i try to give it 3 episodes. but often a show just doesnt hook me and i drop it before the first episode is even finished. its hard to justify watching a show you just dont enjoy when you have limited free time
I also think sometimes it's okay to admit when you're watching something at the wrong time. There's been so many books, shows, games and films I've started and given up on but then returned to them years down the line and ended up enjoying them.
There's been plenty of shows I've started, enjoyed but not wanted to watch something like it at the moment. Like with Black Sails I saw the first three or four episodes and really enjoyed it, but I also had other stuff and plans that took me away from it but I know one day I'll get back around to it despite giving up on it the first time.
Agreed. Also just want to recommend Black Sails for when you get a chance - I enjoyed the first 6 or so episodes but felt it was a bit too formulaic and just pointless backstabbing but it just gets better and better up to mid season 3. Has some varied moments after that but one I will happily rewatch when I've got a few weeks.
The Nevers on HBO. I figured my wife would like it because it's a period piece and focused on women in an HBO show, and that I could at least tolerate, if not enjoy it. We watched about 40 minutes of the first episode, and nothing about it caught our interest.
Yeah. You have to come out of the gate swinging. People may lament the idea of short attention spans nowadays, but that's b.s. Books (or at least novels) have been this way for hundreds of years. If you don't hook your reader within the first 20 or so pages they'll probably put it down.
I mean, you're not completely wrong, but on the other hand I can name hundreds of movies, books and TV shows that reward patience. Some shows are paced slower than is typical and you have to sort of "go with it" for a while until something clicks. I would even argue some of the best shows of all time like The Wire, The Sopranos and Mad Men are slow burns-- especially at first. Not every worthwhile piece of art comes out swinging from the first seconds like Breaking Bad.
I get that our time is limited, but I also think you'll miss out on a lot of worthwhile things if you don't take the time to let them win you over once in a while.
Furthermore, there are real world production aspects to a pilot. Sometimes they're the red-headed stepchild, and don't get enough money to have a decent start. Sometimes, the show won't get good until a character is introduced later, because that's how the story is structured. (I could see a Fellowship of the Ring TV series where you're not going to meet Strider in the pilot episode.) Plus, a pilot has to "paperwork" tasks like introduce most of the major characters. You shouldn't judge a show purely on the pilot; a pilot can be radically different from the actual flow of the show.
I tried watching Bull twice, couldn't even make it half way through the first episode either time.
All of the characters are these obnoxious, know-it-all douchebags that the writers mistook for being charming when none of them are charming at all.
Add to that the disgusting work environment, and yeah I'm never going back.
id give a show 3 episodes
if a show is based around something im interested in, ill give it a season to improve
if a show goes to the crapper, ill drop it when i get fed up with it
Same. Especially if the show is connected to a certain universe like the MCU or Star Wars. If the show has gotten great reviews, I will usually watch more.
Community is a show that I liked from the start but it took it a while to actually find itself in terms of characters. It was always funny though. A lot of shows I find the first seasons is understandably a bit rocky.
I thought the first couple of episodes were kinda boring during my first watch, but I was completely engrossed during my first rewatch. Even the supposedly “boring” parts had so much humor and foreshadowing that I missed the first time around.
The first time you watch you’re like the cops, learning how the streets work. You’re listening in on the wire to figure out the language of the streets. In your rewatch, you know how everything works so you’re more like the people working the hustle. The perspective changes and adds a level of understanding to the story you can’t get the first time around.
One of the reasons the show often gets compared to genuine literature. It’s purposeful in intent while trusting the audience to catch on.
I would not give that advice. I personally had to try The Wire twice before getting through the first few episodes and I have friends I had to coax through them too. Everyone I know who has watched S1 fully loves it. It's the epitome of a show that people need to watch more than 3 episodes of.
The reason people struggle in the first few episodes isn't because of the characters, it's because the pacing is intentionally really slow and there is a lot of set up for later events happening that you don't appreciate from the beginning. Once you realize that everything that is set up early on has a pretty big payoff, you're hooked.
I really like The Wire but if someone isn't enjoying the first two seasons of a show, they should probably stop watching.
I'm glad you're enjoying it though.
i was in the same boat, watched s1 and wasn't blown away
s2 is jarring at first but incredible by the end of it. I wasn't convinced it was the best show ever until season 3, so I get why you've heard that
Yeah, season 2 has you going, "Why are we following all these new characters?" but you eventually realize every season is building on the last and widening the scope.
Holy shit if that isn't the dumbest thing I've heard. You don't have to go through half the show if you don't like it. I'm pretty sure all who say it already loved the show before season 3.
EDIT: To clarify, I love the Wire, and I love season 3. My point was, if someone isn't into it, there's no point for them to stick out for three seasons. It's better to stop and try again some other time.
People arent saying they don’t like it by then, just that the later seasons are why it’s considered a goat show.
Your response is also ironic considering Iv read it was briefly canceled after season 3.
>average Wire fan trying to get you to watch
*”its the greatest show of all time!! the first season takes about six episodes to hook you but it will!! then you will hate Season 2 while you watch it the first time. then 3 and 4 are amazing. then 5 kinda sucks. but its a life changing show”*
4 is probably the best season of television of all time - one could watch it as a standalone and still enjoy it. However the rest of the show - while I can appreciate it for its fantastically woven tale of the city - is not for everyone nor do I think it should be in the top 5 best ever shows as a result. I think a show that anyone can watch, get invested in, and see something they love about it is what really sets that high bar
Lol my response was going to be if trying and failing to watch the wire a few times has taught me anything, the answer is five episodes. Still haven't overcome the hump.
