10 TV Shows That Broke Their Own Rules

Whether it’s on or off-screen, it’s common for writers and showrunners of TV shows to establish rules for themselves about what their series can and can’t do. Sometimes, these guidelines have to do with the lore and magic systems, while others are more concrete requirements that help maintain the tone and purpose of the show’s themes. While these rules are put in place for a reason, more often than not, it’s not just exciting when the writers buck tradition and go against the grain, but it makes the story even better.

Many of these were TV shows that ruled the world while they were airing, and it’s often because they weren’t afraid to break away from the established mandates that they achieved such enormous popularity. Being able to change and evolve is a key piece of a series’ success, as it proves the writers and producers can roll with the changes that are inherent to making a TV show. As time progresses and a series becomes more established, it’s not uncommon for the show to get more relaxed and experiment with the premise, breaking the rules.

10

Rick And Morty (2013–Present)

No Time Travel

In the end, Rick and Morty only ended up sticking to its promise not to incorporate time travel for a single episode. The creator, Dan Harmon, wanted to play with meta-textual elements and the concept of multiple realities but had expressed that time travel was an overused trope within the science fiction genre. However, the premise of Rick and Morty lent itself so well to time travel that it would’ve been a waste if the series never used this aspect of the narrative.

Rick and Morty has changed a lot since it first began, pushing boundaries and treading new territory in both sci-fi and animation. Eventually, Rick and Morty started incorporating canonical episodes and focused more closely on season-long arcs, moving away from its original episodic concept. All of these changes and broken rules ultimately allowed Rick and Morty to become such a beloved series and continue for so many seasons.

9

Doctor Who (1963–Present)

No Kissing In The TARDIS

When a show is on the air as long as Doctor Who, there’s no avoiding rule-breaking, and when the series was brought back in 2005, it was very different from the original. It makes sense that the first iteration of Doctor Who had strict rules about love and romance, resulting in the no-kissing-in-the-TARDIS guideline. Doctor Who was originally a more educational show, and when it began in the 1960s, television was very different.

The modern era of Doctor Who essentially threw this rule out the window from day one. Though the romance between Rose (Billie Piper) and the Tenth Doctor (David Tennant) was controversial, when Steven Moffat became the showrunner, Doctor Who was much more engaged in love and romance, making the Doctor a sexual being and object of desire. More recently, Doctor Who has found a balance of these elements, focusing more on the friendship between the Doctor and their companions while still using relationship plotlines.

8

Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994)

No Conflict Among Crew

The creator of Star Trek: The Next Generation, Gene Roddenberry, believed human society would’ve evolved beyond the need for conflict by the events of the series. This was a driving force behind the peace and the reasonable way the central characters interacted with each other on the show. However, this wasn’t always a strength, as conflict is how a plot progresses and characters develop. TNG eventually broke this rule many times, even in small ways.

A few instances include issues between Picard (Patrick Stewart) and Riker (Jonathan Frakes) in terms of the chain of command, as well as Picard’s judgment being clouded when it came to Beverly (Gates McFadden). Star Trek: TNG is a TV show where you can skip season 1 as the series starts coming into its own in season 2, evolving into one of the best additions to the franchise. It makes sense that as Star Trek: The Next Generation came into its own, interpersonal conflicts arose.

7

Battlestar Galactica (2004-2009)

No Aliens In The Show

Throughout its run, the reboot of Battlestar Galactica made it a priority to differentiate itself from Star Trek and other popular sci-fi TV shows. To do this, it made a plan not to include traditional aliens in the fabric of the stories, which helped to elevate the realism and human heart of the series. However, it’s true that the “angel” versions of Gaius and Six (and Starbuck) could be seen as aliens, as there’s no question that they’re not humans.

It’s a bit of a blurry line between alien and non-human, but the concept of the “angel” iterations of characters comes off as a way for Battlestar Galactica to work around its own rules. Additionally, in the final season, there are mentions of divine beings and otherworldly entities that help establish Battlestar Galactica as existing in a world where anything is possible. Though we never see the traditional or stereotypical aliens that populate the sci-fi genre, the show pushed its own boundaries.

6

The Vampire Diaries (2009–2017)

The Vampire’s Supernatural Powers

The Vampire Diaries is a classic supernatural teen drama that blends romance, magic, and melodrama for amazing results, even if the plot isn’t always the easiest to follow. It was expected that The Vampire Diaries would contradict itself, but the first episode already breaks the show’s rules. One key example of this is Damon’s (Ian Somerhalder) powers in the pilot, which are parts of the vampire lore that never come back after this, like the control of fog and animals.

