The original post: /r/television by /u/Cadowyn on 2025-04-13 14:44:11.
Maybe this is just me, but it seems like I’ve seen sooo many shows where the first season is INCREDIBLE. Like it’s the epitome of what quality television should be. Great directing with awesome writing, tight pacing, and a pulse that keeps you coming back for more.
Here are some that I think represent what I’m talking about:
Resident Alien, Mayor of Kingston, City on a Hill, The Bear, and perhaps the greatest of them all True Detective. Perhaps True Detective is a bit unfair because each subsequent season was a different cast and plot.
I thought the first season of all of these shows was excellent. I thought Resident Alien, The Bear, Mayor of Kingston, and City on a Hill were so engrossing and captivating. It was really immersive getting absorbed in the lives of these interesting characters and their predicaments–watching how they navigated their flawed lives and grew as individuals.
Then it seems like a meeting is held. “Hey. We have these new shows and they are doing GREAT. All of the things that make it excellent to watch? Let’s remove all of that and insert some random garbage that has nothing to do with the overall show.” Though I did think the second season of the Bear was excellent but by the third I was wondering why are we getting all these episodes about tertiary characters, and the sister being pregnant and talking to her mom about non-Bear stuff.
What are your thoughts? Maybe it’s just me. :/