10 TV Shows That Became Unrecognizable After A Few Seasons

Sometimes, a TV show starts out as one thing in its first few seasons before transforming into something completely different. When a show throws everything at its first season, there is nowhere to go other than in a different direction, and future TV show seasons change it completely. Then there are certain gimmicks that may have worked at the beginning but were later abandoned. And other times, it's a cliffhanger that changes a TV show forever.

Whether it's breaking the fourth wall, adding pre- and post-credit scenes, flashback scenes that change a show's trajectory, or swapping out an entire cast, or even recasting a major TV show character, there are ways of taking a show that was once known and loved for one thing and then changing it into something else. These changes don't always mean that they're bad, but it's an inescapable fact that many popular shows morphed into something completely different in the span of a few seasons.

10 Sex and the City

(1998-2004)

When this HBO classic was first broadcast, Carrie constantly broke the fourth wall by speaking directly to audiences. This also applied to various other cast members as well as random guest characters who also did this, seemingly to make it seem like an interview process consistent with her job as a columnist. The show also felt much messier and less polished at the start, reflecting the upheaval in the characters' lives, as well as the tumultuous feel of the 1990s.

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By the time the initial run of the show came to an end, it looked completely different. Not only was it much more polished and glossy, but it had long abandoned the premise of talking directly to the camera. The characters were all very different after years of dating in New York City and gaining valuable experience and wisdom, but some of their personalities were vastly different to what they were before. Carrie has always been divisive among viewers, but she turned into a much more pious and judgmental version of her former self by the time the finale aired, and the way she is in And Just Like That is tantamount to character assassination.

9 One Tree Hill

(2003-2012)

Teen shows are famously very difficult to navigate once the characters graduate from high school. Moving the story to college can be very tricky, and many shows have failed to continue the success of earlier seasons when they did so. When One Tree Hill began, it was quite soapy but mostly grounded in reality. The drama relied mostly on relationships between the teens and adults, and the conflict stemmed from relatable issues like family connections and financial difficulties. Basketball and brotherly rivalry were at the heart of it, and the cast had seemed very considered, with a mix of new faces and more established names.

The show decided to forego the college years in favor of a time jump, which was an interesting choice but brought with it a lot of change. Skipping so many formative years made the characters very different to the versions that viewers were used to from just a summer before. They also somehow made them seem at least 15 years older than the 4 that were intended. Additionally, the drama everyone had to deal with was amped-up substantially too with murderous stalker nannies and heart-eating golden retrievers. The cast in the last season had also been vastly reshuffled.

8 Charmed

(1998-2006)

A comeback vehicle for Shannen Doherty, the supernatural drama co-starred Alyssa Milano and Holly Marie Combs. The trio of witches navigated the world of magic as well as their personal lives with humor and attitude. The stakes were high but still somewhat rooted in a relatable reality that fit in with its core demographic. There were spells and demons, but there was also a decent amount of mundane issues that the Halliwell sisters had to deal with.

Then Shannen Doherty left and was replaced by Rose McGowan, other members of the cast had come and gone too, so when the season ended there were only two original cast members still included in the opening credits. The tone had also changed a lot over the years, with a lot more focus on the supernatural world, interdimensional travel, and even gods and goddesses. The show also seemed to rely a lot on on exterior shots set to popular music towards the end, with very long spells of time with no dialogue or action whatsoever. It seemed they might have been struggling for new stories after 8 seasons.

7 Grey’s Anatomy

(2005-present)

Some medical dramas have had a very long lifespan.Chicago Med is in its 10th season. ER lasted 15, but Grey's Anatomy is by far the longest-running prime-time hospital-based drama of all. With that, it stands to reason that there would be vast differences between the early seasons and the latter ones. While many characters have evolved in their jobs and specialties, others were written off entirely. Once Shonda Rhimes killed off her first series regular in one of the many Grey's Anatomy episodes that changed the show forever, nobody was safe.

Composite of Bryan Cranston in Breaking Bad, Kristen Bell in The Good Place, and Josh Radnor in How I Met Your Mother

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One of the biggest changes is the cast. There is only a handful of regular cast members left, and Ellen Pompeo, who the show is named after only appears in a few episodes per season. If season 1 viewers were told that Derek and Meredith were not going to be endgame, they'd hardly believe it. While the action has always been explosive, and the medical procedures outlandish and shocking, the amount of life or death ordeals the doctors have to deal with has increased season by season making Grey Sloan Memorial one of the most dangerous places to work in the history of television.

