Is there a TV Trope for this?

[sholio]

Why is it so common for so many series (TV shows, books, movies) to have a strong opening installment and then put their most dismal one as the second one? Whether it's merely bland and boring, or actively offputting in some specific way, I can think of so many that do this.

I expect some of it is narrative drop from the usually higher-budget and more action-filled opening installment, and some of it is the writers wanting to try something a little more daring after a crowd-pleasing opener. BUT STILL. Maybe you might want to wait a little while before dropping the book in which everyone dies gruesomely of yellow fever (Ben January) or the episode in which your only female character is sold into sex slavery (SG-1) or the episode that is every 80s mental hospital cliche ever (Iron Fist) or just the most comparatively generic and boring episode in the entire season (White Collar and so many others).

(This post brought to you by me getting so bored with the second episode of the show I'm watching as background-arting-TV on Hulu that I went and found an episode guide and skipped ahead to the next one that looked interesting. So far it's a lot better.)

Comments

[leesa_perrie]

Yes, I do! I'm also planning to give the spin off, Most Wanted, a go too. I really like FBI, not in a fannish way, but in an 'excited when there's a new episode to watch' sort of way!!

I don't know why it's not more popular, it deserves to be.

[booksarelife]

I might also give Most Wanted a try, I haven't decided yet! I'm mostly on the "I love this show and am excited for new episodes" boat, with occasional fic writing/reading spurts. It should totally be more popular, I agree! I really hope they keep Maggie and OA as friends and don't try to make them a couple or have romantic tension or whatever (not that I think it's heading there, but still). What was your favorite episode so far? One of my many favorite moments has been Maggie and OA have to get the guy out of the fancy men's lunch club place in the bomber episode, and the staff are trying to protest them coming in

[leesa_perrie]

I really hope they don't go down the ship route, or if they do, they do it in a way that isn't annoying and contains no UST or relationships with other people that are doomed to failure and all that stuff I don't really like! FBI seems like a show that won't do that! And I like that they're partners and friends, not lovers.

I don't know if I have a fav episode, though the one you mentioned was very good! I wish more people could discover the show, though it might be too serious in nature for some people, but that's what I like about it.

[booksarelife]

Emphatically yes to your first paragraph!! I'm not sure why it's not more popular, since other serious shows like Criminal Minds or the multitudes of Law and Order/SVU/NCIS shows are massively popular (though I can only vouch for early seasons CM, which often does have outright funny moments amid everything else)