10 TV Shows That Changed Their Premise for the Better (original) (raw)
10 TV Shows That Swapped Out the Original Premise for the Better
Image via Zanda Rice
Published Jul 13, 2024, 8:00 PM EDT
Liam Gaughan is a film and TV writer at Collider. He has been writing film reviews and news coverage for ten years. Between relentlessly adding new titles to his watchlist and attending as many screenings as he can, Liam is always watching new movies and television shows.
In addition to reviewing, writing, and commentating on both new and old releases, Liam has interviewed talent such as Mark Wahlberg, Jesse Plemons, Sam Mendes, Billy Eichner, Dylan O'Brien, Luke Wilson, and B.J. Novak. Liam aims to get his spec scripts produced and currently writes short films and stage plays. He lives in Allentown, PA.
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Many of the greatest television shows of all-time didn’t arrive fully formed. Shows like Game of Thrones or Friday Night Lights may have had a clear goal in mind from the very beginning because they were based on previously existing source material, but spontaneity and invention resulted in some surprising twists and turns for many great shows. It’s impressive when a show’s creators are able to change things up in order to keep the audience on their toes.
Some shows have succeeded by swapping out their original premise in order to sufficiently continue the story in a compelling way. No one wants a disappointing ending, and bad series finales can be avoided if the creative team involved are able to course correct when the time calls for it. Here are ten great television shows that swapped their original premise for the better.
10 ‘The Good Place’ (2016-2020)
Created by Michael Schur
Eleanor pointing out "This is the bad place!" to Michael and Shawn in The Good Place "Michael's Gambit"
Image via NBC
The Good Place began as a heartfelt, quirky sitcom that looked at what life was like in the afterlife for the brilliant philosopher Chidi (William Jackson Harper) and the self-professed “bad person” Eleanor (Kristen Bell), who discover that they are intended to be soul mates. However, The Good Place changed directions when it was revealed that the characters were all in “The Bad Place” because of the mistakes that they made during their lives on Earth.
The Good Place eventually reached a place where Chidi and Elenaor were trying to fix “The Good Place” by proving the merits of mankind. While it began as a comedy series not dissimilar from Michael Schur’s previous work on The Office and Parks and Recreation, The Good Place eventually became a surprisingly existentialist, and occasionally tear-jerking tribute to the triumph of the human spirit.
Release Date
2016 - 2020
Network
Showrunner
Directors
Dean Holland, Beth McCarthy-Miller, Morgan Sackett, Michael Schur, Jude Weng, Trent O'Donnell, Rebecca Asher, Linda Mendoza, Claire Scanlon, Ken Whittingham, Kristen Bell, Michael McDonald, Tristram Shapeero, Tucker Gates, Alan Yang, Julie Anne Robinson, Lynn Shelton
Writers
Andrew Law, Dylan Morgan, Josh Siegal, Matt Murray, Cord Jefferson, Kassia Miller, Kate Gersten, Dave King, Demi Adejuyigbe, Lizzy Pace
Main Genre
Comedy
Seasons
4
9 ‘Angel’ (1999-2004)
Created by Joss Whedon and David Greenwalt
Angel looking at something in horror in the TV show Angel 1999 - 2004
Image via The WB
The spinoff of Buffy the Vampire Slayer decided to move the character Angel (David Boreanaz) from Sunnydale, California to Los Angeles, where he started solving crimes under an independent detective agency. Although initially it felt like a “case of the week” procedural series, Angel eventually became an existentialist fantasy drama about the never ending battle between good and evil. After learning that the evil law firm Wolfram & Hart can never truly be defeated, Angel and his friends decide to work for their former enemy by changing it from the inside out.
The change in direction in Angel helped further differentiate it from Buffy the Vampire Slayer, as it addressed darker themes and was aimed at a more adult audience. While it was incredibly disappointing that the WB chose to cancel the show in the midst of its excellent fifth season, _Angel_’s season finale was the perfectly ambiguous finale to a series that never followed the rules.
