Summary
It’s always great when a TV show can grab viewers' attention while remaining incredibly clever, but there were some occasions when series' pushed things too far and were just too smart for their own good. With complex narratives, confusing overlapping storylines, and surreal elements that viewers found alienating, plenty of television series over the years lost audience members because they were just too clever. While this was not necessarily bad, and not every series needed a broad appeal, it occasionally meant that great shows were canceled before their time.
A famous example of a show that was too clever for its own good wasLost, which, after getting viewershooked from the pilot episode, gradually lost a large portion of its audience due to the island’s mysteries continuing to grow in complexity. Other series, likeThe Wire, were completely uncompromising in how they told their story, which required viewers' complete attention to be fully understood.TV shows must have the space to be as smart as they need to be, but this also meant accepting that some viewers would tune out along the way.
Lost
Cast
Lost is a mystery drama series created for TV that follows a group of survivors of a plane crash and tells its story between the past, present, and future via flashbacks. When Oceanic Airlines Flight 815 crashes and lands on a mysterious island in the pacific ocean, the castaways discover their new temporary home may have a mind of its own, as strange supernatural events keep them locked to the island. From an unknown black smoke creature to dangerous islanders, the passengers must work together to survive the island’s seemingly deadly intentions.
With an average of 16 million viewers per episode during its first season (viaABC),Lostwas one of the most popular series on television when it first aired in 2004. Following the survivors of a plane crash after they landed on a mysterious island,Lostposed fascinating questions as it built up its unique mythology throughout its six-season run. However, part of the problem was thatLostwas often too clever for its own good, and as its title suggested, viewers soon found themselves unable to follow its intricate storyline.
With a massive ensemble cast and countless overlapping stories told from the island and through flashbacks,Lostwas a highly ambitious series that, at points, crumbled under its own hefty thematic weight. As the series continued,Lostadded mysteries to its overall plot but failed to answer the questions that viewers were most interested in, leading to frustration among its dedicated fanbase. The series went through many ups and downs over the years, but the overall perception was thatLostattempted to be too clever for its own good.
Westworld
Westworld is a television series set in a futuristic Wild West-themed amusement park where advanced android hosts cater to human guests' desires. The series explores the themes of artificial consciousness and human morality as the lines between reality and artificiality begin to blur.
As a fascinating dystopian sci-fi series based on Michael Crichton’s 1973 movieWestworld, this insightful series became mind-bogglingly confusing if viewers were not paying intense attention.The first season ofWestworldwas immensely satisfyingas viewers followed along and tried to uncover the mystery of the series' intricate multiple timelines. However, in its later seasons,Westworldbecame even more complex, and before long, its convoluted nature led to viewers just giving up.
The sad truth was thatWestworldwas just too clever for its own good, and as it dealt with the dark implications of artificial intelligence, technological progress, and the challenges of modernity, it became increasingly difficult to follow. In its later seasons,Westworldstrayed away from the Western-themed amusement park that gave it its name, and its vast and sprawling world became unwieldy. While there was still plenty of intrigue in its final season, many who loved the series from its debut had already tuned out.
Westworld Star Had No Idea What Was Going On In Season 2 Either
Westworld’s Evan Rachel Wood says she struggled to keep up with the show’s second season after Ed Harris expressed similar sentiments.
Community
Community is a comedic television series that chronicles the lives of diverse students at Greendale Community College, a fictional and notoriously underperforming educational institution in Colorado. Released in 2009, the show explores the quirky interactions and relationships among the eclectic group navigating their academic and personal challenges.
Communitywas one of the cleverest sitcoms ever made, which was both a blessing and a curse for its popularity and reputation. While many lovedCommunity’sambition and meta-referential style, which paid homage to different movies and series, this was also part of the reason it never became an overwhelming mainstream success. Although just as funny and well-written a sitcom as juggernauts likeThe Office,Communitybecame a more niche series beloved primarily by television enthusiasts, similar toArrested Development.
With incredible attention to detail, such asthe Beetlejuice cameothat took three seasons to pay off,Communitywas a series that was never satisfied with the lowest common denominator jokesand consistently went above and beyond in its execution. From incredible paintball episodes to changing its entire format with a claymation episode,Community’smeta-humor, pop cultural references, and tongue-in-cheek style made it unique. While this level of cleverness may put off some viewers, it’s also part of what madeCommunityso special.
