10 TV Shows Ruined By Their Own Popularity

5. Doctor Who

When Doctor Who returned to screens in 2005 it couldn't have imagined where it would lead. A British family show (i.e. most of the audience was kids) most notorious for having people hiding behind the sofa because men in suits are scary (to kids), it aired in the early evening. Gee, do you get the impression this is a show with more than a passing appeal to kids?

Of course, despite its origins Who had a much wider appeal than just children, bringing back and creating new Whovians, but at its core it was still something the whole family could enjoy.

As the show moved into the Matt Smith era, under the gaze of head writer Steven Moffat, there were attempts to strike a better balance between all sides of fandom, with things trying to be less childish, but not to an alienating extent. This wasn't overly successful, with people not warming to the serialising of the story in Series 6, while big spectacle that makes no sense (dinosaur in Victorian London) has become an obnoxious mainstay. Trying to up the ante for kids and adults alike has proved off-putting for both.

Regular viewers can ignore this, but here's the kicker. Because the show's got so popular, particularly in America, there's a whole audience out there who aren't viewing it as a teatime treat, but a big hitting TV rival to the likes of Game Of Thrones. And in no way (no matter what Moffat says in interviews), should a family show like Doctor Who be compared to totally adult affair; that's setting itself impossible to reach goals and laying the foundation for disappointment.