Standout seasons of tv programmes

The King of Moo · 06-05-2011 2:04pm #1

Have you ever found a particular season of a programme to be a huge improvement on the seasons before and after it, especially if the other seasons are vastly inferior?

Some examples I can think of:

Millennium S2: First season was a bleak, depressing and heavy-handed serial-killer-of-the-week procedural, though by the end of the season they started to mix the formula up a bit. Season 2, however, just went full-on insane, with Nazis, religious relics and an improved Terry O'Quinn quotient!

Star Trek TNG: First two seasons were overall quite cheesy, combining the worst excesses of the original series and the 80s. Season 3 was a quantum leap in terms of stories, acting and the look of the programme. Plus Riker had perfected his beard, which only made things better for us all. Seasons 4, 5 and 6 were, in my opinion, very good, and 7 had its moments, but looking back, so many of my favourite episodes were from the consistently great Season 3.

Star Trek: Enterprise: While I won't say Season 3 was good (and the stupid twist in the last shot almost retroactivally ruined the whole season) it was a vast improvement over the stupifying banal first two seasons. Having a serialised story running over one season where the crew were constantly fighting an uphill battle was a bold move, and though it wasn't perfectly executed it was a big improvement.

Any more (less nerdy) examples?

PhiloCypher · 06-05-2011 3:09pm

Veronica Mars - First season was one of the most consistantly good seasons of tv I can recall .

Friday night lights - first season was similarly awsome , well written well acted and beautifully soundtracked by Explosions in the sky .

I'll add more as I think of them .

MayoForSam · 06-05-2011 3:25pm

Season 4 of The Wire, about the schools system, really tugged the old heart-strings at times (of course, all seasons of The Wire were excellent, maybe by Season 5 the shark had been jumped with McNulty's antics).

smuckers · 06-05-2011 3:39pm

Seinfeld- S4, the show was very good up until then but once it reached 4, it was in full swing with a number of classic eps combined with great writing and terrific acting.

24- S2, I thought that the first half of S1 was better then the second half, but I have no complaints with S2, this is where the show became consistently good, the only gripe was the stupid kim nazi coogar small plot.

The Larry Sanders Show- S4, This is where it reached its full height with hilarious eps like Hanks sex tape amongst others!

Curb Your Enthusiasm- S2, My fave season as of present, not a clunker of an ep in sight, the pick of the bunch is The Doll ep.

Gulliver · 06-05-2011 3:46pm

Season 7 of Stargate SG1. Daniel returns, Jonas goes away (yaaay!) and things get even more difficult for Earth. Then the Ori appeared in later seasons and ruined the show.

Season 4 of Atlantis was good, they hit their stride. The first season was great, but I don't know if that's just nostalgia talking - maybe it was because it was new.

The King of Moo · 06-05-2011 4:00pm

Gulliver wrote: »

Season 7 of Stargate SG1. Daniel returns, Jonas goes away (yaaay!) and things get even more difficult for Earth. Then the Ori appeared in later seasons and ruined the show.

Season 4 of Atlantis was good, they hit their stride. The first season was great, but I don't know if that's just nostalgia talking - maybe it was because it was new.

I agree about SG1, it had a consistent run up beginning at the start of season 7 up to a satisfying and logical conclusion at the end of season 8 (though I prefer season 7 as O'Neill was to the fore and it had the old team dynamic, whereas in 8 he was more in the background). The last two seasons, though containing a handful of decent episodes, felt like they were limping along after the series' logical end, and the Ori were introduced too abruptly and too vaguely defined to be good main villains.

krudler · 06-05-2011 4:00pm

The Simpsons season 4, its tv perfection, not one bad episode and all of them classics. Lisas first word, the Mr Plow episode, Homer gets a triple bypass, the one where Homer stays home from church and burns down the house, the Duff Gardens episode, Itchy and Scratchy the movie,Whacking Day, and the dental plan episode to name but a few.

amazing.

The Sopranos season 3 as well, just for Ralphies shenanigans.

