Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie
Hi all! We have been experiencing an issue on site where threads have been missing the latest postings. The platform host Vanilla are working on this issue. A workaround that has been used by some is to navigate back from 1 to 10+ pages to re-sync the thread and this will then show the latest posts. Thanks, Mike.
Hi there,
There is an issue with role permissions that is being worked on at the moment.
If you are having trouble with access or permissions on regional forums please post here to get access: https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058365403/you-do-not-have-permission-for-that#latest

What show dipped the most in quality? What show started bad/just ok and got great?

2

Comments

  • Moderators, Entertainment Moderators Posts: 17,994 Mod ✭✭✭✭ixoy


    squonk wrote: »
    ]Covert Affairs has to get a mention as an OK show early on. It was cutesy and interesting but we'd all have gotten very bored by now if they hadn't decided to retool the show as a hard core spy saga. It's unmissable now.
    I'm halfway through Season 3 and it's definitely taking a darker, grittier turn especially after the mid-way cliffhanger. I'm guessing this tone continues?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,708 ✭✭✭squonk


    gugleguy wrote: »
    For somebody who watched Top Gear in pre audience days, Top Gear with the live audience never has given that extra 'fuel injection'. Ok, so now the show has a studio audience to "contribute"......:confused::rolleyes:

    I loved pre-audience/pre-revamp Top Gear. It was a dedicated car show. Boring maybe in the anorak sense but far higher quality. Watching the 3 Amigos shooting the breeze was never a step up in my opinion!


  • Registered Users Posts: 455 ✭✭Skullface McGubbin


    Shows that dipped in quality: The Simpsons being the most obvious one. And Family Guy too. There's talk of both shows doing some sort of crossover episode so both shows can officially jump the shark together, hand in hand. Most shows tend to downhill over time anyway.

    Shows that started poor and got better: I'd say RTE's very own Love/Hate. The first series was poor. But by series 3, it improved and became somewhat decent (for a homegrown production). Series 4 was slightly dissapointing in comparison to 3. It could well go downhill again when the next series comes.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,594 ✭✭✭smilerf


    Hannibal started off real slow. half way on season one was better
    Season 2 was just incredible from start to finish


  • Registered Users Posts: 11,064 ✭✭✭✭martingriff


    bogmanfan wrote: »
    Good to bad:

    Alias
    First 2 seasons were superb. Went seriously downhill after that.

    Homeland
    Should have ended after one season. Once they ran out of material to copy (the original Israeli show it's based on) they ran out of steam.

    Modern Family
    Used to be excellent. Last season was ok at best. The two young lads used to be great, but only Phil Dunphy keeping it watchable now.

    Game of Thrones
    Yep. First season was excellent, now it's just bogged down with way too many plotlines and characters. At this rate it'll be 2020 before there's any progress.


    Bad to good:

    Seinfeld
    Was never bad, but first 2 seasons were only mildly amusing before it really took off and became the greatest show of all time (imo). I started watching when BBC2 picked it up, around season 4 I think. Mightn't have persevered if I'd seen it from the very start.

    Its going like the books and you will be glad to know it only will have 7 books. If he dies then the TV series will end it the way it should


  • Posts: 0 [Deleted User]


    +1 for The Simpsons, Friends, Scrubs and HIMYM for shows that declined.
    Another one I'd mention is Shameless - the first three series or so were great but it went on for far, far too long. When you have to constantly introduce new characters because your cast keep leaving, you should probably call it a day.

    True Blood is a funny one - it started off kinda meh, got very good towards the end of Season One....and from then on it's been a very mixed bag. Have watched up as far as Season Four and there have been both storylines I've really enjoyed (
    Fellowship of the Sun, Bill becoming king, pretty much anything involving Pam
    ) and ones that are just dull and tedious (
    werepanthers, various shifter and werewolf tangents, the evil baby thing
    ). I wouldn't say the show dipped drastically but they definitely needed stricter quality control.
    NufcNavan wrote: »
    Have to agree with Friends. The decline started (although not necessarily because of) when Chandler and Monica got together.