This was almost immediately scrapped and never seen again after the pilot episode, making it seem like the show decided to change the rules after this. Out of all the show’s spinoffs, Legacies broke The Vampire Diaries canon the most, going back on the few pieces of lore that hadn’t already been disrupted in the original run. However, the convoluted magic system and characters’ stalwart plot armor are part of the charm of The Vampire Diaries​​​​​​.

5

Fleabag (2016–2019)

Returning For A Second Season

Fleabag

9/10

Release Date

2016 – 2019-00-00

The writer, creator, and star of Fleabag, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, developed the beloved TV series from her one-woman show that initially ran at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. However, it quickly became clear that the narrative lent itself to a screen adaptation, and this is how Fleabag season 1 came to be. After the success of the first installment, Waller-Bridge was firm in her decision to keep the series a single season long, as she told the story she wanted to tell.

Fortunately, Waller-Bridge broke that promise and gave the world Fleabag season 2, which is arguably an even stronger season of television. A large part of why Waller-Bridge broke her own rules is because of the involvement of Andrew Scott, who plays the Hot Priest in the second outing. The chemistry between Waller-Bridge and Scott jumps off the screen, and Fleabag ultimately comes full circle, seeing Fleabag leave the camera behind in the series’ final moments.

4

Game Of Thrones (2011–2019)

Not Using Prophecies, Dreams, Or Flashbacks

Game Of Thrones

10/10

Release Date

2011 – 2019-00-00

Showrunner

David Benioff, D.B. Weiss

As the show progressed, Game of Thrones changed a lot. Even though this series still helped reinvigorate the love and interest in the fantasy genre, there’s no question that the lore and canon started to contradict themselves by the end. However, even outside of the magic and world-building, there was some structural rule-breaking. The series creators, David Benioff and D.B. Wiess, had initially decided not to include prophecies, dreams, or flashbacks (via Collider).

Of course, with a show that relies on many otherworldly elements like this, Game of Thrones came to use all of these story hooks at different moments throughout the series. Bran’s dreams of the Three-eyed Raven start out as hazy visions but soon become strong parts of his character. The prophecies start appearing as magic becomes more commonplace with characters like Melisandre (Carice van Houten), and then finally, the flashbacks start around season 5 with Cersei’s (Lena Headey) recollections.

3

Better Call Saul (2015–2022)

Going Past The Timeline Of Breaking Bad

Better Call Saul is a prequel series that rivals the show it spun off from. It had a long and successful run that was unprecedented. Following the life of the supporting character in Breaking Bad, Jimmy McGill/Saul Goodman (Bob Odenkirk), Better Call Saul begins about two years before the events of Breaking Bad. Through this, we see how Jimmy becomes Saul Goodman and learn about the events that drew him into a life of crime. However, the series doesn’t stop there.

While it’s not entirely uncommon for a prequel to eventually catch up with the events of the first show, Better Call Saul went beyond the timeline of Breaking Bad. It wasn’t a strict rule that this couldn’t happen, but it wasn’t planned for and is a major shift from the traditional format of a prequel. This sets an exciting new precedent for prequel TV shows and cements Better Call Saul as a story that new series can learn from.

2

Schitt’s Creek (2015–2020)

The Roses Owning The Town

The inciting incident of Schitt’s Creek sees the Rose family lose everything and be forced to relocate to the titular town because it’s their only remaining asset. While this was a funny premise in season 1, this conceit started to lose its edge as the tone and messages of Schitt’s Creek evolved. Though it retained its comedy and used class as a means to communicate the inherent humor of the story, Schitt’s Creek eventually dropped the element of owning the town.

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This was a brilliant choice, as it put the Roses on a level playing field with the rest of the characters and allowed the show to focus on their personal growth and development above all. Even though the family still technically owns the town, Schitt’s Creek pretty much ignores this in the later seasons, drifting away from the original premise of the series. While it’s normal for shows to evolve over time, this was a big push away from the established rules.

1

Buffy The Vampire Slayer (1997–2003)

There Can Only Be One Slayer

From the beginning of Buffy The Vampire Slayer, the audience is told through the opening scene that the Slayer is the one girl in all the world who can stand against the forces of darkness. However, much like this teaser at the top of every episode, it didn’t take long for Buffy to drop this concept. After Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) drowns in the season 1 finale, this opens the door for a break in the lore of how the Slayers are called.

Buffy’s death triggers Kendra (Bianca Lawson) to become a Slayer, breaking the rule that there can only be one. Altering the lore of the series and bringing new Slayers into the mix was ultimately a great move for Buffy The Vampire Slayer, as it eventually led to the introduction of Faith (Eliza Dushku). It’s unsurprising that the series came to subvert the chosen one trope, as there were already so many parts of the show that bucked tradition, allowing it to stand the test of time.