I'll Admit It, There Are 10 TV Shows I Really Miss Coming Up With Theories For

One of the best parts of watching a TV show with twists and turns is coming up with theories about what will happen next. These classic series like Game of Thrones or How I Met Your Mother exemplify why audiences are so drawn to projects that intertwine secrets and mysteries into the DNA of the story. A good show will be compelling and enjoyable to watch, whether these fan theories are proven wrong or right. The payoff of the shocking reveals is part of what keeps us returning to these series long after they’re over.

From the best fantasy TV shows with strong mystery elements to sci-fi thrillers and beloved sitcoms, there are many ways a series can engage the audience and keep them guessing. Regardless of genre, a good TV show relies on plot twists and unexpected story developments to keep the viewer engaged. However, it wouldn’t be fun or interesting to wonder what’s coming next unless the characters are strong and the relationships between them are worth rooting for. These shows found the perfect balance between character and plot, drawing me in and making me miss their heyday onscreen.

10

Game Of Thrones (2011–2019)

Without this beloved fantasy TV series, the genre might have faltered

Game Of Thrones

10/10

Release Date: April 17, 2011
Showrunner: David Benioff, D.B. Weiss

For fans of George R.R. Martin’s books, the first five seasons of Game of Thrones weren’t too much of a mystery. However, for many new fans of the landmark fantasy series, Game of Thrones had enough shock factor to give it an edge not just within the fantasy genre but in the television landscape as a whole. Though there was arguably a decline in quality after Game of Thrones ran out of books to adapt the stories from, this made the series even more exciting since none of the audience members knew what would happen next.

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Even when the twists and turns of Game of Thrones were polarizing, they were never boring and encouraged the viewer to stick with the show to see where the beloved characters ended up. There are many Game of Thrones spinoffs in development or currently on the air, and it will be interesting to see how the story’s world can be expanded. After the jaw-dropping deaths, battles, and betrayals that Game of Thrones was known for, it will be difficult for a fantasy show to come close to its cultural impact.

Title	Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score	Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score
Game of Thrones (2011–2019)	89%	85%

9

Westworld (2016–2022)

This classic sci-fi Western made waves with its jaw-dropping first season

Westworld

6/10

Release Date: 2016 – 2021
Network: HBO Max

Westworld is a sci-fi TV show that I would love to see comeback, as the series’ final season never saw the light of day. However, I was on the edge of my seat waiting to discover how the writers and showrunners would wrap up the iconic show that provoked so many viral theories and conversations. After the explosive first season, it was impossible not to wonder what Westworld had in store, as the final episodes of season 1 had us questioning the nature of humanity and the emerging consciousnesses of the hosts.

Though Westworld lost some steam as the seasons progressed, it was returning to its former power by the end of season 4 and had crafted a world with plenty of compelling unanswered questions. The characters in Westworld were a large part of what made the series fun to theorize about, as their motivations and the secrets they kept often held the key to the answers. While it’s unlikely, I’ll always be holding out hope that Westworld will make its triumphant return and leave me astounded once again.

Title	Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score	Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score
Westworld (2016–2022)	80%	75%

8

Once Upon A Time (2011–2018)

Fairy tales are well known but Once Upon a Time made them fresh again

Though Once Upon a Time didn’t hide the fact that the existence of fairy tale creatures and stories was part of the fabric of the story, there were still plenty of mysteries to uncover. Slowly revealing the past and the character’s backstories through magical flashbacks, Once Upon a Time wasn’t afraid to get complex, introducing a large ensemble cast throughout the seasons. Character motivations and the dark meanings behind their actions also played a huge role in the series’ twists and turns.

As the series continued, it was always fun to guess what fairy tale character would be introduced next and how the series would put a dark twist on their story.

As the series continued, it was always fun to guess what fairy tale character would be introduced next and how the series would put a dark twist on their story. The way the characters were connected and the hidden family tree that was continuously expanding throughout the story made Once Upon a Time a mystery you never wanted to stop solving. Every installment of Once Upon a Time managed to tie together its threads neatly by the narrative’s end.

Title	Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score	Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score
Once Upon a Time (2011–2018)	78%	78%

7

The Good Place (2016–2020)

The afterlife is much more unexpected than you might think in The Good Place

It’s almost impossible to think of a better twist than the shocking reveal at the end of The Good Place season 1. The series takes everything the viewer thinks they know and understand about the story and subverts it, changing the formula of the show and proving that the fantasy and sitcom genres can go hand in hand. A lesser show might have lost its magic after the big revelation about the truth of the Good Place, but the remaining seasons managed to stay fresh and interesting.

Thanks to the snappy dialogue, thoughtful plotting, and perfect cast, The Good Place is worth watching until the end. As The Good Place evolved, the audience got to see genuine change and growth in the characters and managed to throw in a few great surprises along the way. The Good Place‘s first big narrative turn was far from the last time that the show surprised audiences, but The Good Place didn’t stop there. It deftly weaved social commentary and nuanced ethical conversations into its plot.

Title	Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score	Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score
The Good Place (2016–2020)	97%	90%

6

Mr. Robot (2015–2019)

Thrilling and dark, Mr. Robot has a lot to say about technology and reality

Mr. Robot

8/10

Release Date: 2015 – 2018
Network: USA

Rami Malek starred in Mr. Robot, the thriller series that focused on the emerging field of hacking and the ways surveillance and cybersecurity are affecting global privacy. He and Christian Slater are unforgettable in Mr. Robot, with a chilling chemistry that makes all of their scenes together unbearably tense. As the series progressed, the audience learned about the relationship between their characters, discovering that Elliot (Malek) wasn’t fighting for the hacker group he thought he was.

