Popular TV Series That the Critics Hated

Few shows have split critics and audiences as dramatically as Netflix’s “Fuller House.” A reboot of the classic sitcom “Full House,” the series follows the Tanner family as D.J., now a parent herself, leans on her friends and family to help raise her kids. Though the show earned a 35/100 Metascore from critics on Metacritic, users gave “Fuller House” a much more favorable 6.5/10.

For a decade, Americans followed the drama of a group of Southern California friends as they navigated school, relationships, and the real world in “Beverly Hills, 90210.” Critics were split on the show, giving it a 46/100 rating, but audiences loved 90201, giving it a relatively high score of 7.8/10.

“Star Trek: The Next Generation” was the first live-action followup to the original “Star Trek” series, following a new crew led by Jean-Luc Picard as they boldly go where no one has gone before in search of new life. Despite lukewarm critical feedback, Trekkies loved the show, giving it high marks overall.

The sci-fi series “Stargate SG-1” is a spinoff of the 1994 movie “Stargate” about interstellar travelers. The show was initially canceled after five seasons on Showtime, but revived by the Syfy network and ran for five more seasons after outcries from its fervent fanbase.

In NBC’s “The Night Shift,” a group of veterans return to the U.S. and go to work at a hospital in San Antonio, trying to balance their return to civilian life with their duties as health care providers. Though nearly all reviews on the show from critics were mixed, audience members held a soft spot for the show, giving it a 7.8/10 score.

Comedy superstar George Lopez’s eponymous show on ABC ran for six seasons and 120 episodes. On it, he contends with familiar sitcom issues like his wife, his kids, and his job, all while keeping his sense of humor. The show was popular in its initial run, but its popularity jumped to a whole new level when it entered syndication, becoming a favorite familiar re-run for audiences to enjoy on Nick at Nite.

“Hart of Dixie” was a CW dramedy series about an aspiring heart surgeon who has to work in a small clinic in Alabama when her dream job in the big city falls through. Though the vast majority of critics reviews of the show were either mixed or outright negative, viewers on Metacritic had a soft spot for the show, giving it 7.6/10.

The Lifetime series “Witches of East End” follows a magical family of a mother and two daughters. The mother tried to let her kids lead a normal life, but her secret that the family are all witches is revealed when one of the daughters gets engaged. Though it lasted just two seasons, viewers loved the show, giving it an 8.4/10 score on Metacritic.

“Dominion” tells the story of a post-apocalyptic world 25 years after a war between angels and mankind. It follows a soldier in the resulting world who may hold the key to humanity’s fate. Though it lasted just two seasons, it earned an 8.1 score from Metacritic.

The classic teen sitcom “Boy Meets World” was never a critical darling, but it was one of the most popular and beloved shows of its era. Friends Cory and Shawn learn important lessons about life and love as they try to deal with school.

The teen drama is set in a small town in North Carolina. The show tells the story of two half-brothers, who are very different from one another, and their relationships and friendships with others. Critics called the show hokey, one-dimensional, and full of clichés, but audiences obviously didn’t agree.

“American Dad!” is an animated show from “Family Guy” creator Seth MacFarlane. The show centers on Stan Smith, who works for the CIA and is constantly on the alert for terrorist activity, and his family. Though fans found the show funny, and the show it’s now in its 17th season, critics don’t like its similarity to “Family Guy,” and call it silly, irrelevant, and offensive.

“Second Chance” is Mary Shelley’s classic tale about Frankenstein reimagined. Two very wealthy scientists manage to bring a dead sheriff back to life. He is getting a second chance at life as he is resurrected as a much younger man. The show only lasted for one season with critics describing it as conventional, overwritten, and unfulfilling.

In this police procedural drama, a group of FBI agents who work as profilers investigate heinous crimes using behavioral analysis. Fans loved the show – at least until about the sixth or seventh season. The series lasted another eight or nine years, but, fans say, it never recovered from the downward spiral that started halfway through the show.

The letters ALF stand for “Alien Life Form” and pertain to the gabby title character of this beloved by fans sitcom. Hailing from the planet Melmac, the alien – real name Gordon Shumway – shacks up with a suburban family. Critics had a major problem with the writing and script. Many thought it was not funny at all.

“Knight Rider” was once a hit TV show, but is now mostly famous for its custom car/robot. In the show, David Hasselhoff played a vigilante named Michael Knight who was aided by a special Pontiac Trans-Am that came equipped with artificial intelligence and a few other tricks. The vehicle was known as K.I.T.T., or the Knight Industries Two Thousand.

“Family above all,” read the tagline for this NBC gangster drama series from co-creator Paul Haggis. It sends four Irish-American brothers into New York’s criminal underworld, where their loyalties are put to the test. The show was pulled from the air after eight episodes.

This sitcom was so popular that it propelled the late Bob Saget to stardom. He played San Francisco sportscaster Danny Tanner, who gets help raising his three daughters from his brother-in-law and a friend who is a comedian after his wife dies. The crew was popular enough that Netflix optioned to bring as many back together to create the sequel “Fuller House” (see above) in 2016.

The show centers on a newly transformed high school girl who is seeking revenge after years of being bullied and ignored when she was fat. Most viewers like the Netflix show for its dark humor, unlike most critics, who thought it was full of stereotypes as well as confusing.

A homage to Star Trek, “The Orville” is a half comedy, half drama, and 100% science fiction. Set 400 years into the future, the series has a crew of space explorers – both human and alien. Critics liked the special effects but that’s about it.

Fans found this comedy about two couples and their single friend dealing with dating and commitment in general funny enough to keep it on the air for six years. Critics found the sitcom old-fashioned. Another problem they had with it was that the show relied too much on stereotypes to get people laughing.

A vampire, who doesn’t want to be one, becomes a private investigator and falls in love with a mortal woman. According to the Critics Consensus on Rotten Tomatoes, the main character’s charisma is just about the only reason the show lasted one full season.

The show is about a woman who can talk to dead people and uses her ability to help both the victims and their surviving friends and family move on. The show was popular among fans – enough to last five seasons. Critics did not like the series, however, with some calling it uneven, underdeveloped, and too melodramatic.

“Stalker” is a police drama in which detectives in Los Angeles investigate stalkers. Though most fans have a positive view of the show’s only season – some even applauding it for raising awareness about how stalking affects people – critics were less than impressed with the execution. Mary McNamara of the Los Angeles Times wrote that “nothing of value is offered in balance.”