Some shows begin to hit their stride in the second season, but have a first season that's really rough around the edges or just plain unwatchable. Especially when compared to the quality of the later seasons. What's the most unwatchable first season of a TV show, in your opinion?

Rough around the edges, but not unwatchable -- The Brady Bunch, The Mary Tyler Moore Show (other than the pilot, which was a masterpiece), Andy Griffith, because of hayseed Andy, which he shed in the later seasons.

I can't think of a show I like where the whole first season is unwatchable.

I don't think I find any first seasons unwatchable, but I do find several later seasons of shows unwatchable: the later seasons of Happy Days, the final, horrible season of what I call "Laverne &", the ninth season of Roseanne, the post-Eastland seasons of The Facts of Life, the final season of Step By Step, the last five seasons of Family Matters, etc.

These were usually seasons where the writers and producers seemed to be phoning it in, the research/continuity people were gone, or the actors look bored with their roles... or many of the actors had already left the show, and there's some goofy replacement character we never wanted. Ick!

A Different World didn't start getting good until season 2.

The Brady Bunch because the theme song of the show was sung differently

I didn't really like the first season about "Mad About You," with the exception of maybe one or two episodes.

These days I don't really seeing the first seasons of shows like "Seinfeld" or "Friends" or even "Frasier." Not because I think they're bad, but they seem to have less substance than the mid years of the series.

I’d say Gilligan’s Island, The Brady Bunch, Happy Days, and The Facts of Life. But they weren’t unwatchable. They were just weak compared to their other seasons.

There are several shows that have unwatchable episodes (not whole first seasons), which I think was covered in another thread.

Newhart

I think these first seasons are somewhat weak but by no means were they unwatchable:

Family Matters
Step by Step
Boy Meets World
The Andy Griffith Show
Roseanne
Cheers
Full House
The Jeffersons
The Nanny
Three's Company
A Different World
Gilligan's Island
The Drew Carey Show
Ellen
Happy Days
Home Improvement
Newhart

I agree with Newhart. Season 1 wasn't great and the show got much better after that. Also Gilligan's Island, Season 1 wasn't as good as the two others! ;)

I disagree with The Brady Bunch and Happy days. Season 1 was one of their best seasons IMO!:)

I disagree with Gilligan's Island. Some of my favorite episodes are from that season, as I whole I think it's on par with seasons 2 and 3.

And Happy Days, the first 2 seasons are the best.

Brady Bunch season 1 is as good as the ones to follow.

I disagree with Gilligan's Island. Some of my favorite episodes are from that season, as I whole I think it's on par with seasons 2 and 3.

And Happy Days, the first 2 seasons are the best.

Brady Bunch season 1 is as good as the ones to follow.





Yes, Happy days was really good the first couple of Seasons when it was a sweet little show about teenagers in the 50's! It so much went off course in later seasons, not even having the correct clothing and hair styles of the time period! ;) :rolleyes:

And I just loved the Season 1 Brady Bunch theme song sung by the Peppermint trolley company! :) ( I think that was the name, right? ) !

I agree with Torgo and Bonniegirl: the first couple of seasons of Happy Days were the best, not the worst. By the end, they'd forgotten they were supposed to be set in the 1950s/1960s and were wearing 1980s clothes and styles. And they had random characters we'd never heard of (and didn't care about) replacing the original family members: Cousin Flop, Cousin Helen from Wings, Cousin Ted McGinley, etc.

And I just loved the Season 1 Brady Bunch theme song sung by the Peppermint trolley company! :) ( I think that was the name, right? ) !

Indeed it was! In fact, here's the proof in the pudding (from first-season Brady Bunch DVD within CBS condensed all-in-one):

I agree with Torgo and Bonniegirl: the first couple of seasons of Happy Days were the best, not the worst. By the end, they'd forgotten they were supposed to be set in the 1950s/1960s and were wearing 1980s clothes and styles. And they had random characters we'd never heard of (and didn't care about) replacing the original family members: Cousin Flop, Cousin Helen from Wings, Cousin Ted McGinley, etc.

I actually liked those later seasons of Happy Days better than the first two. Seasons 3-7 were the best but I liked 8-11 much more than 1 and 2.

I actually liked those later seasons of Happy Days better than the first two. Seasons 3-7 were the best but I liked 8-11 much more than 1 and 2.

I respect your opinion, but...

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Yes, Happy days was really good the first couple of Seasons when it was a sweet little show about teenagers in the 50's! It so much went off course in later seasons, not even having the correct clothing and hair styles of the time period! ;) :rolleyes:

And I just loved the Season 1 Brady Bunch theme song sung by the Peppermint trolley company! :) ( I think that was the name, right? ) !

Exactly, I loved episodes like the one with Maureen McCormick, where the guys were out cruising around.

I think so.

I agree with Torgo's comment on Gilligan's Island. Season 1 was just as good as the rest.

And I disagree that Newhart had a bad first season. Seasons 1-2 weren't superb, but still enjoyable. I still prefer them to the last two years, which come closer to "unwatchable".

I agree on Gilligan's Island. Season 1 was just as good as the rest.

I disagree on Newhart. Seasons 1-2 weren't superb but I still prefer them to the last two years, which come closer to "unwatchable".

Toward the end of Newhart they went over the top with virtually everything...L, D, and D, Stephanie and baby S., George--you name it. You're right, very close to unwatchable.

Season 1 is not the greatest, but it’s not unwatchable.

The first season of The Facts of Life is unwatchable. It’s so bad, it’s embarrassing.

Toward the end of Newhart they went over the top with virtually everything...L, D, and D, Stephanie and baby S., George--you name it. You're right, very close to unwatchable.
I like the episode Born to be Mild from season 8, but that's it