    The characters became parodies of themselves by the end.

    Joey was a stupid/witty character to becoming borderline retarded. Not being able to replicate sound? A one year old can do that.

    Pheobe should have been checked into a mental home by season 10. Collecting rats and keeping them in the same area where you keep food was a big give away that her bf should not have stayed with her and indeed should have called the authorities.

    Monica became incredibly annoying by the end. Her "I know!" catchphrase wasn't ever funny.
    Agree with the above, though Ross is the one I'd have checked into a mental home. If they'd handled
    his breakdown (post-Emily)
    * with a bit more subtlety it could have been moving. Instead they just had Schwimmer over-act whenever possible and become as shrill and irritating as his on-screen sister had become.

    My big problem with Phoebe is that she just became noticeably more bitchy and unpleasant as the seasons went on. She went from loveably kooky to just really self-involved and obnoxious. At least that's how I felt about her anyway.

    Biggest problem with Chandler was that he played off the other characters for laughs. So when Monica, Ross, Joey and Phoebe all went downhill, his character suffered as a result. His transformation from socially awkward but intelligent to
    token incompetent husband
    * was overdone as well.

    I think Rachel was the only character who actually progressed somewhat throughout the series and didn't just turn into a total parody of herself. Not sure how much of that is down to the writing and how much is down to Jennifer Aniston (a genuinely talented comic actress who sadly continues to appear in mostly shíte films).

    *yeah I know spoilers are probably unnecessary - who the hell hasn't seen Friends? - but just in case... :pac:


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,705 ✭✭✭Infoanon


    Chuck - an ok start, then an excellent Series 2 and then it all fall apart from Series 3 and ended with a whimper in Series 5

    The Bridge - a strong start to Series 1 let down by a weak ending, Series 2 was exceptional with a superb finale.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,814 ✭✭✭sunbeam


    Star Trek: The Next Generation. Started out terribly with only a few decent episodes in season one. Season two was noticeably better but still a bit of a mixed bag. Season three to six were excellent. The quality in season seven slipped a lot as the writers were concentrating on the upcoming movie and Deep Space Nine/Voyager.

    Today, I doubt if it would have survived cancellation past the first few episodes.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,533 ✭✭✭don ramo


    Person of Interest is one of those shows that really has rewarded those who stuck with it, fair enough it take about 40 odd episodes to get to the good stuff, but the first 40 episodes werent really that bad, its just the ones that came after have been so great,

    Covert Affairs is another that still on air, the current season is barely related to the first season, season 1 was pure style over substance, and it has to given credit for doing a total 180 on that, like POI it has rewarded its loyal viewers,

    Louie, not that it was ever bad, but its gone from an okish odd kind of show, to a real must watch show, its kind of a hard show to get into, but once your in your never leaving :)

    Parks and Recreation, a show that has just gotten better as it went along, i watch season 1-5 last summer, i thought it was starting to get bad, but i think i just done the dog on it, i stopped after season 4 for a month or so to rest the brain, and as soon as i started it again i was back in fits of laughter :D:D

    Star Trek Deep Space Nine
    , started out ok, but once it got to season 3, it just became essential viewing, i thought it took a bit long to get to know all the characters, mainly cause there were a lot of character to get to know, one just as interesting as the other, it was funny that sisko was probably the worst character in the whole show and he was the lead, but i must say when i re-watched it 2-3 years ago, it was just as great if not better cause i knew all the characters already,

    Now for the bad

    Heroes, my god did this show crash badly, even before season 1 ended the cracks were already appearing, i made myself watch season 2 and 3, but then i just couldnt take any more, and now for some reason im kind of optimistic about the reboot next year, a stand alone 12 episode could be a great idea, it just doesnt work when you have someone like
    peter and slyer who are so powerful
    in the show for a prolonged period of time, its always gonna descend into ludicrousness

    Prison Break, season 1 and 2 were great, i think season 2 was better than 1 (i tend to be in the minority there) but season 3 when they
    went into sona
    it was just to much, i dunno was it because they were so narrow minded calling the show prison break that they found it necessary to keep
    throwing them in prison
    , but my god by the end it was just utter utter ridiculousness,