Mr. Robot had a lot to say about the intersection between technology, capitalism, and the age of the internet, which has made the series grow more relevant with time.

Through Elliot’s eyes, reality is malleable in Mr. Robot, and using an unreliable narrator is always a great way to keep the viewer guessing. Mr. Robot had a lot to say about the intersection between technology, capitalism, and the age of the internet, which has made the series grow more relevant with time. With every season, Mr. Robot attempted to top the twists that made it so dynamic at the start and encouraged audiences to stick with the show as it evolved.

Title	Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score	Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score
Mr. Robot (2015–2019)	94%	93%

5

The Walking Dead (2010–2022)

The zombie and post-apocalyptic genres were reinvented by this beloved series

One of the best post-apocalyptic TV shows and a definitive work within the zombie genre, The Walking Dead franchise has a firm grip on the culture since it premiered in 2010. The main series might have come to an end in 2022, but this hasn’t stopped audiences from loving the many spinoffs and expansions of the world. However, the original The Walking Dead will likely remain the best installment of the story’s universe, as it introduced fans to the narrative and kept them guessing to the very end.

Full of blood, guts, and gore, The Walking Dead enjoyed tricking the viewer into thinking characters were dead or gone forever and then bringing them back. While this was emotionally wrought, it made for good television and set the precedent that The Walking Dead wasn’t afraid to trick the audience. It’s still enjoyable to revisit The Walking Dead now that the series has ended, but watching it the first time around was unforgettable.

Title	Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score	Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score
The Walking Dead (2010–2022)	79%	78%

4

Lost (2004–2010)

Between flash-forwards and supernatural twists, Lost was always changing the game

Even when Lost got frustrating in the later seasons, this didn’t stop me from theorizing about the truth of the island and coming up with wild ideas about what really happened to the survivors. As Lost progressed, the supernatural elements became more pronounced, allowing audiences and critics to come up with increasingly outlandish speculations about what would happen next. What helped anchor Lost in reality was the fact that it was impossible to stop caring about the characters.

It’s these unexplainable events and overlapping narrative turns that cemented Lost as such an innovative series.

There are many memorable Lost moments that changed the shape and direction of the show that even die-hard fans could never have seen coming. The flash-forward reveal at the end of Lost season 3 changed the course of the series forever and proved to the audience that Lost wasn’t afraid to shake up its formula and change the rules of the world. It’s these unexplainable events and overlapping narrative turns that cemented Lost as such an innovative series.

Title	Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score	Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score
Lost (2004–2010)	86%	89%

3

How I Met Your Mother (2005–2014)

A beloved sitcom with an exciting mystery at its center

Easily one of the best and most popular sitcoms of the 2000s and 2010s, How I Met Your Mother stayed fresh and relevant because it maintained its central premise. The conceit of How I Met Your Mother made us wonder which of Ted’s (Josh Radnor) love interests would end up being the mother of his children. Unlike some sitcoms, which let their couples get together too soon, How I Met Your Mother waited until the end of the penultimate season to reveal its twist.

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Of course, it wasn’t that simple, and How I Met Your Mother managed to trick us during the series’ final moments, but I enjoyed every second of wondering who Ted would end up with. Though there were some romantic interests who were obviously not the mother, the group’s core dynamic was just as compelling. Few sitcoms are able to keep their story as exciting as long as How I Met Your Mother did, and the potential twists were part of its success.

Title	Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score	Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score
How I Met Your Mother (2005–2014)	84%	85%

2

Pretty Little Liars (2010–2017)

This teen drama had more twists and turns than any of its contemporaries

Pretty Little Liars isn’t just one of the best teen romance TV shows ever made, but it’s also a complex mystery series with high stakes and shocking plot twists. For all seven seasons, the show reinvented itself, allowing the characters to evolve and the drama to change but keeping the mysterious spirit of the story alive. One of the best parts of Pretty Little Liars was that the series had a strong sense of humor and self-awareness, which let the writers and showrunners have fun with the somewhat outlandish plot points.

No matter what you believed or thought was the truth on the show, the writers always had a trick up their sleeve, subverting expectations whenever possible.

Though Pretty Little Liars is sometimes written off as a “trashy” teen drama, the series has a lot to offer, and the fast pace lent itself to keeping the audience guessing at every turn. No matter what you believed or thought was the truth on the show, the writers always had a trick up their sleeve, subverting expectations whenever possible. This made it all the more exciting to attempt to figure out who A was every season and figure out how all of the villains were connected to Alison.

Title	Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score	Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score
Pretty Little Liars (2010–2017)	81%	81%

1

Orphan Black (2013–2017)

Technology and human evolution come together in the dangerous game of Orphan Black

Orphan Black

Release Date: 2013 – 2016
Showrunner: Graeme Manson

Tatiana Maslany was unforgettable in Orphan Black throughout the show’s five seasons, somehow clearly differentiating between the many characters she played. Maslany portrays Sarah Manning and her many clones throughout Orphan Black, a series that throws you into the deep end from the first moments of the pilot. Slowly piecing together the truth and uncovering how Sarah was connected to these women who share her DNA was a gripping challenge that never failed to capture my attention.

Orphan Black deals with themes of humanity, eugenics, and the effects of emerging technology on human life, as Sarah’s existence is part of a greater conspiracy than she realizes. Though Orphan Black: Echoes, the short-lived spinoff, was an interesting continuation of the story, little could top the thrills of discovering what Sarah would learn next and how she would outwit the people who sought to control her. The truth of Orphan Black‘s story always managed to shock us, allowing the show’s legacy to live on.