Frank Black · 06-05-2011 4:10pm

Season 2 of Lost was highlight for me - rest of the seasons were a slow decline.
Most of Season 1 of Heroes - intriguing. Season 2 - completely ridiculous.
I think X-Files probably hit a peak around Season 3 or 4.

The King of Moo · 06-05-2011 4:11pm

krudler wrote: »

The Simpsons season 4, its tv perfection, not one bad episode and all of them classics. Lisas first word, the Mr Plow episode, Homer gets a triple bypass, the one where Homer stays home from church and burns down the house, the Duff Gardens episode, Itchy and Scratchy the movie,Whacking Day, and the dental plan episode to name but a few.

amazing.

The Sopranos season 3 as well, just for Ralphies shenanigans.

+1 on The Simpsons, closely followed by season 5. I'd put a broad "greatness" category around seasons 2-8. Seasons 6-8 get progressively less great but most episodes, compared to the average comedy, are still great. I find as i get older i like the simplicity and gosh-darned emotion of lots of seasons 2 and 3 as well.

The King of Moo · 06-05-2011 4:15pm

black francis wrote: »

Season 2 of Lost was highlight for me - rest of the seasons were a slow decline.
Most of Season 1 of Heroes - intriguing. Season 2 - completely ridiculous.
I think X-Files probably hit a peak around Season 3 or 4.

Agreed on all, though i did love the second half of season 3 of Lost. The first half of that season was awful though, and I almost gave up on the programme entirely when they took the mid-season break!

Basq · 06-05-2011 4:19pm

Justified had a great first season, but the second was absolutely superb. And Breaking Bad's latest season (third) was the best it's ever been.

Frank Black · 06-05-2011 4:25pm

I'll be watching the last episode of Season 1 of Dexter this evening - really enjoyed it.
Does it fall into the category of decline or remain strong for the follow up seasons?

Basq · 06-05-2011 4:33pm

black francis wrote: »

Does it fall into the category of decline or remain strong for the follow up seasons?

One word review:

2nd season.. great.
3rd season.. bad.
4th season.. AWESOME!
5th season.. woeful!

stiffler123 · 06-05-2011 4:34pm

black francis wrote: »

I'll be watching the last episode of Season 1 of Dexter this evening - really enjoyed it.
Does it fall into the category of decline or remain strong for the follow up seasons?

They were all to a really high standard imo barring the most recent one. The one with the 3rd rock from the sun guy stands out as the best for me.

Joeyjoejoe83 · 06-05-2011 4:34pm

Dexter series 4 was brilliant.....trinity killer was superb!
Veronica mars series 1 and 2 were both great.

splashthecash · 06-05-2011 4:37pm

Dexter: Seasons 1 & 4 were the standouts for me. Great introduction to the characters S1 and a brilliant baddie S4

The Wire: Season 3 - back to Avon and Stringer

The West Wing: Season 2 - worth it alone for the episode "Two Cathedrals". Fantasic writing and acting...TV drama doesnt get better than that

The Sopranos: I loved all of them..

Kiith · 06-05-2011 4:48pm

24 Season 5 was by far the best of the lot, with season 1 being a close 2nd.
Heroes Season 1. About the only really good thing that happened in the show.
Lost Season 1 as well, though i loved seasons 4,5 and 6 too.

JP Liz V1 · 06-05-2011 4:55pm

Firefly - Season 1 (it only had 1 season

)

Deadwood - Seasons 1 & 3

Dexter - Seasons 1 & 4

Sons of Anarchy - Season 2

S.M.B. · 06-05-2011 5:42pm

Twin Peaks Season 1 - Perfection
Twin Peaks Season 2 - Still very good TV but nowhere near the standard of what came before it.

And I'd argue that Heroes went downhill once the "Save the Cheerleader....." arc was complete as opposed to the entire first season.

Frank Black · 06-05-2011 7:46pm

S.M.B. wrote: »

Twin Peaks Season 1 - Perfection
Twin Peaks Season 2 - Still very good TV but nowhere near the standard of what came before it.

And I'd argue that Heroes went downhill once the "Save the Cheerleader....." arc was complete as opposed to the entire first season.

