Does anybody agree that usually first seasons of shows... - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Brian Damage · 06-16-2006, 08:25 PM

...are usually the worst of the series? I just think that way, because it takes about a year for the actors to really develop what their characters should really be like. I've noticed a lot of sitcoms, where characters are so much different in season 1 than the rest of the seasons.

Ireneparalegal · 06-16-2006, 08:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brian Damage

...are usually the worst of the series? I just think that way, because it takes about a year for the actors to really develop what their characters should really be like. I've noticed a lot of sitcoms, where characters are so much different in season 1 than the rest of the seasons.

not only that, they throw in a lot of stuff too just to see what works, what meshes, etc.

I noticed during Roseanne's first season she had a hispanic family on her show. the lady worked with her at the factory. another episode they showed this lady with her husband who spoke spanish in the episode. they also showed her son. but we never saw that family again.

I do agree that it takes a good launching pad for the shows to really get started.

Mr. Television · 06-16-2006, 08:34 PM

Just check out Night Court's first season and compare it to the rest of the seasons. It's like a completely different show. The same could be said for Family Ties. During the 1st season it was more of the parents show but later it became the MJF Show.

Mister Ed · 06-16-2006, 10:06 PM

Sometimes...

Dallas Season 1 started out slow but got better during the last episodes of the season.

I really think The Golden Girls Season 1 was one of the best, though.

Rachel3118 · 06-17-2006, 12:40 PM

It can be the worst but it can also be the best because they have lots of good ideas for the show and then they run out of ideas.

freshprinceofLA · 06-17-2006, 01:14 PM

i think da 1st sea of charles in charge was probably the best season. lots of ppl say that they liked the pembroke family better than the powells.

i also thought that moonlighting sea. 1 was good

mstewart · 06-17-2006, 04:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by I Walk The Line

Just check out Night Court's first season and compare it to the rest of the seasons. It's like a completely different show. The same could be said for Family Ties. During the 1st season it was more of the parents show but later it became the MJF Show.

During the first season of Night Court Harry Anderson was more funnier than he was in the later seasons.

Too bad for Family Ties because I did like the relationship between Steven and Elyse. There could had been some good storylines about their relationship but it was the Michael J. Fox sitcoms especially in seasons 5 and 6. Michael Gross and Meredith Baxter Birney became more of supporting players than lead actors.

mstewart · 06-17-2006, 04:10 PM

Look how quick the first season of the Dick Van Dyke Show changed where there was more scenes at the homefront than originally planned. Mary Tyler Moore's part was suppose to be small minor part. Rose Marie originally was the lead actress in the show but it ended up being MTM. That was why there was friction between MTM and Rose Marie. It was good to watch the relationship between Rob and Laura Petrie.

TJL · 06-17-2006, 05:16 PM

Lots of times a show is trying to figure out which characters are going to work best for the show in the long run, this is especially true with ensemble shows.
By the time the second season comes around, less important characters are dumped (Jon from "Taxi" for example) or the action shifts toawrds a character that achieved "breakout" status like MJF in "Family Ties" as I Walk The Line pointed out.

Nighthawk76 · 06-17-2006, 10:35 PM

In some cases like the original Star Trek and Charles In Charge the first season was the best season.

Adamantium · 06-17-2006, 10:55 PM

The "M*A*S*H" first season was a little too silly as compared to what it would eventually become. At first it was more of an Army comedy.

I do agree that the first season is usually the worst. Here's a list of my favorite shows with pretty lackluster first seasons.

Ellen - First up, Ellen's long hair. She had a different group of friends and it was too much like "Seinfeld." The show became so much better when it was Ellen's show with more of her humor in it. Plus the cast changes only made this show better.

Boy Meets World - Not a bad season, really. It doesn't isn't as funny once you're older watching this show. At the time when it was new, I grew up with the show and the humor was funnier then. This is one show I think got funnier each year.