The Leftovers
The Leftovers is a three-season drama that follows a group of people as they deal with the effects of the sudden disappearance of 2% of the word’s population. It was created by Lost co-producer Damon Lindelof and Election writer Tom Perrotta, with famous actors such as Christopher Eccleston, Liv Tyler, Margaret Qualley, and Justin Theroux in the ensemble cast.
The Leftoverswas co-created by Damon Lindelof, previously known for his work onLost, and the writer Tom Perrotta, who wrote the novel the show was based on. As a deeply psychological story,The Leftoverswas set in a world where 2% of the population vanishedin an event known as the “Sudden Departure.” However, rather than give answers on the cause of this supernatural event,The Leftoverbecame a complex study of grief and how those who were left behind were traumatized by this cataclysmic event.
The Leftoverswas an intensely thought-provoking drama that some may have perceived as being too smart for its own good. However, the probing questions thatThe Leftoversposed around belief, faith, and the stories people tell themselves to get by made it one of the most unique series on television. With strong lead performances by Justin Theroux and Carrie Coon,The Leftoverswas a powerful immersive experience that kept audiences guessing throughout its three-season run.
Dark
Dark is a German science fiction thriller focusing on four families in a small town impacted by the disappearance of a child. As they search for answers, they uncover a web of interconnected secrets, revealing complex temporal and familial relationships spanning multiple generations.
The German language seriesDarkwas aunique show that didn’t fit into any genreas it took viewers on a wild journey through different timelines, alternative realities, and a multigenerational family drama. As one of the most insightful shows on Netflix,Darkdid not hold the audience’s hand one bit, and it was important to pay incredible attention if viewers did not want to get lost along the way. Throughout the three seasons,Darkcould have been accused of being too smart for its own good, but this was fantastic television for those who were tuned in to it.
Darkstarted off with a mystery around a missing boy that soon spiraled into a fantastical journey with a deeply layered mythology. With an ominous and bizarre tone, it’s easy to see why some viewers may have been turned off byDark’sstrange and clever aesthetic, but this was also the reason it was so appealing. This series could have fallen apart if everything had not come together in the end, but luckily, by the timeDarkreached its finale, all its lingering questions had been answered in a shocking yet satisfying conclusion.
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend
Created by and starring Rachel Bloom, Crazy Ex-Girfriend is a comedy series about Rebecca Bunch, a high-powered New York City lawyer who suddenly decides to uproot her life and move to small-town California after a chance encounter with her ex-boyfriend Josh, played by Vincent Rodriguez III. As Rebecca begins to build her new life in West Covina and attempts to win Josh back, she must contend with several obstacles to her dreams including Josh’s current girlfriend, the disapproval of her mother, and the ever-evolving idea of what she actually wants her life to look like.
At first glance, the romantic musical comedyCrazy Ex-Girlfriendlooked like a campy love letter to musical theater, but upon further inspection, it was actually a deeply harrowing portrayal of a young woman’s mental health struggles. With upbeat music and great characterization,Crazy Ex-Girlfriendwas often too clever for its own good, as behind its energetic exterior stood a complex deconstruction of human relationships. Through the character of Rebecca Bunch, series creator and star Rachel Bloom ended up creating one of modern television’s most psychologically damaged protagonists.
This juxtaposition between cherry optimism and deep-rooted emotional distress madeCrazy Ex-Girlfrienda series that only revealed its clever nature after audiences were already invested. Through impressively catchy musical numbers, the series addressed deeply important themes of mental health, female sexuality, and emotional damage caused by overbearing or negligent parenting. The ambitious and clever nature ofCrazy Ex-Girlfriendmade it an incredible show but also meant it was never a rating success when it was on the air.
Twin Peaks
Conceived by Mark Frost and David Lynch in 1990, Twin Peaks is a supernatural mystery-drama series that brings FBI Agent Dale Cooper to the quiet town of Twin Peaks to investigate the murder of a young woman named Laura Palmer. As Dale continues his investigation of her death, he learns that Laura’s life wasn’t as she advertised it, and the town itself is hiding far more secrets than they let on. The show received a revival for a third and final season two decades later to resolve the cliffhanger left at the end of the second season.
