To some degree that was LOST, although they did manage some pretty inventive future storylines (which they weren’t able to successfully resolve). But for me it was really apparent on the 2004 Fox series, PRISON BREAK. The first season was great. They broke out of prison. Season two all the convicts were just running around. In later seasons they constructed other prisons for them to escape from, but the shark had long since been jumped.
Series that are imported and Americanized often have this problem because usually the original series has a finite number of episodes and an ending. But here we have to keep the show going. A good example might be HOMELAND. Their first season was GREAT. But once the “Brody” issue was resolved then came “Now what do we do?”
IN TREATMENT is another example. Season one followed the lead of the original Israeli series. In season two they were on their own and it looked it.
DEAD TO ME was renewed last week for a second season. Everything was resolved and in fact the Judy character should go to prison. Let's see how they wiggle out of that.
Was MAD MEN ever as good as its first season? And even though the series remained excellent, I’d still put season one of THE SOPRANOS above all the others.
DEXTER had the serial killer of the season and other than the first and whatever season John Lithgow was on, the show never recaptured the magic.
At this point, I should say there are exceptions. For me the best one is BREAKING BAD. That series just got better and more compelling.
But for every BREAKING BAD there were five ORPHAN BLACK’s. I sooooo loved the first season of that series and by the end didn’t give a shit about anything. “Now let’s try this… now let’s try that… now let’s try something else.” The seams were definitely showing.
I can come up with other examples and I’m sure you will come up with even more.
But the latest example is KILLING EVE. The first season Sandra Oh is trying to stop a fascinating lady assassin/psychopath. They eventually confront each other, big shocking twist at the end, and it’s on to season two. And although there were some wonderful scenes and moments in the second season, here the producers had to concoct reasons to put them together; the storyline went from implausible to slightly insane. And ended with the now-obligatory shocking ending. I can almost bet the writers are sitting around right now saying, “Now what?”
It’s the Faustian contract you sign when you do high concept series. They’re not meant to be dragged-out for five seasons. So often season two becomes a whole different show. The TV version of “a sequel.” Which is fine except it’s rarely as good as the original show. You can’t beat Tony Soprano’s mother putting a hit out on him, or Dexter learning the “Ice Truck Killer” is really his brother.
I just hope that if there’s a season five of KILLING EVE, Sandra & the assassin are not running a dress shop together in Soho.
from By Ken Levine
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