Summary
Prequel TV showscan be a great way to expand upon a franchise mythology, but just as often, they can create continuity issues. Many prequel series took beloved characters with untold backstories and fleshed out their histories, but in the process, they added new information that directly contradicted the previously established lore of a franchise. In other instances, the need to recast actors for the prequel series led to confusion around ages, appearances, and even personality traits.
Even franchises known for their incredible attention to detail, such asBreaking Bad, led to somecontinuity issues from the prequel seriesBetter Call Saul. Changing timelines and contradictory histories can also be major problems for prequel series, which have to attempt to ensure everything matches up consistently but occasionally fall short. While slip-ups can sometimes be expected from prequel TV shows,it can be frustrating for viewers to feel like the franchise lacks consistent continuity.
9Bates Motel (2013 - 2017)
Bates Motel changed the entire timeline of the franchise
The idea of a prequel based on Norman Bates was an interesting way to expand upon the lore of thePsychofranchise; however, in the process,Bates Motelchanged the series' continuity entirely. As a contemporary prequel,Bates Motelswitched out the 1960 setting of Alfred Hitchcock’s original movie and reimagined Norman in the internet age. This certainly took some getting used to and may have rubbed some cinephiles the wrong way, but over the course of five seasons,Bates Motelforged a unique identity and became a worthy addition to the franchise.
Bates Motelwas different fromPsychoin many ways, as it added a backstory that was not part of Norman’s original character and provided new insights into his psychological troubles and deeply strange relationship with his mother. Even thoughthe final season ofBates Motelloosely adapted the originalPsychonovel by Robert Bloch, which served as the basis for Hitchock’’s film, the continuity issues were so vast thatBates Motelmust be considered an alternative timeline. It’s a testament to the enduring appeal of Norman’s character that he could transcend generations for this prequel series.
Bates Motel
Cast
Bates Motel is an A&E original series that acts as a contemporary prequel to Alfred Hitchcock’s 1960 horror classic, Psycho. The TV show centers on Norman Bates (Freddie Highmore), who, with his mother Norma (Vera Farmiga), move across the country and buy a motel. However, Norman’s psyche quickly begins to unravel as he struggles with his abnormal relationship with his mother.
8The Carrie Diaries (2013 - 2014)
The Carrie Diaries contradicted previously established aspects of Carrie Bradshaw
Unfortunately,The Carrie Diarieswas full of inconsistencies from previously established events from the life ofSex and the Cityprotagonist, Carrie Bradshaw. As a prequel series that explored Carrie discovering life in New York City during her senior year of high school, it often felt like this character had a different teenage experience than the original TV version played by Sarah Jessica Parker. With much more optimism and innocence, sometimesit was hard to accept that the Carrie fromThe Carrie Diarieswas the same one fromSex and the City.
While the teenage Carrie seemed to be more self-assured, the continuity ofSex and the Citypresented her as struggling to find purpose and meaning in her work and relationships. Other aspects, such as Carrie’s stories about losing her virginity, don’t align between the two series, and characters who played a major part in her teenage life were not even mentioned inSex and the City. Of course, this was often the case for prequels, but inThe Carries Diaries, the sheer volume of inconsistencies was jarring.
7Better Call Saul (2015 - 2022)
TheBreaking Badprequel,Better Call Saul,paid extraordinarily detailed attention to the franchise’s continuity and made consistent efforts to address any inconsistencies between the two series. This included Saul Goodman’s previously mentioned marriages, which were explained through smallBetter Call Sauldetails that some viewers may have missed. However, one continuity issue that was not so easily rectified wasthe inconsistency of Mike Ehrmantraut’s granddaughter Kaylee, who appeared to be of a different age throughout her appearances acrossBreaking BadandBetter Call Saul.
Throughout both series, Kaylee was played by four different actresses of varying ages, and eagle-eyed viewers quickly noticed that the dates for the character just never seemed to add up. In theBreaking Badseason 5 episode “Madrigal," the DEA agent Hank Schrader stated that Kaylee was 10 years old, which Mike did not disagree with. However, this directly contradicted Kaylee’s age inBetter Call Saul,where she was too old for the timelines to match. Although this inconsistency can be frustrating, it was one of the few errors in theBreaking Baduniverse.
Better Call Saul
Better Call Saul follows small-time lawyer Jimmy McGill as he navigates the legal world to make ends meet. The series, set six years before his encounter with Walter White, chronicles Jimmy’s evolution into Saul Goodman, with notable interactions alongside fixer Mike Ehrmantraut.
6Young Sheldon (2017 - 2024)
Young Sheldon changed aspects of Sheldon’s childhood
As a chronicle of the early life of the theoretical physicist Sheldon Cooper,Young Sheldonwas a prequel toThe Big Bang Theorythat, despite being well-received, still introduced continuity errors when compared to the original show. As one of the most interesting and enigmatic characters fromThe Big Bang Theory, it was exciting to look back on Shelodn’s childhood and discover how he grew into the unusual man he became. However, along the way,Young Sheldonbegan to directly contradict previously established lore.
One of thebiggest inconsistencies withYoung Sheldonwas how it portrayed George Sr., Sheldon’s father, who was described much differently onThe Big Bang Theory.The original series presented Sheldon’s father as an alcoholic, while onYoung Sheldon,he was seen occasionally drinking beer but not necessarily having major dependency issues. This could be explained away by a child’s perception being different from the adult’s belief, but it still made for an interesting continuity error inYoung Sheldon.
Young Sheldon
A spinoff of the sitcom The Big Bang Theory, Young Sheldon follows the youth and coming-of-age of Sheldon Cooper during his childhood in Texas as he pursues science and academia. The show also follows his parents, siblings, and Mee-Maw, painting a picture of the world where Sheldon grew up.
