Freeform's "Shadowhunters: The Mortal Instruments" badly needs some changes to keep it on the air since it has earned more criticism than praise after airing only a few episodes.

The small screen adaptation of Cassandra Clare's best-selling book series "The Mortal Instruments" initially held great promise when it took on the challenge of recreating the rich world of the Nephilim.

Unfortunately, like the film adaptation of the first book "City of Bones," the TV series not only disappointed viewers, but also confused them as to what the show was all about. 

One of the major mistakes the showrunners committed was introducing so many characters, creatures and worlds in just a few episodes.

It felt like the books needed to be read first in order to understand who the characters were and what their roles were in the story.

Maybe that is why they created a page dedicated to explaining the details of the Shadow world to those who have just tuned in or are not familiar with Clare's books.

There are also videos that tell "mundanes" everything about "Shadowhunters." 

Another thing that should probably be changed or at least reconsidered is the casting.

Yes, Katherine McNamara does have the features one might imagine when reading Clary Fray's description in the "City of Bones," but she doesn't move one to tears when she says that she wants her mother found no matter what. In other words, her acting lacks emotional depth that is needed in order for the audience to connect with her.

In fact, Zap2it believes she could learn a thing or two about conveying emotions from "The Original" star Phoebe Tonkin.

One more major blunder in Freeform's "Shadowhunters" is the corny '90s battle visual effects.

Using sparks when a demon is killed is so overrated. This also applies to the unexplainable explosions whenever the Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers change into their battle suits.

Considering that modern technology now allows for more realistic CGI effects, the "Shadowhunters" could have been more sophisticated-looking if they had made use of modern effects, like those of "The Vampire Diaries."

Last but not the least is the storyline.

The script of the show appears to be written with the knowledge that fans of Clare's young adult novels would love an exact representation of what they imagined when they were reading the books.

The problem with this idea is that every single reader has a different way of imagining what he or she reads, making it impossible to make an exact book-to-screen adaptation.

Some may say the showrunners should be given an "A" for effort, but that is not the point when making a show out of a best-selling franchise -- it is all about making viewers watch consistently and want more. Without this, "Shadowhunters" -- or any show for that matter -- is just another addition to TV history.

Do you think the "Shadowhunters" will get a second season? We will have to wait for more to find out.