10 TV series that ended on a high note and 10 that ended on a bad one

Season one: 82%

Season eight: 33%

On the thrilling series "Dexter," forensic expert Dexter Morgan (Michael C. Hall) leads a double life as a vigilante serial killer who tries to only murder those who have harmed others. During the eighth season, Dexter finally tries to hunt down his biggest adversary.

When Showtime's "Dexter" first premiered it was met with glowing reception for Hall's central performance and the show's smart and stylized feel. But for many critics, the eighth season and finale itself was the final nail in the coffin for a show that had worn out its welcome.

"The final season of Dexter has been problematic, to say the least," James Queally wrote for the Newark Star-Ledger. "But nothing, and I mean nothing, could have prepared me for the absolute swing and miss that was the [finale]."

Read More:

8 movie series that ended on a high note and 10 that ended on a bad one

45 children's movies every adult should watch in their lifetime

33 of Netflix's original romantic films, ranked from worst to best

21 Netflix originals everyone should watch in their lifetime, according to critics

Popular movies inspired by video games, ranked from worst to best

Season one: 79%

Season six: 60%

On "Gossip Girl," elite teenagers at a Manhattan preparatory academy lead tangled love lives as an anonymous blogger threatens to spill their secrets. The final season shows Serena (Blake Lively) off the grid as Nate (Chace Crawford) tries to expose Gossip Girl's identity.

Written with a sharp pen, The CW's "Gossip Girl" was a fun guilty pleasure show for critics who loved the addictive storylines and surprising wit. However, after six seasons the show seemed to lose its luster and some critics were happy to wave it goodbye.

"With age comes wisdom?" Sandra Gonzalez asked in her review for Entertainment Weekly. "Whoever said that should have passed the memo to the 'Gossip Girl' gang, because after six seasons, they're still as clueless as ever."

Season one: 61%

Season seven: 44%

On the horror drama "True Blood," Sookie Stackhouse (Anna Paquin) falls for a vampire (Stephen Moyer) in a near-future where vampires and humans coexist side-by-side. During season seven, the town of Bon Temps is ravaged by a group of infected vampires as Pam (Kristin Bauer van Straten) and Eric (Alexander Skarsgard) search for a cure.

Thrilling and seductive, HBO's "True Blood" sucked critics in, and the show peaked with a critical rating of 95% for its third season. The reception went downhill from there, with the final two seasons yielding eye-rolls from critics who felt like the show had run out of plot ideas.

"Although the series could have continued — maybe by introducing zombies or mummies — 'True Blood' had nowhere to go but in circles," Tom Conroy wrote for Media Life. "It was time to put a stake in it."

Season one: 79%

Season eight: 40%

On the dark comedy "Weeds," suburban mom Nancy Botwin (Mary-Louise Parker) begins dealing pot in her neighborhood to support her family after the untimely death of her husband. Season eight finds Nancy tempted to turn back to weed dealing despite advancements in her career.

Part satire, part soapy drama, Showtime's "Weeds" won critics over in its first season and was touted as one of the best shows on TV for the better part of its run. In the end, the show's tired attempts to reinvent itself in the final seasons led to apathy from many television critics.

"The show had been through so many time jumps and location changes, it was hard to know which state or decade we were supposed to be in, and even harder to care," Diane Shipley wrote for The Guardian.

Season one: 80%

Season seven: 43%

On the fantasy series "Once Upon a Time," Emma Swan (Jennifer Morrison) reunites with her biological son Henry (Jared Gilmore), who says that his hometown is filled with fairy-tale characters who live under a witch's curse. Season seven takes place years later, when an adult Henry (Andrew J. West) is approached by his own daughter (Alison Fernandez) with a similar reveal.

With a plethora of fairy-tale stories to draw from, ABC's "Once Upon a Time" created its own mythology as a show and entertained critics for years. When season seven rolled around, most critics felt like the show had started to repeat itself and had lost its initial shine.

"'Once Upon a Time's' magic is gone," Mark A. Perigard wrote simply in his review for the Boston Herald.

Season one: 100%

Season five: 56%

"Arrested Development" centers on a family of real-estate moguls as they face financial ruin. Along the way, middle child Michael Bluth (Jason Bateman) tries to keep the fabric of his family together. During the fifth season, Michael's younger brother, Buster (Tony Hale), is seemingly framed for murder and the Bluths end up in hot water once more.

Fox's "Arrested Development" was initially hailed as innovative and underrated before it was canceled in its prime after three seasons. When Netflix revived it in 2013 and finished the series in 2019, critics largely complained that the characters and jokes had lost their original charm.

"You could forgive all this if these episodes were funny, if they contained even a trace of the spark that made its first run so incredible," Stuart Heritage wrote in his review for The Guardian. "But they aren't. They're flat and lifeless and pointless."

Season one: 96%

Season nine: 53%

On the workplace comedy "Scrubs," interns J.D. (Zach Braff), Turk (Donald Faison), and Elliot (Sarah Chalke) try to prove themselves as they start rotations at Sacred Heart hospital in Seattle. During season nine, J.D. returns to teach a new batch of interns.