I'd agree the finale to Season 1 was a taste of things to come.

jc84 · 06-05-2011 7:55pm

24 season 5, one of the best seasons of any show ever, highly reccomend to anyone
Prison break season 1, brilliant season, should hav ended there
X files season 8 was a brilliant season and one of my favs

West wing seasons 2&3

mikemac · 06-05-2011 8:07pm

Watched every series of 24. Some were good, some were just fair

But was blown away by Season 5. If you only watch one season, make it that one!

Also Starring LeVar Burton · 06-05-2011 9:16pm

Supernatural - Season 3... For me it's when the show really found its feet and has managed to maintain the high quality of storytelling ever since... Seasons 4 and 5 were equally as good...

Buffy The Vampire Slayer - Season 3... Vast improvement on the first two seasons... Seasons 4 & 5 were also fantastic, although I do enjoy all seasons (3-5 just stand out as the strongest for me...

Angel - Season 3... Easily the strongest of all the 5 seasons - I remember desperately waiting every week for the next episode...

Doctor Who - Season 31 (aka. Matt Smith's first season as the Doctor, Stephen Moffat's first season as showrunner). A huge improvement on the RTD era... 'nuff said

Torchwood - Season 3: Children of Earth... Finest 5 hours of television I've seen in a long time.

Dexter - Season 4... After a quite poor 3rd season this was a great comeback...

Chuck - Season 2... The first season was a bit hit and miss... Season 2 and 3 were awesome, while the 4th is again a bit hit and miss...

Also Starring LeVar Burton · 06-05-2011 9:21pm

feelingstressed wrote: »

Watched every series of 24. Some were good, some were just fair

But was blown away by Season 5. If you only watch one season, make it that one!

No one should watch only 1 season of 24, because even the "bad" seasons were awesome...
Although, gun to my head I'd probably agree about season 5 being the best...
However I think the greatest moment was in season 4 and without giving too much away it involed

Edgar Stiles - what a legend

... Any fans will know the moment I'm referring too...

*The spoiler isn't very spoilerish at all, but I just put the tags on for anyone who doesn't want any details whatsoever of something they haven't seen...

smallerthanyou · 06-05-2011 9:58pm

Season 1 of Heroes was amazing. I watched it all in about 3 days. Season 2 was cruel.

jesus_thats_gre · 06-05-2011 10:01pm

I thought the last season, particularly the last few episodes of The Shield was one of the best of any show I have watched.

ShamoBuc · 06-05-2011 10:44pm

Gotta agree with the above. I thought The Shield was a great show but it really went out on an absolute high - super stuff.

Thought Third Watch was a great show - especially the 911 one.

Rescue Me - Denis O'Leary - super show especially the early seasons, he really got himself into some crazy situations.

24 brill show some episodes in different seasons were excellent but 5 was brill!

West Wing - another of my favourites, brilliant actors and script writing that was hard to compare with at times. I really enjoy looking back at any season but no. 2 would just about get my vote.

Prison Break was superb. The first season left we wanting and waiting for more after each episode, the other seasons were very watchable but not up to the standard of the first.

The simpsons - well.... I just keep watching it over and over again - any episode any season will do.

Thw Wire - the one great show I haven't watched all the episodes from, but it is top notch.

I need to find more time for the wire!

Poochie05 · 07-05-2011 2:07am

Season 2 of Justified
Season 4 of Dexter
Breaking Bad Season 3

danh789 · 07-05-2011 10:22am

CaptainNegative wrote: »

No one should watch only 1 season of 24, because even the "bad" seasons were awesome...
Although, gun to my head I'd probably agree about season 5 being the best...
However I think the greatest moment was in season 4 and without giving too much away it involed
Edgar Stiles - what a legend
... Any fans will know the moment I'm referring too...

*The spoiler isn't very spoilerish at all, but I just put the tags on for anyone who doesn't want any details whatsoever of something they haven't seen...

I havent a clue what you are referring to with Edgar! Was it him

stopping the plants from melting down

? The only other big moment he had that I can think of was in Day 5 when

he died

.