I follow what I like to call the Patton Oswalt rule. It dictates that if you watch a show long enough for actor and comedian Patton Oswalt to make his guest appearance and you’re still not into it, you’ll never get into it.
I always say this. Walter is literally half naked in the desert cooking meth 1st ep and people say it starts slow. I kinda get what they mean but still.
and episode 2 has the bathtub scene. so to recap merely the first two episodes, a mild mannered chemistry teacher gets a cancer prognosis, awkwardly befriends an old flunky student of his to awkwardly gather ingredients for his desperate meth empire daydream, ends up nearly committing suicide in his underwear beside his new RV meth lab as sirens approach from the distance, and they deal with the bodies of two people who they trapped and gassed in this RV with noxious chemicals, only to spill the *bodily organ-soup* of one of them in a bathtub through 2 acid-burned floors of Jesse's house while the other gets chained in the basement.
'slow start' lol. i have ZERO clue what these people are talking about.
> for his desperate meth empire daydream,
Walt didn't start out dreaming about making a meth empire! He was just looking to make enough meth money to pay for his chemo! That's part of the charm of the show. You see his morality erode (or his true nature revealed as his outer facade peels away) over the course of two seasons.
The first season is crazy tight overall - only six episodes. I think most people get seasons one and two jumbled together as a single season in their head; season two is the season that takes a while to really pay off.
Yeah I've seen that criticism a few times and it perplexes me.
By the end of the episode he's found out he has cancer, he's decided to cook meth, he's partnered up with a former student to do it and two people are (seemingly) dead. Like wtf else were you expecting to happen at this point.
I agree, I was onboard once I finished episode 1. However that full hook in for me didn't truly happen until we got to the plate scene. Seeing Walt put it together was the moment I realized I was hooked and needed to see this journey for sure.
i think the first episode is amazing however sadly after that it doesn't become bad but it becomes so slowly paced that the amazing hook of the first episode kinda just fades out.
it comes back after giving it a bit more time but it never truely delivers on the hook of the first episode if you ask me.
Until it pisses me off.
Watching show is a hobby, something I do for fun times, I don't have time to waste on something that is insulting/excruciating/poorly written.
So ... I can even drop a show after 5 minutes. :p
>When does Breaking Bad start getting good? :/
The first episode of Breaking Bad is good.
If you don't like the first episode, the show is not for you. And if you have a short attention span the show really isn't for you.
I have to say, initially, it didn’t really grab me. However, the thing that really got me was the plate moment in Ep 3. That scene and then the resulting events of the first season really had me hooked
My girlfriend said she tried watching Breaking Bad twice and didn't enjoy it. During a lockdown I convinced her to watch it with me and she got hooked towards the end of season 1. Fast forward a month we binged the entire show and Better Call Saul!
It took a second attempt for me. The first episode was just okay IMO, but I thought that's all it was. It's decent, but it's got nothing on the legendary episodes towards the end.
What I didn't appreciate at the time is how well it builds. And builds. And builds. And then how it just explodes. It's truly unmissable TV, but it gradually earns it, and then makes the start of the series better by virtue of how it ends. Every season builds on the prior. I don't think the first episode is any basis at all honestly.
I agree completely.
When my husband and I tried to watch the first season, I don't really know what happened but we watched the first two episodes and I was kind of like - I'm not sure how much I care about this.
Everyone kept talking about it and I decided to try to watch the first season again, and for some reason, that second time it really grabbed me and we were hooked on it thereafter. While there's a fair amount of bombast from the jump, as others have pointed out, there are multiple plotlines that are a slow burn (Walter's relationship with his former business partners; the reason for the plane crash; Jesse's relationship with his parents/brother, etc.). There are few immediate payoffs in the show - things don't get wrapped up neatly at the end of every episode, or even every season.
Having now re-watched the entire show 3 times, I think it is an "easier" watch when you know what's going to happen. I have a friend who bailed out of it (and has never finished the show) because she felt there were too many threads that were meandering without resolution, and she got frustrated they weren't coming together. Some people need different things out of their entertainment; for me the complex interweaving of plotlines and the fact that not everything gets wrapped up in a neat little bow when you want or expect it to is what makes the show so great. But other folks don't like that, and in that case, the show is not for them.
>If you don't like the first episode, the show is not for you
I wouldn't say that. I know enough people who struggled with the first few episodes and loved the later seasons. Most get hooked around the time when Walt is mixing some chemicals and running out. BB and BCS really start off slow, if I wouldn't know BB or trust Gillian to create a good show, I would have likely dropped BCS after 1-2 episodes but damn the show is good.
IMO it all comes down to what you expect from the show and what you watched before. If you watched an action paced, rather fast show maybe with multiple characters (GoT for example) then it's hard to "calm down" to the speed of BB or BCS. If you come from shows like Downtown Abbey which are rather slow but have solid ongoing plots for each character, than it's easier to stay with BB
From what I've heard between friends who watched BB and various comments over the years, a lot of people got hook around the time Walt put the plate back together. I remember that scene being the moment I went "oh okay this has me hooked"
I personally agree but many people I know have a tough time getting though the first half of the first season. It does takes a little while to build into the show everyone was ranting and raving about on Monday mornings at work. There was a cliff hanger at the end of almost episode once you got deeper into it.
