Are there any television shows that you liked during the first few seasons but..

1. 83

   bethperryposted 10 years ago

   Are there any television shows that you liked during the first few seasons but...
   
   after awhile the series became boring, preachy, predictable, silly or otherwise too annoying to enjoy?
   
   

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2. 61

   AndrewHHposted 10 years ago

   I'll have to go with Dexter. It was so unique and powerful during the first seasons (especially 1-4), but after some of the writers left, the show lost something. Instead of using the metaphors and symbolism that made the show so great, it just trying to spell everything out for you. It just seemed lazy (especially the last season.) I still look back on it fondly though!

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      christiananrkistposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      thats weird. i commented almost exactly what you did, lol.

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      bethperryposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Thanks AndrewHH!

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   christiananrkistposted 10 years ago

   i thought Dexter was great the first 3 seasons. there was always something exciting and unpredictable happening. after a while it did get a bit predictable. i continued to watch just curious to see what the end would be like. by season 5 you could tell it wasnt going much longer. then the finale came, and what a disappointment that was. the whole last season was terrible.

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      bethperryposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      christiananrkist, I haven't seen Dexter from the beginning, but have heard similar complaints about it. Thanks for commenting!

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4. 59

   Tim Quamposted 10 years ago

   I'd say most shows are like that.  They should probably end them after about five seasons.  I think Britain has it right with Mr. Bean going for 19 episodes and Fawlty Towers going for 12.  Those are indelible programs.  Whereas a typical show in the U.S. has more than that in the first season.  How many situations can you run the same characters through.  After awhile you start to sense that the writers don't like the characters anymore.

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      bethperryposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      I this is often the case, Tim. Of course, the exceptions are what make some shows unforgettable.

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   thebiologyofleahposted 10 years ago

   I really enjoyed the first season of Heroes and Prison Break but after each first season I couldn't stay with either. Prison Break was really great the first season but the plotlines just got ridiculous somewhere in the second season. Heroes was also really good in its premiere season and then it just lost me after that- I can't even remember exactly why.

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   M. T. Dremerposted 10 years ago

   I agree with Tim Quam as this seems to happen with most shows. Both Smallville and Supernatural had strong seasons in the beginning and just sort of got goofy near the end. However, I do think that it's possible for a show to reinvent itself. Doctor Who is the primary example. By allowing the main character to 'regenerate' it provides infinite opportunities to revitalize the franchise. Granted, it did get old and the show was cancelled for a while, but few other shows are able to celebrate a 50th anniversary while still being on the air.

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      bethperryposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Yes, definitely. I used to look anxiously forward to every new episode of Supernatural. Now I still like it, but it is more like just tuning in to watch old friends. Nice, but the excitement isn't the same.

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   dashingscorpioposted 10 years ago

   Most shows fall into that category. It's hard to sustain outstanding quality beyond 5 years. And even if the writing remains up to par people tire of watching the same shows as new competition comes along in addition to changes that occur in one's personal life and schedule. Introducing new characters and losing old characters over the years also changes a show's makeup and storyline.
   "ER" and "Greys Anatomy" started off hot but after every doctor has slept with every other doctor and every medical emergency surgery you could imagine takes place things get old fast. Right now "Scandal" is the hot talked about show and it's getting near the point of having too may plot twists for it's own good. "Lost" ran out of steam and it's finale disappointed many of it's fans. However the "Sopranos" really let their fans down.
   Sitcoms based around a family of children have it difficult as the children become older and less cute in their looks and actions. This killed "The Cosby Show" in my opinion. "Sex And The City" wore out every conceivable dating/relationship scenario a woman could have without getting married. Near the end of it's run they looked liked 4 bitter old used up women blaming men for their unhappiness none the wiser for all the experiences they had.
   Other shows lose their edge when they eventually couple two leading actors together after seasons of having sexual tension. This happened with "Moonlighting" and most recently with "Castle". Once they hookup there is nowhere else to go. Instead of the audience hoping one day they'll be together as they tune in each week they end up finally getting together and it's "not the end".  Therefore the writers have to contrive disagreements  and misunderstandings or breakups to fill out the rest of show's run. They should save the pairings for the show's final season.
   The shows with the best runs in my opinion are usually those without children in them. "Jerry Seinfeld" went out on top. I also thought that "Cheers" had a great run as well.

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      bethperryposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Some very astute observations, dashingscorpio!

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