TV Shows that started great and then went downhill

[Roy H.]

I'll say Under the Dome.  It started out with an interesting concept (and the book was pretty good), and recently, it's just been more and more ridiculous.  You know the writers are making it up as they go along.

Also, 24.  That was one of the better shows on TV for awhile; last season, it was just meh.

I still need to check out the latest season of 24. Not on par with the original seasons?

I didn't think so.  It looked like everyone was going through the motions to me, and I thought they tried to shoehorn too many familiar faces into a plot that didn't fit together that well.

[slamtheking]

I'll say Under the Dome.  It started out with an interesting concept (and the book was pretty good), and recently, it's just been more and more ridiculous.  You know the writers are making it up as they go along.

Also, 24.  That was one of the better shows on TV for awhile; last season, it was just meh.

totally forgot Under the Dome.  couldn't agree with you more.  read the book long before the series and the writers just took this concept and went off the deep end.  didn't care the book's ending but where they've taken the shows storyline is just silly.  acting on the show doesn't help either -- pretty bad all the way around-->not a likable character left on the show.

24 had gotten to be a real stretch over the years but couldn't help but like Jack and Chloe.  the most recent 12-hour incarnation wasn't bad -- got the feeling like if they come up with the other 12 hours (I'm hoping -- don't want it ending on that cliffhanger) that they're transitioning for another "24" but with Yvonne Strahovski in the lead instead of Keifer.  Loved her in Chuck and think she has the chops to do an action show again but not sure she's a big enough name to carry that franchise forward if that is indeed the producers' goal.

[slamtheking]

Have never seen Dexter or Homeland -- mostly because I don't have Showtime except on promotional weekends.

I think Dexter is on Netflix. Worth checking out. First 4 and a half season is great television. Probably some of the best TV I've watched, but the last couple of seasons were just unbearable. Show just jumped off a cliff. But watch seasons 1-5, but don't watch the last episode of season 5.

thanks for the tip.  TP

[fairweatherfan]

I'll say Under the Dome.  It started out with an interesting concept (and the book was pretty good), and recently, it's just been more and more ridiculous.  You know the writers are making it up as they go along.

Supposedly Under the Dome was only supposed to be a one-season deal, and the production team was completely blindsided when the network asked for a second (not so blindsided that they considered turning down the money, of course).  But that's why the plot has gotten so random and disjointed - they're stretching things out on the fly.

I don't think anyone's mentioned the League yet, which I really liked for about 3 seasons but has since turned into a bloated caricature of itself.  Parks and Rec didn't start off well but was great for a few seasons and is just circling the drain now.  Oh and the Walking Dead - brilliant pilot, strong first season with some flaws, since then it's been pretty hit or miss with more misses than hits as it's gone along.

[KCattheStripe]

Lost.

[BudweiserCeltic]

Where's the "All of the above" option?

[knuckleballer]

Homeland and Under the Dome stand out most to me.  I agree with Dexter as well, but it did have four really good seasons and held my interest until season 6 or 7.

What about shows that ended too soon?  The Borgias and Carnivale are two shows that I wish had continued for more seasons.

[Birdman]

The Leftovers on HBO disappointed me..

[slamtheking]

Lost.

I actually liked Lost through the entire run.  the beginning was better than the middle and end but didn't think it got to the point where it stunk.  with the writer's strike impacting the hardset show finale, I couldn't hold the lower quality of the last season (primarily the overly condensed storyline due to fewer shows to cover everything) against it.  I blamed the writer's for the strike and the producers for not moving the finale so that the storyline could play out better.

It's still the only other show besides Hill Street Blues where I felt like I could not miss the show when it was broadcast.  Game of Thrones is close but I've found I can survive long enough to watch it off DVR the next day.

[incoherent]

For me.. the ultimate show in this category is .... LOST

The robotic dinosaur cliff hangers in season 1 were awesome. It was NEVER resolved.  Once season 2 came they completely forgot about stuff from season one and just created new cliff hangers.  The show lost me halfway through season 2 and I didnt even bother with season 3.


New Girl:  This show was hilarious and new and funny and the characters were great.. then they decided to... for some crazy reason.. put Nick and Jess together as a couple (GROSS) and the show completely FELL OFF as it was no longer about 20 somethings going about life struggling in the city and it focused on a forced and unnatural relationship between Jess and Nick who are both MOUNDS funnier when not doing relationship-based cliche humor.  This show lost halfway through season 2.

I'm sure I'll think of more but let me get this in the thread for now.

[nickagneta]

Know what show hasn't done this thus far...Game of Thrones.

But I agree with the point that its probably easier to find the shows that are great for a year or two and then flame out than to find the exceptions.

Really hope Kevin Spacey's version of House of Cards doesn't go down the tubes after two years of chasing the presidency. That would suck.

[slamtheking]

What about shows that ended too soon?  The Borgias and Carnivale are two shows that I wish had continued for more seasons.

was saving that topic for next week when people get bored of this one and we're still waiting for training camp

[fairweatherfan]

For me.. the ultimate show in this category is .... LOST

I agree in general about Lost, though it was more up and down than a steady decline, but:

The robotic dinosaur cliff hangers in season 1 were awesome. It was NEVER resolved. 

Yes it was.  That was the smoke monster that was in literally every season and even became a character later on.

Really, they put out an explanation for every one of the early plot hooks, it's just that a lot of them were half-assed and unsatisfying.

[incoherent]

Orange is the New Black

Season 2 is unbearable, I don't buy for 1 second how they were able to keep Piper in jail to keep the show going.

[incoherent]

For me.. the ultimate show in this category is .... LOST

I agree in general about Lost, though it was more up and down than a steady decline, but:

The robotic dinosaur cliff hangers in season 1 were awesome. It was NEVER resolved. 

Yes it was.  That was the smoke monster that was in literally every season and even became a character later on.

Really, they put out an explanation/resolution for every one of the early plot hooks, it's just that a lot of them were half-assed and unsatisfying.

That black smoke monster is the most unsatisfying reveal of all time and in no way does it explain what was happening to the trees and sounds they heard in the first half of season 1.

Like when that pilot get's eaten out of the plane they discover, we are suppose to believe it was black smoke? They make it seem like with the trees moving so much and the sounds that are made that it is a robotic dinosaur.  No, you can not replace perceived robotic dinosaur with some black smoke and call it good.