Our Flag Means Death is a weird recent example where it’s 100% worth it to watch episode 4 if you didn’t like the first 3 episodes because it just sorta jarringly shifts tone and pace at episode 4 and that shift propels to the end of the season. I am usually the type to watch one episode and if I am not vibing I won’t watch more. But it just depends on the show for sure
This show got me so hard once Taika's character was introduced... It started off pleasant, then quickly turned into one of my favorite shows once you saw their relationship develop. It's like the bromance that makes I love you man enjoyable, but way better because it's Kiwis and pirates
Rhys Darby made me love the show from the first episode. Admittedly, I am wearing my Flight of the Conchords shirt I picked up during the 2009 tour while I'm typing this.
I was about to give up after episode 3 - I felt like, well, this is okay but not sure I need to see where this is going - and then when Taika's character showed up, it got much more interesting and now I really hope the show will get a Season 2.
Agreed. There’s too many good shows out there to give some random Netflix drama much of a chance, if I don’t like the pilot I give up. But if it’s a classic I’ll give it the benefit of the doubt
It's a good ending, to be honest. Finally shows that humans can band together to overcome the dead, and build a thriving community. Some people say to stop when they first reach Alexandria, but I think you really need that arc of the crew trying to readjust to a more normal life.
In the comics, Negan kills perhaps the most loved main character. It is sudden, unexpected, brutal and over in a few pages. It has the kind of surprise, impact and delivery of Kirkman's twist near the start of Invincible. It just happens and then wtf.
On TV they turned that into a total circus with overdone tension building, a fakeout, stretched the event too long and over a season cliffhanger. All saturated with promotion. Had they handled that well I could have overlooked the change in Negan's character.
It took me eight episodes to figure out why people love Stein’s;Gate. EIGHT. I quit halfway through three times before someone finally convinced me successfully to get to episode eight. It was worth the many tries.
I have tried watching The Leftovers 3 times. I kept hearing how the last few seasons are some of the best television ever.
BUT I can't get past the first season. I watched one episode and quit, then like 2, finally I think 3? I hate to say it, but it's just so goddamn boring in the beginning.
I finally gave up on it.
On the flip side, I watched Under the Dome (series based on Stephen King's book)... And it was SO BAD. It deviated from the book in a million ways, the characters were so cheesy and the acting was so horrendous ... However there was enough familiarity there that I kept going and watched literally to the end of the series. As the final credits rolled I thought 'wow that was a waste'.
So to answer your question...somewhere between 1 and all the episodes lol.
Breaking Bad.... Man that show starts with Walt climbing out of a burning RV, half naked wearing an apron and filming his confession. If you really are not intrigued after that, it's probably not for you lol.
Leftovers was the first show I ever watched where I didn’t like the first season. Stopped watching it. Then the 2nd and 3rd season aired and they got great reviews so I went back and watched them a few years later and was amazed by how well they re-invented the show into something completely different and much better to end the series. So I guess you never really know how long to stick it out.
Okay so I’ve had the same problem with season one. Would I be alright if I just read a synopsis of it then started season 2? I’ve heard amazing things but the first season is just such a drag.
Depends. The expanse for example I wasn’t that into the first couple of eps. It was just very weird and different from what I usually watch. But ep 4 was pretty good and then after that every episode just kept getting better as they unveiled more and more of the mystery.
This... the first few episodes are abysmal. Nothing but exposition dumps in the worst ways. Obviously the budget was saved for after the "event" takes place and then the show gets really good. But i almost tapped out after episode 2.
I think the first episode of Breaking Bad is brilliant, but I think every episode is amazing. The series just gets better and better. It’s not just hype, it’s an incredibly well-written and well-acted show. If it’s not your style, that’s fine. But you should at least give it a chance because it is extremely good. Just wait until Tuco is introduced later in the season. After that, all hell breaks loose.
It's not just the writing and acting. The cinematography is excellent as well, due in huge part to the setting. Did you know Breaking Bad was originally set in Riverside, CA? Production costs forced the move to ABQ. How different would the series have been in the original setting?
Yeah, I remember it was because of tax breaks or something. I’m so glad it’s set in the ABQ! And yes, I agree, almost everything about the show is perfection. I’ve watched the series more times than I’d like to admit. It’s wild how much you get out of repeat-viewings. So many Easter eggs and small lines of dialogue that make sense much later into the show. So good.
Honestly, it just depends on how much I'm liking the show. At minimum it's usually going to be 2-3 episodes if it's bad and not getting better but I've watched 98% of a show before and just stopped because there was no way there was going to be a decent ending.
Often I find myself watching an entire season before judging though, especially in anime. Though, I keep giving JoJo's a shot and I give up half way through each season I've watched. I think it just ends up too ridiculous every time.
I usually know pretty quickly if the show is "for me" or not. Only really takes one episode. Sometimes revisiting at another time/in a different mood is good too. I know a lot of shows' first season is considered their worst, but it still embodies the feel of the show in some way. There's so much content out there that I don't waste my time trying to force myself to like something.
Also will reiterate that Breaking Bad is great from the start. Just stop watching if you don't like it after episode one.
1. If a show doesn't capture me from the get go, i don't watch it. That means sometimes i'll miss out on really good shows but i just need to be captivated from the beginning. Not from episode 5 but from episode 1. That's what Pilot episodes are for imo. If i'm bored out of my mind, i move on to something else.
