Whenever viewers react well to a TV show, it feels like a second season is practically inevitable, although sometimes it is better to follow the motto that less is more. Aone-off miniseriescan often be far more compelling than a show that artificially continues its narrative well after the story requires it, and it showcases a real sense of artistic integrity when creators and showrunners bow out while leaving the audience wanting more. These are all shows that had incredible first seasons butdropped the ball in season 2.
While all ofthese shows would have been better if they never got a second season, that’s not to say that the later episodes were totally without value. Of course, many viewers will have a great fondness for these shows' underwhelming second seasons, and just because they couldn’t live up to the original is not a reason they should be dismissed entirely. It’s notoriously difficult to follow up afantastic showwith another batch of equally compelling episodes, and it’s rare for lightning to strike twice in the same place.
Squid Game
Cast
Squid Game is a South Korean series released in 2021 that follows numerous financially struggling participants who are invited to partake in children’s games with deadly outcomes. As they compete, they vie for a substantial cash prize, all while navigating lethal challenges orchestrated by mysterious figures.
It’s hard to underestimate just how much of a global phenomenon the first season ofSquid Gamewas when it aired in 2021. This South Korean Netflix series united the world as millions of people all over the globe tuned into this dystopian thriller survival story while stuck inside due to the restrictions imposed by the Covid-19 pandemic. Along with series likeTiger King,Squid Gamebecame a major talking point, and it was incredible to witness how a South Korean show was able to break through with Western audiences in such a major way.
However,Squid Gameseason 1 felt totally self-contained, and afterwitnessing Seong Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae) go through the arduous task of making it out of the deadly game show alive, viewers were surprised when Netflix renewed the show.Squid Game’ssecond outing had exciting moments, but it was hard not to wonder if the show would have been better had it just quit while it was ahead. WhileSquid Game’sthird and final season will offer it one last chance to redeem its legacy, it’s difficult to imagine it living up to the hype of season one.
Russian Doll
Russian Doll follows a cynical young woman named Nadia on her journey as the guest of honor at a seemingly inescapable party one night in New York City. After dying on the night of her party, Nadia keeps repeating the same day - over and over again, with death assured before each day ends. However, when she meets Alan Zaveri, a man who is experiencing the same phenomenon, the pair work together to hopefully break the cycle once and for all.
While many viewers will already recognize Natasha Lyonne from cult classics likeBut I’m a Cheerleaderand her main role inOrange is the New Black, it was inRussian Dollthat she was most effectively able to lean into her hardened New Yorker persona. This astounding comedy-drama saw Lyonne play Nadia Vulvokov, a woman who finds herself repeatedly reliving her 36th birthday as she continually dies and reappears at her own party. As a unique spin onGroundhog Day,Russian Dolladdressed philosophical issues of aging, existentialism, and repressed trauma.
The inventive and bingeable story ofRussian Doll’sfirst season worked perfectly as a self-contained work where Nadia found a connection with a young man also stuck in a time loop, and the pair attempted to break out of their temporal prison together. WhileRussian Doll’ssecond season introduced another layer to Nadia’s trauma as she began to literally embody her late mother during the 1980s, season 2 lacked the unique spark of its original run and was at times too convoluted for its own good.
Westworld
Westworld is a television series set in a futuristic Wild West-themed amusement park where advanced android hosts cater to human guests' desires. The series explores the themes of artificial consciousness and human morality as the lines between reality and artificiality begin to blur.
Westworldwas a clever, satirical, dystopian sci-fi series that updated Michael Crichton’s original 1973 movie for the modern age. As an exploration of artificial intelligence, technology, and humanities increased barbarism and need for distraction,Westworldaddressed deeply philosophical themes head-on and packaged them within a highly engaging mystery. With a season one twist that involved multiple connected timelines, what madeWestworldseason 1 such engrossing viewing was that although it was a very smart show, it never felt alienating or unknowable.
However,Westworldsadly squandered its potential of becomingthe nextGame of Thronesby having increasingly convoluted and complex storylines in its subsequent seasons. The harsh reality was that as the show went on, it became too clever for its own good, and viewers began to drop off. With difficult-to-follow narratives that strayed ever further away from its Wild West theme park origins,Westworldwas canceled before reaching its conclusion, and it’s hard not to feel like things would have been better had it been a one-season miniseries.