    Dexter, now here is a show that just completely misjudged its audience, its all well and good making a show with the premise that they did, it was great, but i think they thought we loved dexter, but it was the fact that he was who he was and was just hiding there in plain sight, literally a wolf in sheep's clothing, that we loved the show, not him personally, and there are some characters that they just completely ruined along the way, i remember this and breaking bad finishing within a week of each other last year, just polar opposites, BB had a perfect end to a great show, and dexter had just a complete **** you crap ending, to what could have been a great final season,

    How i Met Your Mother, just thank god that show finally ended, it was actually and okish season overall, better than the previous 2 seasons, but that final episode, my dear ****ing god, thank god its over,


  • Advertisement
  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,594 ✭✭✭smilerf


    OK it got cancelled but I thought season 2 of Revolution was a massive improvement over season 1


  • Moderators, Entertainment Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 14,124 Mod ✭✭✭✭pc7


    Dexter, even typing that annoys me, was brilliant until season 4, then the worst turn around in a show I can ever remember. It really puts me in a fowler thinking of it, when I see the cover for the show on Netflix it annoys me!! I'm shaking my head in disgust as I type this.

    The Shield is one of the best shows I've ever watched, it just got better and better.

    Agree with another poster Justified keeps improving.

    Sons of anarchy has gone downhill, I've stopped at season 4, is it worth going back too?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,315 ✭✭✭Soft Falling Rain


    I think the beef some have with Lost is mainly down to the polarising ending, and thus they prefer to downplay the impact of the show.

    Say what you want about too many unanswered questions but I think there's very few shows that were better than Lost in terms of character development.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,535 ✭✭✭johnire


    Started to watch the new series of both Under the Dome and Falling Skies and have given up on both.
    The acting in Under the Dome is really poor and the plot is ridiculous. I used to really like Falling Skies but this season I just couldn't get into it.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 28,710 ✭✭✭✭Paully D


    Better:

    Breaking Bad - I had heard a lot about how good this show was, but it took me a couple of goes to get past the first season and a half which I found to be quite slow and at times a bit boring. I'm glad I stuck with it, but it's a show that actually gets better and better with each passing season IMO, which is reflected in the Metacritic reviews of 74, 85, 89, 96 and 99 for each season respectively. There's not many shows which that can be said about.

    Worse:

    Homeland - If they had ended the first season with
    Brody blowing everything up
    and leaving it at that, it would have gone down as one of the greatest of all-time IMO. The quality now is a shadow of that first season.

    Dexter - Season 4 was arguably the best season of TV ever made, but that final season and the ending, man. Awful doesn't even come close. It was as if the creators were bet money that they couldn't destroy everything they had built in 7 years in just 12 episodes. They did.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 5,056 ✭✭✭_Redzer_


    I still love futurama, there's still many great episodes that keep me entertained. And comparing it to the utter state the Simpsons is in now, it's still miles and miles better. It's waned a little, sure, but it's still very enjoyable, in my view.

    I hope they bring it back again!


  • Advertisement
  • Registered Users Posts: 1,064 ✭✭✭secondrowgal


    I never got into Dexter because I had just finished watching Six Feet Under and couldn't reconcile the new character with the previous one. Is it worth watching up to Season 4?? Where should I stop?

    Shows that started good, got gooder: ;)

    Buffy the Vampire Slayer. You can't beat Joss Whedon for good writing! If you watch it a second/third time you can see the nods to later seasons in early episodes really clever. Of course it's just fluff, but entertaining fluff IMO.

    Shows that started good but got badder:

    Definitely The Simpsons.


  • Moderators, Entertainment Moderators Posts: 17,994 Mod ✭✭✭✭ixoy


    Buffy the Vampire Slayer. You can't beat Joss Whedon for good writing!
    It got better but then, post season 5, it definitely got worse. So it's both for me!


  • Registered Users Posts: 6,793 ✭✭✭FunLover18


    I never got into Dexter because I had just finished watching Six Feet Under and couldn't reconcile the new character with the previous one. Is it worth watching up to Season 4?? Where should I stop?


