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Started out great ... then a nose-dive

Frayed Knot Apr 11 2013 10:57 AM

Several of you mentioned DEXTER in the 'TV After-the-Fact' thread as not being what it was after season one, and that same sentiment seems to be almost universal among LOST viewers. For me the one that fits that category was TWIN PEAKS. A great 2-hour pilot followed by about 6 or 7 1-hour shows was season one (IIRC) that was appointment viewing! Then season two was a total fucking mess. By the time they got to the end of it I didn't know who did it, I didn't understand why who did it did it, and, most tellingly, I didn't care who did it and how or why. They later made a movie of it and from what I understand that sucked too. So pile on any other pop culture nuggets who you thought showed great initial promise then took a quick swan dive afterward. Not limited to TV shows; serial movies or say artist/groups with great debut songs/albums that had lousy follow-ups can be thrown in as well.

Benjamin Grimm Apr 11 2013 11:01 AM Re: Started out great ... then a nose-dive

I think Dexter's best season was the fourth one. I enjoyed Lost all the way through, once I gave up on the idea of it making any sense. The last episode was a dud, however. Homeland experienced a big drop between seasons one and two. A lot of 24 stupidity crept in.

Mets – Willets Point Apr 11 2013 11:21 AM Re: Started out great ... then a nose-dive

The Cosby Show started off as an adaptation of Bill Cosby's stand-up routines about everyday family dynamics that one could relate to, but quickly devolved into standard sitcom fare.

Mets – Willets Point Apr 11 2013 11:24 AM Re: Started out great ... then a nose-dive

The first series of Ballykissangel was an enjoyable & quirky fish-out-of-water comedy about an English priest in an Irish village. The first two episodes of the second series were so bad I couldn't bear to watch more.

Fman99 Apr 11 2013 12:14 PM Re: Started out great ... then a nose-dive

I was the biggest Lenny Kravitz fan at one point, his debut came out when I was in high school and it reminded me of much of the classic rock I already enjoyed -- being a fan of much of what Kravitz was emulating (Prince, Sly Stone, John Lennon etc.) I devoured his first five albums and saw him on tour at the Roseland ballroomin 1998 in support of that fifth album (titled "5," appropriately enough). I don't know if the music changed at that point, or I did, but everything subsequent to that that he put out has been unmemorable and mediocre. I can still pick up and listen to all of his first five albums today, but despite multiple attempts at his post 1998 work I can't bring myself to care about or remember any of it.

Edgy MD Apr 11 2013 12:21 PM Re: Started out great ... then a nose-dive

Every punk act ever. Plus Johnny Damon.

batmagadanleadoff Apr 11 2013 12:24 PM Re: Started out great ... then a nose-dive

Everything goes bad in the end, doesn't it?

Mets – Willets Point Apr 11 2013 12:24 PM Re: Started out great ... then a nose-dive

Fman99 wrote: I was the biggest Lenny Kravitz fan at one point, his debut came out when I was in high school and it reminded me of much of the classic rock I already enjoyed -- being a fan of much of what Kravitz was emulating (Prince, Sly Stone, John Lennon etc.) I devoured his first five albums and saw him on tour at the Roseland ballroomin 1998 in support of that fifth album (titled "5," appropriately enough). I don't know if the music changed at that point, or I did, but everything subsequent to that that he put out has been unmemorable and mediocre. I can still pick up and listen to all of his first five albums today, but despite multiple attempts at his post 1998 work I can't bring myself to care about or remember any of it. I thought Let Love Rule was great, but was less enthused by later recordings.

TheOldMole Apr 11 2013 12:29 PM Re: Started out great ... then a nose-dive

By "every punk act ever" I hope you're not including The Clash. I loved the first season of "Heroes," then lost interest in it.

Mets – Willets Point Apr 11 2013 12:30 PM Re: Started out great ... then a nose-dive

batmagadanleadoff wrote: Everything goes bad in the end, doesn't it? Yes, but some things decline gracefully while others plummet.

RealityChuck Apr 11 2013 12:33 PM Re: Started out great ... then a nose-dive

Twin Peaks dropped for a few episodes, then came roaring back; by the end, it was just as good as when it started (the final episode was a season finale, not a series finale, setting up the next season, not resolving things). Bob had a first-class first season, but CBS insisted on changes; the second season was awful from the get-go. Farscape was great SF -- until the fourth season, which was awful beyond belief. The ending was the worst cliffhanger ever, since the solution was blatantly obvious to anyone watching.