A medical show rife with humor and oddball charm, the ABC-NBC series "Scrubs" created and perfected a formula through the years that balanced laughter with moments of genuine emotion. By the time the last season aired, critics felt like the series had run out of mileage.

"Even though Scrubs' delicate mix of comedy and pathos had been firmly established for years, this season just never felt right," Jonah Krakow wrote for IGN Movies.

Season one: 83%

Season four: 29%

The ensemble drama "Heroes" follows the lives of various people around the world as they develop supernatural powers and attempt to stop a global catastrophe. The fourth season finds many characters distancing themselves from their powers as others, like Hiro (Masi Oka), try to master them.

NBC's "Heroes" was released to rave reviews in its first season and then took a downward turn over time. Once praised for deftly crafting and balancing a wide cast of characters, the show's final season was riddled with continuity errors and confusing plotlines before it was ultimately canceled.

"The fourth season of Heroes ended not with a bang, not with a whimper, but with a collective synchronized shrug," Darren Franich wrote for Entertainment Weekly.

Season one: 94%

Season six: 68%

When a plane crash-lands on an uncharted island in the South Pacific, Jack (Matthew Fox), Kate (Evangeline Lilly), and a group of other survivors uncover mysterious secrets and hidden clues that signal that they're not alone. During the sixth season, the characters grapple with ancient legends, time travel, and alternate lives.

Ambitious from the onset, the ABC show's fantastical storytelling and addictive mysteries kept viewers on the edge of their seats. From the mid-point onward, many critics grew frustrated by the show's continual issue of raising more questions than it answered, leading to a critically divisive final season.

"The richest fantasy series I've seen," Tom Gliatto wrote for People. "But its wrap-up sixth season is a drag: This spidery metaphysical puzzle seems to be dwindling down to a hokey primordial myth of good and evil."

Season one: 90%

Season eight: 58%

Based on the fantasy series by George R.R. Martin, "Game of Thrones" depicts a kingdom's slow descent into betrayal and war after the death of its king. During the final season, prospective rulers Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke), Cersei Lannister (Lena Headey), and Jon Snow (Kit Harington) struggle to find their place in a divided kingdom.

HBO's "Game of Thrones" set off with a promising start and retained its position as a must-watch television drama for the majority of its run. As the series wrapped up years-long character arcs on the eighth season, many critics and viewers expressed their unhappiness with the finale.

Isolated Nation critic Rhys Tarling wrote, "It's such a fundamental shift of priorities that, for all of season 8's technical virtues and the sound resolution of a few story beats, it still can't help but feel like a betrayal of the show's ethos."

Season one: 76%

Season four: 100%

Set in 1983, the period drama "Halt and Catch Fire" follows Joe MacMillan (Lee Pace) and his associates Gordon Clark (Scoot McNairy) and Cameron Howe (Mackenzie Davis) as they build a new PC from scratch and compete against the biggest tech titan in the industry. Season four sees the characters navigating the early days of the internet as the tech world evolves.

A smart and savvy period drama with characters worth investing in, "Halt and Catch Fire" laid the groundwork in season one for what would later become one of most critically acclaimed shows on the AMC network. When the show ended in season four, reviewers regaled the drama and its engaging protagonists.

"Its fourth season, like the ones before it, was a pleasure to watch, wise and gentle about the importance and difficulty of finding the right work and the right people with whom to make a life," Willa Paskin wrote in her review for Slate.

Season one: 96%

Season five: 100%

On "Broad City," inseparable best friends Abbi (Abbi Jacobson) and Ilana (Ilana Glazer) take New York City by storm as they balance work, life, and drugs with a healthy dose of humor. During season six, Abbi finds herself being pulled away from New York as she tries to make the most of her last days in the city with Ilana.

Starring real-life friends and writing partners Jacobson and Glazer, Comedy Central's "Broad City" was praised for conveying the value of platonic relationships and presenting a unique perspective of New York. Funny and fresh from start to end, the show's sendoff was applauded, and critics praised the leads for sticking the landing.

"Broad City repeatedly asserted that the primary, most beautiful, intimate, and meaningful romance of your life can be the relationship you have with your best friend," Cate Young wrote for The Muse.

Season one: 83%

Season seven: 93%

While producing a show at Rockefeller Center in New York City, television writer Liz Lemon (Tiny Fey) seeks advice from studio head Jack Donaghy (Alec Baldwin) and tries to please egotistical TV stars Tracy (Tracy Morgan) and Jenna (Jane Krakowski). During season seven, the characters plan weddings, form families, and face a network cancellation.

Layered with jokes, callbacks, sight gags, and references, NBC's "30 Rock" is a workplace comedy that tickled critics from the beginning. By the time the last season aired, the show had proved itself to be one of the most tightly written comedies on network television, largely thanks to Fey.