    Don't go past season 4. You'll be tempted but DON'T DO IT!!


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 172 ✭✭Yogosan


    South Park- I am a massive South Park fan, still am. Up until around season ten the show was still consisitently turning out brilliant episodes with such ludicorus plots that only Trey Parker and Matt Stone could wrap up in 20 minutes.

    Unfortunately, as with the Simpsons, they started running out of ideas and so they changed their formula to allow them to complete episodes within a week so they could do stories based on up to the minute popular culture (It took literally months of hand crafted animation in the early days).

    They still can produce great episodes and the recent recruitment of Bill Hader has freshened up the show, but with such short deadlines they have no time to start over if an episode isn't working out as planned. Every now and then they ditch the popular culture angle and create oldschool off the wall episodes which can still produce truly golden material.

    In fairness to Trey and Matt, they created a great show, they have made some hilarious films (After the success of Team America it's a mystery why thay haven't made one since) and have recently made a South Park game which scored a very respectable 85 on Metacritic. Not too shabby for two guys who started out making cartoons out of paper cutouts!


  • Moderators, Entertainment Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 14,124 Mod ✭✭✭✭pc7


    FunLover18 wrote: »
    Don't go past season 4. You'll be tempted but DON'T DO IT!!

    This times 20000000000 trillion, you'll be sucked in, going it's been so good, then 5 starts them you keep thinking it'll get better. Then it's IT HAS TOO, then it's wtf are the writers doing??? They must be just doing this so the very end will be amazing! But no, it gets worse and worse and is a sin. Just imagine your own way of finishing off the show after season 4 and you can rest assured it's better than those bast***s did.

    Lol I really am bitter over it!


  • Advertisement
  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 3,628 ✭✭✭darkdubh


    squonk wrote: »
    Glenroe! Slow first season but ramped up with the Fidelma thing half way through and then the epic Biddy tractor crash in the last season! :)

    Have to point to the Simpsons myself as the most Good to bad really.

    Covert Affairs has to get a mention as an OK show early on. It was cutesy and interesting but we'd all have gotten very bored by now if they hadn't decided to retool the show as a hard core spy saga. It's unmissable now.


    And don't forget the season ending cliffhanger that had Dinny falling off a ladder.


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 3,628 ✭✭✭darkdubh


    Mardy Bum wrote: »
    The only critique anyone has of season five is that it seemed far fetched. The acting, writing and directing was brilliant throughout. Most people were not really interested in the critique of Print Journalism which is understandable as a lot will find it boring however it was excellently done and wonderfully developed. The other seasons were just as far fetched.


    For me and a lot of people it was just the rather silly sub plot where Mcnulty was faking evidence in the serial killer case.It just diden't make any sense.


  • Moderators, Arts Moderators Posts: 35,489 Mod ✭✭✭✭pickarooney


    pc7 wrote: »
    This times 20000000000 trillion, you'll be sucked in, going it's been so good, then 5 starts them you keep thinking it'll get better. Then it's IT HAS TOO, then it's wtf are the writers doing??? They must be just doing this so the very end will be amazing! But no, it gets worse and worse and is a sin. Just imagine your own way of finishing off the show after season 4 and you can rest assured it's better than those bast***s did.

    Lol I really am bitter over it!

    Bizarrely I want to watch it more than ever now. Still, that's 100 hours of my life I'd have to invest.


  • Moderators, Education Moderators Posts: 5,028 Mod ✭✭✭✭G_R


    darkdubh wrote: »
    squonk wrote:
    Glenroe! Slow first season but ramped up with the Fidelma thing half way through and then the epic Biddy tractor crash in the last season!

    And don't forget the season ending cliffhanger that had Dinny falling off a ladder.

    Ah lads come on, spoilers, ffs.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 29,284 ✭✭✭✭CastorTroy


    Ah lads come on, spoilers, ffs.

