8 TV Series That Are So Bad, They're Actually Good

Published Oct 5, 2026, 6:30 PM EDT Shealyn Scott is a Senior Writer at Screen Rant. She has been writing for the site since 2024, focused on network, reality, streaming, and classic television. A creative writer, journalist, and lover of the written word in all its forms, Shealyn enjoys deconstructing scenes from her favorite shows, using context clues and historical precedent to predict major plot points (which, due to her successful track record, has sparked rumors of clairvoyance). As an award-winning student journalist, Shealyn spent her college years advocating for the humanities while studying English Literature. Her love of storytelling propelled her to expand her degree with minors in Writing and History, believing life to be a mere collection of stories that can be framed in as many ways as a movie scene. As a Senior member of the TV Team, Shealyn treats the series she covers like books, analyzing every line, camera angle, and lighting choice. Thankfully, her personal mission statement lines up perfectly with Screen Rant: every creative work deserves just as much thought from the viewer as it received from its creator. From shockingly low production value to storylines you love to cringe over, some of the most entertaining TV series of all time are widely regarded as "bad" projects. There are plenty of prestige dramas that stand the test of time with masterful storytelling, visionary cinematography, and writing that's sharp as a tack, but television is— and always has been— a prime form of escapism for the viewer. Consequently, you may occasionally seek out a flawless show that will make you ponder the meaning of life, but you may just as often opt for a low-stakes title to entertain and decompress. As such, even divisive series with abysmal scores on Rotten Tomatoes serve a purpose. Irrefutably, there are countless shows that earn the ire of pedantic cinephiles who critique anything from a visibly low budget to a series of absurd narrative decisions. Nevertheless, there's a market for everything, and pure of heart TV lovers understand that campy romps are just as important as critically acclaimed titles like The Sopranos, The Wire, and Breaking Bad. In fact, creatives who break the mold with "bad" shows are what keep the industry alive and ever-changing, ensuring fun has a permanent seat at the table. Once Upon a Time Some shows are critiqued for going off the rails as their run progresses, but Once Upon a Time was delightfully bizarre from the very beginning. ABC's epic fantasy adventure follows Emma Swan (Jennifer Morrison), a hardened bail bond agent who discovers the town of Storybrooke, Maine is filled to the brim with fairytale characters come to life. Over time, space, and a few cliché twists, Emma helps the whimsical residents reclaim their happily ever-afters. Ironically, Once Upon a Time's live-action Disney characters are some of the best iterations television has ever produced, but that doesn't make the winding plots and interpersonal drama any less confusing. From revealing Peter Pan is secretly the villainous father of Rumpelstiltskin to establishing Snow White's Evil Queen and The Wicked Witch of the West are long-lost sisters, Once Upon a Time has enough convoluted family trees to put the entire Game of Thrones franchise to shame. With a truly star-studded cast, however, the surreal drama's fever dream storytelling always feels captivating. Pretty Little Liars MovieStills DB Conversely, Pretty Little Liars got off to a fairly strong start, but all the continuity errors, toxic relationships, and an evil twin with a British accent eventually caught up to the Freeform original. There are plenty of genuinely off-putting aspects of Pretty Little Liars that didn't age well— most notably the so-called "love story" between Aria (Lucy Hale) and her English teacher— but the teen drama had tons of over-the-top moments that astounded viewers in the best way possible. Any show that constructs a deadly serious feud by having characters compete over their Lady Gaga Halloween costumes is a masterclass in camp, pure and simple. Of course, any murder mystery requires a bit of kitsch, but Pretty Little Liars always went a step too far— which, truthfully, is exactly how it's stayed relevant in the cultural zeitgeist for this long. American Horror Story Without question, American Horror Story is the most infamous anthology series in modern TV history. Created by Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk, the horror series tells a complete story each season, though the chronologies aren't actually isolated. On numerous occasions, characters from past seasons have appeared for a self-reflexive crossover, from Apocalypse (season 8) to the already divisive American Horror Story: 13. Whether the overarching narrative centers on a coven of angsty witches, a 1980s slasher summer, or a not-so-true crime documentary inspired by American history, the anthology frequently loses its original focus and ends up weaving the most unimaginable tales with totally unfounded twists and tonally dissonant musical interludes. Genre pedants will likely denounce American Horror Story