After the series premiere of Ms. Marvel received positive reviews, fans can only hope that the events of the rest of the Disney+ show prove to be as interesting as those of the first 50 minutes. There’s actually a reason to keep your fingers crossed, as MCU projects haven’t always been good lately, with movies such as Eternals and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness elicited mixed reactions.
Things are unlikely to go south for Ms. Marvel, but if they do, it won’t be the first time something like this has happened. Over the years. there have been many shows that started out strong but disappointed fans after their pilots, and some Redditors have named the trending series that fall into this category.
The Last Resort (2014)
Stream on fuboTV
When the crew aboard the US Navy’s Ohio-class missile submarine defies the order to fire nuclear missiles, the members are declared enemies of the state and so take refuge on a small island. Redditor trekbette describes the pilot as “exciting ‘edge of your seat'” but is disappointed that ‘they couldn’t keep up the momentum on a one-series arc’.
The Redditor is correct that the pilot is a bit tighter and has a cinematic feel. In the first sequence of events, the crew members are more proactive since they are in the ocean (their natural habitat). Once on the island, all they have to do is engage in endless dialogue. The series therefore drifts towards the exploration of interpersonal relationships rather than going down the high-octane action route promised by the first.
The Newsroom (2012-2014)
Stream on HBO Max
Redditor nuryshak explains that “the pilot was awesome, but then the show got preachy and just fast-paced dialogue sequences with witty responses.” In the show, a news anchor struggles to work with a new team after the previous one leaves.
After creating one of the best shows on American politics, the multiple Emmy winner the west wing, many expected Aaron Sorkin to replicate the same magic here, but the show only lasted three seasons. The decline in form can be attributed to the shift from media coverage to office politics. In the first episode, the drama delves into real-life events like the Gulf of Mexico oil spills in depth, but later on, machiavellian brawls over offices and hallways take priority.
The Black Donnellys (2007)
Stream to Amazon Prime Video
Due to unavoidable circumstances, a group of 4 brothers find themselves embroiled in organized crime in Hell’s Kitchen in New York. Redditor -Brigand- appreciates the pre-trials but feels “the rest of the episodes were poor storylines trying to figure out how to deal with the fallout from the first episode.”
Most of the best gangster TV shows are held in high regard because they have a distinctive factor. The Sopranos has a mob boss who spends a lot of time in therapy while Peaky Blinders has a crime boss who loves politics. Unfortunately, The Black Donnellys is based solely on conflict and violence. Although his model looks appealing in the pilot, it quickly becomes boring, and it’s no surprise that NBC canceled it after just one season.
Under the Dome (2013-15)
Stream on Paramount+
The inhabitants of a small town find themselves in a dilemma when a dome cuts them off from the rest of the world. Reddito inquisitive_idgit thinks the series “had a pretty interesting premise – and that’s about it”.
The CBS sci-fi drama is considered one of Stephen King’s worst adaptations, so even the famous author himself has expressed his disappointment. The pilot does indeed make viewers eager to know why there is a dome, but after that, nothing seems real. Although it is cut off from the rest of the world. residents rarely have shortages of supplies. And the electricity continues to work quite well too.
FlashForward (2009–10)
Stream on Disney+
An FBI task force is tasked with finding out why the entire population of Earth passed out for 2 minutes and 17 seconds. PrimeThor22 is sad that “they ended up trying to keep up with too many stories and it ended in a convoluted mess.”
Redditor’s analysis is accurate because the series spends too much time exploring what individuals saw in their dreams during the time they passed out rather than finding out what actually caused the mass blackout. As a result, viewers are forced to follow the lives of too many characters.
Joy (2009-15)
Stream on Hulu
In the musical performance, a teacher tries to transform the choir by welcoming new students. HeroUnser56 thinks the pilot “was also a little darker and edgier, touching on how messed up high school was for outcast characters.”
Although not a favorite among Redditors, Joy is still considered one of the best music television shows of all time. Still, it’s understandable that some feel the show won viewers over with one thing but sold them another. At first, it looks like events will be strictly about the choir’s misfit group. But in later episodes, lighter themes are adopted.
Revolution (2012)
Stream to Amazon Prime Video
Revolutionaries fight warlords in a dystopian future where there is no electricity. Redditor then concludes that the series has deteriorated due to “too many inconsistencies”.
Given the good work he has done with Supernatural and The boys, it’s hard to believe that Eric Kripke was still in charge here. There are a lot of inconsistencies, including the fact that most people don’t seem malnourished after 15 years of starvation while others have the latest technology in a world without electricity. It’s not hard to see why the pilot was superior as it was directed by Jon Favreau.
Touch (2012–13)
Stream on Hulu
About the pilot, this_better_work, confesses that it “made me think it was a great series”. The FOX drama stars Kiefer Sutherland as a widower who discovers his son can predict the future.
Proof of how quickly the show fell is that the series premiere was watched by 12 million viewers, but the season 2 premiere only attracted 3 million viewers. Obviously, the events were so unsatisfactory that three-quarters of the show’s fans chose to drop out. And one of the main reasons it fails is that it’s repetitive, with the widower and his son trying to figure out the number sequences in each episode.
Reaper (2007–09)
Stream to Amazon Prime Video
Psynergy feels the humor disappeared after the series premiere, writing, “the first episode was hilarious, after that, not at all.” In it, a youngster is forced to be the devil’s bounty hunter after discovering that his parents have sold his soul.
The shift from humor to darker themes certainly deterred viewers who were hoping for more laughs. Keeping it as a laugh party would certainly have worked better and helped avoid unfair comparisons with Supernatural, which addresses the idea of ships, demons, angels and souls much better.
The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles (1992-1993)
Stream on Paramount+
The ABC show tells the story of the early years of a famous archaeologist, Indiana Jones. InnSea reminds everyone that it “hints at a series full of action, suspense and wit. But the following episodes felt a bit dry”.
The Redditor’s assessment isn’t far off as the series first promises to get straight into the action like the IndianaJones movies but then slows down into a detailed origin story. Harrison Ford’s absence is clearly felt as well, which explains why the ratings were quite low, leading to the show’s cancellation.
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