Not a season, put the final 24 story arch was amazing. Thats how you end a TV show (LOST writers should take note)

Also Starring LeVar Burton · 07-05-2011 11:40am

danh789 wrote: »

I havent a clue what you are referring to with Edgar! Was it him
stopping the plants from melting down
? The only other big moment he had that I can think of was in Day 5 when
he died
.

Not a season, put the final 24 story arch was amazing. Thats how you end a TV show (LOST writers should take note)

the second moment you mentioned. The scene was incredibly well done - well written, well acted and had me screaming "What?" at the tv for about 20 minutes...

mstan · 07-05-2011 12:58pm

Season 7 of 24. Day 6 came in for a lot of criticism. While alot of it was justified I think think it was still one of the better shows on TV that year. Episodes 1-4 and 17 were some of the best of 24. But Day 7 was brilliant. The quality of it was excellent. A major improvement. Many people say this is because of the writers strike allowed them more time but people seem to forget that the first 8 episodes were filmed before the strike. I wasnt happy with the final 5-6 episodes and

Tony turning bad guy.

If it hadnt been for this Day 7 would have been the best season of 24 IMO.

don ramo · 08-05-2011 2:04am

a lot of people are on about season 5 of 24, i would say season 3 was just as good if not better, the salazar storyline was great, and we got the first

silent countdown

if i recall correctly with

ryan chappelle

i think we saw the last of

nina

also that season, and also when jack had to prove his loyalty by

chopping chases hand off

(if any of them are wrong i apologise havent watch that season in years)

battlestar gallactica season 2 was epic, season 1 was good but season 2 really turned it up, it was a key season when the humans kind of stopped running and started to fight back, with pegasus joining the fleet, they finally started to get some reconnaissance done,

i find it hard to pick a west wing season thats better than the one before and after it, season 5 and 6 i would consider the weakest of them, season 7 was a big pick-up but so i suppose no season 8 is actually a bad thing:D

ziedth · 08-05-2011 10:26am

Prison Break S1: Before it went OTT after season 2 this was a top top show. Real edge of your seat stuff. I the whole season downloaded before I watched it and I'd watch at least 2 a night. My fav individual season of any show.

BSG S2 although IMO it's one of the best TV shows ever made with few low points season 2 of this had a run of about 4 episodes that each one could have been in the top 5 of episodes for the whole show.

Heroes S1 been mentioned already but what the hell happened after season 1?????? I have never seen a show spiral downward so fast before or since.

Richard Dower · 08-05-2011 1:00pm

ziedth wrote: »

Heroes S1 been mentioned already but what the hell happened after season 1?????? I have never seen a show spiral downward so fast before or since.

Quoted for truth, shocking fall from grace!

Herrick · 08-05-2011 2:54pm

Season 2 of Supernatural, when it really came into it's stride. Although I will say I loved it from the first episode anyway

Cyndaquil · 08-05-2011 7:48pm

Lost: Seasons 4 and 6. The former started to see things finally start to move foward after a season of stalling. The Writers strike may have cut it short but at least that meant no filler. Season 6 was controversial but did see things begin to accelerate towards the finish, little filler and I'm one of these people who actually liked the finale. A big improvement on season 5 imo.

Prison Break: Season 1. What can I say, just brilliant.

Desperate Housewives: Season 2: Back when this show was engaging and had interesting mysteries (The Applewaites, etc), before degenerating into more and more of a soap opera.

Torchwood: Season 3 (was it really a season/series as such?). Short but no filler, compelling and never a dull moment.

Heroes: Season 1. Dear dear dear, what happened after that...

Adamantium · 08-05-2011 10:11pm

Jericho-Season 1, real genuine likable characters and interactions, atmospheric and thrilling, no contrived situations and not a wasted episode......loved the survival aspect (winter) and the fact that not every episode is going to be a free gun for all!!

And i llove the way we get only one perspective(only small glimpses of the wider worldwide context),.Plot always evolving......i and my brother watched and it made us think what we'd in the event of nuclear attacks and in the shoes of the characters.....thats the sign of a really good show

The King of Moo · 10-05-2011 9:16pm

S.M.B. wrote: »

Twin Peaks Season 1 - Perfection
Twin Peaks Season 2 - Still very good TV but nowhere near the standard of what came before it.