until their dying breath, but if you choose not to take it so seriously, each ridiculous entry is a potentially perfect weekend binge. Teen Wolf Admittedly, grandstanding critics have always enjoyed looking down upon beloved teen dramas, but more often than not, the show's worst crime is being popular. The dated technology throughout Teen Wolf is undoubtedly a reflection of its time, but even the worst CGI monsters of the bunch have their own charm, as do the cast of hilarious characters. Considering Teen Wolf was an MTV original, it was never meant to be measured against juggernauts like Stranger Things, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, or any other major supernatural drama. At its lowest points, Teen Wolf still provides entertaining storylines, interesting interpretations of global mythology, and a healthy dose of Dylan O'Brien as the always fantastic Stiles Stilinski. The 2010s staple may never have been an Emmy contender, but it won plenty of Teen Choice Awards— proving the drama succeeded in the circles it was designed for. Mighty Morphin Power Rangers The Power Rangers franchise is now a household name, but when Mighty Morphin Power Rangers came on the scene in 1993, it was nothing more than a risky American remake of a Japanese superhero show. In fact, the budget was so tight, season 1 relied heavily on stock footage from the Super Sentai series itself. Similarly, the crew often had to reuse or repurpose old props to keep up with the narrative demand for new and exciting monsters, a trend which continued into its second and third installments. In addition to dozens of television series, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers inspired 10 video games from 1994 to 2024. Given Mighty Morphin Power Rangers was held together with a hope and a dream, it's fair to say the show's massive success was somewhat of a shock. Without the financial security of high-rolling executives, the flagship series had nothing to fall back on besides its formula— which, thankfully, proved to be the right move. 33 years and over 20 spinoffs later, the Power Rangers legacy is etched in stone as one of TV's best underdog stories. Scream Queens Scream Queens is obviously a satire of slasher horror, but the dark humor running through the 2015 Murphy/Falchuk/Ian Brennan collab didn't always land. At times, the script seemed to veer into full-blown parody, with lines like "Señorita awesome" living in derisive infamy over a decade later. Nevertheless, Scream Queens is one of very few shows that can walk the line of lighthearted and ludicrous without missing a beat. Emma Roberts as Chanel Oberlin was a certified moment for the culture, while Chad Radwell is one of Glen Powell's best roles to date. Whether the action takes place on a killer university campus or in an eerie hospital, Scream Queens is always diverting and rarely serious. That total irreverence isn't for everyone, but those who like it will unquestionably love all the ridiculousness Murphy, Falchuk, and Brennan have to offer. Glee MovieStillsDB Despite its amusingly brash personality, Scream Queens only survived two seasons on Fox's competitive fall lineup. In stark contrast, the most acclaimed Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk, and Ian Brennan creation aired over 100 episodes before taking its final bow. For better and for worse, Glee is a decade-defining series, meaning its diversity was once considered progressive, but the representation is incredibly flawed in hindsight. Yet, the William McKinley High School glee club was an acquired taste, even during Glee's initial run. Under the leadership of Will Schuester (Matthew Morrison), a ragtag group of students from vastly different cliques come together through the power of song. Frankly, the show's entire existence can be summed up by its main character. Since 2009, Rachel Berry (Lea Michele) has been one of the most hated protagonists in TV history, but in the words of Chris Colfer's Kurt: boy, can she sing! Riverdale Image via MovieStillsDB What began as a gritty murder mystery inspired by classic Archie comics somehow turned into a genre-defying fusion of Gothic horror, high fantasy, Broadway musicals, and anything else under the cinematic sun. Without a doubt, Riverdale is the most unhinged show ever made, and the intoxicating absurdity of its storytelling is not something we will soon see again. Riverdale's Scores on Rotten Tomatoes Season Critics Score Audience Score Season 1 88% 79% Season 2 88% 60% Season 3 84% 44% Season 4 84% 46% Season 5 78% 37% Season 6 67% 38% Season 7 N/A 39% From short-lived superpowers to time travel hijinks to a dozen episodes that could have been the series finale, Riverdale hit the wall and then bulldozed through it, time and time again. In an age where most shows are kept on short leashes and confined to under a dozen episodes each year, there's something to be said about the way Riverdale unapologetically embraced inanity and kept viewers enthralled for 20+ episodes at a time. After all, if it's so difficult to maintain a spotless reputation, maybe being "bad" is the way to go— as far as television is concerned, at least. Release Date 2017 - 2023-00-00