oval Office, working amidst Charlie and Mrs. Landingham, though she rarely had much to say. 

Charles Noland - 43 episodes 

Charles Noland played the press corps member Steve, and fans might remember seeing him amongst the media members who witnessed Josh Lyman completely bomb a press conference by joking that President Bartlet had a "secret plan to fight inflation" in Season 1's "Celestial Navigation." Noland appeared in all seven seasons. 

Devika Parikh - 40 episodes 

Devika Parikh played Bonnie, a staffer in the Communications Office of the West Wing who worked closely with Ginger and, by proxy, Toby and Sam. Like Ginger, Bonnie mostly disappeared after Season 4, appearing just twice in Season 5 before exiting for good.  

Jimmy Smits - 35 episodes 

Matthew Santos didn’t enter The West Wing universe until Season 6, but he was arguably its most important latecomer. Portrayed in those 35 episodes by the great Jimmy Smits, Santos would go on to succeed Jed Bartlet as President of the United States. 

Lily Tomlin - 34 episodes 

Speaking of great successors, Deborah Fiderer had the unenviable task of replacing the beloved executive secretary Mrs. Landingham after she was killed in a car wreck. Lily Tomlin was up to the task, though, especially with the backstory of how she got fired for recommending Charlie as the president’s bodyman over another candidate. Tomlin appeared in the Season 3 finale, then recurred for the remaining four seasons. 

Mindy Seeger - 34 episodes 

Chris was another member of C.J.’s press corps, played by Mindy Seeger. Chris and C.J. seemed to have something of a friendly relationship, and she appeared in a handful of episodes in the first six seasons but just one in The West Wing’s final run. 

Mary McCormack - 30 episodes 

Mary McCormack joined the fray at the end of Season 5 as Deputy National Security Advisor Kate Harper. While she signed on as a series regular for the final two seasons, McCormack appeared in just over half of the episodes. 

Kathryn Joosten - 30 episodes 

Delores Landingham (Kathryn Joosten) was a favorite of The West Wing fans as the Executive Secretary to President Bartlet. A confidante and supporter of Jed Bartlet long before he took political office, she had the respect of everyone in the building and ensured that decorum was maintained in the vicinity of the Oval Office. Mrs. Landingham appeared in nearly every episode of the first two seasons before — in one of the most shocking moments in TV history — she was killed by a drunk driver at the end of Season 2. Joosten returned as a guest for one episode in Seasons 3 and 4 in flashbacks.  

Timothy Busfield - 27 episodes 

One of the bigger romantic storylines on The West Wing outside of Josh and Donna featured C.J. and her efforts to keep things professional with senior White House correspondent Danny Concannon. Timothy Busfield was prominently featured as the Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist in the first season, then came back a handful of times in Seasons 2 and 4, once in Season 5 and made four appearances in the final season. 

Ivan Allen - 26 episodes 

The White House clearly had its preferred TV news anchor, because Ivan Allen appeared as anchor Roger Salier — via TV screen — in a few episodes for all seven seasons of the political drama’s run, 26 times in total. 

Elisabeth Moss - 25 episodes 

Elisabeth Moss is well-known now for series including Mad Men and The Handmaid’s Tale, but before that, you might have forgotten she was on The West Wing as President Bartlet’s youngest daughter Zoey. She appeared at least once in every season except the third. 

Mary-Louise Parker - 23 episodes 

Amy Gardner came into Aaron Sorkin’s universe in Season 3 as a political lobbyist and college friend of Josh. She and Josh engaged in an on-off relationship, as she worked her way to positions within both the Bartlet and Santos administrations. Parker made most of her guest spots in Seasons 3 and 4, though she returned for a handful of Season 5 episodes, one in Season 6 and two in Season 7. 

Kristin Chenoweth - 23 episodes 

The West Wing is not the first show that comes to mind when Kristin Chenoweth’s name comes up, but sure enough, she portrayed Deputy Press Secretary Annabeth Schott in Seasons 6 and 7, appearing in about half of each season’s episodes. Her character joined the Santos campaign trail and had a clear attraction to Leo McGarry before his death. 

John Amos - 22 episodes 

As the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, anytime John Amos’ Percy Fitzwallace showed up on The West Wing, you knew something was going down. Unfortunately for the fans, his episodes were merely sporadic in Seasons 1, 3, 4 and 5. 

Gary Cole - 22 episodes 

Vice President Bob Russell, aka “Bingo Bob,” aka actor Gary Cole, was the second vice president of the Bartlet administration, and he appeared mostly in the fifth and sixth seasons, with one guest appearance in Season 7.

These may be the 32 characters who graced our television screens in the most episodes of The West Wing, but this list only scratches the surface of the talent featured in the political drama for seven seasons. Alan Alda notched 16 episodes as presidential candidate Arnold Vinick, and Moira Kelly appeared in 20 episodes of the 22-first season, before her character Mandy became a victim of “Chuck Cunningham Syndrome” and was never heard from again. 

Twists and turns and shocking moments are why we love great TV. There is nothing like a moment on your favorite show that sends a cold shiver up your spine and has you thinking about it for days, weeks, or even months after it happens. The moments that get everyone talking and sometimes change pop culture completely. This is our list of just some of our favorite times television shows left us speechless. 

Warning! Major Spoilers Below!

Omar's Last Moments - The Wire

Omar Little from The Wire is one of the greatest characters in TV history. For most of the show, Omar is the ultimate survivor in a dangerous game of life and death on the streets. Then suddenly, in the third-to-last episode of the series, he is gunned down in a convenience store by Kenard, a mere child. It's shocking and tragic for viewers who had come to love the troubled character. 

Matthew Crawley's Crash - Downton Abbey

The Season 3 finale of Downton Abbey pulls the rug out from under its fans in a hurry. It seems like the season will end on a happy note, with Lady Mary coming through a tough delivery of her first child and issues with the estate settled. That's when it happens, Matthew Crawley, out for a drive, comes head-on with a truck and is killed. It's sudden and shocking. 

Not Penny's Boat - Lost

Lost provided weekly twists and turns that the loyal fans of the show obsessed over for days. One moment that caused months of discussion came in the Season 3 finale when Charlie, on the verge of drowning, used his last moments to convey that the boat they thought belonged to Desmond's fiancee, was not, in fact, Penny's boat. 

Mrs. Landingham's Car Crash - The West Wing

The final episode of Season 3 of The West Wing, called "Two Cathedrals" is often cited as one of the show's best episodes. It's also one of its most tragic for something that actually happens off-screen, Mrs. Landingham's death in a car crash. Dolores Landingham was beloved by her fellow characters and fans of the show, and her death, as she drove her new car back to work, is probably the saddest moment in West Wing history. 

Ned Stark's Loses His Head - Game Of Thrones

We could populate this entire list with just shocking Game of Thrones moments and the first really "holy cow" moments came in the penultimate episode of Season 1 when the hero thus far of the story, Ned Stark, met his swift end on the order of King Joffrey. It was one of the most meaningful deaths of the series and showed viewers that no character was ever safe. 

Negan And His Baseball Bat - The Walking Dead

In the final episode of Season 6, The Walking Dead introduced its most terrifying villain of the whole series, Negan. To show just how terrible he was, the show provides possibly the most shocking moment of the series, when Negan takes his baseball bat to Abraham and Glenn's heads in one of the goriest moments in TV history. Audiences lost two of their favorite characters and gained a villain to despise. 

Helly's Outie - Severance

Throughout all of Season 1 of Severance, viewers are left pondering what exactly the purpose of the workers is. We also see the newest team member, Helly, fight and claw to get out, a rebel against the system. In the finale, we learn who Helly's "outie" is, and it's shocking, as she's the daughter of the company founder, but her "innie" is ready to take down the system. 

The Red Wedding - Game Of Thrones

The Red Wedding has been hailed as one of the most shocking moments in all of TV history. Coming in the penultimate episode of Season 3, Walder Frey's betrayal of the Starks led to the terrible deaths of Robb Stark, his wife Talisa, and his mother Catelyn. It truly shook the entertainment world.  

Dr. McDreamy's Car Crash - Grey's Anatomy

Dr. Derek Shepherd's death at the end of Season 11 of Grey's Anatomy was a brutal, stunning moment that broke millions of fans' hearts. While on the surface it seemed like a heartless way to end a show favorite's run on the show, for showrunner Shonda Rhimes, it made more sense than discarding all that was wonderful about Shepherd's relationship with Meredith. 

Walter Watching Jane - Breaking Bad

One of the most brutal scenes in the brutal show that was Breaking Bad was Walter coldly watching Jesse's girlfriend take her last breath without lifting a finger to help. He needed her out of the picture, but it was a glimpse into how far gone Walter was at that point. 

Who Shot Mr. Burns? - The Simpsons

Season Six of The Simpsons ended with one of the all-time great cliffhangers after most of Springfield was angry with Mr. Burns for one reason or another and he winds up shot. Was it Homer? Mr. Smithers? Tito Puente? No, it was none of those, when it was revealed in the Season 7 premiere that it was... Maggie? Eh, best not to think about it too much. 

"We Have To Go Back" - Lost

It was five words that sent shivers up the backs of fans in the Season 3 finale of Lost. For almost three seasons, fans were used to the flashback element of the show, and in that finale, it seemed like a regular Jack flashback. That is until Kate appears and Jack implores her to go "back" to the island with him, revealing that we'd all been watching a flashforward. 

Nina's The Mole - 24

Fox's 24 took the world by storm in its first season with its white-knuckle action and near-constant cliffhangers. One reliable part of the team was Nina Myers, Jack Bauer's righthand woman at CTU. That is until it's revealed that she'd been a mole all along and was working with the enemy, which Jack learned when he found that Nina had killed his wife. 

Tony And Ralph - The Sopranos

For much of its run, The Sopranos relied on twists and shock-endings less than other shows of the time. That doesn't mean the show didn't have them. One prominent example was when Tony Soprano suddenly attacked Ralph Cifaretto, offing him a brutal fit of rage over a number of Ralph's past deeds. 

Rosiland Shays' Elevator Fall - LA Law

Going way back to the 1980s, when shocking twists were few and far between, one of the most surprising moments on TV was the death of Rosiland Shays' on LA Law. Shays was a polarizing character, but she walked into an empty elevator shaft in Season 5 and fell to her death, it shocked everyone. 

Zoe In The Subway - House Of Cards

Zoe Barnes was a key character in the first two seasons of House Of Cards. The reporter was both an antagonist and a friend of Frank Underwood. In what seemed like a relatively benign moment as Zoe waited for a subway, she was suddenly pushed by Frank in front of an oncoming train.

Poussey Gets Suffocated - Orange Is The New Black

On Orange Is The New Black, Poussey was a fan favorite. She was thoughtful and caring, so when she was killed by a guard during a protest, it shocked and saddened everyone watching. One of the hardest moments in the show. 

The Purple Wedding - Game Of Thrones

King Joffrey Baratheon was one of the greatest villains on Game of Thrones and in TV history. By the time Season 4 rolled around, fans had had enough of the evil brat. That's why his death in Episode 2 of Season 4 was both shocking and satisfying. 

Dylan's Father's Car - Beverly Hills, 90210

Most of the twists and turns on Beverly Hills, 90210 were about teenage love triangles or midterms. Very rarely did the show ever tackle more serious issues, but when it did it usually involved Dylan. Like when Dylan's father was blown up in his car as Dylan watched. Intense. 

Bernard The Host - Westworld

Westworld was never shy about shocking fans, and although the signs were there, and fan theories abounded over Bernard's real place in the robot theme park when it was revealed he himself was a host, it still came as a huge surprise to many. Not as shocking as some on this list, but one heck of a twist. 

The Sopranos Blink To Black - The Sopranos

It's one of the most hotly debated moments in television history. The final scene of The Sopranos. While Journey plays on the jukebox, the tension builds if for no other reason than audiences knew something had to happen as the show wrapped up. Then it happens – or doesn't happen – when the scene suddenly goes black, the music stops, and the credits roll. Did Tony die? It doesn't matter, the discussion is what matters. 

The Plane Crash - MASH

In a lot of ways, MASH changed television, and one thing they were pioneers of was having a beloved character suddenly die. Such was the case in the finale episode of Season 3 when Colonel Blake gets discharged from the army and is headed home, only to suddenly die in a plane crash off camera. Famously, the cast was not told of this detail until the scene was shot and in many ways, their reactions were the same as the audience's, shock and sadness. 

