Which series got better and better every time a new season got released?

Submitted by uzaira6789 t3_zvlsq0 in television

Most of the shows perform below expectations after season 1 hit. Sometimes you're lucky to watch a series that keeps getting better every time a new season is released. For me, following are the series that seemed okayish at first, but turned out really, reeeally well as the story went ahead:

  1. Breaking Bad
  2. Friends
  3. Hannibal (Mads Mikkelsen, Hugh Dancy)
  4. Ozark
  5. Peaky Blinders
  6. Stranger Things (Season 4 competed with season 1)
  7. Sex Education

Tell me more!

21

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1

anasui1 t1_j1pqs7l wrote

Star Trek Deep Space Nine for me. Not bad s1, good s2, great s3, remaining four are just amazing television

33

erabera t1_j1prdx6 wrote

Buffy the vampire slayer.

13

MVPScheer123r8 t1_j1prq26 wrote

Mr. Robot. I know people think S2 is the weakest, but I honestly enjoyed it a lot more than S1. And then it just got world's better for S3 and S4.

18

e_x_i_t t1_j1prued wrote

12 Monkeys only kept getting better as it went on, they planned things out and it really showed.

10

PuertoRock007 t1_j1ps3n0 wrote

Vikings

With every season they just became more savage and powerful.

−2

billythepub t1_j1psd25 wrote

I don't agree with friends. It declined in quality in its later arc namely in the last 3 seasons.

48

Mdku22 t1_j1psfs7 wrote

Better Call Saul may be one of the best examples of this IMO

98

kazmosis t1_j1puqbp wrote

Spartacus started of unwatchably bad and then it got decent towards the end of Season 1. Every season after that was great though.

​

Black Sails was okayish/good for the first season and then whoa, did it pick up

9

billythepub t1_j1pux1d wrote

Replying to WhenRobLoweRobsLowes (#1,071,227)

The humour too was somewhat forced. If you watch the finale you will see that the natural humour that once flowed in the show is all gone and it was a pretty laugh less send off.

But then again whilst the last 3 seasons had their moments they were not consistent anymore and they certainly lacked the humour and charm of its earlier years so it wasn't surprising the finale wasn't funny and lackluster. Joey was akin to a special needs person by the end and he was so child like ir just was no longer funny. The writers seemed to have totally ran out of ideas with the joey and rachael affair.

Whilst I only watched the early years of cheers in the shelley long years I can't comment on what came next but I caught the cheers finale on tv a few weeks ago and it was still laugh out loud funny. Again I didn't watch cheers with kristie alley so can't comment on its last 6 seasons but certainly they had brilliant humour in the finale episodes, this wasn't the case on friends.

0

bakedpbj t1_j1pxbh8 wrote

The Venture Brothers. The lore is all so self referential and the creators were so continuity obsessed, they just kept building a more deeply connected universe.

#monarchcrewforlife

32

MrSheeeen t1_j1pzsn9 wrote

It’s been a long time since I watched it, but Fringe is this first that came to mind. Started off as a pretty standard paranormal investigation show, but it got pretty wild with alternate dimensions etc

12 monkeys for similar reasons

9

clekas t1_j1q0yge wrote

Replying to billythepub (#1,071,304)

Cheers remained very funny throughout its run - there’s an episode here or there that isn’t as great as the others, but, IMO, the Kirstie Alley years were great, too. Sam and Diane had that undeniable chemistry, but Danson and Alley played off each other very well, too.

4

clekas t1_j1q1jol wrote

Schitt’s Creek

The first season was fine, I feel all of the other seasons are strong, but each season is better than the one before it - it got more sentimental without feeling schlocky and the characters were more interesting and felt less and less like caricatures as the show went on.

48

Deadhouse_Gates t1_j1q2ljk wrote

Replying to anasui1 (#1,070,749)

Yeah, you can tell DS9 changed for the better after getting slightly different/updated opening credits in S4. Oh, and I have to mention Sisko’s goatee - DS9 definitely got better after Sisko went with the bald and goatee look.