Wings - The characters just aren't as developed yet in season one. They pay too much attention to Joe and Brian being an odd couple. Lowell is too stiff, he becomes hilarious in later seasons, once he loosens up.

The Facts of Life - Which is the perfect example. They seemed to like it enough to bring it back but knew changes had to me made before it turned into a hit sitcom.

Happy Days - It took them some time to figure out that the Fonzie-Richie chemistry made the show. Early on it was all about Richie and Potsie living teen life in the 50s. Plus the first season just isn't that funny.

However, there are a lot of shows with very good first seasons. As for "Charles in Charge", I think the first season was well made and I liked the Pembrokes. However, the show got sillier when the Powells came in and I liked that silliness. Buddy became so much funnier in the later seasons.

benjamoon · 06-18-2006, 12:19 AM

I wouldn't say worst, but it's usually not the best. I think exceptions to that (where the show is probably at it's best) would include 8 Simple Rules, American Dreams, Rhoda and Bewitched.

A lot of shows seem very awkward, especially early in the 1st season. I think some of the most noticeable examples are I Love Lucy, Friends, and The Bob Newhart Show

BuddyHinton · 06-18-2006, 12:23 AM

My Mother the Car season one was the bes... hey, never mind.

Season One of the Simpsons for me is unwatchable, but becomes the gold standard for animated writing. Seinfeld is similar in that respect.

Raisingdad2004 · 06-18-2006, 05:45 AM

I usually avoid first seasons. Home Improvement and Friends, while not being totally different - they were worst. Some shows just hit the ground running: Scrubs, 8 Simple Rules.

treky · 07-01-2006, 11:37 PM

just compare the first season of "Happy Days" to the rest of the series, when they added that AWFUL live audience and made it "The Fonzie show" (and Gary Marshall should have renamed it "Crappy Days")

06-16-2006, 08:25 PM	#1
Brian Damage I'm Rich Bitch Forum Icon Join Date: Feb 03, 2002 Location: What Ain't No Country I Ever Heard Of...They Speak English in What? Posts: 63,107	Does anybody agree that usually first seasons of shows... ...are usually the worst of the series? I just think that way, because it takes about a year for the actors to really develop what their characters should really be like. I've noticed a lot of sitcoms, where characters are so much different in season 1 than the rest of the seasons.
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06-16-2006, 08:34 PM	#3
Mr. Television 23 Years at Sitcoms Online Forum Icon Join Date: Jun 06, 2003 Location: Somewhere you're Not Posts: 62,132	Just check out Night Court's first season and compare it to the rest of the seasons. It's like a completely different show. The same could be said for Family Ties. During the 1st season it was more of the parents show but later it became the MJF Show.
	__________________ Sonny

06-16-2006, 10:06 PM	#4
Mister Ed Betty White Fan Forum Regular Join Date: Nov 10, 2005 Location: Fantasy Island Posts: 673	Sometimes... Dallas Season 1 started out slow but got better during the last episodes of the season. I really think The Golden Girls Season 1 was one of the best, though.
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06-17-2006, 12:40 PM	#5
Rachel3118 Member Senior Member Join Date: Jun 13, 2005 Posts: 1,768	It can be the worst but it can also be the best because they have lots of good ideas for the show and then they run out of ideas.
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06-17-2006, 01:14 PM	#6
freshprinceofLA The Bosses Senior Member Join Date: Aug 09, 2005 Location: A small town in: Los Angeles, California Posts: 2,810	i think da 1st sea of charles in charge was probably the best season. lots of ppl say that they liked the pembroke family better than the powells. i also thought that moonlighting sea. 1 was good
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06-17-2006, 04:10 PM	#8
mstewart mstewart Senior Member Join Date: Jan 25, 2002 Location: California Posts: 1,780	Look how quick the first season of the Dick Van Dyke Show changed where there was more scenes at the homefront than originally planned. Mary Tyler Moore's part was suppose to be small minor part. Rose Marie originally was the lead actress in the show but it ended up being MTM. That was why there was friction between MTM and Rose Marie. It was good to watch the relationship between Rob and Laura Petrie.