Edgy MD Apr 11 2013 12:36 PM Re: Started out great ... then a nose-dive

TheOldMole wrote: By "every punk act ever" I hope you're not including The Clash. Well, I don't really meeeean it, but rather mean to suggest that every punk act ever eventually gets tagged a sellout by their earlier adopting fans. If there's an exception, though, it's probably Fugazi. The most devoted Clash aficionados roll their eyes about Combat Rock. And Cut the Crap they refuse to acknowledge ever happened.

TheOldMole Apr 11 2013 01:02 PM Re: Started out great ... then a nose-dive

Alcatraz was good, but no one except my grandson and me watched it, and it was dropped after 13 episodes. There was some talk about it being picked up by a cable network, which would have been interesting, since the main character was killed in the final episode.

Vic Sage Apr 11 2013 01:33 PM Re: Started out great ... then a nose-dive

TheOldMole wrote: By "every punk act ever" I hope you're not including The Clash. I loved the first season of "Heroes," then lost interest in it. I was totally going to say HEROES! so what else, then? how about the NIGHTMARE ON ELM ST movies.

MFS62 Apr 11 2013 02:53 PM Re: Started out great ... then a nose-dive

Space 1999. I liked the premise and the cast. But as soon as the (obligatory) American kid was asked how far they were from the Moon, and he answered in kilometers, the show went downhill right there for me. There is science fiction and there is fantasy. But an American kid measuring distance in kilometers seemed beyond the realm of either. Later

RealityChuck Apr 11 2013 08:09 PM Re: Started out great ... then a nose-dive

MFS62 wrote: Space 1999. I liked the premise and the cast. But as soon as the (obligatory) American kid was asked how far they were from the Moon, and he answered in kilometers, the show went downhill right there for me. There is science fiction and there is fantasy. But an American kid measuring distance in kilometers seemed beyond the realm of either. Later That was what bothered you about the show???? That's like saying that you gave up on Battlefield Earth because the John Travolta should have played the lead.

Ceetar Apr 11 2013 08:36 PM Re: Started out great ... then a nose-dive

Scrubs, Friends..

Edgy MD Apr 12 2013 08:25 AM Re: Started out great ... then a nose-dive

Friends, scrubs.

The Second Spitter Apr 12 2013 08:32 AM Re: Started out great ... then a nose-dive

MFS62 wrote: Space 1999. I liked the premise and the cast. But as soon as the (obligatory) American kid was asked how far they were from the Moon, and he answered in kilometers, the show went downhill right there for me. There is science fiction and there is fantasy. But an American kid measuring distance in kilometers seemed beyond the realm of either. Later This show was literally great at the start with one of the best themes on TV. [youtube]PDd6giA82zE[/youtube]

Mets – Willets Point Apr 12 2013 08:32 AM Re: Started out great ... then a nose-dive

2007 Mets.

TheOldMole Apr 13 2013 06:33 PM Re: Started out great ... then a nose-dive

One movie too many: Die Hard.

Ceetar Apr 13 2013 06:39 PM Re: Started out great ... then a nose-dive

TheOldMole wrote: One movie too many: Die Hard. meaning the last one or the upcoming one?

TheOldMole Apr 17 2013 02:09 PM Re: Started out great ... then a nose-dive

Oh, no -- there can't be one more. What about Mad Men? First episode of the new season seemed flat. Second one started to pick up.

vtmet Apr 18 2013 09:26 AM Re: Started out great ... then a nose-dive

How I Met Your Mother & 2 Broke Girls... First few seasons of HIMYM were pretty solid, focusing on Ted supposedly telling stories to his kids about how he met their mother...and then, IMO, it focused way too much on Marshall and Lilly...and 9 seasons later, the kids still probably have no idea which women got Ted pregnant twice (and based on how old the kids were when the show started, they have a PhD long before they know who their mom is)...I don't know how people stuck with this show, for me it jumped the shark years ago... 2 Broke Girls...1st season was pretty decent...but the skinny blonde broke girl has got to be the worst and most annoying actress in the history of tv (other than Fran Dreshler)...and the crude jokes used to sound semi-funny, now they just seem crude minus the joke...

metirish Apr 18 2013 09:29 AM Re: Started out great ... then a nose-dive

Agree on 2 Broke Girls......just regurgitating the same dick and sex jokes over and over......