John Locke's Wheelchair - Lost

Lost really set up early that it would be full of big reveals and one of the biggest in the first season was discovering John Locke was in a wheelchair in his flashbacks. It comes in the fourth episode of the series after Locke has been well-established as one of the most capable survivors on The Island and it was mind-blowing. Just what was going on, on this island?

Laura Palmer's Father - Twin Peaks

Twin Peaks wrote the book on spooky murder mysteries and set a new standard for appointment TV back in the 1990s. For most of the short series, the one question everyone needed to know, of course, was who killed Laura Palmer? We finally got our answer in Season 2 when we found out it was Leland Palmer, Laura's father. Had there been an internet in 1991, the revelation would've broken it.

Stringer Bell's Last Stand - The Wire

Stringer Bell is one of the most consequential characters in the early seasons of The Wire and while his growing tension with his partner Avon Barksdale showed no signs of abating, you got the feeling that Stringer was going to win the battle for control of the organization. That all suddenly and violently came to an end when Omar and Brother Mouzone team up to take Stringer out. 

Not The Good Place - The Good Place

Sitcoms aren't often noted for their dramatic plot twists, which is what makes the one at the end of Season 1 of The Good Place so great. Eleanor and her friends never felt like they belonged in the Good Place and in the finale, they learn it's because they are actually in the Bad Place.  

Bobby Ewing Reappearing - Dallas

Of course, Dallas is most famous for its "Who shot JR?" cliffhanger, the resolution of which led to one of the highest-rated TV episodes of all time. That wasn't the only big surprise to come from the show though. JR's brother, Bobby, died at the end of Season 8 and much of Season 9 is about his widow Pam dealing with it. Then, in the final scene of the season, Bobby suddenly reappears in the shower as if nothing had happened. It turns out, the whole season was a dream by Pam. Yeah, no one was really happy with that revelation. 

Brody Comes Back From The Edge - Homeland

For the entire phenomenal first season of Homeland, viewers are torn on whether to trust Brody is a good guy or believe Carrie that he's a bad guy. When it's revealed which side he stands on, one of the tensest scenes ever occurs when Brody almost goes through with his plot, but at the last second, decides not to. 

Janice And Richie - The Sopranos

Janice Soprano and Richie Aprile are an odd couple from the beginning and while it's not surprising that Janice would finally snap, it was still shocking when she did and shot Richie after a serious fight. 

Trinity Gets The Last Word - Dexter

Dexter on Dexter spends more time chasing the Trinity Killer than any other of his victims. When he finally catches the serial killer, it's supposed to be a win. Sadly for Dexter and Rita, Trinity has already killed Rita and it's a shocking reversal of emotions. 

For The Watch - Game Of Thrones

Even by Game of Thrones standards, the Night's Watch turning on Jon Snow and ambushing him was incredibly shocking. In the finale of Season 5, viewers were left to ponder if Jon Snow was actually dead. It was a long year of waiting for that answer for fans. 

Lawrence Shocks Everyone - House

It's rare for procedurals like House to have any really shocking moments, but towards the end of Season 5, provides one. Due to actor Kal Penn leaving the show to go work for the Obama administration of all things, his character Lawrence Kutner dies by his own hand off screen and leaves his co-workers, and fans of the show, devastated. 

There are, of course, many other examples, especially now, in the Golden Age of Television, but few can match the completely shocking moments on this list. 

When you think of the main ensemble of your favorite TV series, how closely does the picture in your mind resemble what the cast looked like when it debuted? It is certainly not unusual for a hit TV show to say goodbye to one of its biggest stars or bring in someone new who makes a huge impact. The following are some of the most famous — or even infamous — examples of casting changes that shook things up.

The Brady Bunch

The term “Cousin Oliver Syndrome” references when a sitcom’s youngest and cutest cast member grows up, prompting the writers to invent a new young, cute character to take their place. Its coinage comes from Robbie Rist’s clumsy character from The Brady Bunch, who was added late into Season 5 in 1974, only to last six episodes.

Roseanne

Alicia Goransan starred in Roseanne as Becky Conner for the first five seasons before leaving and later came back for the eighth season and the revival series. In the sixth, seventh, and ninth seasons, the role was given to future Scrubs and Rick and Morty star Sarah Chalke, who also appeared on The Conners in a separate recurring role. This back-and-forth dual casting was humorously addressed on a clip show episode.

Diff'rent Strokes

In Season 6 of Diff’rent Strokes, Arnold (Gary Coleman) and Willis Jackson (Todd Bridges) gained a new younger brother named Sam McKinney, played by Danny Cooksey. Originally brought on as a recurring character, Cooksey joined the main cast and, until the series’ end, his role grew larger as Willis’ appearances became more scarce.

Parks And Recreation

Near the end of the series’ second season, NBC’s Parks and Recreation cast grew with the addition of Rob Lowe as Chris Traeger and Adam Scott as Ben Wyatt. The mockumentary style political satire also experienced a major growth in popularity following their entrance and we find it hard to believe that is a mere coincidence.

Family Matters

An urban legend once suggested that the youngest Winslow child, Judy, walked upstairs one moment in the fourth season of Family Matters, never to come back down again. While that is not actually true (she last appeared in Season 4’s 19th episode, “Mama’s Wedding”), Jaimee Foxworth was written off the sitcom, due to increased attention on Jaleel White’s Steve Urkel and decreased budgeting, never to return to mainstream acting again.

It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia

It’s hard to believe that Frank Reynolds was not a part of “the Gang” since It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia debuted on FX in 2005. In truth, Academy Award nominee Danny DeVito was brought in during the second season, propelling the long-running dark comedy to greater heights of popularity

The Office

NBC’s The Office cast saw many changes throughout its nine-season run, such as bringing in Ed Helms as Andy Bernard and Ellie Kemper as Erin Hannon. The most significant shake-up was when Steve Carell left his star-making role as Michael Scott in Season 7 and was briefly replaced by Emmy winner James Spader as Robert California.

The Sopranos

One of the best character actors of all time, Joe Pantoliano, joined HBO’s The Sopranos cast for two seasons as Ralph Cifaretto. His performance as the capo for the Soprano crime family resulted in one of his most acclaimed roles, earning him a Best Supporting Actor Emmy Award.

The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air

In Daphne Maxwell Reid’s first episode on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (the Season 4 premiere), it is cheekily acknowledged that she had replaced Janet Hubert as Vivienne Banks — following on-set tension with star Will Smith — when Jazz (DJ Jazzy Jeff) says there is “something different about” her. Both actors — who each had different takes on the role — were brought together for the sitcom’s reunion special on Max. 

Family Guy

If not for the publicity surrounding it, Family Guy fans might not have been able to notice that Mike Henry stepped down as the voice of Cleveland Brown in 2020 because of how perfectly Arif Zahir matches the character’s distinct voice. It is much more noticeable, however, to watch the adult animated series’ first two seasons and hear Lacey Chabert voicing Meg instead of Mila Kunis, who has played the Griffin’s oldest child ever since.

Batman

Adam West’s Batman faced off against two iconic iterations of Catwoman on his 1960s-era TV show, played by Julie Newmar for the first two seasons and Earth Kitt in the third and final run. That’s not even counting Lee Meriwether’s portrayal in the feature-length spin-off.

House

The medical diagnostics team led by Dr. Gregory House (Hugh Laurie) originally consisted of Dr. Eric Foreman (Omar Epps), Dr. Robert Chase (Jesse Spencer), and Dr. Allison Cameron (Jennifer Morrison). By the medical drama’s fourth season, he needed a whole new crew, recruiting Dr. Chris Taub (Peter Jacobson), Dr. Lawrence Kutner (Kal Penn), and Dr. Remy "Thirteen" Hadley (Olivia Wilde). The House cast would only continue to change from there — most notably with Penn leaving by the end of Season 5 and stars Amber Tamblyn, Charlene Yi, and Odette Annable coming in near the end.

Melrose Place

Heather Locklear is famous for shaking things up on a few different series by joining the main ensemble and one of the most notable examples is Melrose Place. She was cast on the Beverly Hills 90210 spin-off late into its first season in a recurring role as Amanda Woodward, who would become one the primetime soap’s most iconic characters when she was made a series regular the following year.

Valerie

Following her success on Rhoda, Valerie Harper starred on a family sitcom from the 1980s in the title role of Valerie, until she was fired after two seasons. Her character was killed off and replaced with Sandy Duncan as a stepmother, leading to the show’s retitling as Valerie’s Family: The Hogans and, later, The Hogan Family.

Cheers

Every single one of the main Cheers characters is memorable, even those who joined the ensemble later. Kelsey Grammer as Frasier Crane started off as a recurring character in Season 3, Woody Harrelson’s Woody Boyd was hired in Coach’s place after he and the actor who played him (Nicholas Colasanto) passed away, and, following Shelley Long’s exit, Kirstie Alley was cast as Rebecca Howe.

Grey's Anatomy

When a series lasts as long as Grey’s Anatomy, cast changes are to be expected. Some of the most notable include the exits of Isaiah Washington (following an alleged on-set controversy involving co-star T.R. Knight), Emmy winner Katherine Heigl after six seasons, and Patrick Dempsey, by way of killing off Derek Shepherd.

That '70s Show

Following a special appearance in That ‘70s Show Season 5, Lisa Robin Kelly was officially replaced by Christina Moore as Laurie Forman for the first half of the following season. Season 7 would be the last for Topher Grace as central character Eric Forman and the series’ biggest breakthrough star, Ashton Kutcher, officially left early in Season 8.

Law & Order

Only a handful of the original Law & Order cast — which included Chris Noth and Michael Moriarity— lasted more than four or five seasons before mainstays like S. Epatha Merkerson and Sam Waterston entered the mix. Fun fact: one of the crime procedural’s most beloved stars, Jerry Orbach, first appeared in a Season 2 guest spot in an entirely different role before he joined the main cast as Lennie Brisco the following year.

The Big Bang Theory

For years, Kaley Cuoco was the only female main actor in CBS’ The Big Bang Theory cast. That was until 2009 when Melissa Rauch joined the cast as Bernadette Rostenkowski, who went on to marry Howard Wolowitz (Simon Helberg), and Mayim Bialik joined the following year as Amy Farrah Fowler, who became Sheldon Cooper’s (Jim Parsons) wife.

Night Court

With the notable exceptions of Harry Anderson, John Larroquette, and Richard Moll, the original Night Court cast in its later years bore little resemblance to the Season One ensemble, which also included Karen Austin and Paula Kelly. The late Selma Diamond was the first of three actors to play the second bailiff (including Florence Halop and Marsha Warfield) and Charles Robinson and Markie Post were cast in Season 2 and stayed to the end.

Three's Company

John Ritter’s Jack and Joyce DeWitt’s Janet famously had a rotation of three blonde roommates on Three’s Company — starting with Suzanne Somers as Chrissy before Jenilee Harrison stepped in temporarily as Chrissy’s cousin Cindy and, lastly, Priscilla Barnes was brought in as Terri Alden. Additionally, Norman Fell and Audra Lindley left in Season 3 to star in a spin-off called The Ropers and were replaced with Don Knotts as the trio’s landlord, Mr. Furley.

Charlie's Angels

The only original Charlie’s Angels cast members to last all five seasons were Jaclyn Smith as Kelly Garrett, David Doyle as John Bosley, and John Forsyth as the voice of Charlie. Farrah Fawcett was only a series regular for the premiere season (replaced by Cheryl Ladd) and, following Kate Jackson’s exit after Season 3, Shelley Hack and, later, Tanya Roberts filled in for the remaining seasons.

Game Of Thrones

The Game of Thrones cast would lose main characters regularly but also featured a few well-known actor replacements. Most notably, Michiel Huisman succeeded Ed Skrein as Daario Naharis. Gregor “The Mountain” Clegane was played by three different actors: Conan Stevens in Season 1, Ian Whyte the following season, and Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson for the remaining seasons.

ER

Like any other long-running medical drama, creator Michael Crichton’s ER saw cast members coming and going regularly throughout its 15 seasons. For instance, George Clooney was a regular for the first five years, Ming-Na Wen was on from Season 6 to Season 11, and the final year featured two-time Oscar nominee Angela Bassett in the main cast.

Bewitched

The first of the two Darrins on Bewitched was Dick York, who was replaced after five seasons when a back injury had long-term, debilitating effects on the Emmy nominee. Filling in as the husband of the witchy Samantha Stephens (Elizabeth Montgomery) for the final three seasons was Dick Sargent, who was actually the original choice for the role, but was committed to another series at the time. 

