10 TV Shows That Recovered From Bad Seasons

Just as a book shouldn’t be judged by its cover, a single poorly received season shouldn’t completely define a given show. It’s tough to maintain a consistent level of quality over several years in anything, let alone television. That means even beloved shows can experience creative hiccups that bring a temporary but noticeable dip under audience expectations. Sometimes, shows take a season or two to find their voice amidst an increasingly crowded industry landscape and proceed more confidently.

With that in mind, we’re highlighting television series that did endure a rough patch before improving substantially in later seasons. These declines can be from the departure of key cast members or creative talent or just a general struggle to find an interesting direction forward. Whatever the case, these series did eventually bounce back and win over fans again following a weaker season. These are 10 TV shows that recovered from bad seasons coming back strong in subsequent seasons.

After Richard Hooker’s semi-autobiographical 1968 novel “M*A*S*H” was adapted into a hit 1970 movie, it received a television spin-off. Premiering in 1972, the show centers on a mobile army surgical hospital during the Korean War in the early ’50s. In between dealing with a constant flow of wounded soldiers, the doctors subject themselves to pranks and other hijinks to cope with being in a warzone far away from home. These antics are frequently led by the hospital’s chief surgeon Benjamin “Hawkeye” Pierce (Alan Alda), though he also recognizes and loathes the immense carnage he’s surrounded by.

The first season of “M*A*S*H” kept its social commentary and antiwar messaging to a minimum, focusing more on the screwball sitcom elements. The show began to incorporate more serious stories and themes about the horrific cost of war into its second season. But it really wouldn’t be until Season 3 that the series became the antiwar dramedy that audiences know and love today, balancing humor with medical drama heartbreak. “M*A*S*H” is one of the best TV shows of the 1970s, but it would take a couple years to get there.

On the air since 1975, “Saturday Night Live” has been a bonafide American institution, boasting incisive sketch comedy and featuring all-star hosts and musical guests. Created by Lorne Michaels, the show’s first five seasons made stars of its ensemble players including John Belushi, Dan Aykroyd, Gilda Radner, and Bill Murray. The show pushed television boundaries, particularly in those early seasons, mixing wacky skits with bouts of bold social commentary and truly iconic musical performances. Citing burnout, Michaels left “SNL” after its fifth season in 1980, with associate producer Jean Doumanian replacing him as showrunner.

Doumanian was fired “SNL” in her first season as showrunner due to declining ratings and quality, after 11 episodes. This began a turbulent period for the series which finally came to an end when Michaels returned in his showrunner role in 1985. Since then, the show has seen peaks and drops in quality which is expected of any series with this longevity but nowhere near as rough as Seasons 6-11. And with Lorne Michaels staying on after “SNL” Season 50, his celebrated legacy with the show is poised to continue. 

After ditching the television medium in favor of theatrical films for most of the ’80s, “Star Trek” returned to TV for the revival series “Star Trek: The Next Generation.” Set roughly a century after the events of “Star Trek: The Original Series,” the 1987 follow-up depicts the voyages of the Enterprise-D. Captained by Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart), the Starfleet crew explores the galaxy while carrying out missions on behalf of the United Federation of Planets. The show used its 24th century setting to explore philosophical themes about the human condition juxtaposed with the cosmic unknown.

Like several shows on this list, “Star Trek: The Next Generation” took several seasons to truly find itself and its unique place in the franchise. The series’ first two seasons contain several episodes that have aged poorly, including the racially insensitive “Code of Honor” and sexist “Angel One.” Season 2 is a marked improvement over the first but, like “M*A*S*H,” it wouldn’t be until Season 3 when the show’s strengths truly coalesce. “Star Trek: The Next Generation” revived the franchise’s television prospects with a whole line of spin-offs, but it definitely had a shaky start.

“Seinfeld” might be considered television comedy royalty now, but it took some time for it to find its groove. The show launched in 1989 with the pilot episode titled “The Seinfeld Chronicles” and a first season of only five episodes. Though the broad premise of the series following a fictionalized version of standup comedian Jerry Seinfeld in his daily life in Manhattan is intact, there are major differences. These include a more classic romantic tension between Jerry and Elaine Benes (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) and less hilarious pathetic George Costanza (Jason Alexander).

So many “Seinfeld” episodes worth skipping on a rewatch are from those first two seasons of the show. A lot of those early episodes just feel off, with even the cinematography not quite at the level of later seasons. Similarly, the stories don’t have the classic dynamics between the main characters established firmly just yet, particularly Jerry’s friends. By the end of its second season, “Seinfeld” coalesced into the comedic direction it would improve upon and refine over the subsequent seven seasons.

Twenty years after its conclusion, “The West Wing” is still television’s best and most optimistic political drama, chronicling the presidential administration of Jed Bartlett (Martin Sheen). Created by prolific screenwriter and producer Aaron Sorkin, the show focuses on the daily activities of President Bartlett and his senior staff across the two presidential terms. This veers from handling the media and gathering support for planned legislation to campaigning for reelection and handling major national security crises. After serving as the series’ showrunner for its first four seasons, Sorkin left “The West Wing,” with the show running for an additional three seasons.

