What is the most unwatchable first season? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

TMC · 05-17-2018, 05:03 PM

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?

stevea · 05-17-2018, 05:27 PM

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.

RetroGuy2000 · 05-17-2018, 05:37 PM

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!

Mr. Television · 05-17-2018, 06:57 PM

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

AMackII · 05-17-2018, 07:18 PM

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

KatieAnn · 05-17-2018, 09:55 PM

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.

BigManMike · 05-17-2018, 11:01 PM

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.

stevea · 05-18-2018, 07:19 AM

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

Plater of Everything · 05-18-2018, 07:50 AM

Newhart

tlc38tlc38 · 05-18-2018, 09:46 AM

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

Bonniegirl · 05-18-2018, 12:16 PM

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!

Torgo · 05-18-2018, 12:38 PM

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.

Bonniegirl · 05-18-2018, 12:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Torgo

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!

And I just loved the Season 1 Brady Bunch theme song sung by the Peppermint trolley company!

( I think that was the name, right? ) !

RetroGuy2000 · 05-18-2018, 01:25 PM

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.

bmasters9 · 05-18-2018, 01:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bonniegirl

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):

05-17-2018, 05:03 PM	#1
TMC Member Forum Idol Join Date: Jan 09, 2001 Posts: 126,525	What is the most unwatchable first season? 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?

05-17-2018, 05:37 PM	#3
RetroGuy2000 Julie,Julie Anne,&Felice 4Ever Forum Star Join Date: Dec 27, 2013 Posts: 16,914	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!
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05-17-2018, 06:57 PM	#4
Mr. Television 23 Years at Sitcoms Online Forum Icon Join Date: Jun 06, 2003 Location: Somewhere you're Not Posts: 62,132	A Different World didn't start getting good until season 2.
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05-18-2018, 07:50 AM	#9
Plater of Everything Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Jul 08, 2017 Posts: 387	Newhart
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05-18-2018, 09:46 AM	#10
tlc38tlc38 Every day’s a Dolly day! Forum Star Join Date: May 02, 2008 Location: I’m just travelin’ thru Posts: 19,259	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
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05-17-2018, 05:27 PM	#2
stevea 22 Years On Sitcoms Moderator Forum Legend Join Date: Aug 13, 2003 Location: Indy Posts: 44,799	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.

05-17-2018, 07:18 PM	#5
AMackII Member Forum Star Join Date: Oct 23, 2015 Location: St. Louis Posts: 17,223	The Brady Bunch because the theme song of the show was sung differently

05-17-2018, 09:55 PM	#6
KatieAnn Member Forum Regular Join Date: Sep 15, 2011 Posts: 520	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.

05-17-2018, 11:01 PM	#7
BigManMike Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: May 25, 2006 Location: Memphis, TN Posts: 3,022	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.

05-18-2018, 07:19 AM	#8
stevea 22 Years On Sitcoms Moderator Forum Legend Join Date: Aug 13, 2003 Location: Indy Posts: 44,799	There are several shows that have unwatchable episodes (not whole first seasons), which I think was covered in another thread.

05-18-2018, 12:16 PM	#11
Bonniegirl AKA Hazel Horvath Forum Addict Join Date: Jul 10, 2014 Posts: 65,847	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!

05-18-2018, 12:38 PM	#12
Torgo Omaha & Fritz Forum Star Join Date: Mar 06, 2004 Location: Oregon Posts: 19,037	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.
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05-18-2018, 01:25 PM	#14
RetroGuy2000 Julie,Julie Anne,&Felice 4Ever Forum Star Join Date: Dec 27, 2013 Posts: 16,914	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.