Two And A Half Men

Following a public meltdown, Charlie Sheen was let go from Two and a Half Men, in which his character, Charlie Harper, was killed off and replaced with Ashton Kutcher in a new role. Furthermore, Angus T. Jones’ disparaging comments about the CBS sitcom’s racy subject matter led to his exit after Season 10, which resulted in multiple attempts to fill the “Half Man” role with the likes of Amber Tamblyn and Edan Alexander.

Monk

Tony Shalhoub’s eponymous, OCD-ridden police consultant from the USA dramedy Monk had three assistants working for him — the first being Bitty Schram as Sharona Fleming. After Niecy Nash came on as temporary fill-in, Varla Davis, Traylor Howard was cast as Natalie Teeger, who was employed by Adrian Monk for the remainder of the series.

The West Wing

There were several notable changes to the West Wing cast throughout its run, such as Moira Kelly’s Mandy Hampton departing after the first year without explanation and Rob Lowe being replaced with Joshua Malina after four seasons. Creator Aaron Sorkin’s Emmy-winning political drama also largely shifted its focus in the final two seasons toward Jimmy Smits and Alan Alan as candidates to succeed Josiah Bartlett (Martin Sheen) as the United States President. 

The Cosby Show

From her marriage to Martin (Joseph C. Phillips), Lisa Bonet’s Denise Kendall (née Huxtable) gains a stepdaughter named Olivia, who essentially serves as The Cosby Show’s resident “Cousin Oliver” following the growth of Rudy actor Keshia Knight Pulliam. However, Raven-Symoné makes her debut role something truly special with her performance as the adorably precocious girl.

Married... With Children

Following his guest appearance on Married… with Children as Peg’s alternate reality husband, Ted McGinley replaced David Garrison’s Steve Rhoades as Jefferson D’Arcy — the second husband of the Bundy’s next-door neighbor, Marcy. This is just one of many times the actor was cast on a series late into its run, such as when he joined Happy Days — leading radio personality Jon Hein to dub him the “patron saint of shark-jumping.”

The Waltons

The oldest child of the Waltons (and the central focus of the Depression-era drama), John-Boy, was originally played by Richard Thomas. When the Emmy winner left the show after seven years, he was replaced by Robert Wightman for the final two seasons.

House Of Cards 

Assault allegations against led Netflix to remove Kevin Spacey from his role in the House of Cards cast as ruthless politician Frank Underwood. Robin Wright, who starred as Frank’s wife, Claire, was then promoted to the series lead for the sixth and final season.

Some casting changes ultimately kill a TV show, while others manage to endure through it swimmingly and some even get better as a result.

Back in the early aughts, The West Wing had a pretty heady task in winning over American audiences in the wake of the Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinsky scandal. But with an idealized White House, an amazing cast and the musical writing of Aaron Sorkin, the political drama did just that. Before there was The West Wing, though, there was The American President, the romantic comedy starring Michael Douglas and Annette Bening that was also penned by Sorkin. That’s no coincidence, either, as it turns out the idea for the NBC series was inspired by Rob Reiner’s 1995 film. 

It’s easy to see the similarities between the two projects. Aaron Sorkin’s quick and witty dialogue is unmistakable, and their two fictional presidents — Michael Douglas’ Andrew Shepherd and Martin Sheen’s Jed Bartlet — are equally beloved for being smart, capable and, above all, good-hearted. So how did a romantic comedy film deliver one of the best television shows of all time? 

How The West Wing Was Inspired By The American President 

In The American President, the story mostly focuses on the president himself and his budding relationship with environmental lobbyist Sydney Ellen Wade (Annette Bening) in a re-election year. The West Wing was intended to be the opposite — the exploration of the president’s senior staff with very little of the big guy himself — made possible through Aaron Sorkin’s overachieving first script. The writer said in The West Wing (The Official Companion): 

While Martin Sheen’s portrayal of President Bartlet necessitated that he play a bigger role in the series than originally intended, his character’s story never overshadowed those of his staff, as we were gifted with one of the best ensemble casts of all time in John Spencer (chief of staff Leo McGarry), Bradley Whitford (deputy chief of staff Josh Lyman), Richard Schiff (communications director Toby Ziegler), Rob Lowe (deputy communications director Sam Seaborn), Allison Janney (press secretary C.J. Cregg), Dulé Hill (president aide Charlie Hill) and many others over the course of its seven-season run. 

The West Wing’s Pilot Script Came Straight From The American President’s Cutting Room Floor 

It’s funny to think that the first draft of The American President might have included larger stories for chief of staff A.J. (played by a pre-Bartlet Martin Sheen) or staffer Lewis (Michael J. Fox), but apparently that’s exactly what happened. The West Wing’s executive producer John Wells recalled that being part of his conversation with Aaron Sorkin as The West Wing was being developed. Wells told Empire: 

One of those stories that was left on The American President’s cutting room floor became the basis for The West Wing’s series premiere, which aired on NBC on September 22, 1999. In the same interview with Empire, Aaron Sorkin said: 

This should come as no surprise to anyone who’s seen at least The West Wing’s first season and Rob Reiner’s rom-com, as there are some pretty obvious similarities between the two. 

In the episode “A Proportional Response,” Jed Bartlet expresses frustration after being advised to issue a measured attack against forces abroad that shot down a plane carrying U.S. citizens. His question “What is the virtue of a proportional response?” is practically identical to Andrew Shepherd’s in a similar situation in The American President, where he tells his advisors: “Someday, someone's gonna have to explain to me the virtue of a proportional response.”

In The West Wing episode that followed — “Five Votes Down” — Bartlet’s gun control bill is one of the central focuses, particularly how the staff tries to drum up support for their admittedly weak legislation. It’s also the episode where Leo’s wife leaves him, as he tells her that as long as Bartlet is in the White House, his job is more important than his marriage. 

Fans of The American President will surely see similarities to the movie here, as President Shepherd steals votes from Sydney in order to get his crime bill passed. His girlfriend loses her job over it and in her breakup rant she tells the president, “Congratulations, it’s only taken you three years to put together crime prevention legislation that has no hope of preventing crime.” 

Several Cast Members Appeared In Both The Movie And The TV Series 

There are plenty of actors you probably forgot were on The West Wing, but several of them you may have recognized from The American President, because the plot isn’t the only place where the two overlap. Obviously Martin Sheen was promoted to the Oval Office for the NBC series after serving as chief of staff in the movie, but he’s not the only Sorkin player to double-dip. 

Anna Deavere Smith recurred as National Security Advisor Nancy McNally from Seasons 2 to 7 after playing press secretary Robin McCall in The American President; Joshua Malina, who joined The West Wing in Season 4, was a colleague of Sydney’s in the romantic comedy; and Nina Siemaszko, who played Sydney’s sister in the movie, appeared in nine episodes of The West Wing as one of the First Daughters. 

Both of these projects are beloved pieces of work from Aaron Sorkin, and fans of The West Wing are likely more than grateful that the writer was so inspired by his White House research that he created the characters of the Bartlet White House that we love so much. The West Wing is currently one of the best shows streaming on Max, so fire up your Max subscription. While The American President isn’t available to stream anywhere currently, you can rent or buy the movie on digital platforms including Amazon Prime Video or YouTube. 

Happy Days, one of the best TV comedies set outside New York and Los Angeles, gave us classic catchphrases, the legendary “Jump the Shark” trope, and quite possibly the greatest theme song in the medium's history. Over the years, the show also introduced us to unforgettable characters like the Fonz, Richie Cunningham, and Mr. C, as well as several others who would go on to have their own spinoffs. However, the show also introduced another phenomenon folks call “Chuck Cunningham Syndrome,” which has since reared its head countless times on some of the most popular sitcoms known to man. 

But what is it, why’s it a thing, and why have some of us thought about it nonstop since watching a random Nick at Nite commercial more than a quarter-century ago? We might not be able to answer the final question, but the other two won’t be a problem at all…

Chuck Cunningham Syndrome Is What Happens When A Sitcom Character Disappears With No Explanation 

Okay, so what is “Chuck Cunningham Syndrome” anyway? Any time a character on a TV show simply disappears with no explanation or future references (or retconned out of the story), you have this phenomenon. The reason the name is that the most famous example comes from Happy Days, in which the oldest Cunningham child, Chuck, was nowhere to be seen or mentioned after the show’s second season.

When The Hollywood Reporter wrote about the death of Gavan O’Herlihy, who played the character for most of the first two seasons before being replaced by Randolph Roberts, it was pointed out that in later seasons of the show, Howard Cunningham (Tom Bosley) mentioned that he only had two kids: Richie (Ron Howard) and Joanie (Erin Moran), with no reference to the son last seen going upstairs back in Season 2.

And while Happy Days is the most famous example of this strange phenomenon, other famous sitcoms (and other TV shows) have experienced this. Here are a few... 

Judy Winslow (Family Matters)

One of the most iconic TGIF shows, Family Matters introduced unforgettable TV characters like Steve Urkel (Jaleel White), Carl Winslow (Reginald VelJohnson), and countless others, many of whom stayed with the sitcom until the very end. That wasn’t the case for Judy Winslow (Jaimee Foxworth), the youngest of the central family who just disappeared following the fourth season. The vanishing of Judy Winslow, though not explicitly addressed in the series after never being seen again after Grandma Winslow’s wedding, can be chalked up to budget issues and the character being underutilized in the expanded cast, according to People Magazine.

Ben Geller (Friends)

Ben Geller, who was played by Dylan and Cole Sprouse in later seasons, was Ross’ (David Schwimmer) son on Friends and a character who would pop up from time to time. However, that abruptly came to an end near the conclusion of the landmark sitcom, as Ross’ first child was no longer a thing after the birth of his daughter with Rachel Green (Jennifer Anniston). There are times when characters simply forget Ross even had a son, and there was no mention of where he went. There are, however, multiple fan theories about this situation.

Seven (Married With Children)

The TV trope of introducing a random kid in later seasons is one that never gets old, and it can be spotted in Married with Children Season 7 with the inclusion of Seven (Shane Sweet). Introduced as Peggy Bundy’s (Katey Sagal) first cousin and later informally adopted son, Seven only appeared in 12 episodes before never being seen or heard of again. 

 Tori Scott (Saved By The Bell)

Saved by the Bell, which started as a completely different show (Good Morning, Miss Bliss) set in a different high school (Indiana instead of California), introduced and got rid of characters with little to no reason multiple times throughout its run. One of the strangest though, was the introduction of Tori Scott (Leanna Creel) during the gang’s senior year. Just as she replaced Kelly Kapowski (Tiffani Thiessen) and Jessie Spano (Elizabeth Berkley), the harder-edged high school student was never mentioned in any of the spinoff movies or series that followed its original run.

Tina Pinciotti (That '70s Show)

Remember when the That ‘70s Show cast included Tina Pinciotti (Amanda Fuller) for a single episode? No? Well, during the Season 1 episode titled “Eric’s Burger Job,” Donna Pinciotti (Laura Prepon) had a younger sister who disappeared just as quickly as she appeared. Though Tina was briefly referenced in the next season, it was later suggested that Donna was an only child.

Claire (Seinfeld)

Seinfeld, the show about nothing, spent the 9 seasons following Jerry Seinfeld’s titular character and the rest of the core cast (and all those unforgettable side characters). But one character that has seemingly been forgotten is Claire (Lee Garlington), the waitress who featured prominently in the show’s pilot episode. For whatever reason, the sitcom was retooled and Claire (as well as Pete’s Luncheonette) was left off the revamped version.

Cathy Simms (The Office)

One of the most despicable characters from The Office, Cathy Simms (Lindsey Broad) came in as Pam’s (Jenna Fischer) replacement while she was on maternity leave and quickly started flirting with Jim (John Krasinski). Luckily, for fans of the show, especially those big supporters of all things Jim and Pam, Cathy disappeared about as quickly as she appeared, only appearing in a few episodes in Season 8 before vanishing with no explanation or reason.

Mr. Turner (Boy Meets World)

Mr. Turner (Anthony Tyler) was a major part of Boy Meets World during Seasons 2-4, but the beloved teacher, friend, mentor, and later legal guardian of Shawn (Rider Strong) disappeared partway through the fourth season after a motorcycle accident. Though the character was referenced in the series finale (though Tyler didn’t reprise his role), he was forgotten for the better part of three seasons. He did, however, return for Girl Meets World.

Andy (Roseanne)

Andy, Jackie Harris’ (Laurie Metcalf) son from Roseanne is a rather interesting case as he was on the show until the end of its original run but wasn’t brought back for the revival series or The Conners continuation. There has been no mention of the boy, who would now be a fully-grown adult at this point, since.