Sorkin’s departure casts a large shadow over the remaining seasons of “The West Wing,” with the fifth and sixth seasons both significantly diminished in quality. The seventh and final season shifts the narrative focus to the electoral campaigns for Barlett’s eventual presidential successor, with the lead candidates played by Jimmy Smits and Alan Alda. This change-up helped the show considerably, maintaining its core appeal while bringing a fresh energy under the creative hood. While still not quite up to par with the Sorkin seasons, “The West Wing” Season 7 offers a fitting conclusion and certainly a marked improvement over the two preceding seasons.

Just like “Star Trek: The Next Generation” before it, the prequel series “Star Trek: Enterprise” was off to a rough start when it premiered in 2001. Whereas “TNG” is set a century after “The Original Series,” “Enterprise” takes place roughly a century before the events of “TOS.” Captain Jonathan Archer (Scott Bakula) commands the Enterprise NX-01, one of the first deep-space explorers on behalf of Starfleet. In addition to forming the basis for the Federation with the civilization they encounter, Archer’s crew defends Earth from hostile threats, most notably the Xindi Council.

The first season of “Star Trek: Enterprise” leans into the prequel premise too hard and clumsily, with many episodes chronicling the introduction of various classic elements as history-making moments. This is strained further by the show not really sure of how it wants to balance its tone, awkwardly alternating from comedic beats to sci-fi action and drama. The introduction of the Xindi in the Season 2 finale gives “Enterprise” the clear direction that it previously lacked, greatly improving its two subsequent seasons. “Star Trek: Enterprise” was cancelled after four seasons, but after a choppy start, it managed to reach a satisfying concluding two seasons.

The 2001 British mockumentary “The Office” was reimagined for American audiences in 2005, focusing on a paper supply company’s sales office in Scranton, Pennsylvania. For much of the American remake’s run, the office is run by regional manager Michael Scott (Steve Carell), a well-meaning but bumbling and self-centered boss. The show’s major emotional core is the relationship between salesman Jim Halpert (John Krasinski) and receptionist Pam Beesly (Jenna Fischer). As the narrative progresses, this expands to the office’s entire staff, including Michael’s de facto second-hand man, the comedically inept Dwight Schrute (Rainn Wilson).

“The Office” Season 1 only ran for six episodes as a midseason replacement and it feels completely different from the rest of the series, right down to its cinematography. The main cast is intact, but the performances feel a bit cynical and awkward while the jokes lean more overtly on their cringe factor. The show found itself by its second season, though its quality after Steve Carell’s departure marked another dip for its eighth and penultimate season. But, fortunately, “The Office” did improve upon the lackluster Season 8 to stick the landing for its ninth and final season.

After working together on “The Office,” Greg Daniels and Michael Schur moved their workplace sitcom sensibilities to municipal governments with “Parks and Recreation.” The 2009 series follows the staff of the parks and recreation office for the fictional Indiana city of Pawnee led by deputy director Leslie Knope (Amy Poehler). The show opens with Leslie working with local nurse Ann Perkins (Rashida Jones) to replace an abandoned condo project with a city park. Between the municipal work, the show follows the staff’s personal lives as they begin to fall in love and marry.

“Parks and Recreation” originally began as a spin-off to “The Office,” and those shared comedic qualities, including the mockumentary style, are present in both series. Both shows also had mediocre and truncated first seasons, unsure of what to do with either of their ensemble casts until their respective second outings. “Parks and Rec” not only developed and leaned into its cast’s strengths but repositioned Leslie as a more competent leader, distancing her away from the Michael Scott template. The series maintained a more consistent level of quality than “The Office” after its shaky inaugural season, becoming arguably just as beloved of a sitcom.

Created by Dan Harmon, “Community” assembled one of the finest comedic ensemble casts ever, including Joel McHale, Gillian Jacobs, Danny Pudi, Yvette Nicole Brown, Alison Brie, and Danny Glover. After the first three seasons, Harmon was ousted in his role as showrunner, later claiming his superiors saw him as a liability due to his personality. The subsequent fourth season saw David Guarascio and Moses Port replace him as showrunners, continuing the comedic antics at Glendale Community College in Colorado. The creative shift saw a significant downturn in quality, with Harmon himself calling Season 4 an unflattering impression of his work.

Despite the professional rupture leading to Harmon’s dismissal from “Community” after Season 3, the negative response to Season 4 prompted the producers to make amends with him. Harmon was rehired to return as showrunner for series’ fifth season and its sixth season as the sitcom moved to Yahoo Screen. These seasons are noticeable improvements over the divisive fourth season, bringing back the show’s irreverent humor, even with the departure of several major cast members. “Community” stands as one of the best sitcoms made in the 21st century, but it really needs Harmon’s leadership to stay on its creative rails.

The crime anthology series “True Detective” stands as one of the best HBO original series of all time, though its quality certainly hasn’t stayed consistent throughout its run. After a stellar inaugural season starring Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson in 2014, the show introduced a new setting and cast of characters for its second outing the following year. Set in Los Angeles, the season featured no time jumps like Season 1, telling a linear story following three police detectives. Season 2 opens with the murder of a city manager, which uncovers wider conspiracy and corruption placing the detectives on the defensive.

Compared to the first season, “True Detective” Season 2 was widely seen as a sophomore slump, with a more uneven story and less compelling lead performances. The third season reincorporated some of the first season’s tropes, including a small-town murder mystery spanning several decades, while its fourth season saw a well-received creative overhaul. One of the best detective shows ever made, “True Detective” feels like event television anytime a new season premieres, but that second season can be skipped.