And I'd argue that Heroes went downhill once the "Save the Cheerleader....." arc was complete as opposed to the entire first season.

Agreed, though I thought the first half of season 2 of Twin Peaks wasn't too far off the quality of season 1. And despite the awfuless that followed, the series felt like it was getting back on track with three or four half-decent episodes leading to a brilliantly insane finalé.

I agree about Heroes, by the last couple of episodes of season 1 I felt it was getting too convoluted and inconsistent, and the finalé was unsatifying. Never really bothered with season 2, the damage had already been done.

TheIrishGrover · 11-05-2011 12:45am

Season 3 of Buffy (The Mayor)
Season 3 of Battlestar
Season 3 2 of The West Wing (Thought The Two Cathedrals was S3)
Season 4 of How I Met Your Mother
Season 2 of Deadwood
Season 1 of The IT Crowd
Season 6 of DS9
Season2 of Avatar

edit: And poster after me said, Alias S2 (Jennifer Garner in Black AND red lingerie in one episode?

)

Plus the total 180 flip of the story arc in that very episode

bogmanfan · 11-05-2011 12:47pm

Season 2 of ALIAS is, for me, the best single season of television I've ever seen. Absolutley perfect. Season 1 was great, but 2 really brought things along massively. Rapidly declined during season 3 and never regained early form.

The King of Moo · 11-05-2011 12:54pm

bogmanfan wrote: »

Season 2 of ALIAS is, for me, the best single season of television I've ever seen. Absolutley perfect. Season 1 was great, but 2 really brought things along massively. Rapidly declined during season 3 and never regained early form.

Good call, I remember I got a bad feeling after the finale of swason 2, as I felt it'd be hard to top, and it also seemed like things wouldn't be the same again, and not in a good way. Season 3 didn't seem to know what to do with itself, 4 was too big a shift in status quo, and I also hated how the first half of the season was made up of inconsequential standalone episodes with no bearing on the overall storyline. The last season just didn't really feel like Alias to me. Too different and felt tacked on. The end of season 4 could've worked as series finale.

Adamantium · 11-05-2011 12:55pm

ziedth wrote: »

Heroes S1 been mentioned already but what the hell happened after season 1?????? I have never seen a show spiral downward so fast before or since.

it was so sudden too.....the characters in season 1 seemed so mature,believable(like a really good mature version of x-men set in our reality) , the mystery was pretty scary,prophetic and believable(isacc the painter)

and then it all fell to **** by redeeming sylar and refusing to let him die........he was the most evil, scary, hard nailed bastard i had seen in TV to that point and he deserved to die and be remembered like that! Plus they got rid of eric roberts :eek:

FortuneChip · 11-05-2011 7:01pm

Season 4 of Dexter - Thank you Trinity! I had just begun to worry about the show after Season 3, then this happened. So, after a poor season 5, can we expect Season 6 to be as amazing as 4?

The first episode of Heroes was brilliant, the first season as a whole was good, then meh.

Justified Season 2 done the unthinkable and actually improved on the first. I just don't know how they can approach a 3rd and keep it fresh.

Sad Professor · 11-05-2011 7:37pm

The third season of Farscape was brilliant. It was so dark and funny and just bat-**** crazy. It twisted your expectations at every turn, taking story-lines done in other sci-fi shows and doing a whole different take on them. Definitely one of the finest seasons of television I've ever watched.

I'd put DS9's second and fifth seasons in the same category. Very consistent and had a good balance of different types of episodes. The show became very serialised subsequently and suffered a major dive in quality as a result.

Re: TNG, I'd agree that the 3rd season onward had the best writing, but the productions values of the show went down the drain after the second season. The music and cinematography in the first two seasons were very cinematic and far superior to the Berman-produced blandness that followed.

Lost's 4th season really stands out for me as well. It was cut a bit short due to the writers strike, but it was probably the most consistent season of the show. It started with a bang and built up to a brilliant 3-part finale.

Standout seasons of tv programmes

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