5 Great-Premise Shows That Are Total Letdowns

As much as we get excited about the stories we watch, some of them only sound interesting.

Here are five of the most disappointing shows on TV.

Secret Invasion (2023, 1 season, 5.9 on IMDb)

Focusing on Nick Fury's attempt to thwart aliens' plan to invade Earth, this Marvel show explores the beloved character in great detail after his visible absence from the MCU.

Usually a supporting character in other superheroes' stories, the former head of S.H.I.E.L.D. was supposed to get a lot of development in Secret Invasion, but it never really happened, which is why audiences were so disappointed with the show. Even Emilia Clarke and Olivia Colman, who star in the miniseries, don't seem to have made a difference.

The Rings of Power (2022-presently, 1 season, 7.0 on IMDb)

Amazon Prime Video's record-breaking adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien's fan-favorite cycle of novels was an audacious project right off the bat, with the studio reportedly making a nearly billion-dollar commitment to produce the series.

Set a thousand years before the events of The Hobbit, The Rings of Power tells the origin story of Middle-earth as we know it. It also delves into the legend of the creation of the infamous Rings. But as exciting as the premise sounds, audiences have been less than thrilled with the series because of its incoherent storytelling, bad acting, and writing that tries real hard to mimic Tolkien's epic style but fails every time.

Halo (2022-presently, 1 season, 7.2 on IMDb)

This small-screen adaptation of the popular video game of the same name had all the ingredients of a perfect sci-fi show. Set in the distant future, it explores a conflict between the human race and an alien organization known as the Covenant that threatens Earth.

Full of action and adventure, Halo still tries to focus on the characters' personal stories. However, these turned out to be so shallow that the audiences didn't really buy into the series.

The Man in the High Castle (2015-2019, 4 seasons, 7.9)

Set in an alternate reality where the Nazis won World War II, this Amazon Prime Video show presents a fascinating what-if story where the U.S. was divided between victorious Germany and Japan.

Set in the 1960s, the series explores the lives of defeated Americans who seem to have resigned themselves to their fate until footage of the Axis powers losing the war suddenly appears on TV. Despite the interesting sounding plot, viewers generally say that the script leaves much to be desired, as the writers' idea is not exactly clear to the audience.

The Witcher (2019-presently, 3 seasons, 8.0 on IMDb)

Based on Andrzej Sapkowski's eponymous book cycle, the Netflix show was a tall order to produce given the high expectations of franchise fans.

While the first two installments of The Witcher, which followed Henry Cavill's titular character as he roamed the world trying to save Princess Ciri, were a success, the show deteriorated significantly over its three-season run, becoming yet another fantasy flick on the streaming service. Now that the lead actor has left the show, viewers are at a loss as to whether to continue watching it.