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When a new television show is created, it can either be a spectacular hit or an incredible bomb. For every success like "Breaking Bad" and "Handmaid's Tale," there is an epic failure like "Coupling" or "The Bionic Woman". TV audiences are receptive to new shows and how each show performs in its freshman season can indicate how long it may last. Some typically stand out from the pack, doing much better than others. However, as great as many new series' scored with audiences, there are some TV shows that never outdid their first season.
It's often hard to replicate the magic of a show's first season when the audience is introduced to the main characters, the storyline is set up, and everything is just so fresh. The characters – and the actors who play them – are key to a show – without a great cast, a TV show is less likely to succeed. Think of what "Friends" might have been without Chandler Bing or Phoebe Buffay and the actors who portrayed them. (Click here for the most despicable TV characters ever.) While these shows have still performed well, the magic from season one hasn't been the same and things often get stale.
To determine the TV shows that never outdid their first season, 24/7 Tempo reviewed episode-level data on audience reception from IMDb. TV series were ranked based on the percentage difference between the average IMDb rating for episodes in the first season and the average across all other episodes. Only shows with at least 40,000 IMDb user reviews total were considered.
40. Legion (2017-2019)
- Avg. IMDb user rating, season one: 8.6/10 (36,576 votes)
- Avg. IMDb user rating, rest of series: 8.3/10 (36,590 votes)
39. Supergirl (2015-2021)
- Avg. IMDb user rating, season one: 7.7/10 (61,585 votes)
- Avg. IMDb user rating, rest of series: 7.5/10 (169,924 votes)
38. See (2019-2022)
- Avg. IMDb user rating, season one: 8.0/10 (32,461 votes)
- Avg. IMDb user rating, rest of series: 7.8/10 (26,359 votes)
37. A Discovery of Witches (2018-2022)
- Avg. IMDb user rating, season one: 8.1/10 (15,839 votes)
- Avg. IMDb user rating, rest of series: 7.9/10 (13,478 votes)
36. My Name Is Earl (2005-2009)
- Avg. IMDb user rating, season one: 7.9/10 (19,499 votes)
- Avg. IMDb user rating, rest of series: 7.7/10 (40,388 votes)
35. Emily in Paris (2020-Present)
- Avg. IMDb user rating, season one: 7.3/10 (15,548 votes)
- Avg. IMDb user rating, rest of series: 7.0/10 (17,109 votes)
34. The O.C. (2003-2007)
- Avg. IMDb user rating, season one: 8.1/10 (19,233 votes)
- Avg. IMDb user rating, rest of series: 7.8/10 (32,951 votes)
33. Servant (2019-2023)
- Avg. IMDb user rating, season one: 7.8/10 (17,062 votes)
- Avg. IMDb user rating, rest of series: 7.5/10 (25,430 votes)
32. Sleepy Hollow (2013-2017)
- Avg. IMDb user rating, season one: 7.9/10 (14,920 votes)
- Avg. IMDb user rating, rest of series: 7.6/10 (23,939 votes)
31. Narcos: Mexico (2018-2021)
- Avg. IMDb user rating, season one: 8.4/10 (23,657 votes)
- Avg. IMDb user rating, rest of series: 8.1/10 (29,379 votes)
30. Final Space (2018-2021)
- Avg. IMDb user rating, season one: 8.5/10 (14,038 votes)
- Avg. IMDb user rating, rest of series: 8.1/10 (19,384 votes)
29. Shooter (2016-2018)
- Avg. IMDb user rating, season one: 8.0/10 (9,915 votes)
- Avg. IMDb user rating, rest of series: 7.6/10 (10,871 votes)
28. Sabrina the Teenage Witch (1996-2003)
- Avg. IMDb user rating, season one: 7.4/10 (8,899 votes)
- Avg. IMDb user rating, rest of series: 7.1/10 (28,568 votes)
27. Under the Dome (2013-2015)
- Avg. IMDb user rating, season one: 7.2/10 (21,878 votes)
- Avg. IMDb user rating, rest of series: 6.8/10 (25,776 votes)
26. Fargo (2014-2024)
- Avg. IMDb user rating, season one: 8.9/10 (106,503 votes)
- Avg. IMDb user rating, rest of series: 8.4/10 (215,596 votes)
