Author Topic: TV Shows that started great and then went downhill  (Read 66810 times)

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Re: TV Shows that started great and then went downhill
« Reply #105 on: September 18, 2014, 09:10:59 PM »

Offline mgent

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I thought the walking dead was okay, then really bad, then got good, then got bad again?

I quit during the first part of the second season. It was so bad.
You mean with Maggie giving it up in town while walkers are roaming around?   I was stuck to the screen for season 2, the search for Sophia had me hooked.
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Re: TV Shows that started great and then went downhill
« Reply #106 on: September 18, 2014, 09:13:02 PM »

Offline indeedproceed

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I thought the walking dead was okay, then really bad, then got good, then got bad again?

I quit during the first part of the second season. It was so bad.
You mean with Maggie giving it up in town while walkers are roaming around?   I was stuck to the screen for season 2, the search for Sophia had me hooked.

I quit second episode season 2.

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Re: TV Shows that started great and then went downhill
« Reply #107 on: September 18, 2014, 09:15:46 PM »

Offline saltlover

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The Big Bang Theory after seasons the first two seasons.  Initially, it was great, but like all geek-nerd (and for most of my life I've been put in one of those two groups.  Well, kind of.) shows, it just runs out of material, because there's only so many jokes that can be made, quite honestly.  I haven't watched it in a while because it's not funny anymore, and it's become more of a relationship based show, which was never its premise.  The character development is pathetic, as well.  Take Sheldon, for example.  In the first couple of seasons, his quirks and strange idiosyncrasies were hilarious, but now they're just forced and not funny, especially with his laugh.  It's like they're trying to hard, and, getting back to Sheldon again, everything he does seems terribly contrived.  It worked for the first few seasons, but it's just terrible now, imo.

For the most part I agree with this, although I've continued to be a somewhat regular viewer.  I did think Season 3 was largely good (you may have not liked the relationships, but they set up the Leonard-Penny story in the pilot, so they were being good with that).  Seasons 4-6 were generally disappointing, 4 and 6 being worse than 5.  The second half of last season, however, actually had some real, not contrived character development for the first time in years.  It will be interesting to see if they keep that going this season or not, but there's a chance that this is a show that finds its way again after stumbling about looking for odd gags and shark-jumping story lines for multiple seasons.

I do think you're right that the de-emphasis on science/math jokes has been disappointing, however, as the show's popularity has grown and more mainstream humor has taken its place.

No, I understood that, it's just that that was never the premise of the show, or maybe I just wrongly interpreted it from the beginning.  I don't know, I just find it boring now, and they just got another three seasons  :o - for what?  How much more can they possibly stretch out of what's left of the original program, haha?

The pilot episode (which was a solid pilot even if Sheldon's character was actually much less anti-social than later on) ended with Leonard saying of Penny "Our babies will be smart and beautiful!"  While they didn't have to get those two characters together, they certainly set it up from the beginning that it might happen.

I agree I don't know what more they can do with three seasons other than pay Jim Parsons a lot of
money.

Re: TV Shows that started great and then went downhill
« Reply #108 on: September 18, 2014, 09:20:09 PM »

Offline greg683x

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the x files

I'm rewatching that with my girlfriend and it really holds up (for the first few seasons at least).  I know it sucks later but Seasons 2 and 3 are fantastic, I'm hooked again.  I haven't watched it at all in like 6 or 7 years and I'm really enjoying it.

i did the same thing when it first came on netflix.  That shows amazing, always loved it.  Seasons 1-4 and arguably 5 are fantastic, and it tails off after that.  The main reason I suggested it on this list was they tried to keep the show going even after Mulder left, replacing him with Robert Patrick I believe and it sucked.  Shouldve never done it.
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Re: TV Shows that started great and then went downhill
« Reply #109 on: September 18, 2014, 09:20:28 PM »

Offline Vox_Populi

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I've kind of slowed down on Mad Men. I don't know why really, I'm not sure it's gotten any worse.

Re: TV Shows that started great and then went downhill
« Reply #110 on: September 18, 2014, 09:28:23 PM »

Offline incoherent

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I dont really think shows like Simpsons and Family guy count. They were mega-successful for well past 5 seasons.. at that point you cant really say they "started good then got worse". No. They started good and kept doing great and became super successful, then after a decade we got bored of it.

Big difference between a successful show doing well enough to go 5+ seasons and us just getting bored then show "starting good" IE: having an awesome pilot, maybe even an awesome 1st season, but then just falls off.

When do you stop "starting good" After 5-10 seasons like some of you suggest? Doesnt make sense. At that point it is way past the "starting good" phase of the show.


Re: TV Shows that started great and then went downhill
« Reply #111 on: September 18, 2014, 09:29:39 PM »

Offline incoherent

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the x files

I'm rewatching that with my girlfriend and it really holds up (for the first few seasons at least).  I know it sucks later but Seasons 2 and 3 are fantastic, I'm hooked again.  I haven't watched it at all in like 6 or 7 years and I'm really enjoying it.

i did the same thing when it first came on netflix.  That shows amazing, always loved it.  Seasons 1-4 and arguably 5 are fantastic, and it tails off after that.  The main reason I suggested it on this list was they tried to keep the show going even after Mulder left, replacing him with Robert Patrick I believe and it sucked.  Shouldve never done it.