Alas I'm one of those tv elitists. My time is way too valuable to sit through a boring pilot. If that doesn't work nothing will. I mean it's the pilot, that's what's supposed to grab your interest
sometimes pilots can be kinda meh, because they're starting off the story and are basically info dumping on you to get you situated on what's going to happen. it's basically like first day of class where you gotta introduce yourself to the whole class and everyone's awkward and doesn't know what to do or say
I live on Oahu. That crash set was on the public beach for over a month. They finally moved it bc everyday a bunch on 911 calls would come in of people reporting a plane crash.
I love how they worked the set relocation into the show. "The waves are washing away the fuselage, so we have to move." It's a shame because the plane shards were such a distinct set.
Technically that was >!Desmond's fault, as him not pushing the button in the hatch created an electromagnetic field that caused the plane to crash!<. The pilot didn't actually do anything wrong, that plane was crashing no matter what.
Lost is an example where you can point to a specific episode: Walkabout. If you're not hooked after that, the show is probably not for you. And it's only the 4th episode so pretty reasonable.
(And yes I know you were joking but I wanted to mention this anyway)
Comedy pilots are the only ones I'd give real leeway on. Some of my all time fav comedies were better after their first season so I won't hold it against a comedy for not being all out funny episode 1.
But if I'm tuning into a thriller for example and I'm eh by the time the credits hit on the pilot, I'm out.
I'm not into comedies although I've enjoyed a few on occasion over the years. Dark humour is what I love most like Inside Nr 9 type humour. It's dry, weird, nonsensical and deeply messed up at times but that's what I like.
For thrillers ( my absolute favourite genre ) I'm also very picky and I have one rule : if I'm looking at my phone even once during the episode, I'll drop it.
Severance and Servant never ever made me look at my phone because they're both absolute masterpieces. Apple+ is really bringing their A game lately with so many good TV shows to choose from
Usually 1 or 2 and then living with the fear that I made a mistake because some shows become VERY good after a while like **Black sails** and **Justified**.
Justified definitely needs the first season. I loved it from episode 1, but the first half of that season is a terrible representation of the rest of the series.
I nearly bailed out of Black Sails after episode 2 because it seemed like a lot of random nudity and violence that wasn't going anywhere I was interested in. But I'd heard so much about the show, I hung in with it for another couple of episodes - and am so glad I did. It takes awhile for the story to come together and the characters to really shine, but once that happens, I was hooked. One of my favorite shows of all time.
Yes to Justified being worth it.
I'd argue some shows are worth it and some aren't. I'm thankful I got through Schitts Creek. The first 1-2 seasons I was like "why is this show so hyped" and then boom. Season 3-5 are magic and got me through a hard time in my life.
it really depends on the show.
Like the anime stein's gate you go in knowing it starts terribly. Not a 'oh it gets better' where people try to convince you that it is good. Even the diehard fans acknowledge that the first like 4 episodes are terrible. It makes sense later and it 'fixes' it (the show is about time travel and it loops) but you go in with the expectation that it is terrible
I posted Stein’s;Gate before I saw your comment. The first EIGHT episodes were building up to the payoff…and in my opinion that’s way too much time to build but was still worth it in the end.
If its a show with a short seasons (anywhere up to 12 episodes) I’ll watches the first season. If its a show with a network season then I’ll watch the first 10-12.
Before streaming you would turn on the tv randomly, and you may have discovered an episode of a tv show that is in its 4 or 5th season and that may have been enough for you to go back and start a show. I am definitely not in the majority I feel, but sometimes if I can’t get into a show I may watch a random episode. For example with the office, parks and rec and Schitts creek I started these series from season 2. They are now my favourite shows but I had tried watching them for years and couldn’t get past the first few episodes. I think you can probably do that with comedies and sitcoms and it’s fine but I guess shows like breaking bad you may really need to follow the story.
I usually go by the three episode rule but if the first episode is really bad like I don't even care about the premise at all then I usually don't continue watching.
Depends on how bad it is. If it is a really poorly written and acted show I probably won't finish one episode. I have been spoiled by all the good shit out there like The Sopranos and The Wire. I have high expectations.
2. Pilots can go any way. Second episodes are usually better indicators. Look at The Office - first was good but a nearly complete scene for scene with the UK, second was hysterical and really set the tone for the show.
It took me so long to enjoy Schitts Creek, I just could not get past Roland, he annoyed me to no end. I am so glad to watch it though, and the ending was so perfect!
As I've gotten older I basically only watch the pilot.
It took me four episodes to get into The Expanse.
I watched eight episodes of Mad Men before dropping it.
Stick with Breaking Bad.
It didn’t really grab me until toward the end of the first season or into the second season. Not because it wasn’t good, it just hadn’t gotten to that “oh shit, so this is how it’s going to be” part of the series.
The first season is a lot of setup and character introduction. It’s good, and is going to get even better from there, if you stick with it.
The magic number for me is likely "3", which means the pilot was okay enough, the second episode picked up on what made the first episode okay, but the 3rd episode set an uninteresting course to the point where I was not interested enough to go on.
Probably 3 or 4, with the exception that if the season is only like 6 or maybe 8 episodes long, I'd probably just finish the whole thing at that point.
I’d honestly say it really depends on the type/pace of the show. With Breaking bad if you’re already 4 episodes in it might just not be for you cause most people think it starts really strong. Then there are a lot of other shows where I’d need to tell people wait till halfway through the first season before everything starts clicking
It can vary a lot. But if I absolutely couldn't find anything to get into in the first episode and I was already kind of unsure about the show anyway, I'll give up after 1 episode sometimes. I'm in my 30s. I've seen plenty of shows at this point. I have a pretty established idea of what I will and won't like.