"In taking on the greed, ineptitude and ego rampant in the boardroom, Fey created the most radically subversive satire of the oft-satirized TV business ever," Joanne Ostrow wrote for The Denver Post.

Season one: 69%

Season six: 96%

On the animated comedy, washed-up sitcom actor BoJack Horseman (voiced by Will Arnett) struggles to remain relevant as Hollywood moves on without him. By the end of the sixth season, the show sees Bojack coming face to face with his addiction to drugs and alcohol as he tries to make amends for past mistakes.

With a striking visual style and a dark sense of humor, Netflix's "BoJack Horseman" yielded curiosity from critics in its formative years. As seasons passed and the show came to its eventual conclusion, it earned a deeper sense of admiration from critics.

"The emotional generosity of the series extends right up until that final, lovely, lingering moment," Erin Qualey wrote for Slate.

Season one: 85%

Season seven: 89%

Set in the advertising world of 1960s New York City, "Mad Men" centers on Don Draper (Jon Hamm), one of the most influential executives at a top ad agency. The final season flits back and forth between New York and California as characters reside on opposite coasts at the end of the decade.

Critics applauded the AMC prestige drama from the get-go, from its evocative visuals to insightful commentaries on class and gender in the workplace. At the end of its seven-season run, the show was praised for retaining its style and voice across winding plotlines.

"'Mad Men' smashes history, desires, dreams, and life's mundanity together like Douglas Sirk's Large Hadron Collider," Matt Patches wrote for Esquire Magazine. "It's a classic."

Season one: 68%

Season seven: 89%

On the workplace comedy "Parks and Recreation," hard-working deputy director Leslie Knope (Amy Poehler) wrangles her Parks Department staff into bettering their tiny town of Pawnee, Indiana. On season seven, Leslie oversees the Regional Parks of Midwest America and takes on one last project with her faithful friends.

The first season of NBC's "Parks and Recreation" was released to mixed reception, with critics saying the show was still struggling to find its identity. The series became beloved over time for its lovable, optimistic characters and was sorely missed by many after the finale aired.

"The end of a seven-season comedy about people trying to do good in the world feels like a small tragedy," Sophie Gilbert wrote for the Atlantic. "Especially when they make it seem like so much fun in the process."

Season one: 87%

Season six: 99%

On "The Americans," KGB spies Philip (Matthew Rhys) and Elizabeth Jennings (Keri Russell) pose as a married couple in 1980s Washington, DC. During season seven, the USSR splits into dividing factions as Elizabeth and Philip stand at a crossroads in their marriage.

By indulging in high-stakes plots and centering them around fascinating characters, FX's "The Americans" doubled as an entertaining spy drama and a star vehicle for Russell and Rhys. The highly rated final season continued to impress critics by aptly balancing drama and action.

"In this final season, the stakes are raised with a piling body count," Pratim D. Gupta wrote for Film Companion. "Let's just say this is one show which finishes stronger than it started."

Season one: 95%

Season seven: 92%

On the fictionalized political drama "The West Wing," White House staffers support the presidency of Josiah Bartlet (Martin Sheen) through daily news cycles and national challenges. The final season saw the final days of the Bartlet administration and the government's transition under a new presidential leader.

Written and produced by screenwriter Aaron Sorkin, NBC's "The West Wing" was known for its endearing characters and dialogue-heavy walk-and-talks. Despite a slip in critical success in later episodes, season seven saw a return to form for most critics.

"During the course of its seven seasons and 26 Emmys, 'The West Wing' has remained one of the most intelligent serialized dramas ever to appear on American television," William Thomas wrote for Empire magazine.

Season one: 85%

Season five: 93%

Set in Baltimore, Maryland, "The Wire" is a drama that covers crime from the perspective of local detectives and the criminals they investigate. By season five, the lines between black and white were blurred as Detective McNulty (Dominic West) fabricated evidence to secure funding and put crime lord Marlo (Jamie Hector) behind bars.

From the beginning, HBO's "The Wire" was notable for its ability to pair spellbinding performances with intelligent writing. After season five aired, critics praised the show for still finding moments where every member in its ensemble cast could shine.

"'The Wire' is a program that demands your full attention but eventually it repays you, and once it begins to weave its spell you'll find yourself, much like several of its characters, totally hooked and desperate for more," David Robinson wrote for the Scotsman.

Season one: 86%

Season five: 97%

After he's saddled with a devastating cancer diagnosis and faces a mountain of medical bills, chemistry teacher Walter White (Bryan Cranston) breaks into the meth-making business with a former student, Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul). By the end of the fifth season, "Breaking Bad" finds Walter making desperate decisions to keep the Drug Enforcement Administration off his tail, while Jesse looks for a way out.

For many critics, AMC's "Breaking Bad" gripped them from the very first episode with stand-out performances and innovative cinematography. By the end of the last season, critics were already hailing the series as a landmark moment in modern television.

Den of Geek critic Paul Martinovic called the final season "a brilliant, maddening, shocking, all-consuming piece of storytelling that will never be forgotten by all those who saw it."