The Top 5 TV Shows that went on too long

I know I'm not alone among Supernatural fans when I say that with each new episode, the show gets closer to the point where it SHOULD end. But that doesn't mean that's when it will end. The show is still good, but the writers are starting to scrape off the bottom of the barrel for evil to fight, and it would be best if the show ends before it starts to suck. But I doubt that will happen. At the very least, the CW won't let it happen purely because the Brothers Winchester are really all that's standing between them and total bankrupcy. It wouldn't be the first time something like that's happened either; shows go on well past there creative prime far too much. At one point, the show as a pleasure to watch becomes like a chore that we don't have to do, yet we keep doing it anyway (sounds suspicously like Alcatraz.)  It's usually brought on by greedy networks or overzealous fans who refuse to let the show go out on a creative high note. So, I've decided why not count down the 5 shows that best represent that. However, let it be noted that these are all shows that I at one point loved, but reached a point where they became a travesty of their former selves.

5. That 70s Show
Network: FOX
Seasons: 8

For seven solid years, the misadventures of six Wisconsin teenagers growing up in the 1970s was one of the funniest things to ever grace the airwaves. From the Star Wars jokes to the circle scenes to the forshadowing, we couldn't get enough of it.

When it should have ended: Season 7. It's universally agreed by fans the season 7 would have been a much better ending point for the hit sitcom. But FOX ordered an 8th season, and there lies the mistake. Season 8 saw both Topher Grace's Eric Foreman and Ashton Kutcher's Michael Kelso, the funniest characters on the show, leave to pursue movie careers, Fez and Jackie started dating (I'm sorry what?) and we got a new guy named Randy, who was universally hated by fans. To be fair, the finale actually was pretty good, mainly because Eric returned and got back together with Donna (again) and we got one final circle scene, but it alone couldn't make up the atrocious twenty-something proceeding episodes.

4. Leverage
Network: TNT
Seasons: 4 and counting

At one point, TNT's hit crime drama about 5 modern day Robin Hood's was my favorite show on TV. From the plans to the cons to the fights to the jokes to the charactets, I loved it.

When it shoudl have ended: Season 3. The first three seasons gave solid, clever stories, all leading up to the epic climax of season 3. And then season 4, which fans were looking forward to at first, rolled along. Og. The writing quality just went and fell off a cliff. The episodes got increasingly predictable, repititive, and mediocre, tied together by a story arc that was a mere shadow of season 3's. I kept watching out of hope it would improve, but after the one with the potato, I realized it was time to give up.

3. Chuck
Network: NBC
Seasons: 5

NBC went all genre-bender on us with this sci fi-espionage-dramedy. The show followed Charles "Chuck" Irving Bartowski, an electronics store employee who accidently gets a computer full of federal secrets downloaded onto his brain. He teamed up with an NSA assasin and a crazy hot CIA agent to use his knowledge for the good of the country, all the while trying to keep his secret from his sister and best friend.

When it should have ended: Season 3. The first two seasons were like a slightly more dramatic, sci fi version of Get Smart, giving us many a hilarious misadventure. In season 3, Chuck learned to punch people, which upset some fans, but most of us welcomed the change, saying it added a new element to the show. All of this lead up the epic finale of season 3, which would have been a perfectly good ending. NBC wanted to end it there, but the protests of fans, myself included, lead to renewal. God was that a mistake. Granted, it was nice to finally see Chuck and Sarah together, but we had that in season 3, and the first half of season 4 was good but not great, but then it fell of a cliff into a pit of lava. The show quickly devolved into basically a lighter Alias ripoff, becoming increasingly ridiculous, unbelievable, corny, poorly-written, and just plain bad. Season 5 was so bad that I watched the first five minutes of the first episode, and just said "NO." I mean seriously, MORGAN having the Intersect?! Are you kidding me?! I ended up watching the finale out of a weird sense of obligation, and it only reinforced the idea that it should have ended with season 3.

2. The X Files
Network: FOX
Seasons: 9

The iconic adventures of FBI agents Mulder and Scully was at one point the best sci fi show on air. We got 7 awesome seasons of monster-of-the-week, along with the thrilling overall story of a government agency covering up aliens among us.

When it should have ended: Season 7. Granted, it became pretty clear after season 5 that the writers had no clue what they were doing anymore, but the show as good enough that we were able to ignore that fact. And then Mulder got abducted by aliens and would only be seen again is small doses. You take into acount that along with the facts that the show was now incapable of telling a good story, the overall arc no longer made sense, and we got a bunch of weak new characters. And don't even get me started on the finale.

1. The Office
Network: NBC
Seasons: 8 and counting

The awkward misadventures of the office drones over at Dunder Mifflin Paper Company in Scranton, PA, was at one point NBC's biggest source of profit. Who didn't love the hilarious antics of the crew.

When it should have ended: Season 5. The show was hilariously awkward for the first few seasons, funny in a different way for the next few, and then started to decline bit by bit from season 6 onward. Seasons 6 and 7 had a couple of good moments here and there, but they couldn't make up for the poor quality. And then Steve Carrel, the source of just about every good joke in the past two seasons, leaves, and with him, the show's quality. Season 8 had exactly one good episode, and it wasn't enough to give us some relief from the terrible of the other episodes. Robert California annoys a lot of people, and I'm honestly a bit scared of him. Overall, it's pretty obvious to me that season 5 was the last consistently funny season, and would have been better then let the show bleed to death slowly over the next three seasons. My only hope now is that NBC will put it out of it's misery already and not renew it for a ninth season. If you love The Office, let it go.