5

DanglyPants t1_j1q2ry4 wrote

Agents of Shield and The Clone Wars

Both shows wrap up really nicely but you could argue that s4 of AOS is the best season but I had to mention it cuz 1-4 every season gets better and better

21

LetsStartARebelution t1_j1q7lr4 wrote

Intersting you mention peaky blinders on this list. I thought PB was best at the beginning and not as good later on.

6

Fakirbocko t1_j1q9b8z wrote

It is always sunny in Philadelphia. It is awesome :-)

6

billythepub t1_j1qam1y wrote

Replying to clekas (#1,072,170)

Meh for me cheers was shelley long. She put it on the map and it was pretty much her show greatly helped by her chemistry with danson. After she left I watched the odd ep but my interest was gone.

−4

prettypuffin t1_j1qekmh wrote

Bojack horseman for me. First season picks up in the middle and then after each season I feel hits harder than the last. Beautiful writing

17

84FSP t1_j1qeqyt wrote

Like the list - I humbly submit American Horror Story. Darker and weirder each season. It was much improved by the completely different story line sharing the same cast. Loved it.

0

NGNSteveTheSamurai t1_j1qfil1 wrote

The original run of Arrested Development. So many layers and callbacks that made it funnier and funnier.

9

brymc81 t1_j1qg82c wrote

Hacks

Only two seasons so far but I like where this is going.

5

MarkyDeSade t1_j1qjq8z wrote

Replying to anasui1 (#1,070,749)

Even though I don't think s7 was quite as good as s6 (Dax stuff, the Prophet storyline turning into some space wizard bullshit), the show was pretty much the gold standard for improvement season over season. And I only watched the whole thing a couple of years ago.

11

Apokolypze t1_j1qkjok wrote

Replying to DanglyPants (#1,072,407)

Came here to say this about AoS. Whatever your opinion of the show after the stone activates and sends them to space, everyone I've talked to agrees the first few seasons just keep getting better

6

schleppylundo t1_j1qln1x wrote

Replying to MarkyDeSade (#1,074,704)

If >!Jadzia had been killed!< at the end of Season 5 instead of the end of season 6 I think Ezri would have worked a lot better. Cramming all of that into one season while also trying to wrap up the Dominion War was a mistake, but one they didn’t have a lot of alternatives for if they wanted her to be a full fledged part of the cast.

Of course Rick Berman >!not running Terry Farrel off the show in the first place!< would be the best case scenario but I do like Ezri, just not how much time was devoted to her in the final season.

7

ndoty_sa t1_j1qqzj2 wrote

The Shield. Just finished a rewatch.

1

billythepub t1_j1qss55 wrote

Replying to ClipClipClip99 (#1,075,664)

Yea they tried to be too arty and pretentious in the later years and for me it just killed it. Season 5 with the key storyline went into overkill and her sister annoyed me. I gave up on season 7 it just was that bad.

Seasons 4 to 6 had their great moments but the consistency of the first 3 years was gone. Season 2 was where it peaked.

2

Vandosz t1_j1qumz8 wrote

You think peaky blinders got better as it went on? I dont know for me it started to lose me after it turned from a gangster show so quickly into politics and then ended it all very anti climactically. I wanted it to build up slowly but after they end season 1 they get rid of the villain they build up. Season 2 they have the whole london plot which was good but season 3 jumped way too far too fast for my liking

1

Vandosz t1_j1qushx wrote

Replying to Mdku22 (#1,070,975)

I actually think those early BCS seasons are even better than the later ones. It stands on its own, doesnt rely as much on breaking bad subplots with the cartel etc

6

grahamwhich t1_j1qv4j8 wrote

My fiancé and I just watched through new girl and I was supposed at how much better it got as the seasons went on. The last season was fine, last episode I would say was actually maybe the worst episode but in general it fits the bill of each season being better than the last. The character writing and development was phenomenal

3

Myzx t1_j1qx5pu wrote

Adventure time

2

shidekigonomo t1_j1r1mu9 wrote

Halt and Catch Fire. Went from a wannabe Mad Men clone in its first season to a very thoughtful relationship-oriented show about a bunch of nearly successful failures in the tech world.