BONUS: Mandy Hampton (The West Wing)

The West Wing isn’t a sitcom, but it does feature a great example of “Chuck Cunningham Syndrome” with Mandy Hampton (Moira Kelly), so we’ll include her as a bonus item. Though a major player in the early goings of the political drama’s first season, Mandy was seen less and less as the story went on, and eventually, she disappeared and was never mentioned again.

These are just some of the big examples of “Chuck Cunningham Syndrome,” as there are countless other examples from over the years. And who knows, maybe we’ll see it again with the return of beloved sitcoms and dramas when the 2024 TV calendar picks up.

In the modern world of streaming, ratings don't really mean what they used to mean for most TV shows. Looking back, it's incredible how many people were tuning in for some of these famous shows' episodes with the highest ratings, so let's dig in and see what kind of numbers they drew. Warning: this story contains spoilers. 

ER - "Ambush" 

At its peak in the mid-1990s, ER was the most popular show on TV. It comes as no surprise that its highest-rated episode fits right in the middle of it. Episode 1 of Season 3, titled "Ambush" drew a whopping 42.71 million viewers, one of the highest-rated dramas of all time. 

The West Wing - "In The Shadow of Two Gunman" 

The West Wing is considered by many to be one of the best television shows of all time, especially the first four seasons. The Season 1 cliffhanger was of shots fired at President Bartlett (Martin Sheen) and 25.05 million people tuned in to the Season 2 premiere "In The Shadow Of Two Gunman" to see what happened. 

Breaking Bad - "Felina" 

By the time Breaking Bad came around, ratings numbers were completely different. With the dawn first of cable TV, then of streaming, TV shows didn't draw the same number of viewers network shows did at their peak. Still, the highest-rated episode was still watched by a respectable 10.28 million watchers. The episode was of course the series finale, "Felina." 

Better Call Saul - "Uno"

The Breaking Bad spinoff, Better Call Saul benefited from its connection to the hit AMC show, and when it debuted in 2016, the first episode drew its highest ratings through its run, 2.57 million viewers. 

Atlanta - "The Big Bang"

Looking at the numbers for Atlanta you can see how things have changed in the television landscape. The critically acclaimed show was very popular, but its numbers are dwarfed by older shows. The most-watched episode of the Donald Glover-driven show was the premiere with 1.08 million people tuning in. 

The Sopranos - "For All Debts Public and Private" 

This one is a bit of a surprise. The finale of The Sopranos was a huge deal and it felt like everyone in the world was tuning in. It is not, however, the highest-rated episode for the series. That distinction belongs to Episode 1 of Season 4, "For All Debts Public and Private." The show's peak reached 13.43 million people, which is really impressive for a pay channel.

CSI: Crime Scene Investigation - "Ch-Ch-Changes" 

For the first seven seasons of its run on CBS, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation completely dominated the ratings for dramatic shows. It regularly drew 20-25 million viewers every week. It reached its apex with Episode 8 of Season 5 when 31.46 million viewers tuned in to  "Ch-Ch-Changes."

The Office - "Pilot" 

The Office remains one of the most beloved sitcoms ever. You might expect episodes like Pam and Jim's wedding to crush it ratings-wise, but it was actually the pilot episode, way back in 2005 that takes the title, with 11.23 million people. 

Roots - Final Episode

Okay, this is fudging a little bit. Roots was really a mini-series, not a regular show, but it's impossible not to include it because the ratings were so insane. It's estimated that 100 million people watched the final episode on PBS in 1977. 36.36 million TV sets were tuned in, which was 71% of the total TV viewership in its timeslot. 1 in 4 TVs in the whole country were tuned to Roots.

Lost - "Man of Science, Man of Faith" 

Lost took the TV world by storm when it debuted in 2004. By the end of Season 1, fans were glued to their sets every week. 23.47 million of those fans tuned in for the first episode of Season 2, "Man of Science, Man of Faith" to find out what was in the hatch. 

Magnum, P.I. - "Resolutions" 

Thomas Magnum has had an enduring legacy on TV, first with Tom Selleck in the role, and then with Jay Hernandez in the recent reboot of Magnum, P.I. In the original show's run, the ratings were generally good, though they fell off as the years went on. Still, the series finale showed just how popular the show was when, according to the fansite MagnumMania, the final episode drew 50.7 million viewers, ranking it 5th all-time for a single episode. 

This Is Us - "A Father's Advice"

While network shows have generally seen ratings decline over recent years, NBC's This Is Us bucked the trend and brought back the idea of "must see TV." The tear-jerker regularly drew high ratings throughout its 6 seasons run, peaking at 12.94 fans tuning in for Season 2, Episode 1 titled "A Father's Advice". 

The Fresh Prince Of Bel Air - "Just Say Yo"

Will Smith was just getting started on his acting career when The Fresh Prince Of Bel Air first aired in 1990. Two and a half seasons later, it was clear how popular he'd become when Episode 19 of Season 3, "Just Say Yo," found 30.6 million people tuning in to watch the hijinks of Will and Carlton making some bad decisions about some pills. 

Mad Men - "Person to Person" 

AMC's Mad Men stayed remarkably consistent through its entire seven season run. The ratings didn't fall off a cliff like so many shows do at some point. Sure, it's a more modern show, so the ratings aren't through the roof like the pre-cable era, but still 3.29 people watched as the series came to a close in Episode 14 of Season 6, called "Person to Person" when Don Draper finally seems human at the end. 

Dallas - "Who Done It" 

"Who shot J.R.?" was more than just a TV catchphrase. For the entire summer of 1980, people everywhere were asking the same question.  J.R. Ewing (Larry Hagman) getting shot at the end of Season 3 of Dallas remains to this day the most famous cliffhanger in TV history. Episode 1 of Season 4 reflects just what a huge deal it was when 61% of the TVs in the country tuned in to find out who did it, which translated to 38 million people at the time. The show dragged it out of course, and the ratings peaked for Episode 4 of that season when we all learned who actually did it. An astounding 76% of all the TVs in America were tuned to CBS for the episode "Who Done It." 53 million people. Just nuts. 

The Simpsons - "Bart Gets An F" 

The Simpsons holds a lot of TV records, as you would expect for a show that's been on since the first George Bush was President. Surprisingly, its highest-rated episode came very early on in its run. Season 2, Episode 1 "Bart Gets An F" remains the highest rating the show's ever gotten, with 33.6 million viewers. It's a classic episode, but you'd think something like "Who Shot Mr. Burns" would have eclipsed it, but nope. 

Seinfeld - "The Finale" 

It will come as no surprise that Seinfeld is responsible for one of the highest-rated episodes of all time. The final episode of the show, simply called "The Finale" drew an unbelievable 76.26 million viewers. Those are numbers that we will likely never see again with the diversification of viewer habits. It is simply amazing. 

The Wire - "Port in a Storm" 

While The Wire is often ranked at the top, or very near the top of the greatest TV shows of all time, it had pretty modest ratings during its original run. Fans at the time were always worried that HBO was going to cancel the beloved show. The show hit its ratings peak in Season 2, with Episode 12 "Port In A Storm" which sees the demise of Frank Sobotka, with 4.48 million fans tuning in. 

Succession - "With Open Eyes" 

HBO has a knack for churning out hit after hit and Succession is no exception. What's different is how people consume those hits these days. With the rise of streaming, ratings on HBO don't come close to what they used to be and that's reflected in Succession's highest-rated episode, the series finale, "With Open Eyes," only garnering 800k viewers. No doubt that number was much higher on the MAX streaming platform, and it was met with widespread critical acclaim. 

House - "One Day, One Room" 

For seven seasons on Fox, House was among the network's most popular shows. Episodes like when Dr. House (Hugh Laurie) was shot and others garnered high ratings, but the highest ratings came when it was revealed if House would beat the drug charges against him in Season 3, Episode 4, "One Day, One Room."

M*A*S*H - "Goodbye, Farewell, Amen" 

Here it is. The granddaddy of them all. The series finale of M*A*S*H, a show that famously ran for 5 times as many years as the actual Korean conflict lasted, was a television event that will never come close to being matched. The episode, titled "Goodbye, Farewell, and Amen" drew an insane 105 million viewers. It was at the time, and remained for years, the highest-rated TV show of all time. It wasn't until 2010 that even a Super Bowl surpassed it.  

Gossip Girl - "The Dark Night" 

Gossip Girl has a big place in the hearts of its fans and its highest rated episode, "The Dark Night" in Season 2 reflects that as it's usually ranked as one of the best shows of the series. The episode drew 3.73 million fans to the screen

The Walking Dead - "No Sanctuary" 

AMC had another huge hit on their hands with The Walking Dead. The show, especially in its early seasons, drew enormous ratings. The show was also the master at cliffhangers, so it's not surprising that one of the biggest, with our heroes locked in a train car at the end of Season 4 would be resolved with the highest-rated show of the series, Episode 1 of Season 5, which drew 17.29 million watchers. 

Cheers

Like so many shows in the '80s and '90s, it was the finale of Cheers that scored huge numbers. The final episode, appropriately named "One For The Road," was watched by 80 million people in the U.S., ranking among the highest-rated shows ever. Many in Gen X can remember where they were when Sam (Ted Danson) turned the lights off in Cheers for the final time. 

Game of Thrones - "The Iron Throne" 

In a rare example of streaming likely helping a TV show's ratings, Game of Thrones' viewership numbers steadily climbed as the show moved along, culminating in the 13.61 million people that tuned in to HBO to watch the finale. While critics and fans had mixed reviews of the ending, you can't argue with the numbers. 

Full House - "Happy Birthday, Babies" 

The legacy of Full House is huge. Millions of fans still love the show enough that it was brought back decades after it ended with Fuller House. The family is still one of the most loved in TV history, so the episode "Happy Birthday, Babies" in Season 5, when Becky gives birth to Nicky and Alex, is unsurprisingly the most-watched episode, with 35.7 million people tuning in. 

Friends - "The Last One" 

You will not be shocked to learn that the series finale of Friends, "The Last One," is one of the most-watched shows of all time. The ratings juggernaut saved its best for last with 52.2 million fans watching as the show came to a close. It's good enough for 5th all-time, among TV finales. 

Grey’s Anatomy - "It's The End Of The World" 

Full disclosure here, the highest rated episode of Grey’s Anatomy had a little help, as the Season 2 ep aired directly after a Super Bowl. The result was a monster viewership of 38.1 million people. The show has always been very successful and its ratings are regularly among the highest on TV, but it's hard to imagine it ever topping that number. 

Yellowstone - "One Hundred Years Is Nothing" 

The newest show on this list is Paramount's Yellowstone. The Kevin Costner-led show started modestly, but over its first five seasons, it's grown into a powerhouse. The Season 5 premiere is the cherry on top of John Dutton's cake as he got sworn in as governor of Montana with 9.4 million people watching. 

The Cosby Show - Series finale

Like many of its fellow sitcoms, The Cosby Show's final episode was its peak, with 44.4 million viewers. A huge show that will never be seen the same way ever again, but worth mentioning on this list. 

Family Matters - "Life of the Party" 

The enduring legacy of Family Matters is the character Steve Urkel, played by Jaleel White, so it's only appropriate that the highest rated episode was in Season 2 when Urkel taught everyone how to do "The Urkel" dance. 30.9 people danced along at home. 

Arrow - "The Scientist" 

Arrow had a long run, lasting seven seasons, and it kept its ratings remarkably consistent, at least until the last couple of seasons. The high water mark for the superhero show was 3.24 million viewers for the Season 3 episode, "The Scientist."

If you're wondering what program has the highest ratings of all time, it's not a Super Bowl, though eight Super Bowls are in the top 10. The highest-rated TV broadcast of all time was the Moon landing in 1969 with somewhere in the neighborhood of 125 million people watching on all three networks, in total. A small step for a man, a giant leap in TV viewership. 

Over the last several decades, the critical view of television has changed from being a lesser, more mass produced art form, not on the level of movies, to being the place for some of the most creative and progressive content being produced. Much of that collective reappraisal is due to HBO. In the late '90s and early 2000s, the premium cable company poured money into original productions like The Sopranos, Sex And The City, The Wire, Six Feet Under and more. 

As the awards, critical praise, positive fan feedback and subscriptions poured in, more TV networks started taking chances on difficult and complicated subject matter and shelling out to attract major stars. HBO still remains arguably the most famous and successful prestige TV network, but over the last few decades, tons of other networks have taken their chances with riskier and complicated shows. Many of those chances have paid off too.

Here’s a look at some really famous and really successful prestige TV shows that didn’t air on HBO but likely took some level of inspiration from the path the network blazed.