John Cougar Lunchbucket Apr 22 2013 10:13 AM Re: Started out great ... then a nose-dive

Rod Stewart. This guy was Sandy Freaking Koufax between the stuff he did between, say 1968 and 1974, with the Jeff Beck Group, the Faces and his solo albums. In 1971 alone he helmed the Faces' Long Player, then his solo Every Picture Tells a Story, THEN A Nod is as Good... for the Faces. Three classick albums in 10 months! I'm way into Rod these days (Just started his autobiography and it's great!). What happened to him after say, 1978 is just mindboggling.

Edgy MD Apr 22 2013 10:35 AM Re: Started out great ... then a nose-dive

I just loved reading a story of the Stones in the midst of one of their debauchery-fueled tours of the early seventies, taking a night off from the bacchanalia to gather together and listen to a pre-release copy of the new Rod Stewart solo album, all with a somber air of, "This is what we have to measure up to if we're going to stay on top, lads." Anybody who knows what he would become might think, "Rod Stewart? Really?" But yeah, Rod Stewart. Plus he kicked soccer balls.

G-Fafif Apr 22 2013 10:42 AM Re: Started out great ... then a nose-dive

batmagadanleadoff Apr 22 2013 11:28 AM Re: Started out great ... then a nose-dive

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: Rod Stewart. This guy was Sandy Freaking Koufax between the stuff he did between, say 1968 and 1974, with the Jeff Beck Group, the Faces and his solo albums. In 1971 alone he helmed the Faces' Long Player, then his solo Every Picture Tells a Story, THEN A Nod is as Good... for the Faces. Three classick albums in 10 months! I'm way into Rod these days (Just started his autobiography and it's great!). What happened to him after say, 1978 is just mindboggling. If Rod was Sandy Koufaxish during the Nixon era, then his work with Jeff Beck was Hall of Fame caliber. But what the hell's he doing these days? Singing the American Songbook? Tin Pan Alley and the Cole Porter catalog? Give me a break. When I wanna listen to Gershwin compositions, I'll never stop reaching for my Frank Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald CD's. Rod must realize that Rock-N-Roll is a young man's game, but he ain't got the chops or the vocal range to deliver what he's slinging these days.

Benjamin Grimm Apr 22 2013 11:35 AM Re: Started out great ... then a nose-dive

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: Rod Stewart. You fooled me! I thought I had clicked on the "Guess Who Died" thread.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Apr 22 2013 11:47 AM Re: Started out great ... then a nose-dive

batmagadanleadoff wrote: John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: Rod Stewart. This guy was Sandy Freaking Koufax between the stuff he did between, say 1968 and 1974, with the Jeff Beck Group, the Faces and his solo albums. In 1971 alone he helmed the Faces' Long Player, then his solo Every Picture Tells a Story, THEN A Nod is as Good... for the Faces. Three classick albums in 10 months! I'm way into Rod these days (Just started his autobiography and it's great!). What happened to him after say, 1978 is just mindboggling. If Rod was Sandy Koufaxish during the Nixon era, then his work with Jeff Beck was Hall of Fame caliber. But what the hell's he doing these days? Singing the American Songbook? Tin Pan Alley and the Cole Porter catalog? Give me a break. When I wanna listen to Gershwin compositions, I'll never stop reaching for my Frank Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald CD's. Rod must realize that Rock-N-Roll is a young man's game, but he ain't got the chops or the vocal range to deliver what he's slinging these days. Yeah, well, this is a thread for acts that declined over the years. And Rod has always owed a debt to those who came before him. However... I must warn you that Rod's first album of new, original material in 20 years is due out next month.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Apr 22 2013 11:57 AM Re: Started out great ... then a nose-dive

batmagadanleadoff wrote: If Rod was Sandy Koufaxish during the Nixon era, then his work with Jeff Beck was Hall of Fame caliber. But what the hell's he doing these days? Appearing on the cover of Model Railroader magazine of course.