25. Prison Break (2005-2017)
- Avg. IMDb user rating, season one: 8.8/10 (114,391 votes)
- Avg. IMDb user rating, rest of series: 8.3/10 (249,373 votes)
24. The Walking Dead (2010-2022)
- Avg. IMDb user rating, season one: 8.6/10 (114,229 votes)
- Avg. IMDb user rating, rest of series: 8.1/10 (2,012,639 votes)
23. American Crime Story (2016-Present)
- Avg. IMDb user rating, season one: 8.6/10 (36,652 votes)
- Avg. IMDb user rating, rest of series: 8.0/10 (33,045 votes)
22. New Amsterdam (2018-2023)
- Avg. IMDb user rating, season one: 8.3/10 (20,377 votes)
- Avg. IMDb user rating, rest of series: 7.7/10 (34,103 votes)
21. Jessica Jones (2015-2019)
- Avg. IMDb user rating, season one: 8.3/10 (75,197 votes)
- Avg. IMDb user rating, rest of series: 7.7/10 (65,641 votes)
20. Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan (2018-2023)
- Avg. IMDb user rating, season one: 8.2/10 (34,383 votes)
- Avg. IMDb user rating, rest of series: 7.6/10 (53,605 votes)
19. Designated Survivor (2016-2019)
- Avg. IMDb user rating, season one: 7.8/10 (39,910 votes)
- Avg. IMDb user rating, rest of series: 7.2/10 (32,787 votes)
18. Westworld (2016-2022)
- Avg. IMDb user rating, season one: 8.9/10 (194,681 votes)
- Avg. IMDb user rating, rest of series: 8.2/10 (240,846 votes)
17. Doom Patrol (2019-2023)
- Avg. IMDb user rating, season one: 8.4/10 (40,918 votes)
- Avg. IMDb user rating, rest of series: 7.7/10 (29,694 votes)
16. Empire (2015-2020)
- Avg. IMDb user rating, season one: 8.2/10 (9,155 votes)
- Avg. IMDb user rating, rest of series: 7.5/10 (19,973 votes)
15. American Gods (2017-2021)
- Avg. IMDb user rating, season one: 8.0/10 (28,256 votes)
- Avg. IMDb user rating, rest of series: 7.3/10 (20,932 votes)
14. Titans (2018-2023)
- Avg. IMDb user rating, season one: 8.2/10 (47,558 votes)
- Avg. IMDb user rating, rest of series: 7.5/10 (68,424 votes)
13. Quantico (2015-2018)
- Avg. IMDb user rating, season one: 7.3/10 (22,709 votes)
- Avg. IMDb user rating, rest of series: 6.7/10 (16,137 votes)
12. The Rookie (2018-Present)
- Avg. IMDb user rating, season one: 8.1/10 (26,878 votes)
- Avg. IMDb user rating, rest of series: 7.4/10 (75,425 votes)
11. Star Trek: Discovery (2017-2024)
- Avg. IMDb user rating, season one: 7.5/10 (80,695 votes)
- Avg. IMDb user rating, rest of series: 6.8/10 (134,498 votes)
10. Riverdale (2017-2023)
- Avg. IMDb user rating, season one: 7.9/10 (33,099 votes)
- Avg. IMDb user rating, rest of series: 7.1/10 (131,108 votes)
9. Heroes (2006-2010)
- Avg. IMDb user rating, season one: 8.2/10 (50,193 votes)
- Avg. IMDb user rating, rest of series: 7.4/10 (65,485 votes)
8. Goliath (2016-2021)
- Avg. IMDb user rating, season one: 8.3/10 (10,142 votes)
- Avg. IMDb user rating, rest of series: 7.5/10 (20,364 votes)
7. The Flash (2014-2023)
- Avg. IMDb user rating, season one: 8.7/10 (169,596 votes)
- Avg. IMDb user rating, rest of series: 7.8/10 (470,038 votes)
6. The Sinner (2017-2021)
- Avg. IMDb user rating, season one: 8.1/10 (25,536 votes)
- Avg. IMDb user rating, rest of series: 7.2/10 (40,587 votes)
5. Killing Eve (2018-2022)
- Avg. IMDb user rating, season one: 8.4/10 (37,091 votes)
- Avg. IMDb user rating, rest of series: 7.3/10 (67,352 votes)
4. The Morning Show (2019-Present)
- Avg. IMDb user rating, season one: 8.6/10 (38,791 votes)
- Avg. IMDb user rating, rest of series: 7.4/10 (31,022 votes)
3. The Witcher (2019-Present)
- Avg. IMDb user rating, season one: 8.3/10 (167,853 votes)
- Avg. IMDb user rating, rest of series: 7.1/10 (150,737 votes)
2. True Detective (2014-Present)
- Avg. IMDb user rating, season one: 9.2/10 (204,823 votes)
- Avg. IMDb user rating, rest of series: 7.8/10 (192,585 votes)
1. 13 Reasons Why (2017-2020)
- Avg. IMDb user rating, season one: 8.4/10 (84,538 votes)
- Avg. IMDb user rating, rest of series: 6.9/10 (93,178 votes)