Release Date
1999 - 2004
Network
The WB
Showrunner
Directors
James A. Contner, David Greenwalt, Tim Minear, Bill L. Norton, Terrence O'Hara, Marita Grabiak, Skip Schoolnik, David Grossman, Frederick King Keller, Jefferson Kibbee, Michael Grossman, Vern Gillum, Bruce Seth Green, David Straiton, Steven S. DeKnight, Turi Meyer, David Semel, Michael Lange, Scott McGinnis, Thomas J. Wright, Ben Edlund, David Boreanaz, James Whitmore Jr., Krishna Rao
Writers
jeffrey bell, Mere Smith, Elizabeth Craft, Sarah Fain, Shawn Ryan, Drew Goddard, Howard Gordon, Jeannine Renshaw, Jim Kouf, Douglas Petrie, Tracey Stern, David H. Goodman, Brent Fletcher, Gary Campbell, Jane Espenson, Marti Noxon
Cast
Alexis Denisof
Wesley Wyndam-Pryce
8 ‘Battlestar Galactica’ (2004-2009)
Developed by Ronald D. Moore
Adama and Tigh in 'Battlestar Galactica'
Image via Syfy
Battlestar Galactica is easily one of the greatest reboots in the history of science fiction television. While the original series was a cheap ripoff of the Star Wars franchise that even inspired 20th Century Fox to file a lawsuit of plagiarism, the stunning new series from showrunner Ronald Moore allowed Battlestar Galactica to become much darker and more mature. Battlestar Galactctia steadily transitioned from a grounded political drama into a more spiritual series about the origins of mankind.
The change in direction of Battlestar Galactica was fitting, as it finally allowed the series to empathize with both the human and Cylon characters. In its attempts to paint a more accurate depiction of warfare in the modern era, Battlestar Galactica emphasized the importance of relating to one’s enemies. While the religious overtones could have been distracting, they ended up bringing the show to a thoughtful and surprisingly hopeful conclusion.
Release Date
2004 - 2009-00-00
Network
Showrunner
Directors
Wayne Rose, Michael Nankin, Rod Hardy, Sergio Mimica-Gezzan, Edward James Olmos, Robert M. Young, Jeff Woolnough, Félix Enríquez Alcalá, Jonas Pate, Allan Kroeker, Anthony Hemingway, Jean de Segonzac, Marita Grabiak, James Head, Paul A. Edwards, Gwyneth Horder-Payton, Brad Turner, Ronald D. Moore, Bill Eagles
Writers
Carla Robinson, Michael Taylor, Bradley Thompson, David Weddle, Jane Espenson, Mark Verheiden, Michael Angeli, Anne Cofell Saunders, Jeff Vlaming, Michael Rymer, Dawn Prestwich, Nicole Yorkin, Seamus Kevin Fahey
Franchise(s)
Battlestar Galactica
Cast
Mary McDonnell
Laura Roslin
Main Genre
Sci-Fi
Seasons
4
7 ‘Archer’ (2009-2023)
Created by Adam Reed
Two men in suits speak to each other and one is handcuffed in the animated series Archer.
Image via FX
Archer began as a fairly standard satire of spy movies like Mission: Impossible and the James Bond films, albeit one that tended to get a lot goofier. While there were only so many jokes that could be made at the expense of the egocentric titular protagonist, Archer shifted directions in its fifth season to become a crime drama series inspired by Miami Vice. It was a dramatic detour that ended up being exactly what Archer needed in order to keep feeling fresh.
Archer subsequently became an anthology series set in its main character’s head, allowing it to become an old-fashioned noir, an outer space adventure, a classical adventure series, and an existentialist drama. By changing the narrative focus, Archer ensured that its fans would never get bored. It’s rare to see any show that lasted for twelve seasons that was able to maintain such a consistent level of quality.
6 ‘Twin Peaks’ (1990-2017)
Created by Mark Frost and David Lynch
Kyle Maclachlan and Michael Ontkean as Dale Cooper and Sheriff Truman eating pie at diner in 'Twin Peaks'
Image via Lynch/Frost Productions
Twin Peaks is arguably the show that changed television forever, as it had a “water cooler” effect that provoked lively conversations amongst fans that speculated on the mystery each week. Although David Lynch never intended to reveal who actually killed Laura Palmer (Sheryl Lee), ABC’s Bob Iger forced Twin Peaks to solve the mystery in the second season. This forced Lynch to adjust, and focus on a more existentialist battle between good and evil.
Twin Peaks became more complex by showing that there was an inner darkness within all the characters, and that the spirit of evil could not be suppressed by simply solving one crime. When Lynch revived the series with the incredible continuation Twin Peaks: The Return, Laura’s murder became the centerpiece in a battle with the evil spirit known as “Judy” that was created during the implosion of the atom bomb.