    To be fair, he didn't say what happened after falling off the ladder. Maybe he fell off the bottom rung and was grand


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 34,213 ✭✭✭✭Penn


    Yogosan wrote: »
    In fairness to Trey and Matt, they created a great show, they have made some hilarious films (After the success of Team America it's a mystery why thay haven't made one since)

    They were working on The Book of Mormon, their Broadway Musical. Insanely well-reviewed.

    I don't think South Park has really dipped in quality at all tbh. Still makes me laugh more than current Family Guy and Simpsons combined. If anything I think it's gotten better.

    As for The Wire Season 5, it probably is my least favourite season, but my appreciation for it has grown after re-watching it a few times.

    As for shows which dipped the most in quality, definitely Heroes and Homeland. Such a disappointment from both shows, where they had great ideas for one season and then couldn't live up to their own hype after that.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,666 ✭✭✭Whatsisname


    FunLover18 wrote: »
    Don't go past season 4. You'll be tempted but DON'T DO IT!!

    All my own opinion but...
    Season 5 was poor. Season 6 I really really liked, it was so dark. Season 7 had some sorta potential going on. Season 8 made me wanna rip my face off.

    Its still my favourite show regardless, I can't help it, I love Dexter too much


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,703 ✭✭✭✭duploelabs


    smilerf wrote: »
    Hannibal started off real slow. half way on season one was better
    Season 2 was just incredible from start to finish

    Every time I get someone in to this program they fall off mid-way in to the first season, it's take all my conviction to get them to stick with it.

    The Unit started off ok but then went to absolute drivel.

    Modern Family's first two seasons were very good, but then takes a major dip in season three


  • Registered Users Posts: 6,793 ✭✭✭FunLover18


    All my own opinion but...
    Season 5 was poor. Season 6 I really really liked, it was so dark. Season 7 had some sorta potential going on. Season 8 made me wanna rip my face off.

    Its still my favourite show regardless, I can't help it, I love Dexter too much

    5 was just so flat after the 4 finale. 6 was very dark, I enjoyed it and hoped it might be on the up again. I'd completely forgotten the baddie in 7, and 8 is just awful.
    The Deb in love with Dexter was just so cringe and her finding about him was handled badly. It's based on a series of books and …
    BOOK SPOILERS
    She finds out at the end of the first one and is really blasé about it


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 5,368 ✭✭✭IvaBigWun


    Regarding Hannibal, I went the opposite way. Loved the first season but the second had too many nods to the books and those of us who hadnt read them were left going "eh? :confused:"

    Dont think Im in for the third season next year


  • Advertisement
  • Moderators, Entertainment Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 14,124 Mod ✭✭✭✭pc7


    FunLover18 wrote: »
    BOOK SPOILERS
    She finds out at the end of the first one and is really blasé about it

    Are the books worth reading? Does the ending differ much to the show?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 16,686 ✭✭✭✭Zubeneschamali


    Here is a brilliant graphing tool based on Imdb ratings per episode. If you know the show, you can identify the top and bottom episodes on sight!

    http://graphtv.kevinformatics.com/tt0773262


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,047 ✭✭✭GerB40


    Okay I'll go with a classic, Only Fools & Horses. At the beginning it was fairly inconsistent. Some episodes like "When one door closes" (catching the butterfly), "Who's a pretty boy?", (the canary one) and "Trotters watch" (minding Boycies dog) are fairly poor with pointless story lines, flat jokes and below par writing. (I just realised the animal connection. Hmm, interesting...)

    Mind you the early episodes did have Grandad who had some absolute dynamite lines but despite him, and a few classic episodes, the first couple of seasons felt a bit disjointed.

    Fast forward to when John Sullivan started to write long story arcs for the characters and we were blessed with some of the best sitcom television ever. Del boy and Rodneys search for love sparked it all off. Uncle Alberts constant reminiscing about the war becomes more and more unbelievable to the point that he would have us believe he has been everywhere on the planet and fought every battle 'during the war'. Even Boycies attempts to father an heir provide some great laughs.
    This climaxes in the three part Christmas special in 1996, specifically the episode "Time on our hands". I won't say what happens but if you haven't seen it watch it, if you have seen it, triffic innit? These episodes mark, in my opinion, a high point in comedy writing that is next to impossible to replicate. 24 million people watched it after all..