House Of Cards (Netflix)

Few shows in the history of television have upended the entire industry more than House Of Cards. The political drama was the first major original production from Netflix, and the reviews were overwhelmingly positive. Emmy nominations in all the major categories helped create a ton of word of mouth, and within a few years, Netflix’s long-term strategy shifted from a focus on acquiring content to a focus on producing content. 

Downton Abbey (ITV/ PBS)

Every awards voter knows period piece family dramas set among the aristocracy can be major contenders for awards, but Downton Abbey proved just how popular they can be with a broad audience too. The sprawling historical drama found huge popularity in both Britain and The United States, ultimately producing six seasons and multiple movies, and yes, of course, it won plenty of awards too.

The Americans (FX)

One of my personal favorite shows on this entire list, The Americans was a bit of a slow build. Its first season got very solid ratings and a few nominations, but within a few seasons, the spy drama about a Russian family pretending to be Americans was attracting huge Metacritic scores and picking up Emmy nominations in all the major categories for both the show itself and its brilliant lead actors Keri Russell and Matthew Rhys. 

Breaking Bad (AMC)

Widely considered to be one of the greatest shows of all-time, Breaking Bad may not have been on premium cable, but its subject matter was every bit as uncomfortable and morally complicated as anything found elsewhere. By the end of its incredible five-season run, the show had won two Emmys for Outstanding Drama, as well as acting Emmys for three of its primary actors and nominations for two more. 

The Good Wife (CBS)

Prestige TV shows typically have shorter seasons. Maintaining the highest quality over ten episodes is a lot easier than doing it over the twenty-plus network TV typically requires, but The Good Wife was able to maintain high quality thanks to really tight scripts that perfectly blended courtroom case-of-the-week style procedural elements with real character development. Great acting performances also helped, as its actors were collectively nominated an astounding thirty times at The Emmys over just six seasons.

Justified (FX)

Prestige TV shows are most often classified by the number of awards they won, but sometimes it’s about elevating a genre and having an original vision. That’s the case with Justified. It had eight Emmy nominations (and two wins for Margo Martindale and Jeremy Davies), but it’s here mostly because of how much life and originality it brought to the crime genre. It slowly evolved past being a procedural and into a carefully plotted linear story featuring a holler of fascinating backwoods personalities.

Orange Is The New Black (Netflix)

Whether awards voters were asked to call it a comedy or a drama, Orange Is The New Black found a very large and very passionate fanbase with its unique blend of prison shenanigans and societal commentary. It also helped prove Netflix was going to be a long-term threat for prestige television awards long after House Of Cards was gone.

The Great (Hulu)

The Great is maybe the most outlandish show I have ever watched and this comes from someone that’s watched Twin Peaks multiple times. There was no line this show wouldn’t cross, but with a filthy wit, it was able to ride the line between stupid and clever and rewrite the history of Catherine The Great And Peter III’s relationship in a really fascinating way. Reviews were great, and by the end, the lead actors were getting recognized for huge awards.

Lost (ABC)

I’m not sure there will be a single entry on this list that’s more divisive than Lost. The show, which Wikipedia calls a science fiction adventure drama, lost the patience of a percentage of its audience by the end, but it’s impossible to deny just how hooked millions were there for awhile. And with good reason. It got fifty-four Emmy nominations during its run and many are still discovering its joys on streaming.

30 Rock (NBC)

The bar is a lot higher for a comedy to be considered Prestige television, but there are few comedies in the history of television more praised and widely respected than 30 Rock. The hysterical take on the backstage politics behind making a TV show won Outstanding Comedy at the Emmys three times and in later seasons, attracted some of the biggest stars in the world for multi-episode guest spots.

Mad Men (AMC)

Apart from the fact that it’s utterly fantastic, Mad Men is one of the most important TV shows of the last few decades because it conclusively proved literally any network had the ability to create one of the buzziest, most acclaimed series on television, including AMC which launched Mad Men as its first original program. It also turned Jon Hamm into a huge star, and shined a light on many members of its talented supporting cast.

Dexter (Showtime)

Yeah, I know Dexter was inconsistent during its run, but man, was that Dark Passenger fun to ride around with when it was good. Showtime’s drama about a serial killer who tried to live by a moral code netted its primary actor, Michael C Hall, five well-earned Emmy nominations for Outstanding Lead and netted terrific vet John Lithgow a guest star Emmy win for his terrifying work in Season 4. 

Homeland (Showtime)

Homeland didn’t have quite the universal acclaim in its later seasons, but there aren’t many shows in TV history that could match the universal acclaim of its early seasons. Its terrific first season won Outstanding Drama at The Emmys, as well as statues for its two lead actors Claire Danes and Damian Lewis. Altogether, it’s probably the most talked about and acclaimed series in Showtime history, and that’s huge praise given what else has been on that network.

The West Wing (NBC)

The West Wing is perhaps a little more inside the box and network TV-ish than a lot of other entries on this list, but to me, that’s part of its appeal. It’s well put together enough to consistently provide payoff moments, but it’s good enough at what it’s doing that the formula rarely gets in the way. Voters agreed, as it nominated the show for an astounding ninety-eight Emmys.

Ted Lasso (Apple+)

At its absolute best, Ted Lasso, the show but also, the person, has a way of making you feel so unreservedly happy. Before you realize it, you’re rooting for these characters more passionately and with more love in your heart than you ever knew was possible for a TV show. Critics, fans and awards voters all agreed too, as for awhile there, Ted Lasso became the most talked about thing on streaming.

Weeds (Showtime)

Given it ran for eight seasons, Weeds is far from the most nominated show on this list. Some of its actors did well at The Emmys, but what’s really important long-term about the drug dealing dramedy is how it turned what could have been a goofy, throwaway premise of suburban mom turned drug dealer into sharply written material that explored many different emotions and tones. It was never content to remain the same, which is the opposite of what many comedies want.

Grey's Anatomy (ABC)

This choice for sure is picking up some eyerolls, but people forget how freakin’ good Grey’s Anatomy was during its first handful of seasons. It earned multiple Outstanding Drama nominations, and many of its actors, most prominently Sandra Oh and Chandra Wilson, were nominated for their performances. Its third season premiere was also watched live by more than twenty-five million people, which was a huge number at the time, especially for a critical darling.

24 (FOX)

24’s unconventional format of having episodes correspond to specific hours was a masterstroke, given the high pressure intensity of its subject matter. It was also able to really push the line with network television but more in the way of aggression and physical violence. It felt dangerous at the time, and decades later, that ever-present ferocity still comes through. It was consistently rewarded by critics and awards voters too in a way you almost never see for something this action-packed.

Modern Family (ABC)

Modern Family works so well because it’s really good at many different types of comedy. It has an overarching tone, sure, but because it brings together multiple generations, as well as many varied characters, it mines a lot of different subject matter for humor. That allows the show to feel fresh and keep from getting repetitive for longer than most comedies. Its wild range is probably best exemplified by the show somehow getting a combined six nominations in the Supporting Actor and Supporting Actress Emmy categories in the same year.

Better Call Saul (AMC)

There aren’t many spinoff shows in the history of television that pick right up where the original left off in terms of quality. Better Call Saul is a rare exception, which is positively insane given the original quality it needed to aspire to was maybe the greatest show ever in Breaking Bad. Fortunately, Bob Odenkirk is an absolute delight to watch, and Better Call Saul was able to give many of Breaking Bad’s greatest side characters more chances to shine.

Schitt's Creek (CBC)

If you want to know how beloved Schitt’s Creek was when it went off the air, especially among awards voters, look no further than the acting nominations it got during its last run at The Emmys. It somehow netted nine nominations just in the on-screen performance categories. It was a great final moment for a show that was often able to feel like both the best parts of a sitcom and the best parts of a linear dramedy at the same time.

Mr. Robot (USA)

Over the course of four critically acclaimed seasons, Mr. Robot built up a passionate fanbase who loved the dynamic between Rami Malek and Christian Slater, as well as the score and pace of the series. Starting mostly with its second season, it was also honored quite a bit by various award shows, including The Emmys, which gave Malek the Best Lead Actor award, along with nominating the show itself, guest actor BD Wong and more. 

Rescue Me (FX)

A show on FX about firefighters starring stand-up comedian Dennis Leary probably wouldn’t strike most people as a future Emmy winner and critical darling, but Rescue Me was never afraid of tackling more complicated material. That willingness to explore tougher subject matter attracted audiences, as well as high profile guest stars including Michael J Fox who picked up an Emmy for his contributions. 

This Is Us (NBC)

This is Us was so popular during its first few seasons that NBC gave it the post Super Bowl slot. The show took full advantage and aired a Super Bowl-themed episode that many consider to be one of the best of This Is Us’ entire run. It’s a perfect example of how the show, at its best, weaves together the type of complicated subject matter Emmy voters go for, while remaining broad enough to satisfy a massive audience. The actors in particularly were consistently hit with nominations, especially Sterling K Brown who was recognized by The Emmys five times.

The Crown (Netflix)

Typically when a show connects with a large audience, critics and awards voters, those behind the scenes do everything they can to keep the magic going with the original cast. Not The Crown. Rather than focus on a narrow window, the show hurtled forward, picking up new leads and new characters every few seasons, while somehow still maintaining enough quality to connect with Emmy voters and please its legion of fans.

The L Word (Showtime)

The L Word was never as enticing to awards voters as it should have been, though Ossie Davis did notably win an Emmy for Guest Actor, but its popularity and effect on prestige TV’s willingness to tackle LGBT+ subject matter cannot be overstated. Over the course of six seasons, the show tackled a wide variety of subjects and built a rich, complicated world of interconnected characters for its fanbase to root for and sometimes get mad at. 

Fargo (FX)

Taking spiritual inspiration from The Coen Brothers’ movie of the same name, no one was quite sure what to expect when Fargo premiered back in 2014, but the result was a fantastic crime narrative that was entirely different, yet oddly similar to the pace of the original film. Critics were overwhelmingly hot and loads of major nominations followed, especially for the actors. Subsequent seasons went in very different directions, but the basic spirit and popularity with awards voters remained. 

The Handmaid's Tale (Hulu)

House Of Cards may have been the first streaming show to get significant critical acclaim and awards nominations, but The Handmaid’s Tale is actually the first one to win Best Drama at The Emmys. The unnerving and often disturbing adaptation of Margaret Atwood’s novel is a tough watch but can be so rewarding, as millions of viewers found out. Its first few seasons in particular were showered with praise and numerous nominations for both the show itself and its brilliant cast.

Arrested Development (FOX/ Netflix)

Has a comedy ever used a narrator better than Arrested Development? The well-written and often deeply weird comedy never attracted the biggest audience, but it was a huge hit with its fanbase and critics, who adored the complicated relationships between its characters and their ridiculous recurring jokes and plots. By the end of its short run, it won Best Comedy and Best Writing at The Emmys and saw four of its cast members nominated in acting categories.

Ozark (Netflix)

It took a little time for enough awards voters to give Ozark a chance, as the first season mainly only saw wide praise for Jason Bateman’s work, but once voters gave it a chance, the nominations started flying in. The show’s last three seasons were all nominated for Best Drama at The Emmys and Julia Garner won multiple times in the supporting category for her incredible work. New fans also keep discovering the show and taking to social media, where the hype train continues, despite not being on the air anymore.

Killing Eve (BBC Three/ BBC America)

There’s no shortage of fans and critics with opinions about Killing Eve's divisive final season, but the first two, in particular, remain beloved by pretty much everyone. Not surprisingly, perennial awards contender Sandra Oh got four Emmy noms for her work on the show, but voters also flipped for Jodie Comer, who got nominated three times and took home a win. Not bad for a spy thriller that wasn’t initially seen by some as a prestige project.

Pose (FX)

The loudest support for Pose came from those who couldn’t get enough of Billy Porter’s fantastic lead performance. He was repeatedly nominated and picked up an Emmy win during the show’s run, but there was also a lot of acclaim for individual seasons themselves too, as Ryan Murphy’s exploration of New York City’s LGBT+ subculture gave an opportunity for so many talented supporting actors to have their moment. 

When your favorite TV show is said and done, it’s kind of hard to pick which episode is the best of the bunch. But that’s exactly what we’re here to discuss, as according to the voters at IMDb, there’s a definitive answer for the highest rated episodes for 32 of beloved TV series like Star Trek: The Next Generation and Friends. Prepare to be amazed by these potential conversation/argument starters! 

“Ozymandias” - Breaking Bad - Season 5

In Breaking Bad’s five seasons of TV, the Rian Johnson directed “Ozymandias” is easily the victor. A perfect 10/10 in its IMDb vote, many have heralded this chapter of Walter White (Bryan Cranston) and his crime saga as the finest. Which is probably because of all the acclaim spotlighting one word that this installment seems to embody: “payoff.”