6 The Flash

(2014-2023)

The Flash went through a similar trajectory to Smallville. It started off small, with a super-powered young person coping with their abilities as well as their relationships. There was a lot of focus on antagonists with similar abilities and the stakes were rooted within relatable issues. The story arcs were engaging and fast-paced, and there were a lot of in-universe crossovers between this show and another set in the same Arrowverse universe.

The tone also changed, and a lot of the dynamics between the characters were different as well.

As the show went on, the others had already ended, so there was less scope for exciting cameos, which impacted the show itself. The tone also changed, and a lot of the dynamics between the characters were different as well. The difference in feel was palpable, and the last season had lost a lot of its initial magic.

5 The Good Wife

(2009-2016)

When it started, the premise of this legal drama was straightforward. A scorned wife of a well-known political figure must deal with the aftermath and navigate her return to work at a competitive legal firm. Each season had an over-arching theme, and each episode dealt with a case of the week. It was so well-thought-out, that each season from 1 to 4 followed a specific title structure, with the first run of episodes all titled with one word, the second had two, and so on. There was a lot of familiarity, which gave viewers comfort. Even guest stars recurred often enough to almost become regular.

A lot had changed by the time the show ended in season 7. Peter was long gone, changing the dynamic vastly, especially since his storyline with Alicia was so central to the plot for so long. Will's death brought a very sad tinge, shifting the tone of the show completely. Kalinda's presence was sorely missed, as she was one of the most dynamic characters of all. The last season had a different setting, premise, a decimated cast, and even its main protagonist went through a huge character shift.

4 Riverdale

(2017-2023)

Comparing season 1 of Riverdale, to its final season would be like comparing apples and oranges. It started as a teen murder mystery. The tone was dark and mysterious, and the time setting seemed purposefully ambiguous. The show was a huge success with audiences tuning in to this original take on the comic book classic. A mystery was at the center of the story and while the stylization was very deliberate, it seemed to adhere to most rules of reality.

Then came the musical episodes, serial killers, and deadly cult which all led to a complete abandonment of all rules.

There were alternate dimensions, time jumps, and even a crossover with a certain teenage witch. It was impossible to imagine what other outlandish plot was in store next, and the answer to that came in the final episode. The show certainly went out with a bang.

3 Scrubs

(2001-2010)

The premise of this quirky show was quite original at the time. Sitcoms were often set in regular offices or would forego mentioning work altogether, so to have one set in a hospital brought back some of the magic of shows long gone, like M*A*S*H and Doogie Howser, M.D. It toed the line between funny and contemplative very well, and over the years, saw the characters develop into some of the more beloved in sitcom history.

Once all the stories were told, the show should have ended with everything wrapped in a neat bow. Instead, a whole new cast was brought in, and the show changed completely. It's quite rare to see such a drastic change, which is tantamount to creating an entirely new show altogether. It was not particularly well received and the show was canceled.

2 Once Upon a Time

(2011-2018)

With a very specific premise of storybook characters being locked in a prison of mundane normality, the first season of Once Upon a Time followed a very linear plot. It had some elements of magic but it was balanced with a lot of everyday drama which rooted it in more of a reality. As with many shows that have a supernatural edge, the following seasons would lean more and more into that part.

There had already been a spin-off that was not as successful as the original, so that should have been taken into account.

While it was always very entertaining to meet new fairy tale characters and explore their worlds, it certainly changed the tone of the show. Many of the series regulars had gone through multiple high-stakes situations, and the actors had seemed ready to move on as well. So, in a move similar to Scrubs, the cast was replaced with a new one, and the show tried to continue on. There had already been a spin-off that was not as successful as the original, so that should have been taken into account.

1 Westworld

(2016-2022)

The story ofWestworldis quite tumultuous, as it faced some delays and arguably wasn't able to end the story in the way that was originally intended. When it started, the appeal of it was the premise. A world of realistic humanoid robots designed as a playground for humans. That initial closing shot of Evan Rachel Wood swatting away a fly was one of the most exciting reveals of a pilot episode, but when it came to the finale, it did not have the same effect.

It seems as though the name of the show was no longer applicable as the settings had stepped out of the West and moved to many different locations. The first two seasons dealt with consciousness and awakening, but the last two had a bigger picture as the machines stepped out into the real world. It's possible that a fifth season would have been able to hark back to its heyday, but the show looked and felt completely different when the final episode aired.

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