Release Date
1990 - 2017-00-00
Network
ABC, Showtime
Showrunner
Directors
Lesli Linka Glatter, Caleb Deschanel, Duwayne Dunham, Tim Hunter, Todd Holland, Tina Rathborne, Diane Keaton, Graeme Clifford, James Foley, Jonathan Sanger, Mark Frost, Stephen Gyllenhaal
Writers
Mark Frost, David Lynch, Harley Peyton, Robert Engels, Barry Pullman, Scott Frost, Tricia Brock
Main Genre
Mystery
Seasons
3
Created by Dan Harmon
Jeff and Shirley Community at the foosball table
Image via NBC
Community centered on the former lawyer Jeff Winger (Joel McHale) as he attended the community college Greendale University, and befriended the film buff Abed Nadir (Danny Pudi), the former football star Troy Barnes (Donald Glover), the single mother Shirley Bennett (Yvette Nicole Brown), the crazed older man Pierce Hawthorne (Chevy Chase), the squeaky clean geek Annie Edison (Alison Brie), and the activist Britta Perry (Gillian Jacobs). While the pilot of the show set up a fairly standard sitcom premise, Community began to defy logic by turning into different genres.
Community parodied films like Goodfellas, Star Wars, The Shawshank Redemption, and Pulp Fiction, and developed a compelling ongoing storyline centering on an intense paintball tournament. Although initially Jeff is skeptical about what he can actually accomplish at Greendale, he ends up joining his friends in a battle to save their school.
Release Date
2009 - 2015-00-00
Network
NBC, Yahoo! Screen
Showrunner
Dan Harmon
Directors
Tristram Shapeero, Joe Russo, Anthony Russo, Rob Schrab, Jay Chandrasekhar, Adam Davidson, Justin Lin, Steven K. Tsuchida, Kyle Newacheck, Victor Nelli Jr., Nat Faxon, Michael Patrick Jann, Anthony Hemingway, Ken Whittingham, Steven Sprung, Tricia Brock, Jeff Melman, Gail Mancuso, Duke Johnson, Fred Goss, Bobcat Goldthwait, Richard Ayoade, Seth Gordon, Beth McCarthy-Miller
Writers
Chris McKenna, Hilary Winston, Andrew Guest, Tim Hobert, Karey Dornetto, Stephen Basilone, Emily Cutler, Annie Mebane, Alex Rubens, Tim Saccardo, Paul Isakson, David Seger, Maggie Bandur, Monica Padrick, Matt Murray, Liz Cackowski, Lauren Pomerantz, Dan Guterman, Matt Roller, Ryan Ridley, Carol Kolb, Jon Pollack, Dino Stamatopoulos, Donald Diego
Main Genre
Comedy
Seasons
6
4 ‘Westworld’ (2016-2022)
Created by Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy
Jeffrey Wright as Bernard in Westworld Episode 8
Image via HBO
Westworld took its premise from the 1973 science fiction classic of the same name, which was based on a novel by Michael Crichton. The series began the same way, as it was set in a futuristic theme park where cybernetic androids that resemble humans, known to the public as “hosts,” stage a rebellion against their oppressors. However, Westworld soon transcended the park itself when the hosts broke through and became integrated within human society.
Westworld transformed itself into a neo-noir cyberpunk thriller in its third season, showing a dystopian future where powerful corporations use artificial intelligence to bully mankind and steal its individuality. While it is deeply unfortunate that Westworld was canceled by HBO before it got the chance to deliver its fifth and final season, it's impressive how radically showrunner Jonathan Nolan changed the show from its pilot episode.
Release Date
2016 - 2022
Network
HBO
Showrunner
Jonathan Nolan, Lisa Joy
Cast
Thandiwe Newton
Maeve Millay
Main Genre
Sci-Fi
Seasons
4
3 ‘American Dad!’ (2005-Present)
Created by Seth MacFarlane, Mike Barker, and Matt Weitzman
Stan, as a woman, sits with Francine, Hayley, and Steve
Image via Disney
American Dad!was often compared to Family Guy in its early run, as creator Seth MacFarlane had a sense of humor that revolved around cutaway gags and popular culture references. While American Dad! relied on satire of the conservative movement of the George W. Bush administration in its early seasons, the show transformed into a surrealist satire with frequent science fiction storylines. The Smith family ended up going into space, stopping an invasion from hell, and becoming spies over the course of nineteen exciting seasons.
American Dad! s ucceeded by putting more focus on the character of Roger, an alien who disguises himself as a human with different personalities. Many of Roger’s different aliases take on lives of their own, leading to unexpected twists and reveals. Between its running gags and surprisingly dark moments, American Dad! quickly proved itself to be more than just a complete ripoff of Family Guy.
