10 Once Great TV Shows That Became Laughing Stocks

8. Heroes

While you could argue that Heroes outstayed its welcome, that's not really what turned the show into a parody of itself. No, the problem with this one was the fact that its characters outstayed their welcome - for the show could have gone on without them.

As unorthodox as it sounds, creator Tim Kring originally envisioned the series as having a changing cast, meaning that it could have carried on pulling off incredible feats (like the feats it pulled off during its first season) with a whole new range of characters in the second. Unfortunately, the popularity of the original cast persuaded him to to keep them on after Season 1 - and that kick-started what was a major decline in standard for the show.

A series that hooked fans with its unique spin on the superhero genre and the compelling, mature narratives it spawned, Heroes quickly became a shell of its old self as the writers did what they could to maintain focus on a bunch of characters who weren't originally designed to outlast the first season. In the process, they diluted the one-season story to within an inch of its life and ultimately undercut all of the acclaim it once received.