Once again.. the vast majority of X-files is good. It didnt die off in the "start". I had 5 really good seasons.  Does not belong on this list.

Re: TV Shows that started great and then went downhill
« Reply #112 on: September 18, 2014, 09:30:10 PM »

Offline incoherent

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Heroes, Prison Break, The Walking Dead.


Perfect examples. Great 1st seasons, questionable afterwards.

Re: TV Shows that started great and then went downhill
« Reply #113 on: September 18, 2014, 09:36:36 PM »

Offline incoherent

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Some good timed current ones still are Game of Thrones, Walking Dead, and American Horror Story. They should probably end soon before they go downhill.

So you want Game of Thrones to end soon? Are you kidding me... we finally get some mainstream fantasy that is about as awesome and badass as it can possibly get.. and you want..it.. to .. end?  I hope this was a mistake. 

When would be a good time to end GoT? Before we get to see the Dragons take Westeros back, or are you not interested in that? You just want it to end at some arbitrary point? You want Martin to cancel his final 2 books!!!???  Im so confused by this. Please dont put GoT in the same category as... The Walking Dead... ewwwwww
 
GoT is more then likely going to go down as one of the greatest television shows of all time.

Re: TV Shows that started great and then went downhill
« Reply #114 on: September 18, 2014, 09:49:50 PM »

Offline indeedproceed

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The thing I hate about Game of Thrones is that the entire world seems so half-conceived. It's a weird thing to say about a world that is so enormous, but like..where are the farmers feeding these people? The armies are trapsing around raping and killing everything in sight, when you could actually be growing something, you can't because armies are running through your fields, killing your livestock and utility animals, stealing your crap, and raising your food stores. And that's for the families who have their own armies come alone. Enemies will add killing/raping your family to the list.

What are there, like 500 people left in Westeros, all intricately detailed just doin it all the time?

Is there some other kingdom who just feeds everyone while they're fighting, making a buck off both sides like some kind of mix between colonel sanders and Nic Cage in Lord of War? Probably not, because every [dang] where else there are dragons or gelded mercenaries or horse riding nomads.

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Re: TV Shows that started great and then went downhill
« Reply #115 on: September 18, 2014, 09:52:53 PM »

Offline Beat LA

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The Big Bang Theory after seasons the first two seasons.  Initially, it was great, but like all geek-nerd (and for most of my life I've been put in one of those two groups.  Well, kind of.) shows, it just runs out of material, because there's only so many jokes that can be made, quite honestly.  I haven't watched it in a while because it's not funny anymore, and it's become more of a relationship based show, which was never its premise.  The character development is pathetic, as well.  Take Sheldon, for example.  In the first couple of seasons, his quirks and strange idiosyncrasies were hilarious, but now they're just forced and not funny, especially with his laugh.  It's like they're trying to hard, and, getting back to Sheldon again, everything he does seems terribly contrived.  It worked for the first few seasons, but it's just terrible now, imo.

For the most part I agree with this, although I've continued to be a somewhat regular viewer.  I did think Season 3 was largely good (you may have not liked the relationships, but they set up the Leonard-Penny story in the pilot, so they were being good with that).  Seasons 4-6 were generally disappointing, 4 and 6 being worse than 5.  The second half of last season, however, actually had some real, not contrived character development for the first time in years.  It will be interesting to see if they keep that going this season or not, but there's a chance that this is a show that finds its way again after stumbling about looking for odd gags and shark-jumping story lines for multiple seasons.

I do think you're right that the de-emphasis on science/math jokes has been disappointing, however, as the show's popularity has grown and more mainstream humor has taken its place.

No, I understood that, it's just that that was never the premise of the show, or maybe I just wrongly interpreted it from the beginning.  I don't know, I just find it boring now, and they just got another three seasons  :o - for what?  How much more can they possibly stretch out of what's left of the original program, haha?

The pilot episode (which was a solid pilot even if Sheldon's character was actually much less anti-social than later on) ended with Leonard saying of Penny "Our babies will be smart and beautiful!"  While they didn't have to get those two characters together, they certainly set it up from the beginning that it might happen.

I agree I don't know what more they can do with three seasons other than pay Jim Parsons a lot of
money.

No, like I said, I remember all of that, but it continues to boggle the mind that Sheldon has somehow regressed, socially, and it all seems forced and horribly contrived now, but maybe that's just me.  I knew that the Leonard and Penny situation was going to be center stage, but I guess I wanted more plot lines, and different situations. 

Plus, over the years, I've found Penny to be completely arrogant and repugnant as a character.  She has insulted and used Leonard on multiple occasions, and her ego - my god, how does someone even fit into a room if it's already in there.  I think the line that ticked me off the most was the one where Leonard said something like (it may have been the episode where Penny tries to deceive her father that she and Leonard are still together after they'd broken up), "so, just out of curiosity, how did you win me back?  Did you wine and dine me, etc?" and Penny said, "Oh please, I whistled and you came running."  That just made me incredibly angry, because I've had many dealings with (and I hate to demean the term) people like that.  Sorry, I just can't stand such manipulative monsters. 

