Was thinking about this today. Which shows that ran for multiple seasons, have what is generally considered one good season, and every subsequent season being mediocre to crappy?

Heroes immediately came to mind, as did Human Target. Millennium I remember having one really good season and going off the rails in season 2 and 3. Any others?

Homeland. Great first season, decent second season, tran wreck third season and then a 24 clone ever since.

the Tim Allen show on friday nights

It's too early to say for sure but Mr. Robot sadly seems like a possible competitor for the list.

I agree with Homeland.

Heroes comes to mind as well.

Sons of Anarchy (and I'd say it's season 2).

Torchwood. Children of Earth was fantastic, the rest were either 'bleh' (1-2) or legitimately unwatchable (Miracle Day).

Yeah, Mr.Robot is a recent example. I also felt that way about You're The Worst, Tyrant and Sleepy Hollow.

Lost

Nonsense.

Homeland- I still think it is one of the greatest first seasons of every Cable Drama, and the show was never the same after that.

Bloodline- Another great first season that was utterly compelling TV for me. And then the 2nd season went off the rails, and thankfully this is the last season coming up.

Sleepy Hollow for sure
Hell on Wheels

Yep. That was my answer.

I'll also add American Crime. Season 2 was OK; I stopped watching season 3 two episodes into it. First season was excellent.

The O.C. Brilliant first season. Fell off a cliff the rest of the series.

Heroes was the show I thought of first. Great first season then a steady decline until it fell off a cliff.

Martial Law with Sammo Hung had an awesome 1st season. They fucked it up in the 2nd season and was cancelled.

I did a search and this article pretty much summed up why it went under.

http://www.stickgrappler.net/2013/05...law-by-dr.html

Masters of Sex was fantastic its first season and just stagnant for the next two. I didn't even bother with the last one.

Those who are claiming LOST only had one good season are just blatantly wrong. Even the most cynical LOST viewer will admit that Season 1 and Season 4 were both terrific. I know the last season was disappointing (and season 2 seemed a let-down from that opening one -- and season 3 was just a mess) but it doesn't negate the great ride Seasons 4 and 5 were.

Lost. Season 1 was great. The rest were shit and got shittier.

Are you forgetting this?


One of the greatest season-ending jaw droppers of all time.

Gossip Girl, good for the first season and part of season 2, after that it was terrible.

Heroes is my favorite example of this. It was all set to turn into the next big thing during the first season and then the season finale was garbage and it never recovered. To be fair, the second season was during the writers strike and it wasn't the only show to suffer from that.

I'll also echo Homeland. That show had the premise to last exactly one season so it's not a surprise that it went off the rails after that.

I tend to agree but I stuck it out for the entire run anyway.

From what I have read about the show, wouldn't True Detective fit the premise?

It's only a two season show (so far). But yeah, Season 2 was awful. Also it's an anthology series, so that's a little different.

Lost in Space. I still think the first b&w season is pretty good.

Maybe it's just me, but I find the first seasons of Wild Wild West, Man From U.N.C.L.E. and Voyage to the Bottom of The Sea, all b&w, to be superior to subsequent color seasons. They seem more serious and adult, as if when going to color an effort was made to attract younger kids. Although I like the entire series of all three.

Heroes is the poster child for this affliction.

Also: Kimmy Schmidt. Season 1 was outstanding. Season 2? Kind of disappointing. Not bad, often funny, sometimes hilarious, but it was a huge stumble after a near-perfect Season 1.