5Gotham (2014 - 2019)
Gotham changed the previously established Batman lore
As a gritty look at the early days of Jim Gordan’s time with the Gotham City Police Department,Gothamwas a prequel series based on the mythos of the DC superheroBatman. WhileGothamintroduced many well-known characters from across theBatmanuniverse, it was also not afraid to depart from the franchise’s continuity and put its own spin on the circumstances surrounding Bruce Wayne’s decision to become the Caped Crusader. While the series was well-received,Gothammade many changes to the Batman that audiences knew and liked so well.
Without Batman as the main series protagonist,Gothamintroduced several villains whose backstories were far different from the comics, TV series, and movie depictions that viewers had previously seen. The origin stories of Batman’s famous foes were recontextualized to fit in with the timeline ofGotham, and this changed the core tenets of Batman mythology, such as that he often accidentally created his own villains.Gothamused a different method to tell an entirely new kind ofBatmanstory, and it was all the more interesting because of it.
Gotham
As a new recruit in Captain Sarah Essen’s Gotham City Police Department, Detective James Gordon is paired with Harvey Bullock to solve one of Gotham’s most high-profile cases ever: the murder of Thomas and Martha Wayne. During his investigation, Gordon meets the Waynes' son, Bruce, now in the care of his butler Alfred, which further compels Gordon to catch the killer.
4Rock & Chips (2010 - 2011)
Rock & Chipswas the short-lived miniseries prequel to the acclaimed British sitcomOnly Fools and Horses.An origin story for the iconic comedy character Del Boy,Rock & Chipswas a unique take on classic characters that unfortunately created its share of continuity issues. The most glaring example related to theOnly Fools and Horsescharacter Rodney Trotter’s age and the disparity between his older brother, as the dates of Rodney’s birth did not align with previously established events inOnly Fools and Horses,which made the two shows directly contradict one another.
However,Only Fools and Horsesalso included several inconsistencies regarding Rodney’s age, as he has several different birthdates and even the years of his birth have varied from episode to episode. Lovers of the original series will remember thatOnly Fools and Horsesplayed into the confusion about Rodney’s age in the Series 6 episode “The Unlucky Winner Is…” when, as a fully grown man, he pretended to be 14 years old. This hilarious development occurred because Rodney unknowingly won a drawing competition aimed at teenagers and had to keep up the lie to win a holiday in Spain.
3Ratched (2020)
The psychological thriller seriesRatchedwas developed byAmerican Horror Storycreator Ryan Murphy and acted as a prequel to Ken Keney’s novel and the 1975 filmOne Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.Ratchedacted as an origin story for the villainous Nurse Ratched and featured Sarah Paulsen in the leading role as the sadistic medical practitioner. The only issue was that the Nurse Ratched seen in the series exhibited qualities far more extreme than anything seen in any previous depiction of the character.
AlthoughNurse Ratched was a truly terrifying character inOne Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, she was also incredibly passive-aggressive. Within theRatchedseries, Nurse Ratched was seen as actively sadistic and vindictive in a way that did not align with the previous portrayals of her character. While both characterizations were horrific in their own way, it was difficult, as a viewer, to accept the two portrayals as being the same character.
Ratched
A prequel to the movie One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Ratched is a thriller-drama that follows the origins of the cold and sometimes cruel Nurse Mildred Ratched as she begins to worm her way into the asylum that her infamous legacy is born in. Under her caring and professional demeanor, something sinister dwells within.
2Agent Carter (2015 - 2016)
Marvel’sAgent Carterwas an enjoyable addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It helped expand the franchise’s lore on television and gave new insight into the character of Peggy Carter. However, despite being part of the MCU’s overall continuity,Agent Carteralso brought up some inconsistencies that viewers noticed did not align with previously established facts. As a prequel series,Agent Carterhad continuity issues regarding the ages of some of its characters.
The most glaring example was Howard Stark, the father of the future Iron Man, Tony Stark.Howard has been played by three different actors across the MCU, which has led to major disparities between his age and appearance each time he is recast. In theAgent Cartertelevision series, Howard was played by Dominic Cooper, which led to some confusion as this does not align with the aging of his movie counterpart, John Slattery. While this was a minor issue for a franchise as vast as the MCU, it was still a noticeable inconsistency.
Agent Carter
Agent Carter is an Action-Adventure Superhero Sci-Fi television series that takes place in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The show was developed by Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely, and revolves around the Stan Lee Comic Book character, Peggy Carter. Starring Hayley Atwell as Peggy Carter herself, the adventure follows the S.H.I.E.L.D agent as she attempts to help Howard Stark from being accused of treason.
1Terminator: The Sarah Conner Chronicles (2008 - 2009)
Terminator: The Sarah Conner Chronicleswas a highly acclaimed television spin-off within theTerminatorfranchise that was canceled too soon after just two seasons. With an extraordinary lead performance by Lena Headey as Sarah Connor, the series revolved around the lives of Sarah and her son John, the future hero of mankind, working to prevent the creation of Skynet. As a time-travel-based franchise,Terminator: The Sarah Conner Chronicleswas interesting as it could be viewed as both a sequel toTerminator 2: Judgement Dayand a prequel to the dystopian futuristic timeline also seen in the franchise.
WhileTerminator: The Sarah Conner Chroniclessignificantly enhanced the series' lore, it also contained several continuity errors, which could be expected from a franchise as overlapping and convoluted as this. One significant example was related to John Connor’s birthdate, which was shown as July 20, 2025, inT2. However, inThe Sarah Conner Chronicles, it was said to be November 14.
Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles
This spinoff of the Terminator franchise follows Sarah Connor, her son John, and Cameron, a Terminator reprogrammed to protect John. Pursued by time-traveling Terminator assassins, they must cope with life on the run as well as the impending threat of Skynet.