    Fast forward again to the specials that were made after "Time on our hands" (which was meant to be the last episode) and we have the same inconsistency as the earliest episodes. Even though there are some great moments like the part in France, there are some truly baffling story lines (Gary??).

    TL;DR Only Fools & Horses starts off okay, the middle is outstanding and the end is okay.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,666 ✭✭✭Whatsisname


    pc7 wrote: »
    Are the books worth reading? Does the ending differ much to the show?

    From what I heard, not really. The first is in line with the first tv series but after that its completely different as far as I know.
    Think I read somewhere that Astor and Cody have a dark passenger and Dexter trains them....bit ridiculous


  • Registered Users Posts: 6,793 ✭✭✭FunLover18


    pc7 wrote: »
    Are the books worth reading? Does the ending differ much to the show?

    I've only read 3 but they're not as serious as the series, quite tongue in cheek in tone.
    From what I heard, not really. The first is in line with the first tv series but after that its completely different as far as I know.
    Think I read somewhere that Astor and Cody have a dark passenger and Dexter trains them....bit ridiculous

    The first one is very similar to the first series except
    Dexter trades LaGuerta's life for Deb's … I think
    . I'm trying to remind myself of the others, they're clearly not as memorable as the series but I did enjoy them as I read them. They're also pretty short and easy to get through


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,708 ✭✭✭Waitsian


    den87 wrote: »
    Good to Bad- Hell on Wheels.


    So at what point do you think is starts getting bad? I'm up to episode 6 in Season 3 and I'm loving it.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,047 ✭✭✭GerB40


    I want to reply to a comment that'll contain spoilers but I forget how to spoiler a comment. Could one of you kind souls please remind me how to do it?


  • Registered Users Posts: 6,793 ✭✭✭FunLover18


    GerB40 wrote: »
    I want to reply to a comment that'll contain spoilers but I forget how to spoiler a comment. Could one of you kind souls please remind me how to do it?

    [ SPOILER ] [ /SPOILER ]

    without the spaces. If you go advanced there's also an option to do it in the top right


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,047 ✭✭✭GerB40


    FunLover18 wrote: »
    [ SPOILER ] [ /SPOILER ]

    without the spaces. If you go advanced there's also an option to do it in the top right

    Nice one FunLover


  • Advertisement
  • Registered Users Posts: 2,047 ✭✭✭GerB40


    FunLover18 wrote: »
    I've only read 3 but they're not as serious as the series, quite tongue in cheek in tone.



    The first one is very similar to the first series except
    Dexter trades LaGuerta's life for Deb's … I think
    . I'm trying to remind myself of the others, they're clearly not as memorable as the series but I did enjoy them as I read them. They're also pretty short and easy to get through

    Are you saying
    Dexter kills LaGuearta to save Deb? How would that happen??
    . That must've been a massive deviation from the written source.


  • Registered Users Posts: 6,793 ✭✭✭FunLover18


    GerB40 wrote: »
    Are you saying
    Dexter kills LaGuearta to save Deb? How would that happen??
    . That must've been a massive deviation from the written source.
    Dexter's brother, Brian, has kidnapped Deb and Dexter goes to rescue her meanwhile LaGuerta has figured out about Dexter (I think) and has followed him. Brian kills LaGuerta and tries to force Dex to kill Deb but he refuses. Deb is awake for all this which is how she finds out about Dex. As far as I can remember Brian gets away.
    After that they're isn't much similarity plot wise between the books and series, except for the characters.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,741 ✭✭✭MyPeopleDrankTheSoup


    entourage started pretty good from seasons 1-3 then went to sh it. when they stopped concentrating on ari and johnny drama for the laughs.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 5,825 ✭✭✭Timmyctc


    Have to +1 for Justified. Starts off 4 or 5 episodes of "Case of the week" comedy action. Very ordinary. The type of show that you've seen 100 times before. I would have given up on it if it weren't for a Boardsie pointing this out to me. Suddenly it becomes a grittier (but not without its humor) drama and it is honestly imo the most underrated TV still airing today. Absolute top quality stuff and I cant wait for the next season.

