Shows That Got BETTER Over the Seasons

[Khan]

Frankly, I don't know WHAT to think about MAY. In the beginning, it seemed like a derivative of "Seinfeld," only with a married couple at the center. Then it got a little better...then it got a little heavy and weird...then they got pregnant...then, for some reason, Paul Reiser and Helen Hunt developed an odd sort of "anti-chemistry" that made wonder why Paul and Jamie didn't STAY broken up early on in the series.

[amybrickwallace]

Yes. She could play the comedic, dramatic AND romantic (with Fletcher) beats all well. I thought it was really neat that two senior citizens were making out all the time, much to her son Carl's disgust. "After you, pumpkin!! *kissing sounds* No, no, after you, sweet stuff!! *kissing sounds*". Just his tone of voice and delivery was hysterical.

Speaking of hysterical (at least, I found it hysterical), one of my other favorite moments was when Eddie, Urkel and Waldo decide to be roomies and end up in this dive apartment right next to railroad tracks (causing the place to shake every time a train goes past). As soon as they come in the place for the first time, they are delighted to already have a piece of mail - addressed to "Occupant"!!! For some reason, that moment has always made me split a gut. LOL

[BKuzak]

My favorite was when she said, "I'm on the horns of an enema." Then when someone said, "Why didn't you call 911" and she said "I forgot the number."

[amybrickwallace]

HA!!!!

[Taoboi]

AH!!!

[quartermainefan]

Definitely. Marcy Darcy was my favorite character from that show and whenever she was on a laugh was sure to follow. Jefferson really was a gift for the Marcy character.

[vote4llama]

La Femme Nikita. I love the first two seasons but they seem like warm up for 3 and 4. I'm on 4 and I've taken a break but it's great. I love the craziness. They started doing more story arcs in the third season which suits the show well.

[BKuzak]

Murphy Brown was better during the Miles year. Lily Tomlin was good but it wasn't the same. We watched Miles for eight seasons. and don't get me started on the new set for the final season. what the hell were they thinking! I don't even think there was an explination. I would have liked someone to say, "I'm glad we moved to a new floor." But no, nothing was said. and then it ended so there was really no point to even having that new set. Although they did do good episodes...it just wasn't the same as the first eight seasons.

[applcin]

I'm iffy about Buffy and Barney Miller.

I find the earlier seasons of Buffy boring (particularly Angel and that relationship). The mid-seasons were more interesting but I didn't particularly care for the insta-sista, Dawn, who never existed yet now everybody's memories were altered as if she'd been around all along. Not to mention, Buffy as pseudo-mother and everyone having to all of sudden protect this newly created annoying teenage creature at all costs just didn't do it for me. What was going on around her was more interesting than the character herself.

Barney Miller was about on an almost even keel for me all through. Of the original cast (and I'm not counting the pilot that was filmed with an almost entirely different cast), they lost Fish, Yemana and Chano. Oh, and Mrs. Miller, but that was a good thing! I think I'm in the minority, but I wasn't over the moon for Dietrich. I always felt like they basically handed SL jokes as if he were doing a standup routine and he would have this smirk on his face as if to say "I'm so clever, I know my joke is funny." Although, it was kind of funny to see the same guest stars playing over a half-dozen roles.

I did think about ST: DS9 but, again, mixed emotions. It did get a stronger identity and storybase with the Dominion war arc....but that also could be tiresome at times.

Agree about Little House. They were cute little kids but it wasn't until they were a little older and could get some stuff beyond being cute little kids that things perked up. Mary's blindness, Laura's crush on Almanzo and that eventual relationship, Nellie growing up. Then again....the last years with the show trying to duplicate its origins and having another bunch of kids try to fill the shoes of Laura and Nellie were just painful to watch.

New mention: Life Goes On - again, having to do with the kids maturing, the introduction of Jesse and the HIV-story, Corky getting a girlfriend

I was wondering whether to add Supernatural to the list but I'm thinking not. I'm not unhappy that's it's been around several seasons longer than I expected but I do think it has suffered from killing off so many of its supporting characters, along with killing, reviving, re-killing and reviving the brothers and some of the aforementioned supporting characters over and over. It's like an old sneaker at this point...dependable but you know you're not really getting anything new out of it. I think killing off Bobby (and keeping him more or less dead) was a mistake. They keep re-inserting guest characters from the past into their lives and the show's been on so long at this point, you're like, who is this person again?

[Mathewson]

I think Psych got better towards the end. James Roday was always entertaining but there was less schtick later on and Shawn became more serious while still being funny. We got to learn more about his real relationships with his family, Gus, and finally with Juliet. I watched the finale and the live after show last night. It was dramatic and funny at the same time. The acting also improved with each season.

I think Supernatural got worse. I only liked the first couple scenes. I can't even keep track of what's going on with that show now. Supernatural ran its course a long time ago.

It's too bad Veronica Mars didn't last longer. Or Gossip Girl. I loved both those shows and still do but they both started to run their course and become too predictable.

[amybrickwallace]

Those same guest stars would also show up on Fish and the extremely short-lived A.E.S. Hudson Street (1978, starring Gregory "Chano" Sierra as the chief resident of a understaffed, undersupplied and rotting hospital - basically the 1-2 of hospitals)!!!

I'm sure Yemana would have stayed for the whole run if but for Jack Soo's ill health and eventual passing at the beginning of 1979. The tribute episode to Jack/Nick that ended the 1978-79 season was letter perfect, and having the actors narrate the clips as themselves out of character was a brilliant move. When they lifted up their coffee mugs at the end, I felt myself tearing up!!!

Am I the only one who preferred Doris Belack to Florence Stanley as Bernice (see the second season episode "Fish", which had the former OLTL actress filling in for Ms. Stanley)?

I'll take Dietrich over Wojo any day of the week.

My favorite character, though, hands down, is Chano. I wonder how he would have grown and matured as a character had he stayed the whole run. Gregory Sierra ripped my heart out in the first season finale "The Hero", as Chano has to deal with the aftermath of shooting and killing two bank robbers holding hostages. From his pacing, jitters, and finally, breaking down in tears after a heart-to-heart with Barney...that was easily his finest moment on the show. Plus, I admit to swooning every time the English turned to Spanish. Gregory Sierra = !!! He is easily my biggest TV crush - and I wasn't even born until he'd been off the show for a few years. Thank goodness for DVDs!!!!

[Gray Bunny]

I like how back in the day, networks gave time for shows to mature and come into their own. So many family sitcoms I think of didn't really hit their height until season 3 or 4. When I watch alot of 80's and 90's sitcoms, I don't especially enjoy seeing the kids at such a young age (Full House, Family Ties, etc.) but love the episodes once they get older.

Roseanne (just got better & better until season 7)

Melrose Place (on fire by season 2!)

The Nanny

Family Matters

Step By Step

Full House

The Golden Girls

Empty Nest

Family Ties

The Brady Bunch

Three's Company (I agree with others.... LOVED when Teri was there!)

[DRW50]

For me the answer for what makes good Buffy is, "Will Cordelia appear in the episode?"

If she won't, then I have my answer.

Having most of your cast clearly very unhappy to be there doesn't help.

[DRW50]

About the same as usual, basically.

The first two seasons were the best, but it's such a weird show that I have found things to like about most seasons. It's very inconsistent, which is both bad and good. The main thing for me is the actors still try, which isn't the case for some TV shows (some casts give up after one season...if that.)

[amybrickwallace]

I agree - I'm not really sure why that is.