Mandatory First Seasons to Watch (TV Shows)

[NickMPK]

OK, for those that disagree, anyone else want to take a stab at the categories?

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Great shows with great first seasons:



Shows where the first season is much better than later seasons:



Great shows with not-so-great first seasons:



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[top6]

One person has said this, but it needs to be emphasized just how great the first season of Twin Peaks is. Probably as close to perfect as any show has ever been. Make sure you find the real version of the pilot (which you can't buy in stores), and not the crappy European movie version. Twin Peaks really paved the way for a lot of TV shows that people like today, IMO. Watch it.

(I actually love the second season and Fire Walk With Me as well; in fact, I sort of like them more. I know a lot of people disagree, though, and would call Twin Peaks a not-so-good show with a great first season. The first season is just objectively awesome, though, and if you don't like it you're just wrong.)

Another show that nobody has mentioned is Homicide: Life of the Street . The first season is only 6 episodes or so, and it's superb. It was always a pretty decent show, but they changed it a lot after Season 1 and it was never as good, imo. Season 1 was the best cop show ever until The Wire . (Of course, Homicide was based on a book by David Simon, who created The Wire . He wasn't actually very involved in the first season - he became more involved in later seasons. Fans of The Wire should definitely watch Homicide ; in no way is it as good (although it is very, very, good), but it is very interesting to see how Simon's views on police work have evolved.

[top6]

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Great shows with great first seasons:

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Sopranos, The Wire, Arrested Development, Twin Peaks (?), The Office (British version -- I think the first season of the American version is good, but not great, although it has really hit its stride now).


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Shows where the first season is much better than later seasons:

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Lost, Twin Peaks (? - I wouldn't put it here, but I know a lot of people would). Lost wins this in a landslide, though - I've never seen a show decline so dramatically. I'd also include The Apprentice in this category, although I'd never actually recommend that someone watch that.


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Great shows with not-so-great first seasons:

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I may be in the minority, but I find early episodes of The Simpsons and Seinfield borderline unwatchable - especially in comparison with the genius that followed.

[JasonK]

Weeds.

[_Apollo_]

Not much love for "How I Met Your Mother" on 2p2 appearently.
(Altough its also S1>>S2 I still think it's much better than half the shows mentioned here).

And Lost is a waist of time, first season was good but there's no point in starting to watch it now because the next seasons suck. (imo)

[JasonK]

Sleeper Cell was another 1st season I liked. Haven't seen season 2 yet.

[illeagle]

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- Freaks and Geeks (best show ever to only last one season)

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Firefly should hold that title.

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Agreed.

[Stellastarr]

Arrested Development.

How I Met Your Mother is a great show.

[Hendricks433]

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How I Met Your Mother is a great show.

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[bottomset]

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The Simpsons and Seinfield borderline unwatchable - especially in comparison with the genius that followed.


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The simpsons didn't get going till season3/4 4-8 was the peak, then 9/10 were ok, 11-present has been pretty bad, with occasional gems