    If anyone out there is looking for a TV show to watch I cannot suggest Justified enough. Just perservere through those initial 5 eps!


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 5,825 ✭✭✭Timmyctc


    Have to +1 for Justified. Starts off 4 or 5 episodes of "Case of the week" comedy action. Very ordinary. The type of show that you've seen 100 times before. I would have given up on it if it weren't for a Boardsie pointing this out to me. Suddenly it becomes a grittier (but not without its humor) drama and it is honestly imo the most underrated TV still airing today. Absolute top quality stuff and I cant wait for the next season.

    If anyone out there is looking for a TV show to watch I cannot suggest Justified enough. Just perservere through those initial 5 eps!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,533 ✭✭✭don ramo


    All my own opinion but...
    Season 5 was poor. Season 6 I really really liked, it was so dark. Season 7 had some sorta potential going on. Season 8 made me wanna rip my face off.
    id be the opposite on 5 and 6, i liked the lumen story, 6 was still good, i think its more the final season that killed the show, everyone was watching and enjoying it, it meandered into fairly average territory at times in 6 and 7, but with the advanced notice of cancellation in 8, i think everyone expectations went through the roof, and rightly so, and they just blew it, in epic fashion,


  • Advertisement
  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 68,317 ✭✭✭✭seamus


    sunbeam wrote: »
    Star Trek: The Next Generation. Started out terribly with only a few decent episodes in season one. Season two was noticeably better but still a bit of a mixed bag. Season three to six were excellent. The quality in season seven slipped a lot as the writers were concentrating on the upcoming movie and Deep Space Nine/Voyager.

    Today, I doubt if it would have survived cancellation past the first few episodes.
    +1

    I think TNG was an example of where fan momentum kept the show alive for the first two seasons before the studio realised they needed to make it less retro/quirky like TOS and a more modern drama if they were to hope to build a bigger audience.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 29,284 ✭✭✭✭CastorTroy


    Speaking of Star Trek, I don't know if it was mentioned but Enterprise is one that really improved in quality once they went for the ongoing story. Think was from the Season 2 finale on. Really liked it and was good up until the series finale.


  • Registered Users Posts: 173 ✭✭ElWalrus


    Bad to Good >>
    Spartacus: First couple of episodes of season 1 were poor enough but went steadily became unmissable. The prequel series that followed was great. Quality took a hit for the second season and early third season. Ended on a high though with the finale.

    Blackadder, first season was pretty bad (last episode was the exception) but went on to great things.

    Covert Affairs >> Not a classic by any means, but the first couple of seasons were very amateurish. Has steadily improved.

    Good to Bad >>
    Comedies seem to be particularly prone to this...
    Friends: Mentioned before, but my god, what a fall from grace.
    Scrubs: See above
    That 70's show. (Well, it went from watchable to quick change the channel now)

    The Unit: Really enjoyed the first 2 seasons. Went downhill after that (epitomized by when they changed to opening theme to a cringy rock song)

    Consistently Good >> (well IMO)
    The Wire, Breaking Bad, The Sopranos, Fr Ted, Fawlty Towers

    Thought was good but shouldn't have revisited >>
    MacGuyver

    Never got a chance >>
    Firefly :(

    Thats all I got for now...:pac:


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,509 ✭✭✭NotorietyH


    Homeland took an absolute nosedive halfway through season 2. Up until then I had loved it and kept asking myself how they were going to keep it up. Turns out they couldn't. That was the biggest drop in quality I can remember. Weeds kind of fizzled out too in the later seasons.

    First seasons of It's Always Sunny and Parks and Recreation weren't great and really picked up in season 2.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,487 ✭✭✭Right Turn Clyde


    It's been mentioned already, but season 5 of The Wire was a mess. The carry on of McNulty was just ridiculous. What were the writers thinking? I love the show, and I usually never miss an opportunity to hype it up, but that fifth season hangs over it like a bad stink.


  • Advertisement
Advertisement