“Plan And Execution” - Better Call Saul - Season 6

Much like its predecessor Breaking Bad, it’s the setup to the punchline that made Better Call Saul’s crown jewel a fan favorite. “Plan and Execution” is so close to the finale that you can feel the series’ finality, but at the same time you might be surprised to know that the climactic betrayal and death of Howard Hamlin (Patrick Fabian) was actually the mid-season finale of Bob Odenkirk’s swan song.

“Connor’s Wedding” - Succession - Season 4

How was Succession ever going to send out Logan Roy (Brian Cox) with a bang? Well, in the episode “Connor’s Wedding,” the answer was simple: you kill him by surprise, and early on in the final season. Stuff the episode with the sort of tragically awkward Succession moments that we all know and love, and you’ve got a recipe for a story that brings down the house.

“Finale” - The Office - Season 9

The Office’s series finale, aptly titled “Finale,” tied things up with a beautiful knot, which just happened to include Dwight (Rainn Wilson) and Angela (Angela Kinsey) tying the knot. Also, Steve Carell’s big return as Michael Scott still circulates online as a true moment of joy from this landmark chapter. 

“Pine Barrens” - The Sopranos - Season 3

Even after The Sopranos pretty much answered the pressing question of whether or not Tony Soprano was wacked, Season 3’s “Pine Barrens” still contains an unsolved mystery. So on top of Steve Buscemi’s directorial chops, and watching Paulie (Tony Sirico) and Chris (Michael Imperioli) spend some time in those Jersey woods, people are probably still watching this episode in hopes of answering, “Is Valery dead, or not?” The world may never know.

“Modern Warfare” - Community - Season 1

What happens when a mile-a-minute pop culture joke machine like Community dedicates an entire episode to some of the best action movies of all time? Well, you’d get the Justin Lin directed “Modern Warfare,” an all-time heater that sees Jeff (Joel McHale) battling it out for priority registration. It’s an episode that blew people away so hard, that much like Die Hard, it got a couple sequels. 

“The Constant” - Lost - Season 4

Through Lost's best episodes, it was a series that bent people’s minds in all sorts of directions, and left them wanting more. “The Constant” is a firm example of that, as the time travel-centric episode went down the usual rabbit holes the show was known for. However, throwing in that romantic plot line between Desmond (Henry Ian Cusick) and Penny (Sonya Walger) probably stuck the landing for this one in the hearts of fans. 

“The One Where Everybody Finds Out” - Friends - Season 5

It’s not hard to see why “The One Where Everybody Finds Out” is Friends’ highest-rated episode on IMDb. With Chandler (Matthew Perry) and Monica (Courteney Cox) finally seeing their clandestine love affair outed to their whole group, it's a watershed moment for the pair. It's also considered one of Matthew Perry's best Friends episodes, so there's something else to consider.

“Everyone’s Waiting” - Six Feet Under

Would anyone be surprised to learn that Six Feet Under’s series finale “Everyone’s Waiting” is the highest rated entry? Alan Ball’s darkly comic dramedy about death went out on a fitting note, showing the entire Fisher family’s final fates. Sia’s “Breathe Me” still brings people to tears when thinking about it.

“How Your Mother Met Me” - How I Met Your Mother - Season 9

Getting the answer to who “The Mother” was in How I Met Your Mother was only the beginning of the road for the series’ endgame. With Season 9 bringing fans closer to Tracy (Cristin Milioti) and her marriage to Ted (Josh Radnor), “How Your Mother Met Me” took the time to fill us in on every hysterical and heartbreaking moment that led these two to each other.  

“Once More, With Feeling” - Buffy The Vampire Slayer - Season 6

There are several reasons “Once More, With Feeling” probably topped the list of Buffy the Vampire Slayer favorites. Known forever as “the musical episode,” the keen gimmick introduced us all to the silky smooth singing of Giles (Anthony Stewart Head) just as he was heading out the door. Also, Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) and Spike (James Marsters) had their first actual, non-magically influenced kiss. 

“The Stockholm Syndrome” - The Big Bang Theory - Season 12

Sitcom characters are a good example of systems so delicate that the wrong type of change could sink them rather quickly. The Big Bang Theory managed to seemingly avoid that with its series finale “The Stockholm Syndrome,” which both gave Dr. Sheldon Cooper (Jim Parsons) everything he wanted, and the audience an ending they didn’t know they needed. Seeing a very married, and very loving Sheldon is the ingredient that more than likely made this curtain closer one fans still remember.

“The Contest” - Seinfeld - Season 4

When an episode of a sitcom happens to be so good it invents pop culture slang that still lands to this day, as well as finds itself referenced in an episode of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, you know its done the trick. One of Seinfeld’s best episodes, “The Contest,” fits both of those bills, as the New York gang of idiots challenge each other in a very personal way. 

“Connection Lost” - Modern Family - Season 6

Sometimes, you need a good format breaker to keep things fresh. In the sixth season of Modern Family, the powers that be recognized that and gave us “Connection Lost,” a story where Claire (Julie Bowen) plays a literal game of telephone to investigate what may or may not be happening with daughter Haley (Sarah Hyland). 

"The Inner Light" - Star Trek: The Next Generation - Season 5

"The Inner Light" is an episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation that's so popular, all you need is music to spark its memory within the fandom. A touching story of bittersweet devastation and empathy, this could be the episode that epitomizes who Captain Picard (Patrick Stewart) is, and what he's always stood for in this landmark sci-fi franchise.

“Clyde Bruckman’s Final Repose” - The X-Files - Season 3

Story driven series like The X-Files sometimes strike it big with the occasional one-off episode. In the case of David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson’s third season of action, “Clyde Bruckman’s Final Repose” was one such episode, following the case of an insurance salesman (Peter Boyle) who knows when people are going to die. Properly spooky, but also slyly witty, it may be Mulder and Scully’s greatest victory against the show’s shadowy conspiracy. 

“Middle Ground” - The Wire - Season 3

“Middle Ground” is the type of episode that shows like The Wire live for. Well regarded by fans and critics alike, the Season 3 heater saw Stringer Bell (Idris Elba) ringing on the streets of Baltimore for the last time. With Omar (Michael K. Williams) helping punch his ticket, this endgame between these legendary characters is still the episode to beat.  

“The Suitcase” - Mad Men - Season 4

“THAT’S WHAT THE MONEY’S FOR!” You could probably hear a pin drop after Don (Jon Hamm) and Peggy (Elisabeth Moss) had their infamous argument over who deserved the true credit for the Glo Coat ad. “The Suitcase” saw perhaps the greatest fracture between this mentor/mentee team, and its effects would reverberate through to the series’ finale. Also, that quote did become one hell of a meme; so that helped in the longevity department of this Mad Men champion.

“Eye Of The Beholder” - The Twilight Zone - Season 2

Technically, The Twilight Zone has two episodes tied for the highest rating in its iconic collection of episodes. If you guessed Nightmare at 20,000 Feet as the technical tie, you’re absolutely correct. However it’s Season 2’s  “Eye of the Beholder” that still wins out, based on a higher volume of votes. And if you want to guess why that is, it’s probably because this episode has one of the biggest twist endings in Twilight Zone history, complete with truly frightening prosthetics.

“One Last Ride” - Parks and Recreation - Season 7

Sorry Parks and Rec fans, even with Chris Pratt’s legendary improv “Flu Season” isn’t the NBC series’ highest rated episode. Rather, the series finale “One Last Ride” is the best regarded installment of the pop culture hit. Though if you’re a true fan of the Amy Poehler-led ensemble series, you’re probably not sorry, as this is the episode that gave everyone a pretty happy ending.

“Two Cathedrals” - The West Wing - Season 2

“Two Cathedrals” is both one of the darkest hours and finest moments of President Jed Bartlet (Martin Sheen). The episode where he ponders running for another term, in light of an MS diagnosis and the loss of close friend and colleague Mrs. Landingham (Kathryn Joosten). The reason this episode is the top of the class is, unquestionably, Sheen’s enraged monologue in discussion with God; which became a real bilingual tongue lashing of fury.

“Papa’s Got A Brand New Excuse” - The Fresh Prince Of Bel Air - Season 4

If you ever need inspiration to cry in a rush, put on The Fresh Prince of Bel Air’s Season 4 episode “Papa’s Got A Brand New Excuse.” When you get to the end, in which Will (Will Smith) expresses his heartbreak of being abandoned by his father again, you’ll understand why this is the episode that still has fans singing its praises.

“11:00 p.m.-12:00 a.m.” - 24 - Season 1

24 was a massive cultural hit when it first premiered, and eventually spawned the story of Jack Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland) and the worst days in his life. The best rated episode of his adventures, “11:00 pm - 12:00 am” saw Jack’s deadly battle with the Drazen family come to an explosive conclusion; but at a cost. With the loss of his wife Teri (Leslie Hope) and the escape of traitor Nina Meyers (Sarah Clarke), the path of his life would be set for years to come.

“Crossroads: Part 2” - Battlestar Galactica - Season 3

Talk about a “payoff” episode, as Battlestar Galactica's "Crossroads: Part 2" not only brought Starbuck (Katee Sackoff) back from the dead, it also revealed the Final Five Cylons hiding among the Galactica’s crew.  So depending on where your head is at as a fan, you’ve got two different reasons to choose from, and both lead to Earth! 

“Happy Ending” - Schitt’s Creek - Season 6

When a comedy can make you laugh as much as Schitt’s Creek has, the ability to make the audience cry in-between laughing fits is seen as a bit of a superpower. “Happy Ending” closed out the ensemble series with tears of joy and sadness, as David (Dan Levy) and Patrick (Noah Reid) finally got married. With the Rose family splitting off for fates unknown, a truly happy ending was had as all of our favorite characters grew into the beautiful beings we saw in this final frame.

“On The Beach” - ER - Season 8

Good luck talking about this episode of ER without breaking into tears. Serving as the tearful goodbye to Dr. Greene (Anthony Edwards), watching a dear friend make peace with his mistakes before his death was a heart smasher. To this day, Israel Kamakawiwoʻole’s cover of “Somewhere Over The Rainbow” is an easy emotional trigger. 

“Abyssinia, Henry” - M*A*S*H - Season 3

M*A*S*H is a unique animal. “Abyssinia, Henry” proves that point rather well, as the departure of Colonel Henry Blake (McLean Stevenson) went from bittersweet to downright devastating. With the series regular dying in a finale that even surprised the cast, you could imagine how fans felt when they first saw it.

“Raincoats And Recipes” - Gilmore Girls - Season 4

Gilmore Girls fans, you know exactly why you voted “Raincoats and Recipes” as the top rated episode on IMDb. If you’re a fan of Lorelai (Lauren Graham), you love this episode because it’s her first kiss with Luke (Scott Patterson). If you’re on Team Rory (Alexis Bledel), then the rather complicated moment of her and Dean (Jared Padalecki) trying to “salvage their friendship” is probably the high point.

“An American Girl in Paris: Part Deux” - Sex and the City - Season 6

Before both movies and the formation of the legacy-quel And Just LIke That would change history, Sex and the City landed its grand finale with “An American Girl in Paris: Part Deux” as Carrie's (Sarah Jessica Parker) fairy tale reunion with Mr. Big (Chris Noth) seemed like the happy ending fated from square one.

“Always” - Friday Night Lights - Season 5

The last dance with Coach Taylor (Kyle Chandler) and his East Dillon Lions resulted in “Always,” the series finale to the ever popular Friday Night Lights. With a State Championship on the line, as well as Coach’s own future in football, the results weren’t the draw for those who followed the show. It was, as always, about clear eyes and full hearts. 

“Lucy Does A TV Commercial” - I Love Lucy - Season 1

Legendary sitcoms like I Love Lucy have those gags that always land on t-shirts, trivia questions, and fan favorite roundups. “Lucy Does A TV Commercial” gave the world one such moment, as Lucy (Lucile Ball) talks her way into a medicine commercial for Vitameatavegamin. Let’s just say the side effects of that elixir are what make this episode very “poopular.”  

“One For The Road” - Cheers - Season 11

There is no Cheers without Sam Malone (Ted Danson). Full stop, no exceptions. The series finale “One For The Road” got that right out of the gate, and seeing Sam realize it in the closing moments is probably why fans love it so much. It’s good to know that there’s always somewhere where everybody knows your name.

