A lot of TV shows suffer under one specific problem - primarily, a lack of ideas. It's a tale as old as TV - the writers have a brilliant idea and pump it out in beautiful fashion for a handful of episodes. But then their initial idea runs out and they're forced to continue the story, often making it up as they go.
It's an unfortunate aspect of TV development, and it's resulted in many TV shows that come out the gate in spectacular fashion but falter and stumble as the race goes on.
These are ten TV shows whose first season was its best.
Lost (2004-10)
Lost had many ups and downs - in fact, it may be the most inconsistent drama ever developed. The first season was excellent and was widely adored the world over, a perfect mix of story and character work. But then it got increasingly worse and relied on complex mysteries and lore over its beloved characters. Mileage may vary regarding when Lost "lost" the plot, but mostly everyone will agree that it squandered its potential at some point in time. Maybe around the time a magic donkey wheel moved the island through space and time.
Heroes (2006-10)
Oh what could have been with Heroes. Throughout 2006 and 2007, Heroes was the show to watch on national television. It was generating up to fifteen million viewers an episode and captivating audiences with its character and world building. But as soon as season two began, it was like a light was switched. The show was suddenly terrible and it never recovered. Still, it would have made for a really good miniseries.
Prison Break (2005-09; 2017)
The mid 2000s was the time of beloved shows vastly outstaying their welcome. Heroes followed Prison Break, another network drama that squandered every single bit of its potential. Like Heroes, the first season of Prison Break was wickedly popular and captivating. But it could never recapture its lightning in a bottle glory, and the series got more and more ridiculous as it progressed. This is another great miniseries stretched into an increasingly-awful show.
Dexter (2006-13)
Some shows have the unique distinction of being both the best and worst show on television. Dexter is one of those shows.
Viewers couldn't go wrong with any of Dexter's first four seasons, and when it comes to the show's legacy, its first and fourth seasons are most fondly remembered. But everything went down the drain with season 5, eventually culminating in what very well may be the worst series finale in television history. It's certainly up there.
True Detective (2014-19)
What on Earth happened with True Detective? The first season dominated the television industry throughout 2014, eventually being nominated for five Emmy awards, including Outstanding Drama Series. It was a brilliant show that expertly blended elements of the cop genre with poignant character work and rich philosophical themes. The following two seasons just couldn't recapture the magic, with the second being especially awful.
Homeland (2011-20)
To the surprise of everyone, Homeland ran for eight seasons and nearly one hundred episodes. It's astounding, considering mostly everyone forgot about somewhere around season three. Homeland remained pretty good throughout all eight seasons, but there's no denying that its first was the most electrifying and "zeitgeisty" of them all. The first season captured a nation, but when a certain character died, everyone seemed to stop caring.
Game Of Thrones (2011-19)
Like Dexter, there's no going wrong with any of the first four seasons of Game of Thrones. Fans love them all, with season 4 getting particular attention owing to its action and massive story developments.
Season 1 is also fondly remembered - the one that started it all and introduced the concept that "anything goes." Some viewers may consider the first season to be one of the best, most influential, and most revolutionary in television history.
Twin Peaks (1990-91; 2017)
Twin Peaks: The Return was excellent. There's no denying that. But, like Game of Thrones, the first season was just so revolutionary that it cannot be ignored. Twin Peaks was unlike anything else on TV, taking the traditional "person is found dead" story and warping it into countless surreal riches. It was pure Lynch, and it was glorious TV. However, the second season was overwrought, bloated, and a little too proud of itself for its own good.
Arrested Development (2003-06; 2013-19)
Airing for a cumulative five seasons and 84 episodes, Arrested Development is widely regarded as one of the funniest comedies ever put on TV. But when people say that, they really mean the first two seasons. Arrested Development was born completely sure of itself and its ambitions, crafting an unbelievably hilarious first season and an equally fantastic second. Things faltered a little with the third, and the less said about those Netflix episodes, the better.
The Walking Dead (2010-)
The Walking Dead is now a zombified corpse of its former, livelier self. Perhaps it's not fair to compare the show's first season to its rest, as it only spanned six episodes. But they were six relatively solid episodes, complete with an absolutely amazing premiere written and directed by Frank Darabont. But production drama eventually killed what could have been an excellent zombie series, and The Walking Dead died a slow and painful death.