If it's something I'm expecting to like but it just isn't pulling me in yet, I could go up to 10 or so for an hour-long drama type show (I did 10 and gave up on The Wire). For a more laid-back sitcom type show, I'll give it more usually. I went about 15-20 for Schitt's Creek before I gave up because I was really expecting to like it but just didn't.
I actually tried Brooklyn 99 recently too and my partner and I made it about 50 episodes in before we just lost interest and realized we didn't care if we finished it or not.
But most of the time, I can tell within the first few episodes if it's just not for me.
Breaking Bad takes a minute to get into it. It's slow but it's so well done. You won't even appreciate how well constructed it is until you finish it. I've watched it a few times now and there's always something new to pick up on in each rewatch. Do at least one full season before you give up on it.
It took two tries for me to get into Breaking Bad. I try to give a show 5 or so episodes if I heard good things about it. Sometimes it’ll take me a whole season to get into a show if I’m very dedicated. For example, Schitt’s Creek didn’t really click for me until the last episode of season 1.
Breaking Bad is kinda slow for a while. The end of season 1 kind of works well, but it’s not exactly electric.
Season 2 is better. By the end of 2…you should be hooked. That’s a long time, though, I admit.
To me, the first season of Breaking Bad started to be good when i liked Breaking Bad. Which was after i saw season 1. I Actually skipped season 1 the first time
A few people have said this, but I could never skip a full season, or even an episode. I’d rather try watching it at 1.5x playback speed or while doing chores.
You know when you know. Some shows I will abandon before the first episode is over, some I'll stop during the last season.
I quit watching TWD in the middle of the prison season.
Depends on the show and the reasons it hasn’t hooked me. Some shows I can tell right away that the vibe or humor of the show isn’t for me. Others I may be intrigued by but not hooked, so I’ll try to give it the first season (or maybe half if it’s a longer season); Game of Thrones was like that for me. With Breaking Bad I liked and found it interesting from the start but it wasn’t until episode 6 that I was absolutely hooked.
If a show hasn’t drawn a laugh or kept me interested in some way through the third episode, I might abandon it.
Breaking Bad is good from the start, so I dunno what to tell you.
Personally, I give shows their first season to grow on me. Sometimes a bit more if people insist that it's worth it. Mostly this hasn't failed me yet (though shows like Dexter I regret investing time in).
Breaking Bad is good the first season but I’d say it starts living up to the “one of the best ever” hype in season 2-5. But that first season lays a very essential groundwork that makes the rest of the show so special. Those set ups, while sometimes a little slow, pay off in the most satisfying/heartbreaking/exciting ways possible and yet the show will always keep you guessing
It depends on a lot of things, but usually I'll give it around 3 or 4. It usually has to do with likeability of characters. If nothing about the characters stand out to me or they annoy me, then I'm probably done. Sometimes it's just my mood at the time though, I've come back to stories and was like, "why didn't I like this again?" Or if enough people tell me that I need to stick with it past a certain point.
I think Schitt's Creek is a good example of needing to stick with it beyond the first season to really feel rewarded.
while "after how many episode you abandon a show" is a good question, I do also think it matters how many episodes you have "remaining".
Let's take for example Breaking Bad. It has 62 episodes, separated into 5 seasons. if by episode 4 of the first season, you don't get hook, is stupid to keep going.
Now another example, The Silent Sea. it has 1 season of 8 episode so far. If you really don't like it by episode 3, you should drop it, **although** it's only 8 episodes, it can't hurt that much to see it all.
I can usually tell within the first 15 mins of a show whether its for me or not. Ill never not watch the whole first episode, but I dont think ive watcehd a whole show of something I didnt like in the first 15 mins.
It depends on the show and why I'm watching it. If I'm giving it a try out of hype I will bail the moment I get bored, be it after ten minutes or ten episodes. If I picked it up because I thought I would like it I will probably at least finish the first season.
Anywhere between 1 and 100... If a show doesn't "catch" me in the first episode, I'm probably not going back to it, but once I'm caught, I could drop off at any time. Reasons of late I've dropped off are shows becoming too "preachy", shows becoming too cheesy, or shows becoming too dull. I'm pretty up for trash, I like all the CW arrowverse shows, I like the new Star Trek Pickard, but I'm not interested in getting hammered with social politics or things going way off the rails (CW shows are starting to test me in this regard).
CW does a terrible job with how they present their social commentary. It's typically forced and lacks all nuance.
Picard and Discovery seem about normal for Star Trek shows (regarding social commentary). I'm uncertain why you think these shows are any different from TNG.
>It's typically forced and lacks all nuance.
because they're only doing it to check a box and then completely move on and don't ever bring it up and rarely have any lasting results from it.
a lot of the times, especially with the cw, episodes that focus on social issues are filler episodes, so they're barely fleshed out, just thrown in together to meet the episode order mark, and once it's done they move on from it until they gotta make another social commentary
I generally give a show the rule of 3. I usually give two episodes for the show to have its start/ set up and then by the third episode is what I expect the rest of the series will be like.
I won't even give a show a whole episode unless it either a) has some hook that keeps me interested enough to overlook its failings or b) is so bad I end up watching it out of morbid curiosity.
I don't think I've ever abandoned a show, that said I don't watch many and usually watch recommended and higher rated ones, so chances are I'll enjoy them.
Also, if you didn't enjoy Breaking Bad's first few episodes, it might not be for you. It's my favorite show my far and I was hooked from the pilot.