Fans know what they love from their favorite series, and the episodes that top the charts only prove it. So remember that whenever your favorite show takes its final bow, it'll eventually be contributing to the history of moments and plotlines like the ones shown above.

Having a long-running TV show is a tricky thing. Namely because quality can ebb and flow depending on the season, for even the most acclaimed projects. Most shows have at least one clunker of a year, whether it be in the beginning of the series, the final season, or somewhere in between. And I've picked the worst season from 32 major television shows. Let's break it all down.

To be clear: this isn't to say that these seasons are unwatchable or made me dislike the show at a whole. Well... mostly. But these are the installments of major shows that simply didn't stand up to the rest of its run. Here are those shows, including major titles like Game of Thrones, Breaking Bad and more. 

Lost - Season 6

Damon Lindelof and J.J. Abrams' Lost was quintessential water cooler programming at the height of its run on ABC. But there were a few seasons that failed to really resonate with fans, including Season 6. The final season's big mystery was surrounding its flash sideways, which was finally revealed in Lost's controversial series finale. And it's for the way that it attempted to stick the landing that makes Season 6 the worst.

Dexter Season 8

There are a number of final seasons on this list, as it's fairly common for long-running shows to decline in quality as the years go on. Dexter was definitely in that category, with Season 8 offering a less than satisfying antagonist for Michael C. Hall's title character to face off against. Dexter's finale is also widely panned, so much so that a new season New Blood was produced to give the killer protagonist a better sendoff. And yes I'm still mad about Deb's fate.

Gilmore Girls - Season 6

Gilmore Girls has a wildly popular fandom, who re-watched the original series annually. But there are some parts of the show that remain controversial, perhaps the biggest of which is Season 6. In it there's a huge block of episodes where Rory and Lorelai are not speaking. And it's really not the same show without the titular Gilmore Girls snacking and dropping pop culture references. While Season 7 feels off because it was done without Amy Sherman-Palladino, the feud between protagonists puts Season 6 at the bottom of the list for me. As someone who watched the show live, those months of weekly episodes was especially painful. 

Grey's Anatomy Season 17

For a show to run as long as Grey's Anatomy has, there's going to be some ups and down in terms of quality. There are a number of season that don't work for the fandom, but for me the worst has got to be Season 17 aka the Covid season. Grey's incorporated the pandemic in real time into its main narrative for the season, with actors wearing masks and face shields in scenes to make the set a safe space. The results were awkward, and Meredith spent most of the season in a Covid related coma. While Grey's brought back McDreamy, George, Lexi, and Sloan during Meredith's beach scenes, I still would have preferred to see her involved in the show's main plot. 

Weeds Season 6

Showtime's dramedy Weeds began with an intriguing premise: a widower in the suburbs starts selling marijuana in her affluent neighborhood to provide for the family. But as the show went on the stakes kept getting higher and higher for Mary-Louise Parker's protagonist Nancy. Season 6 saw the Botwin family on the run, hiding from the Esteban. While it was fun to see the Weeds cast in new situations, it ultimately ends up being a season without too much substance. And the gag of their road trip from hell got old after a while. 

The Office - Season 1

While there are plenty of shows with disappointing final seasons, there are also some that struggled to find their footing with early episodes. The US version of The Office is in that category, and it was unclear if Season 2 was even going to happen. Following the first season's performance, The Office made Steve Carell's Michael Scott more likable, with his issues coming from a deep need for approval. And once we understood how Michael ticked, his bonkers managerial choices became endearing rather than enraging. And now its one of the most popular network comedies of all time. 

Game of Thrones - Season 8

Anyone who watched HBO's megahit fantasy series Game of Thrones probably could have guessed which season I was going to include on this list. The eighth and final season stood out among the rest for its strange pacing, and for delivering long-awaited moments like the CleganeBowl. Unfortunately, the final few episodes took some bold jumps that fans didn't appreciate include Dany breaking bad. The series finale of Game of Thrones is still controversial to this day, although fans have returned to Westeros via the new prequel House of the Dragon. 

Roseanne - Season 9

Roseanne was a super successful comedy series in the '90s, running for a whopping nine seasons originally. Part of its appeal was because the Conners family was working class, and was therefore more relatable to typical TV audiences than other picture perfect sitcoms. Then Season 9 happened, with Roseanne and Dan winning the literal lottery. The whole season felt out of place as a result, including the wild Roseanne finale which basically undid everything we saw throughout its tenure on the small screen. Luckily that finale would end up being retconned when the show returned to the small screen and was given a spinoff with The Conners. 

The Walking Dead - Season 9

AMC's The Walking Dead was wildly popular throughout its first few seasons, but some fans ended up eventually losing interest and falling off. What's more, some quit the show after Negan brutally killed off Glenn. But for me the worst chapter in its run on AMC was Season 9. We all knew it was going to be Andrew Lincoln's last few episodes on the show, which seemed to really slow down its momentum. Eventually The Walking Dead would get better by becoming more of an ensemble project without Rick, but this transitional period was a low point for me. 

American Horror Story: Apocalypse

Ryan Murphy's anthology series American Horror Story is usually quite popular every October, but some of the seasons are stronger than others. There was a lot of hype surrounding Apocalypse ahead of its premiere, as it would serve as a crossover and feature the return of beloved characters from both Coven and Murder House. Unfortunately, the final result failed to live up to that premise, and instead felt like a bit of a jumbled mess. Considering how long fans like me waited to see the witches return to the screen, it was a letdown that final result left so much to be desired. 

Friends - Season 9

Friends is another insanely popular network comedy, one that was a complete sensation during its whopping ten seasons on the air. But some seasons were better than others, especially regarding its main plot line. Season 9 suffered because the show was originally going to end there, before negotiations were made to do the tenth and final season. And as such, the main storyline felt muddled and somewhat anticlimactic as a whole. Luckily the Friends finale would end up providing a great ending when it finally aired. 

Breaking Bad - Season 1

Breaking Bad is one of the most acclaimed TV shows to be on the air in years. It consistently performed well at the Emmys, and fans have applauded the final season as a whole, especially the Breaking Bad finale. But the show was also a bit of a slow burn at first. I personally had to try multiple times to get through the first season of Breaking Bad, before things started really heating up with the introduction of Giancarlo Esposito's Gus Fring. So Season 1 is at the bottom of my ranking for the story of Heisenberg. 

The Simpsons - Season 1

The Simpsons is a groundbreaking animated television show that has the honor of being the longest running American show on television. There's been plenty of discussion over the years about the quality of the series, which has gone through ups and downs during its decades on the air. And for me Season 1 was another example of a show that struggled to find its footing. Obviously the beloved series ended up hitting its stride, but I feel the OG episodes don't necessarily stand the test of time. 

Riverdale - Season 3

The CW had a hit on its hand with Riverdale, which served as a gritty adaptation of Archie Comics. The show's unique visual language made it fun to watch, and I'd typically binge watch a full season once it dropped on Netflix. But Season 3 saw the show take a wild turn. Rather than simply being a murder mystery, Riverdale began dealing with the supernatural for the first time. And there were some serious growing pains. Although we never could have known that Riverdale's finale would include a wild quad twist. 

Buffy the Vampire Slayer - Season 1

This one might be a controversial pick for fans of the show. Buffy the Vampire Slayer is my favorite TV show of all time, and it's one that I often come back to throughout any given year. And while some fans don't like Season 6's dark tone, the show's first season is the weakest for me. During Season 1 Buffy functions much more like a procedural, rather than moving forward and overarching narrative. I personally think the show is best when Buffy's ensemble cast is all assembled, which doesn't happen until later seasons. Plus Season 1 just looks super dated.

Heroes - Season 2

Heroes was a huge hit when it debuted on NBC, with the show offering an original live-action superhero story. Unfortunately, the momentum of that show came to a screeching halt with the Writer's Strike of 2007-2008. Season 2 ends up rushed as a result, and failed to meet the expectations of the series. What's more, Heroes' sophomore season introduces a number of character we'd never see again. One can only imagine which shows will be similarly affected by the recent WGA strike.

Seinfeld - Season 8

Seinfeld is another comedy on this list that is pretty universally acclaimed. But that doesn't mean the iconic '90s sitcom didn't have a few low points throughout its run on TV. Season 8 was the first chapter Seinfeld without creator Larry David, and the difference was pretty obvious. Case in point: the show no longer opened up on Jerry performing a stand up set. 

True Blood - Season 7

True Blood arrived at the height of the early aughts vampire craze, and provided a R-rated take on the blood suckers. The show was violent and campy, and soon became a sensation. But like so many other popular shows, the Anna Paquin-led series failed to stick the landing with its final season on the air. True Blood's finale was generally panned, and the final season felt a bit messy as a whole. I mean, they killed Tara at the beginning of Season 7... offscreen. The disrespect!

Happy Days - Season 5

Happy Days had an impressively long run on the air, and made household names out of talents like Henry Winkler and Ron Howard. The show had a long impact on pop culture as a whole, especially its somewhat infamous fifth season. Season 5 featured Fonzie famously "jumping the shark", which has now become a term for when shows go too far and lose the audience.

New Girl - Season 5

New Girl had a long run on Fox, and has continued to have a life via streaming. But Season 5 failed to bring it the same way the rest of the show did. Namely because Zooey Deschanel was on maternity break, and the show was without its titular character. While Megan Fox's replacement character Regan was a great foil for Nick, the show just wasn't the same without Jess. 

House Of Cards - Season 6

When the streaming wars began, Netflix had some major wins with Orange is the New Black and House of Cards. The latter became a prestige drama, with a killer cast that helped people subscribe to Netflix for the first time. But the allegations against Kevin Spacey saw him removed from the show, and it never really recovered. House of Cards Season 6 killed Francis Underwood off camera, while Claire became the sole protagonist. While Robin Wright killed it, the final season just felt off, and the series finale failed to satisfy fans who stuck it out. 

Glee - Season 4

Glee became a sensation after its first season on Fox, and had a few years of being wildly popular. But its quality started to wane after its first few seasons on the air, and some folks fell off entirely. Season 4 was when things started to change for me, as it took a number of the biggest characters out of William McKinley High School. Kurt and Rachel became roommates in New York City, and it no longer felt like the same musical series that captured the attention of so many. 

Parks And Recreation - Season 1

Just like The Office before it, Parks and Recreation struggled a bit in its first season on the air. The mockumentary comedy was charming, but the cast of Parks & Rec weren't all taking center stage just yet. And Amy Poehler's Leslie Knope was originally criticized for being too close to Steve Carell's Michael Scott. But the show eventually found its footing, and remains popular and utterly meme-able. 

Shameless - Season 11

Like Grey's Anatomy, Shameless produced a season that was set at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. While incorporating mask use helped Season 11 be produced on time, it was a pretty distracting plot point. Overall, the final season failed to live up to what the Gallaghers were capable of. And the series finale felt more like a regular episode, leaving a number of unfinished plot points for the audience to ponder. 

Angel - Season 4

The popularity of Buffy the Vampire Slayer was so high that after three a seasons a spinoff was produced starring David Boreanaz's Angel. These two shows embraced serialized storytelling long before the MCU would make it commonplace. But Season 4 of Angel is my least favorite, despite some exciting Buffy crossovers. Cordelia Chase ends up possessed for a good chunk of episodes, which was a story that got old. And the writing around Angel's son Connor was downright abysmal, as he remains one of the most hated TV characters of all time. 

Community - Season 4

Community is the little show that could, with longtime fans watching as Six Seasons and a Movie came together against the odds. But that doesn't mean that all of its seasons were created equal. Case in point: Community Season 4 aka the Gas Leak Season. It was the first season without creator Dan Harmon, and had a number of gimmicks that failed to really resonate. 

The Handmaid's Tale - Season 5

The Handmaid's Tale is available with a Hulu subscription, and is a gripping and grueling adaptation of Margaret Atwood's novel of the same name. But the most reason installment to air, Season 5, didn't hit quite as hard as its predecessors. I think this is mostly because so many of the stories weren't actually set in Gilead, but in Canada. Add in the loss of Alexis Bledel's Emily, and the fifth season was my least favorite so far. 

That '70s Show - Season 8

That '70s Show made household names out of its cast of actors. But this level of adoration is why Season 8 ends up being the weakest link during its tenure on the air. The final season continued on without Topher Grace's Eric, and the absence of the show's protagonist was very noticeable. Especially when a new character was brought into the group in an attempt to replace him. Ashton Kutcher also left the show, which is why Season 8 is definitely at the bottom of the list.

