14 popular TV shows with first seasons that you can — and should — skip

Zac NtimOct 25, 2020, 16:23 IST

Both "The Office" and "Game of Thrones" get off to a weak start.NBC/HBO

Not every popular TV show starts off as a success.
Pilot TV is a hard formula to crack with all the pressure to be both critically and commercially successful while guiding audiences through a new world of characters.
As a result, some of the most popular TV shows in history had some pretty shacky openings.
Here are 14 popular TV shows where you can afford to skip the first season.

Not every popular TV show starts off a success.

The inaugural season is always tough with all the pressure to be a critical and rating success while trying to find a clever way to introduce audiences to a new set of characters that doesn't feel too forced or reliant on boring exposition.

Pilot TV is a hard thing to crack and as a result, many of the most successful TV shows in history started off with some shacky first seasons.

Insider has put together a list — backed up by Rotten Tomatoes scores — of shows that found their rhythm after their first season.

Here are 14 popular TV shows that have bad first seasons you can and should skip.

HBO's "Succession" is much sharper in its multi-award-winning second season.

HBO's popular dramedy picked up seven Emmys for its acclaimed second run. HBO

"The Office (US)" begins to build a narrative of its own after a cautious first season.

Mindy Kaling and the cast of "The Office" in 2007. Gus Ruelas/AP Images

While "Breaking Bad" is now considered a TV classic, it originally took a while for the show to find an audience.

Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul as a drug-dealing duo in the classic "Breaking Bad." AMC

"Parks and Recreation" struggled to strike the right tone on its first run.

Amy Poehler and Nick Offerman in NBC's "Parks and Recreations." NBC Universal Television

It's hard to deny that "Game of Thrones" season one is a little boring.

Sophie Turner and her direwolf in "Game of Thrones." HBO

Classic crime drama "The Wire" starts small but blooms into an epic saga.

A young Michael B Jordan alongside Tray Chaney, Larry Gilliard Jr, and JD Williams in season one of "The Wire." HBO

Marsai Martin is the best thing about "Black-ish," but we don't get to indulge until season two.

Marsai Martin and Marcus Scribner in "Black-ish." Eric McCandless/ABC via Getty Images

After a cool first season, Julia Louis-Dreyfus takes command of "Veep."

Julia Louis-Dreyfus's classic role as America's VP. HBO

Almost all the best "Key & Peele" sketches come after season one.

Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele in their comedy central sketch show. Comedy Central YouTube Channel

From season two onward, "The Americans" provided some of the best television of the decade.

Kerri Russell and Matthew Rhys play undercover Russian spies in FX's "The Americans." FX

In NBC's "Community" the more Donald Glover the better.

"Community" stars Joel McHale, Alison Brie, Donald Glover, and Ken Jeong. Sony Pictures Television

"Chappelle's Show" season two is perhaps the best ever set of TV comedy sketches.

"Chappelle's Show" only ran for two seasons on Comedy Central. Comedy Central

Joel and Ethan Coen's masterpiece lingers all over "Fargo" season one.

"Fargo" season one stars Martin Freeman, Ewan McGregor, and Kirsten Dunst. MGM Domestic Television Distribution

"Sex and the City" season one is depressing.

Carrie, Samantha, Charlotte, and Miranda from "Sex and the City." HBO

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