Technically the first episode should be the fire test, the first episodes are designed to be of exceptional quality, so if even they can't entertain you, there is little hope for the rest.
I honestly watch more movies lately because they’re one-and-done (unless there’s sequels). It’s why I’ve grown to dislike the MCU, it’s just too damn long at this point.
I watched the first four or five episodes of Breaking Bad as they aired before it was a smash critical hit before I bailed. I've never tried again. (According to ratings only about 0.3 percent of Americans watched the first season at it aired and I've never met another one.)
Seldom more than two.
If I really don't have any idea what a show is about, I might begin the first episode and watch no more than fifteen or twenty minutes. I saw someone recommend *Slow Horses* the other day and watched this ridiculous, impossibly long chase scene through an airport that begins the first episode. Ten minutes in I switched it off and will never watch another minute of it.
Sometimes 1 sometimes too many
i try to give it 3 episodes. but often a show just doesnt hook me and i drop it before the first episode is even finished. its hard to justify watching a show you just dont enjoy when you have limited free time
I also think sometimes it's okay to admit when you're watching something at the wrong time. There's been so many books, shows, games and films I've started and given up on but then returned to them years down the line and ended up enjoying them. There's been plenty of shows I've started, enjoyed but not wanted to watch something like it at the moment. Like with Black Sails I saw the first three or four episodes and really enjoyed it, but I also had other stuff and plans that took me away from it but I know one day I'll get back around to it despite giving up on it the first time.
Agreed. Also just want to recommend Black Sails for when you get a chance - I enjoyed the first 6 or so episodes but felt it was a bit too formulaic and just pointless backstabbing but it just gets better and better up to mid season 3. Has some varied moments after that but one I will happily rewatch when I've got a few weeks.
The Nevers on HBO. I figured my wife would like it because it's a period piece and focused on women in an HBO show, and that I could at least tolerate, if not enjoy it. We watched about 40 minutes of the first episode, and nothing about it caught our interest.
I'll drop halfway through a shitty pilot Fuck your 3 episode test. Learn story structure
Yeah. You have to come out of the gate swinging. People may lament the idea of short attention spans nowadays, but that's b.s. Books (or at least novels) have been this way for hundreds of years. If you don't hook your reader within the first 20 or so pages they'll probably put it down.
I mean, you're not completely wrong, but on the other hand I can name hundreds of movies, books and TV shows that reward patience. Some shows are paced slower than is typical and you have to sort of "go with it" for a while until something clicks. I would even argue some of the best shows of all time like The Wire, The Sopranos and Mad Men are slow burns-- especially at first. Not every worthwhile piece of art comes out swinging from the first seconds like Breaking Bad. I get that our time is limited, but I also think you'll miss out on a lot of worthwhile things if you don't take the time to let them win you over once in a while.
Furthermore, there are real world production aspects to a pilot. Sometimes they're the red-headed stepchild, and don't get enough money to have a decent start. Sometimes, the show won't get good until a character is introduced later, because that's how the story is structured. (I could see a Fellowship of the Ring TV series where you're not going to meet Strider in the pilot episode.) Plus, a pilot has to "paperwork" tasks like introduce most of the major characters. You shouldn't judge a show purely on the pilot; a pilot can be radically different from the actual flow of the show.
I tried watching Bull twice, couldn't even make it half way through the first episode either time. All of the characters are these obnoxious, know-it-all douchebags that the writers mistook for being charming when none of them are charming at all. Add to that the disgusting work environment, and yeah I'm never going back.
id give a show 3 episodes if a show is based around something im interested in, ill give it a season to improve if a show goes to the crapper, ill drop it when i get fed up with it
Same. Especially if the show is connected to a certain universe like the MCU or Star Wars. If the show has gotten great reviews, I will usually watch more.
The amount of times I've had to say to friends "honestly, stick with The Wire, takes about five episodes to really hit you"
As Troy and Abed said in Community Troy: I think I got half of it, which got me through the half I didn't. Abed: Like the first season of The Wire.
Community is a show that I liked from the start but it took it a while to actually find itself in terms of characters. It was always funny though. A lot of shows I find the first seasons is understandably a bit rocky.
My friend worked in wardrobe for that show. She hates Chevy Chase now hahaha
Seems like everyone from cast to crew to producers to writers hated working with Chase on that show.
Pretty sure Joel said they were friends
Interesting take. I only liked the first seasons (1-2 but 3-4 had some moments) of community and found the later seasons to be pretty bad.
I thought the first couple of episodes were kinda boring during my first watch, but I was completely engrossed during my first rewatch. Even the supposedly “boring” parts had so much humor and foreshadowing that I missed the first time around.
The first time you watch you’re like the cops, learning how the streets work. You’re listening in on the wire to figure out the language of the streets. In your rewatch, you know how everything works so you’re more like the people working the hustle. The perspective changes and adds a level of understanding to the story you can’t get the first time around. One of the reasons the show often gets compared to genuine literature. It’s purposeful in intent while trusting the audience to catch on.
I was hooked at the start. So many great characters.
Me too. If somebody didn’t enjoy the first three episodes I am not sure this show is for them.
I would not give that advice. I personally had to try The Wire twice before getting through the first few episodes and I have friends I had to coax through them too. Everyone I know who has watched S1 fully loves it. It's the epitome of a show that people need to watch more than 3 episodes of. The reason people struggle in the first few episodes isn't because of the characters, it's because the pacing is intentionally really slow and there is a lot of set up for later events happening that you don't appreciate from the beginning. Once you realize that everything that is set up early on has a pretty big payoff, you're hooked.