Arrow - Season 6

The CW's DC superhero show Arrow is one that famously had ups and downs in relation to quality. Still, many fans consider Season 6 to be the worst entry of the bunch. In it we saw Team Arrow frustratingly get split up, and fans took umbrage with the show's plot and pacing. Luckily there were two more season of Arrow to help and satiate disappointed audiences. 

Felicity - Season 4

Felicity has a unique place in the grand history of network TV. After all, we'd never seen a haircut absolutely shake the entertainment industry as when Keri Russell cut off her signature locks back in Season 2. While the show started off as a teen drama, Season 4 ventured into new territory by introducing witchcraft and time travel into the equation. And while J.J. Abrams would prove his sci-fi skills in Star Trek and Star Wars, perhaps Season 4 of Felicity wasn't the right time.

How I Met Your Mother - Season 9

How I Met Your Mother had a seriously impressive run on CBS, with a whopping 9 seasons. The premise of the show meant that all the years of stories from the show's narrator would eventually reveal... how he met the kids' mother. That eventually happened with the entrance of Cristin Milioti. But fans took umbrage with the final season's handling of that plot line, as well as Robin and Barney's divorce. 

The West Wing - Season 5

The West Wing is TV history, and helped make Aaron Sorkin into a household name. But the show's fifth season on the air was a bit of a disappointment, namely because it was the first one without Sorkin at the helm. Overall the story felt a bit of a jumbled mess when compared to the previous installments, which were rather universally acclaimed.

As beloved as these series are, even the greatest of TV shows can have a weak season. 

From 1999 to 2006, The West Wing was one of the most popular shows on TV. It won the Emmy for Outstanding Drama Series in each of its first four seasons, and it made stars of its ensemble cast. The vast majority of the cast appeared on the show for all of its seven seasons, and considering how popular it was, that’s not really a surprise. But the series did lose one of its key cast members when Rob Lowe left near the end of the fourth season.

Rob Lowe was one of the biggest names in The West Wing cast when the show began, so his decision to leave the show was considered a significant blow at the time. So why would one of the biggest stars of the biggest show on TV step away at the height of The West Wing’s popularity? 

Rob Lowe On The West Wing 

The West Wing was the creation of writer Aaron Sorkin and born from unused ideas in an early draft of his script for the romantic drama The American President. The President’s senior staff play significant roles in the film, but are never the focus. In the new series, the ensemble of characters that support the President of the United States would be the stars. Originally the President himself wasn’t even meant to be a regular character, appearing only occasionally.

The West Wing cast was made up primarily of strong character actors. Bradley Whitford, Allison Janney and Richard Schiff were the sorts of actors you’d recognize from other things you’d seen before, but you might not remember their names. But the show had two significant stars: Martin Sheen playing President Josiah Bartlet and Rob Lowe playing Deputy Communications Director Sam Seaborn.

Sam Seaborn is a key character throughout his time on The West Wing. Rob Lowe's character is literally the first member of the cast you see in the pilot. In the first season, his personal life is the one that gets the most development, as he develops an intimate friendship with one woman and a romance with the daughter of the Chief of Staff. 

Some reports claimed that early on, the plan was to make Lowe’s character the star of the show, but when the decision was made to make the President a more prominent character, the concept shifted to more of an ensemble. It seems this may have played a big role with Lowe's decision to leave.

What Reports At The Time Said About Rob Lowe’s Decision To Leave 

Early in Season 4, in the fall of 2002, it was announced that Rob Lowe would be leaving The West Wing after 16 of the show’s 22 episodes (episode 17 would actually be his last). In a statement, Lowe claimed there was “no longer a place” for his character on the show. However, an EW report from the time said that the issue at hand was ultimately money.

Rob Lowe reportedly signed onto The West Wing at $70,000 per episode. By Season 3, Lowe had received no raise, but most of the rest of the core cast, who had been making less than Lowe initially, about $30,000 per episode, had seen their salaries bumped up to be equal to what Lowe was making. 

Lowe asked for a raise of his own at that point and was asked to hold off for a year, but a year later, he reportedly couldn’t get a meeting to even discuss such a raise. Due to the large cast and the cost of their salaries (Martin Sheen was reportedly making somewhere in the neighborhood of $250,000 per episode), The West Wing was an expensive show to make, and the producers apparently felt a raise for Lowe simply wasn't possible. Based on this report, Lowe decided that with no raise coming his way, he wasn't going to stay.  

What Rob Lowe Has Said About Leaving The West Wing

Rob Lowe hasn’t said a great deal about his time on The West Wing and exactly why he chose to leave. He did confirm in his book Stories I Only Tell My Friends that producers on the show refused to give him a raise, and he implied that salary tension led to tension between Lowe and some of the other cast members.

In a recent appearance on the Podcrushed podcast, he said that he felt undervalued on the show, which was likely a reference to the salary issue. However, he also implied there was a great deal more going on behind the scenes of the show that led to his departure. Lowe said…

He compared the experience to being in an abusive relationship and felt that he needed to walk away, if only as a way to set the proper example for his children. While it does appear that Lowe felt he was worth more than he was getting paid, this certainly makes it sound like the money wasn't the only reason he left The West Wing, though we can't begin to speculate on exactly what else was going on.

How Sam Seaborn Was Written Off The West Wing 

The West Wing Season 4 included a story arc where a Democrat running for Congress in Orange County dies of a heart attack, but because the seat is seen as unwinnable, nobody steps up to take the dead man’s place. Having been inspired by the head of the campaign, Will Bailey (Josh Molina), Rob Lowe’s Sam Seaborn, a native of Orange County, agrees to become the new candidate when the dead man actually wins and a special election is required. 

Sam campaigns for Congress while Will Bailey pinch hits for Sam by helping to write the President’s Second Inaugural address. Bailey then gets hired on to take over Sam’s old job and inherits his slot as a regular cast member. Interestingly, the show implies that Sam loses the election, though he’s not seen again on the show. 

How Rob Lowe (And Sam Seaborn) Returned To The West Wing 

However, the end of Season 3 wasn’t actually the end of Rob Lowe or his character on The West Wing. Lowe returned for a pair of guest appearances in the final episodes of the series' final season, which saw Sam become the new Deputy Chief of Staff for the new President.

But even that wasn’t quite the end for Lowe and The West Wing. In 2020,  there was a special presented to benefit the When We All Vote organization, which saw the Season 3 episode “Hartsfield’s Landing” recreated on stage at the Orpheum Theater in Los Angeles. Every member of the original cast, including Rob Lowe, returned to reprise their roles. The only exception is Sterling K. Brown, whom Aaron Sorkin has suggested could lead a West Wing reboot, taking on the role of Chief of Staff Leo McGarry. Original actor John Spencer had passed away in 2005, during The West Wing’s original run.

Whatever the details, Rob Lowe clearly felt that he wasn't properly appreciated on The West Wing. The show continued on for three more seasons after his departure, so it clearly could survive without him, but it also never reached the same critical or popular heights that it had when he was there. We'll never know how the show might have been different if Sam Seaborn had never left, but his contribution to its success is undeniable.

When it comes to the latest and greatest in streaming services, there’s no one doing it quite as well as Max, originally known as HBO Max, which is certainly one of the best streaming services to subscribe to. If you happen to have a Max subscription, you’re certainly going to want to take advantage of any of these shows that are on there available to binge right now, some of which are coming out as part of the 2025 TV schedule whether you’re into high-stakes dramas or something that’s a little more family friendly. Let’s get into it.

Fun For The Whole Family

From Teen Titans to some of the best sitcoms out there, here are the best family friendly shows that you can watch on Max right now.

Friends

Probably one of the most iconic TV series of all time, Friends follows a group of friends in their mid-twenties living in New York City and trying to just survive and find their own paths, all while relying on each other along the way. The Friends cast is filled to the brim with talent and all went on to have great careers, and while some of the jokes can be a bit risque, the show still has plenty for families to enjoy.

Stream Friends on Max.

Abbott Elementary

You’ll be feeling that Philly love by the end of this hilarious series. Abbott Elementary takes place at the fictional school in Philadelphia, and follows both the professional and personal lives of the teachers and employees there in a classic mockumentary way. The series has earned several awards, and is absolutely hilarious for the whole family.

Stream Abbott Elementary on Max.

The Big Bang Theory

Think Friends, but with socially inept physicists. The Big Bang Theory follows a group of Caltech graduates who try to solve the mysteries of the universe, but they can’t really do much from their little apartment while struggling to even talk to women. However, when a new neighbor moves in across the hall, everything changes.

Stream The Big Bang Theory on Max.

Adventure Time

I really don’t think I can recommend Adventure Time enough. This show is probably one of the best kids/family shows of the two decades, following the tales of Jake the Dog and Finn the Human as they travel across vast lands to take on the ultimate adventures. The series was so popular it inspired a spinoff series called Adventure Time: Fionna and Cake – but that one is more for adults. Stick to the original Adventure Time for the kids.

Stream Adventure Time on Max.

Full House

It doesn’t really get more family friendly than Full House. Starring the wonderful Full House cast, the show mainly focuses on the widowed Danny Tanner (Bob Saget) and his three daughters, as he raises them from little girls to beautiful young women with the help of his friends.

Stream Full House on Max.

Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air

In West Philadelphia, born and raised, a legend was born with The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. Starring Will Smith, the iconic sitcom follows a native Philadelphian who travels to Bel-Air in order to stay out of the trouble he was getting into at home, and live with his uncle and his family, causing mayhem as time goes on.

Stream The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air on Max.

Looney Tunes

I mean, obviously. This iconic series is probably one of the most known cartoons of all time and it pretty much shaped my childhood. Looney Tunes follows a cast of cartoon characters on the most wacky adventures, like Daffy Duck, Bugs Bunny, and many more that I’m sure everyone reading this article knows about. Do I even need to get into why you should watch it? Just watch it. Your family will laugh your butt off.

Stream Looney Tunes on Max.

Regular Show

Hailing originally from Cartoon Network, Regular Show follows the day to day lives of Mordecai and Rigby, anthropomorphic animals who have jobs at the local park as groundskeepers and have to deal with their intense boss, Benson, on a daily basis. As someone who watched this show as a kid, it’s hilarious.

Stream Regular Show on Max.

Big Drama, Crimes Of Passion, And More

Backstabbings, intense fantasy, and so much more – here are the best dramas on the platform that you can watch.

True Blood

Based on the novels, The Southern Vampire Mysteries, this series was a HUGE hit for HBO when it came out. True Blood follows the lives of vampires who are able to live amongst the general public when a synthetic blood product helps them, and how they fight for fair rights while several humans fight against them – all while a human and a vampire fall in love.

Stream True Blood on Max.

Succession

One of the most successful dramas of the last few years is Succession. With four seasons to watch, it follows the story of the wealthy Roy family and the patriarch's work to figure out who is the next one best fit to run their media conglomerate, Waystar Royco. With the great Succession cast, there is so much to love about this show.

Stream Succession on Max.

The West Wing

In this political drama, we mainly follow the (fictitious) U.S. presidency of Josiah Bartlet. Throughout seven seasons, we see what truly happens in the west wing of the White House – and the drama that goes on behind the scenes.

Stream The West Wing on Max.

The Pitt

Starring Noah Wyle, The Pitt is the kind of medical drama that I think all of us love, and since it’s so new, I need to talk about it as much as possible, especially since it was just renewed for Season 2. The series is done incredibly well on Max, and follows a single work-night at an emergency department in Pittsburgh, where each episode is one hour of the 15-hour shift. Yeah, this is serious, and every episode is so incredibly well-done.

Stream The Pitt on Max.

Love And Death

What would you do for love? Kill someone? Love and Death, starring Elizabeth Olsen, is the true story of Candy Montgomery, and how she supposedly murdered the wife of the man she was having an affair with, and the criminal case that came from it.

Stream Love and Death on Max.

Boardwalk Empire

Taking place during the 1920s and ‘30s, Boardwalk Empire mainly follows the life of Enoch “Nucky” Thompson, who controls Atlantic City during the Prohibition era and the people (and criminals) he runs into during the time period there. The series earned critical acclaim for its five seasons.

Stream Boardwalk Empire on Max.

The Wire

One of the most popular HBO original shows of all time, The Wire is a crime drama that takes place in the city of Baltimore, and details how crime affects the city, with the stories of a number of criminals, cops, and civilians all explored.

Stream The Wire on Max.

Dune: Prophecy

Oh, you knew this would be on here somehow. Set in the same universe as the Dune films and set as a prequel, the series follows the story of the Bene Gesserit, a group of powerful individuals who gain abilities after years of laborious training. There’s already a Season 2 in the works after the successful first season.

Stream Dune: Prophecy on Max.

The Last Of Us