3

digestivecouch t1_j1r38at wrote

You! Every season has been more interesting than the last.

2

scaryclown148 t1_j1rnzor wrote

Replying to tidewater3 (#1,070,863)

I put off watch Yellowstone cause I thought it was going to be a little house on the prairie. From the 1st episode it punched me in the face and had me gasping. But it crescendo in season 3 and has now turned into a little house on the prairie. It’s still good just not balls deep crazy shit anymore

1

kosher_cannibal t1_j1s1z2h wrote

The expanse, at least for the 3 seasons sy-fy had it, Amazon seasons aren’t bad either but those first 3 seasons just got better and better.

3

chuckfr t1_j1s5k3k wrote

Game of Thrones.

I just finished season 6 and can’t wait to see how the next two brings this awesome story to a close!

3

Kay312010 t1_j1si1vj wrote

Succession

Seal Team

Yellowstone

Power

Homeland

1

-Dustin-Echoes- t1_j1smaa0 wrote

I think the only show that genuinely does this for me is Shingeki no Kyojin.

Others come close though. Mr Robot would but 2 is a little worse than 1. Black sails would but 3 is a little better than 4. Avatar is the same except it's 2 that's a little better than 3.

1

migeme t1_j1stfi6 wrote

The. Motherfucking. Leftovers.

5

Serenityprayer69 t1_j1syiyh wrote

Mr robot by far. The character development that needed to have happened by season 4 and 5 story lines was neccececary and totally worth it. The episode Eliot betrayed that girl it seemed like he had a connection with was the best I've seen on tv. When he finds her in the bathroom.. that moment the tone of the episode changes and he reveals himself. my god. the best hour of tv. And you needed 4 season of Eliot being alone. To find this strange connection only to betray it. Then the intensity of the reaction. Fuck

2

antmars t1_j1t8hss wrote

Replying to HopeDeferred (#1,072,365)

I dunno man Season 3 was peak televisions. 16/16 perfect episodes. While the rest of the show was still great don’t know if anything matched the legendary run of S3. (Really back half of S2 into S3…)

3

cgio0 t1_j1tkn5e wrote

Bojack horseman

1

Marthentic t1_j1tqzti wrote

The Sopranos

Narcos

Luke Cage - season was rough but season 2 went so hard

Better Call Saul

1

rikashiku t1_j1tuq1o wrote

The Expanse. That third season was incredible and IMO would have been difficult to top. A slight hiccup with the fourth season that evolves into an amazing finale, and an incredible Fifth and Sixth season.

1

IronVader501 t1_j1u0170 wrote

Star Wars: The Clone Wars

The final 4 episodes remain some of the best content in the entire franchise

1

MVPScheer123r8 t1_j1u7uco wrote

Replying to sdfree0172 (#1,087,449)

Season 3 is bonkers good and has one of my favorite back to back episode sections in television history (Season 3 Episode 5 Runtime Error and Season 3 Episode 6 Kill Process, rivals things like S6 Episodes 9 & 10 from Game of Thrones). Season 4 is maybe the best final season to anything ever. Has both my favorite television episode (Season 4 Episode 7 Proxy Authentication Required) and also has one of my favorite series finales in it (Season 4 Episode 13 Hello, Elliot). And I don't even think I'm really the target audience for the show. I honestly think I should have liked it more and it's like 2nd on my list of best things I've ever seen.

For what it's worth, everyone should definitely watch the show one time through for Proxy Authentication Required alone. It's the greatest payoff to something you didn't even know you needed and it was built to throughout flawlessly while being right under your nose the whole time. If you care about IMDB ratings, that episode had a perfect 10 rating for like 6-7 months after it aired.

1

sergiocamposnt t1_j1uvwpi wrote

This is the first time I've ever seen a thread about "shows that gets better every season" where The Leftovers is not one of the top comments.

1