Twin Peakswas a major precursor to the modern television era, as its ongoing mystery of who killed Laura Palmer, embracement of the surreal, and unique sense of humor influenced everything fromThe SopranostoGravity Falls. With acclaimed director David Lynch and co-creator Mark Frost at the helm,Twin Peakswas a deeply clever series,which made it unique but ultimately led to its downfall. While audiences tuned in for the first season ofTwin Peakswhen it aired, the second season became increasingly convoluted, and the series viewership dropped significantly.
In a sense, the failure ofTwin Peaksin its second season acted as a lesson for future series likeLostto avoid the same pitfalls. However, its legacy continued to grow, and after 25 years,Twin Peakscame back for a third season subtitledThe Return. By this point, the strange cleverness ofTwin Peakswas no longer alienating for viewers, and the show was able to lean even more heavily into its unique and idiosyncratic nature.
Twin Peaks May Never Make Sense - And That’s OK!
The new season of Twin Peaks is shamelessly weird and may never answer its own questions, but David Lynch’s series is all the more exciting for it.
The Newsroom
At the fictional Atlantis Cable News station, lead anchor Will McAvoy and his staff work to put out a news show in the face of each week’s corporate challenges, political tension, and personal conflicts.
The acclaimed screenwriter and director Aaron Sorkin followed up his Emmy-winning political dramaThe West Wingwith the equally ambitious seriesThe Newsroom. But instead of focusing on the day-to-day running of the Oval Office,The Newsroomset its sights on the 24-hour news cycle.The Newsroomfeatured a talented ensemble cast led by Jeff Daniels as Will McAvoy and melded fact and fiction as it used fictional characters to address real newsworthy events. This interesting concept allowedThe Newsroomto comment on real news coverage while benefiting from the power of hindsight.
With a unique aesthetic and truly impressive writing,The Newsroomwas well aware of just how clever a show it was. This meant that it often tackled highly relevant issues head-on but did so with an air of self-satisfaction that could turn off viewers who were not already Sorkin converts. Sadly, in the end,The Newsroomwas just too clever for its own good, and despite receiving critical acclaim, it finished after just three short seasons.
Futurama
Futurama is an animated science fiction series that follows Philip J. Fry, a pizza delivery boy from late-20th-century New York City. He is accidentally cryogenically frozen for a thousand years and becomes an employee at Planet Express, a delivery service in the retro-futuristic 31st century.
Futuramatook Matt Groening’s unique style, which had worked so well forThe Simpsons, and applied it to a futuristic sci-fi series that was often too clever for its own good. With an array of historical, mathematical, and scientific references scattered throughout the series,Futuramamade the most of its unique concept to explore themes and ideas rarely seen in other series. This was part of what madeFuturamaso great, but it also contributed to its cancellation and renewal on more than one occasion.
While it may not be immediately obvious,Futuramawas truly one of the smartest shows on televisionand often had jokes so complex that viewers wouldrequire a science degreeto understand them all. From references to quantum mechanics, the intricacies of robotics, and plenty of mathematical wordplay, it was its clever nature that separatedFuturamafrom so many other adult-oriented animated series. The smartness ofFuturamawas both a blessing and a curse, but the recentFuturamarevival showed that no matter how many times it disappeard, it always finds a way to return.
The Wire
The Wire, debuting in 2002, is a series that explores the complex world of Baltimore’s narcotics scene, presenting perspectives from both law enforcement and their targets. It delves into how the war on drugs has evolved into a self-perpetuating institution, blurring moral boundaries between right and wrong.
The Wirewas a highly intelligent crime series that has rightfully earned its reputation among the greatest TV shows ever made, but it was often too clever for its own good and struggled to find a large audience while it was on the air.The Wirewas a complex series that required viewers' complete attention by exploring the relationship between law enforcement and crime with a level of realism never previously attempted. This was what madeThe Wiresuch an impressive series, but also the reason that some found it alienating and confusing.
Part of the reasonThe Wirehad a level of depth and realism not often seen in other crime series was that it was inspired by creator David Simon’s experiences as a former police reporter in Baltimore. By addressing law enforcement’s economic, political, and social realities and bureaucracy,The Wirepushed the boundaries of what could be achieved in episodic television. While this may not appeal to viewers looking for broad entertainment, it meant thatThe Wirehas remained one of the smartest series ever produced.