I think this clip is more than appropriate, and, see, the laugh at 2:01 is just so fake.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G1RZwOlSg5o

I think it should also be pointed out that Penny bullied people, both physically and verbally, when she was in high school, so I have absolutely no respect for her as a character.

Side bar - Jim Parsons, Kaley Cuoco, and Johnny Galecki all demanded, and are now receiving, $1 million dollars and episode, which can be perfectly summed up by this clip from the show at 0:29 ;D -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXV4Cw6vsU0   

   

Re: TV Shows that started great and then went downhill
« Reply #116 on: September 18, 2014, 09:56:55 PM »

Offline Beat LA

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I thought the walking dead was okay, then really bad, then got good, then got bad again?

I quit during the first part of the second season. It was so bad.

It really got boring. Now everytime I see ads relating to it, I switch channel.

Personally, I'll never understand the zombie fad, so I have no interest in such, "programming," haha ;D  Where did this, "movement," even come from?  That Scoobie-Doo movie lol?  What's the other zombie show on amc, btw, because I can't remember it right now?

Re: TV Shows that started great and then went downhill
« Reply #117 on: September 18, 2014, 09:58:40 PM »

Offline indeedproceed

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I mean, we're the greatest military power in the world, but the only reason we can sustain a state of perpetual war is because we've got a peaceful prosperous nation just taking up all the best farm land of an entire continent.

And Big Bang theory is utterly terrible. It's always been terrible. Just like Two and a Half Men. The show is as insightful as peak two and a half men.

Without a laugh track people wouldn't have any idea when to laugh, because the jokes are terrible.

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Re: TV Shows that started great and then went downhill
« Reply #118 on: September 18, 2014, 10:04:02 PM »

Offline Eja117

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The thing I hate about Game of Thrones is that the entire world seems so half-conceived. It's a weird thing to say about a world that is so enormous, but like..where are the farmers feeding these people? The armies are trapsing around raping and killing everything in sight, when you could actually be growing something, you can't because armies are running through your fields, killing your livestock and utility animals, stealing your crap, and raising your food stores. And that's for the families who have their own armies come alone. Enemies will add killing/raping your family to the list.

What are there, like 500 people left in Westeros, all intricately detailed just doin it all the time?

Is there some other kingdom who just feeds everyone while they're fighting, making a buck off both sides like some kind of mix between colonel sanders and Nic Cage in Lord of War? Probably not, because every [dang] where else there are dragons or gelded mercenaries or horse riding nomads.
Waaaiiiittt a minute. Where are all the peasants in LOTR? Where does all the food come from in Harry Potter seeing as how they can't transfigure it. Where are the peasants in War and Peace while all the princes are off at the front? Where are the peasants that allow Hamlet to eat? Should we just assume they don't exist?

Also there are many references to fishermen and hunting in Westeros.

Re: TV Shows that started great and then went downhill
« Reply #119 on: September 18, 2014, 10:07:40 PM »

Offline Beat LA

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The thing I hate about Game of Thrones is that the entire world seems so half-conceived. It's a weird thing to say about a world that is so enormous, but like..where are the farmers feeding these people? The armies are trapsing around raping and killing everything in sight, when you could actually be growing something, you can't because armies are running through your fields, killing your livestock and utility animals, stealing your crap, and raising your food stores. And that's for the families who have their own armies come alone. Enemies will add killing/raping your family to the list.

What are there, like 500 people left in Westeros, all intricately detailed just doin it all the time?

Is there some other kingdom who just feeds everyone while they're fighting, making a buck off both sides like some kind of mix between colonel sanders and Nic Cage in Lord of War? Probably not, because every [dang] where else there are dragons or gelded mercenaries or horse riding nomads.

I've seen about a combined 45 minutes of that show, and all I've learned so far is that the kid king is a Edited.  Profanity and masked profanity are against forum rules and may result in discipline., and Argus Filch is every bit as terrifying as I imagined he would be if he had been given power, especially when he sends some guy's dick in a box lol.

Has anyone read the books?  I'm always late to the party with things like this and the Lord of the Rings.  I tried reading Tolkien's stuff, but I only finished the Hobbit, which was meh, and after seeing the two towers, I tried to read the book, but the huge battle scene was only a PARAGRAPH long, after slogging through about 250 pages of Edited.  Profanity and masked profanity are against forum rules and may result in discipline.ty made up elvish songs and everything else.  I stopped at that point.  I just couldn't take it anymore lol.  Sorry if I'm offending anyone's favorite books, btw.

I've never been into these made-up worlds and fantasy stories.  I guess that that genre just isn't for me, but maybe I'll try again down the road.  I just don't find the subject matter to be terribly interesting, so could someone please explain the fascination with such literature?  I'm not here to mock anyone's tastes, I just honestly want to know what it is about these kinds of books that make them so popular.  Thanks, guys :), and, again, my apologies.