What Show Should Have Only Had One Season?

[aco175]

The original Suits show was great, until the last season or two which tried to branch off in a few non-core directions. The new Suits show is ok so far, but they are trying to make several main characters in case any one needs to leave, so I'm not finding any core concept yet.

 

[Nutation]

Buck Rogers had a great sandbox of adventures in the solar system and good interplay between Buck and Wilma. In the second season, they diluted both of those elements by venturing into deep space plus adding Hawk and a stupid robot.

 

[RangerWickett]

If LOST had ended after one season, we'd all hail it as a great meditation on the nature of mystery and the challenge of knowing the lives of those around us.

 

[delericho]

As the OP says, Heroes is the obvious choice.

I'm inclined to suggest 24. Although that first season isn't the only good season, none of the others really reach the same heights (actually, even the latter half of the first season don't live up to the first 13 episodes). Plus, as they went on it grew increasingly obvious that the "real-time" aspect of the show was being ignored - given that that was the thing that made it so unique, losing it wasn't a benefit to the whole, IMO.

 

[MGibster]

What do you think? What television/streaming show should have gone out on a high note after S1?

Dexter. The first season was fantastic. There were other good seasons, and bad seasons, but nothing topped the first season.

The Walking Dead. Not only does this show have one of the strongest pilot episodes ever produced, but I was riveted during season one. Every. Single. Episode. The first half of the second season was painfully slow, but "Nebraska" was a pretty standout episode. I understand there were some changes due to a conflict with the showrunner, Frank Darabont, who ended up leaving. The rest of the series had its ups and downs, but when Andrew Lincoln left the show it was time to end it.

 

[Gradine]

I mean, there's two different concepts here:
*A show that only needed a single season to tell its story but kept going anyway
*A show that was only good for its first season but you could've been great if its later seasons were better

Lots of examples of the second one; fewer good examples of the former, I think. Also pretty subjective, though. You could make a good case for Heroes being in either category.

 

[MoonSong]

The original Suits show was great, until the last season or two which tried to branch off in a few non-core directions. The new Suits show is ok so far, but they are trying to make several main characters in case any one needs to leave, so I'm not finding any core concept yet.

Is there a new one? Where can I watch it?

 

[TiQuinn]

I think you guys hit the big ones, all excellent picks.

I’m going to throw Rome in there. The first season was perfect, a thing of beauty. I didn’t really think we needed a second season, and what they did put out seemed rushed and disjointed.

 

[aco175]

Is there a new one? Where can I watch it?

It is on Sunday night with the guy from the CW Arrow show and takes place in LA, It is on one of the main channels. I think they are on episode 5-6. They have had a couple flashbacks with Harvey guest staring which I'm not sure about all the flashbacks adding to the show or not.

 

[Stalker0]

I'm inclined to suggest 24. Although that first season isn't the only good season, none of the others really reach the same heights (actually, even the latter half of the first season don't live up to the first 13 episodes).

I would argue that any show that maintains a "good" status for several seasons wouldn't make this list, even if its ending sucked or the later seasons don't live up to the magic of the first season. If the show is still "good" even if its not great, I don't think its a candidate.

compared to like Heroes for example that starts its nose dive right from the 2nd season.