In television, where narratives unfold and characters evolve, some storylines stand out not just for their creativity but for their ability to perplex, challenge, and sometimes confound viewers.
These are tales woven with intricate threads, masterpieces of complexity that blur the lines between reality and fiction, past and present, leaving audiences eagerly dissecting every twist and turn.
From mysterious islands shrouded in mystery to small towns with deep, dark secrets, these narratives push the boundaries of storytelling, inviting viewers into a labyrinth of the unexpected.
Prepare to look into the top complex and confusing storylines from TV shows, where each plot twist is a puzzle piece in a grand, bewildering mosaic of television history. Have a look.
Lost (2004-2010)
Lost, which originated with J.J. Abrams, chronicled the lives of six seasons of survivors of a plane disaster living on and off an isolated island.
Despite having a fantastic idea, Lost’s non-linear narratives and frequent use of flashbacks and flashforwards made the show somewhat perplexing.
Apart from the flashbacks and flashforwards, Lost’s later time-traveling components and parallel timelines further complicated the several interrelated storylines across the show’s episodes.
Even though Lost had a contentious ending and many unsolved mysteries that still left many confused, the show’s execution was excellent despite its purposeful complexity.
Critics have consistently named Lost as one of the best television shows ever produced. An estimated 16 million people watched each episode of the first season on ABC.
The program had an average of almost 11 million American viewers each episode during its sixth and final season.
Rachel Quitting Her Dream of Being on Broadway — Glee (2009-2015)
Rachel Berry (Lea Michele) from Glee was given the chance to play the lead role in a Broadway production. But right before the exhibition is due to start, she makes the decision to end it.
While some viewers thought Rachel’s character was developed as a result, others didn’t understand it. Rachel’s decision to give up her long-held goal of appearing on Broadway seemed illogical.
Ultimately, the plot seemed uncharacteristic of Rachel, particularly considering her history of ambition and determination.
The program revolves around the glee club, or high school show choir, at the fictitious William McKinley High School in Lima, Ohio.
Following the dismissal of Sandy Ryerson (Stephen Tobolowsky), the prior teacher, for making improper contact with a pupil, Will Schuester (Matthew Morrison) assumes leadership of the glee club.
True Detective Season 1 (2014)
Even though True Detective frequently defied logic, it’s still one of HBO’s most-watched crime series.
Using an anthological framework that centered on a different cast and crime with each part, the show’s tone varied a lot between seasons.
Despite receiving positive reviews overall, the first season of True Detective created a great deal of uncertainty since it applied theological doctrine under the pretext of supernatural powers, making both the genre and the central mystery less clear.
Later seasons did see an improvement, though, as the show refocused on the season’s crime and the characters. The first season of True Detective looks into themes of Christianity, masculinity, and philosophical pessimism.
Critics have examined the show’s treatment of women, its auteurist sensibility, and the narrative’s ties to comic books and strange horror literature.
Eric Leaving for Africa — That ’70s Show (1998 – 2006)
One TV sitcom that suffered from a character exit was That ’70s Show. Not only did the program try to continue when Eric (Topher Grace) left, but not all viewers were satisfied with the way his leave was handled.
For several viewers, Eric’s decision to leave and go teach in Africa seemed incomprehensible. They claim that this plot was “such a cop-out” and express surprise that the show’s greatest idea was for Eric to go to Africa.
It never made sense, according to a different user, who claims it was the series’ dumbest moment.
The program covered a wide range of 1970s social topics, including drug and alcohol abuse among minors, generational strife, the economic challenges of the recession, and the disdain that blue-collar people had for the US government.
Pretty Little Liars (2010-2017)
Pretty Little Liars is another program that many people find puzzling. It has been criticized for having narrative holes and for leaving unresolved stories unfinished.
The program was considerably harder to understand since it had more plots that weren’t in the book series, which served as the show’s inspiration.
The book series was already fairly convoluted. The identity of A was speculated about for a number of years over the course of the show’s run, but when it was finally revealed, it contradicted several points in earlier seasons, creating a great deal of confusion when it was established that A had been multiple persons, not just one, as had been previously thought.
Daughter of Luke — Gilmore Girls (2000 – 2017)
Vanessa Marano’s character April Nardini, who was first featured in the sixth season of Gilmore Girls, was later revealed to be the daughter of Scott Patterson’s character Luke.
Given that he concealed April’s existence from Lorelai (Lauren Graham) for several months, this caused a lot of problems in their relationship.
Luke handled April’s presence in a really poor way, talking about how he ought to have informed Lorelai as soon as he learned.
The scenario with the mysterious teenage daughter wasn’t even necessary to include in the first place. In the end, it was all unnecessary manufactured drama.
The lives of 32-year-old Lorelai Gilmore, a single mother, and her perceptive teenage daughter Rory Gilmore are followed in this program.
Both Lorelai and Rory are driven to pursue their dreams of attending Harvard University and opening their own inn, respectively.
They also contend with Emily and Richard Gilmore, Lorelai’s affluent and appearance-obsessed parents, who fund Rory’s tuition at a prestigious private school in Hartford, Connecticut.
In return, Emily and Richard need Rory and Lorelai to visit their home every Friday night for supper.
Riverdale (2017-2023)
The teen drama Riverdale is best known for the changes that occurred with each season of the show, with its plots gradually more ludicrous.
While Riverdale’s first season was a straightforward murder investigation, by the time of its final season in 2023, mystical elements, D&D, and perplexing polyamorous relationships had been added.
The Archie comics served as an inspiration for Riverdale, despite many obvious contrasts between the two.
The primary distinction is that the comics focused more on slice-of-life themes than on a gang of teens investigating a paranormal murder case.
In contrast to its source material, later seasons of Riverdale introduced time travel, witchcraft, and curses, which drastically altered the initial idea of the show.
At the conclusion of its run, Riverdale had changed drastically from its debut and appeared to have forgotten all of its prior information.
The longer Riverdale ran, the less good it became due to its incoherent narratives; eventually, the Riverdale series finale was well received.
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