Wayward Pines
Wayward Pines is a sci-fi series based on the Blake Crouch novel series of the same name. Its story initially centers around Ethan Burke, a secret service agent investigating the disappearance of two of his fellow agents in a small Idaho town. The series ran for two seasons on Fox between 2014 and 2016 before being officially canceled a few years later.
The mystery sci-fi seriesWayward Pineshad a great first season as Ethan Burke is a U.S. Secret Service agent investigating the disappearance of two fellow agents in the mysterious small town of Wayward Pines. Witha pilot episode directed by M. Night Shyamalan, the show had an intriguing sense of style that owed a lot to the puzzling and intriguing appeal ofTwin Peaks. The creepy and strange atmosphere of the show made it stand out initially, although after concluding its original mystery it devolved into a dull and uninteresting series.
Wayward Pines’second season was a prime example of a show that should not have been renewed as the promise of its debut run of episodes was replaced with repetitive and predictable storytelling. With poor writing, mediocre acting, and plenty of pointless sequences, the fact that season 1 was so good made its failure all the more disappointing.
Bad Sisters
Bad Sisters is an Apple TV+ exclusive series based on the Flemish TV original Clan. The Garvey sisters are a group of five blood-related siblings bonded closely after the untimely death of their parents. Tragedy strikes once again when the husband of Grace Williams (Anne-Marie Duff) dies. The other four sisters, however, haven’t hidden their disapproval of Grace’s husband, John Paul Williams, due to his poor treatment of her on an abusive level. His life insurer notes this and launches an investigation into John’s death. Bad Sisters will take viewers back and forth into the past and present as they unveil the truth about what happened around John’s death.
The Irish black comedy seriesBad Sistersfeatured an incredible ensemble focused on the five Garvey sisters and the mystery at the heart of their lives. Developed and starring theCatastropheandMotherlandcreator Sharon Horgan, the first season ofBad Sisterswas a hilarious whodunnit exploring the death of an abusive husband and the sisters at the center of his life insurance investigation. Through the use of flashbacks, the first season ofBad Sistersslowly revealed the true nature of the man’s deathas audiences suspected each sister could be the culprit.
This excellent setup was based on the Belgian seriesClan, and when the show decided to continue its story for a second season, it began to lose its way. WhileBad Sistersseason 2 still featured its incredible cast of hilarious Irish women, its litany of new mysteries and overblown plot points did not have the same cohesive and narrative throughline as season 1. Although there were some great moments inBad Sisterssophomore season, at times it felt rushed and unnecessary.
Your Honor
Your Honor is a legal drama series starring Bryan Cranston as a respected judge whose son becomes involved in a hit-and-run accident. The incident sets off a dangerous chain of events that forces the judge to confront his own principles and navigate the moral complexities of the law. The series explores themes of justice, loyalty, and ethics, offering a compelling narrative of a father’s desperate attempts to protect his son.
To many viewers, Bryan Cranston will always be the hapless dad onMalcolm in the Middle,and to others, he’s inseparable from his career-best role as Walter White onBreaking Bad. However, Cranston added another incredible show to his roster of accomplishments as Judge Michael Desiato on the thrilling legal dramaYour Honor. As the story of a father’s misguided attempts to use his legal power to protect his son after he was involved in a hit-and-run, this nail-biting series saw the family members caught up in an intense conspiracy involving a New Orleans crime family.
As a show adapted from the Israeli TV seriesKvodo,Your Honor’sfirst season was a self-contained morality tale about the dangers of stepping outside the law, even if it’s to protect a loved one.Your Honor’sclever themes struck a chord with viewers, but the problem was it should have never been renewed for a second season. WhenYour Honorreturned for another batch of episodes, it no longer felt as urgent, and while the image of Cranston bearded and disheveled in a prison cell looked intriguing, the show just didn’t have the same impact the second time around.
Killing Eve
Killing Eve is a black comedy thriller series starring Sandra Oh as British intelligence officer Eve Polastri who is assigned to track and capture a dangerous assassin named Villanelle, played by Jodie Comer. Bored with her life, Eve finds herself hired by an undercover MI6 division tasked with tracking down Villanelle - who, after just a brief time studying and following her, she becomes obsessed with her. However, the obsession becomes mutual as soon the two enter a game of cat and mouse that deviates them from their missions as they venture to learn more about one another.