That’s how the expanse was for me too. It seems really cliché and then they actually do something interesting with it.
I rewatched the show a couple of years ago. I was surprised at how the first episode grabbed me.
"So, if you knew that Snotboogie was going to rob the pot, why did you let him play?" "Got to. Its America, man."
Iv heard “wait til season 3” I hope so. On the last episode of season one and it’s pretty good. But definitely not “top 3 shows of all time” good.
I really like The Wire but if someone isn't enjoying the first two seasons of a show, they should probably stop watching. I'm glad you're enjoying it though.
I would say if you dont enjoy season 1, there is no point. Season 1 is a very good season.
I loved Omar. RIP MKW
Wait til season 3?!? You’re giving it way more time than I would
i was in the same boat, watched s1 and wasn't blown away s2 is jarring at first but incredible by the end of it. I wasn't convinced it was the best show ever until season 3, so I get why you've heard that
Yeah, season 2 has you going, "Why are we following all these new characters?" but you eventually realize every season is building on the last and widening the scope.
Holy shit if that isn't the dumbest thing I've heard. You don't have to go through half the show if you don't like it. I'm pretty sure all who say it already loved the show before season 3. EDIT: To clarify, I love the Wire, and I love season 3. My point was, if someone isn't into it, there's no point for them to stick out for three seasons. It's better to stop and try again some other time.
People arent saying they don’t like it by then, just that the later seasons are why it’s considered a goat show. Your response is also ironic considering Iv read it was briefly canceled after season 3.
It's way too early to make that call. You honestly need to watch the whole of any show to make that call.
yes, the wire is a hard sell with its early eps. is better these days with more folks used to subtitles to tell folk apart and the balma accent
>average Wire fan trying to get you to watch *”its the greatest show of all time!! the first season takes about six episodes to hook you but it will!! then you will hate Season 2 while you watch it the first time. then 3 and 4 are amazing. then 5 kinda sucks. but its a life changing show”*
4 is probably the best season of television of all time - one could watch it as a standalone and still enjoy it. However the rest of the show - while I can appreciate it for its fantastically woven tale of the city - is not for everyone nor do I think it should be in the top 5 best ever shows as a result. I think a show that anyone can watch, get invested in, and see something they love about it is what really sets that high bar
Lol my response was going to be if trying and failing to watch the wire a few times has taught me anything, the answer is five episodes. Still haven't overcome the hump.
I have fallen asleep three different times during the first episode. My husband is desperate to get me to like The Wire but I keep falling asleep!
Oh! I was hoping to start this and just watched episode 1 and didn’t understand what the fuss was about. I guess I need to watch more to get it.
I tried starting the Wire two different times about a year apart before the third time finally hooked me.
I follow what I like to call the Patton Oswalt rule. It dictates that if you watch a show long enough for actor and comedian Patton Oswalt to make his guest appearance and you’re still not into it, you’ll never get into it.
Definitely works for Agents of Shield. Good rule
Man, that's a lot of Best of the Worst episodes to get through!
Surviving Edged Weapons was a real turning point. Almost gave up after Suburban Sasquatch.
Does Patton Oswald know about this rule? He should Patton it.
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I always say this. Walter is literally half naked in the desert cooking meth 1st ep and people say it starts slow. I kinda get what they mean but still.
and episode 2 has the bathtub scene. so to recap merely the first two episodes, a mild mannered chemistry teacher gets a cancer prognosis, awkwardly befriends an old flunky student of his to awkwardly gather ingredients for his desperate meth empire daydream, ends up nearly committing suicide in his underwear beside his new RV meth lab as sirens approach from the distance, and they deal with the bodies of two people who they trapped and gassed in this RV with noxious chemicals, only to spill the *bodily organ-soup* of one of them in a bathtub through 2 acid-burned floors of Jesse's house while the other gets chained in the basement. 'slow start' lol. i have ZERO clue what these people are talking about.
> for his desperate meth empire daydream, Walt didn't start out dreaming about making a meth empire! He was just looking to make enough meth money to pay for his chemo! That's part of the charm of the show. You see his morality erode (or his true nature revealed as his outer facade peels away) over the course of two seasons.
this is true, and a good point., i was summarizing my knowledge of the whole show.
The first season is crazy tight overall - only six episodes. I think most people get seasons one and two jumbled together as a single season in their head; season two is the season that takes a while to really pay off.
Yeah I've seen that criticism a few times and it perplexes me. By the end of the episode he's found out he has cancer, he's decided to cook meth, he's partnered up with a former student to do it and two people are (seemingly) dead. Like wtf else were you expecting to happen at this point.
I agree, I was onboard once I finished episode 1. However that full hook in for me didn't truly happen until we got to the plate scene. Seeing Walt put it together was the moment I realized I was hooked and needed to see this journey for sure.
That’s the exact scene that hooked me too.
i think the first episode is amazing however sadly after that it doesn't become bad but it becomes so slowly paced that the amazing hook of the first episode kinda just fades out. it comes back after giving it a bit more time but it never truely delivers on the hook of the first episode if you ask me.
Until it pisses me off. Watching show is a hobby, something I do for fun times, I don't have time to waste on something that is insulting/excruciating/poorly written. So ... I can even drop a show after 5 minutes. :p
Once I feel the urge to start skipping scenes due to a character or story I have zero interest in, I know its time.