Release Date
February 6, 2005
Network
FOX, TBS
Showrunner
Directors
Rodney Clouden, Tim Parsons, Jansen Yee, Joe Daniello, Josue Cervantes, Pam Cooke, Jennifer Graves, Shawn Murray, Valerie Fletcher, John Aoshima, Brent Woods, John Drake O'Day, Bob Bowen, Mike Kim, Anthony Lioi, Ron Hughart, Tony Wharmby, Jim Parsons
Writers
Nic Wegener, Joe Chandler, Brett Cawley, Robert Maitia, Parker Deay, Jeff Kauffmann, Zachary Rosenblatt, Kenny Schwartz, Laura McCreary, Rick Wiener, Jordan Blum, Erik Durbin, Charles Suozzi, Chris McKenna, Steve Hely, Joel Hurwitz, Tim Saccardo, Erik Sommers, Paul Stroud, Sam Brenner, Murray Miller, Teresa Hsiao, Kirk J. Rudell, Matt Fusfeld
Cast
Seth MacFarlane
Stan Smith / Roger (voice)
Wendy Schaal
Francine Smith (voice)
2 ‘South Park’ (1997-Present)
Created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone
Eric Cartman pretends to use psychic powers as he stands at a crime scene with police in 'South Park' Season 8, Episode 13 "Cartman's Incredible Gift" (2004)
Image via Comedy Central
South Park arguably changed comedy forever with its unsparingly dark sense of humor and surprisingly thoughtful social satire. While it began as a series of largely interconnected adventures, South Park eventually became a more serialized storyline that focused on critical events like the U.S. Presidential Election, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the “Tegridy Farms” adventure involving Randy Marsh. The continued storylines allowed the show to reflect on prior events with more insight, and develop characters that the audience grew to empathize with as they became more mature.
The quick turnaround time to produce episodes allowed showrunners Trey Parker and Matt Stone to comment on new events in the media shortly after they occurred, which made the show feel more timely. Since the current news cycle continuously involved surprising events, South Park has remained as culturally relevant as it was when it first began airing in 1997.
Release Date
August 13, 1997
Network
Comedy Central
Showrunner
Cast
Eric Cartman / Stan Marsh (voice)
Kyle Broflovski / Kenny McCormick (voice)
Main Genre
Comedy
Seasons
29
1 ‘Lost’ (2004-2010)
Created by Jeffery Lieber, J.. Abrams, Damon Lindelof
Daniel Faraday (played by Jeremy Davies), shares a tearful final moment with Charlotte (Rebecca Mader), before she dies in Lost’s Season 3 Episode This Place is Death.
Image via ABC
Lost began with one of the greatest pilots in television history, revolving around the survivors of a plane crash that landed on a mysterious island filled with strange creatures and secret societies. Although it ostensibly began as a survivalist drama, Lost developed a deep mythology about the role of the island within the battle between good and evil, with strong allusions throughout to Christian mythology. Due to these ongoing mysteries and contrasting twists, Lost developed a strong fan base of viewers who enjoyed speculating about the direction that the story would go next.
In addition to the introduction of time travel and alternative realities, Lost explored the afterlife in its final season, which took place in a parallel timeline. Although the series finale proved to be controversial, Lost could never be faulted for lacking ambition with its bold choices.
Release Date
2004 - 2010-00-00
Network
Showrunner
Damon Lindelof, Carlton Cuse
Directors
Jack Bender, Paul A. Edwards, Tucker Gates, Eric Laneuville, Bobby Roth, Greg Yaitanes, Daniel Attias, J.J. Abrams, Karen Gaviola, Kevin Hooks, Rod Holcomb, Stephen Semel, Adam Davidson, Alan Taylor, David Grossman, Deran Sarafian, Fred Toye, Mario Van Peebles, Marita Grabiak, Mark Goldman, Matt Earl Beesley, Michael Zinberg, Paris Barclay, Robert Mandel
Writers
Jim Galasso, Christina M. Kim, Graham Roland, Kyle Pennington, Brent Fletcher, Dawn Lambertsen Kelly, Janet Tamaro, Jeffrey Lieber, Paul Dini, Jordan Rosenberg
Main Genre
Mystery
Seasons
6
Creator(s)
J.J. Abrams, Damon Lindelof, Jeffrey Lieber
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