Phoebe Waller-Bridge proved she was far more than a one-hit-wonder when she followed up her astounding work onFleabagas the showrunner for season 1 ofKilling Eve. This unique feminist spy series mixed strong characterization with sexual tension as its clever game of cat and mouse kept viewers on the edge of their seats. With theMI15 agent Eve Polastri (Sandra Oh) on the trail of the sociopathic assassin Villanelle (Jodie Comer), the debut season of this series featured some of the sharpest writing on television.
As a series adapted from theVillanellenovel series by Luke Jennings,Killing Evecould have continued for multiple seasons with the same high level of quality. However, following the exit of Waller-Bridge after the first season, the show was just never quite as engaging. While it was still exciting to see the way Eve and Villanelle couldn’t help but explore their strange, sexually charged, antagonistic relationship, the truth was that without Waller-Bridge’s signature comedic charm, there was just something missing from its later seasons.
True Detective
True Detective is an anthology series exploring intricate criminal investigations through multiple timelines. Each season examines dark personal and professional secrets revealed during the course of solving complex cases, highlighting the impact of crime on individuals both within and outside the law enforcement community.
True Detectivefelt like a total revelation when it aired in 2014 and was immediately spoken about by critics and viewers alike as one of the best crime series of all time. With Woody Harrelson and Matthew McConaughey in the leading roles, the duo’s star power may have brought viewers to the show, but they stuck around for its strong writing, eerie atmosphere, and intriguing mystery taking place over several timelines. As an extension of the McConaissance, which saw McConaughey’s career revitalized with an Oscar-winning performance inDallas Buyers Club,True Detectivefelt like the cherry on top.
The widespread success ofTrue Detectivemeant a second season was inevitable, although the decision to make it an anthology series left many feeling disappointed. The second season starred Colin Farrell, Vince Vaughn, and Rachel McAdams, and sadly it just did not have the same impact. While it was great that series creatorNic Pizzolatto opted to try something new with the show,True Detectivewas never again able to match the extraordinary glory days of season 1.
Broadchurch
Broadchurch: Set in a small coastal town, Broadchurch follows the intense investigation into the murder of a young boy, as the case draws significant media attention and threatens the fabric of the close-knit community.
The British crime dramaBroadchurchwas an exceptionally crafted mystery in its first series as Detective Inspector Alec Hardy (David Tennant) and Detective Sergeant Ellie Miller (Olivia Colman) investigated the murder of an 11-year-old boy in the British coastal town of Broadchurch, Dorset. Over the course of eight episodes, the close-knit community seen inBroadchurchwas torn apart as grievances emerged, and practically everyone was a suspect. As all was revealed in its thrilling conclusion,Broadchurchseason 1 stood as a totally effective season of television.
While the second and third series ofBroadchurchwere well-received, there’s no denying that it lost some of its impact as its narrative increasingly stretched the limits of believability. As court cases and old secrets built upon the previously established storylines,Broadchurchfelt less urgent and more convoluted. While the writing and performances were always top-notch, it should have remained just one perfect season.
13 Reasons Why
After Hannah Baker takes her own life, her classmate Clay Jensen, who had a crush on her, receives a set of tapes narrated by Hannah, stating that they were sent to each person behind the 13 reasons that she committed suicide.
13 Reasons Whyadapted a novel by Jay Asher and had its premise already outlined in its title. As the story of the aftermath of teen suicide and the deceased student who left behind cassette tapes detailing those she deemed were responsible and the reasoning behind her act, this was a show that really should have only had one season. While13 Reasons Whytouched on important issues of bullying, depression, and self-harm, the success of the series meant that Netflix continually renewed it despite the narrative having already wrapped up.
Had13 Reasons Whyremained a one-off miniseries, it would have gone down in streaming history as one of the most effective teen dramas ever made. However, season 2 moved past the source material, and the show began to lose sight of the nuances viewers connected with in the first place.13 Reasons Whydeclined with each subsequent season, and by the time the show finally concluded, it was receiving overwhelmingly negative reviews for the triggering way it dealt with serious topics that affect young people.