06-17-2006, 05:16 PM	#9
TJL Suburbanite Extrordinaire Forum Star Join Date: Dec 29, 2001 Location: New Jersey - the cradle of civilization Posts: 16,588	Lots of times a show is trying to figure out which characters are going to work best for the show in the long run, this is especially true with ensemble shows. By the time the second season comes around, less important characters are dumped (Jon from "Taxi" for example) or the action shifts toawrds a character that achieved "breakout" status like MJF in "Family Ties" as I Walk The Line pointed out.
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06-17-2006, 10:35 PM	#10
Nighthawk76 Rachel Berry Forum Celebrity Join Date: Feb 28, 2003 Location: Illinois Posts: 23,254	In some cases like the original Star Trek and Charles In Charge the first season was the best season.

06-17-2006, 10:55 PM	#11
Adamantium TVAdam No More Forum Veteran Join Date: Sep 11, 2002 Location: Springfield, Ohio Posts: 7,839	The "MAS*H" first season was a little too silly as compared to what it would eventually become. At first it was more of an Army comedy. I do agree that the first season is usually the worst. Here's a list of my favorite shows with pretty lackluster first seasons. Ellen - First up, Ellen's long hair. She had a different group of friends and it was too much like "Seinfeld." The show became so much better when it was Ellen's show with more of her humor in it. Plus the cast changes only made this show better. Boy Meets World - Not a bad season, really. It doesn't isn't as funny once you're older watching this show. At the time when it was new, I grew up with the show and the humor was funnier then. This is one show I think got funnier each year. Wings - The characters just aren't as developed yet in season one. They pay too much attention to Joe and Brian being an odd couple. Lowell is too stiff, he becomes hilarious in later seasons, once he loosens up. The Facts of Life - Which is the perfect example. They seemed to like it enough to bring it back but knew changes had to me made before it turned into a hit sitcom. Happy Days - It took them some time to figure out that the Fonzie-Richie chemistry made the show. Early on it was all about Richie and Potsie living teen life in the 50s. Plus the first season just isn't that funny. However, there are a lot of shows with very good first seasons. As for "Charles in Charge", I think the first season was well made and I liked the Pembrokes. However, the show got sillier when the Powells came in and I liked that silliness. Buddy became so much funnier in the later seasons.

06-18-2006, 12:19 AM	#12
benjamoon Bewitched Senior Member Join Date: Jun 15, 2000 Location: New York Posts: 1,450	I wouldn't say worst, but it's usually not the best. I think exceptions to that (where the show is probably at it's best) would include 8 Simple Rules, American Dreams, Rhoda and Bewitched. A lot of shows seem very awkward, especially early in the 1st season. I think some of the most noticeable examples are I Love Lucy, Friends, and The Bob Newhart Show
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06-18-2006, 12:23 AM	#13
BuddyHinton Member Frequent Poster Join Date: May 31, 2006 Location: CA Posts: 441	My Mother the Car season one was the bes... hey, never mind. Season One of the Simpsons for me is unwatchable, but becomes the gold standard for animated writing. Seinfeld is similar in that respect.

06-18-2006, 05:45 AM	#14
Raisingdad2004 Member Forum Regular Join Date: May 05, 2004 Posts: 715	I usually avoid first seasons. Home Improvement and Friends, while not being totally different - they were worst. Some shows just hit the ground running: Scrubs, 8 Simple Rules.
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07-01-2006, 11:37 PM	#15
treky star trek fan Eternal Member Forum Fanatic Join Date: Feb 25, 2002 Location: Conshohocken, pennsylvania Posts: 14,490	just compare the first season of "Happy Days" to the rest of the series, when they added that AWFUL live audience and made it "The Fonzie show" (and Gary Marshall should have renamed it "Crappy Days")
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