Are American tv shows stuck in Act 2 for their entire runtime between season 1 and final season?
Season 1s are great, setup, some payoff, a bit of lead into the overarching story. Then season 2 to X. The heroes win and then lose in the final episode, cliffhanger to next season. People get bored. Final season is announced and they wrap up the show.
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Some of my favorite tv shows' first season is usually the worse. Then the plotlines get better until the second to last season and things resolve. By the final season, the last few threads get resolved and the story ends.
And then just think about how many fantastic shows get cancelled in their first or second seasons. I'm still bitter and upset by Almost Human.
Pushing Daisies :(
I'm here to second the bitterness about Almost Human (the casting was perfect for the two main characters).
I'm also sad about Journeyman.
What are these shows? :)
Star trek is notorious for having bad first seasons.
The first season of Parks and Recreation was so bad compared to the rest. They didn't seem to know what to do with the characters. They really gelled in the second season. The rest of the run was great and the final episode was inspired.
P&R continues to be in my mind what happens when you let a show with talented actors and smart writers marinate a bit. Everyone on the show became a bigger star/household name afterwards.
So many shows get cancelled after a season. And I wonder how many shows, if they got that P&R treatment, would be amazing today.