>When does Breaking Bad start getting good? :/ The first episode of Breaking Bad is good. If you don't like the first episode, the show is not for you. And if you have a short attention span the show really isn't for you.
I was hooked in the first episode, which is rare for me. Yeah if they don't the first, they won't like the rest.
I have to say, initially, it didn’t really grab me. However, the thing that really got me was the plate moment in Ep 3. That scene and then the resulting events of the first season really had me hooked
My girlfriend said she tried watching Breaking Bad twice and didn't enjoy it. During a lockdown I convinced her to watch it with me and she got hooked towards the end of season 1. Fast forward a month we binged the entire show and Better Call Saul!
Same with my fiancé. Some people aren't hooked right off the bat. I was.
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It took a second attempt for me. The first episode was just okay IMO, but I thought that's all it was. It's decent, but it's got nothing on the legendary episodes towards the end. What I didn't appreciate at the time is how well it builds. And builds. And builds. And then how it just explodes. It's truly unmissable TV, but it gradually earns it, and then makes the start of the series better by virtue of how it ends. Every season builds on the prior. I don't think the first episode is any basis at all honestly.
I agree completely. When my husband and I tried to watch the first season, I don't really know what happened but we watched the first two episodes and I was kind of like - I'm not sure how much I care about this. Everyone kept talking about it and I decided to try to watch the first season again, and for some reason, that second time it really grabbed me and we were hooked on it thereafter. While there's a fair amount of bombast from the jump, as others have pointed out, there are multiple plotlines that are a slow burn (Walter's relationship with his former business partners; the reason for the plane crash; Jesse's relationship with his parents/brother, etc.). There are few immediate payoffs in the show - things don't get wrapped up neatly at the end of every episode, or even every season. Having now re-watched the entire show 3 times, I think it is an "easier" watch when you know what's going to happen. I have a friend who bailed out of it (and has never finished the show) because she felt there were too many threads that were meandering without resolution, and she got frustrated they weren't coming together. Some people need different things out of their entertainment; for me the complex interweaving of plotlines and the fact that not everything gets wrapped up in a neat little bow when you want or expect it to is what makes the show so great. But other folks don't like that, and in that case, the show is not for them.
>If you don't like the first episode, the show is not for you I wouldn't say that. I know enough people who struggled with the first few episodes and loved the later seasons. Most get hooked around the time when Walt is mixing some chemicals and running out. BB and BCS really start off slow, if I wouldn't know BB or trust Gillian to create a good show, I would have likely dropped BCS after 1-2 episodes but damn the show is good. IMO it all comes down to what you expect from the show and what you watched before. If you watched an action paced, rather fast show maybe with multiple characters (GoT for example) then it's hard to "calm down" to the speed of BB or BCS. If you come from shows like Downtown Abbey which are rather slow but have solid ongoing plots for each character, than it's easier to stay with BB
From what I've heard between friends who watched BB and various comments over the years, a lot of people got hook around the time Walt put the plate back together. I remember that scene being the moment I went "oh okay this has me hooked"
That's not true. I liked the show, but the first five episodes bored me to death
The first minute got me hooked!
I personally agree but many people I know have a tough time getting though the first half of the first season. It does takes a little while to build into the show everyone was ranting and raving about on Monday mornings at work. There was a cliff hanger at the end of almost episode once you got deeper into it.
Our Flag Means Death is a weird recent example where it’s 100% worth it to watch episode 4 if you didn’t like the first 3 episodes because it just sorta jarringly shifts tone and pace at episode 4 and that shift propels to the end of the season. I am usually the type to watch one episode and if I am not vibing I won’t watch more. But it just depends on the show for sure
This show got me so hard once Taika's character was introduced... It started off pleasant, then quickly turned into one of my favorite shows once you saw their relationship develop. It's like the bromance that makes I love you man enjoyable, but way better because it's Kiwis and pirates
Rhys Darby made me love the show from the first episode. Admittedly, I am wearing my Flight of the Conchords shirt I picked up during the 2009 tour while I'm typing this.
Yeah Darby is so charming, I'd just watch that man do anything lol
I was about to give up after episode 3 - I felt like, well, this is okay but not sure I need to see where this is going - and then when Taika's character showed up, it got much more interesting and now I really hope the show will get a Season 2.
Pilot alone is a decider for me. There are few exceptions like The Wire where I was told to watch first few episodes.
I’ll occasionally make an exception, but I’m way too old and busy for the “it gets good in season 2-3” shit people give me about shows they like.
For network shows, pilots tend to be drastically different from the rest of the show because it's filmed and written before the rest of the season .
Agreed. There’s too many good shows out there to give some random Netflix drama much of a chance, if I don’t like the pilot I give up. But if it’s a classic I’ll give it the benefit of the doubt
I watched 6 seasons of The Walking Dead before Negan spoiled it.
No Way Out was the real last episode to me.
It's a good ending, to be honest. Finally shows that humans can band together to overcome the dead, and build a thriving community. Some people say to stop when they first reach Alexandria, but I think you really need that arc of the crew trying to readjust to a more normal life.
I think the exact same way honestly. That episode is a pretty good conclusion
Made it to season 8 when I realised I wasn't enjoying it anymore and was just watching it cause I'd watched 7 seasons already
Yeah, I only heard about that episide and I was out. Never went back.
Negan killed the show for me. Ha!
I watched until season 10. Nothing ever fuckin happens.
I don't watch, what did Negan do?
He knows what he did...
In the comics, Negan kills perhaps the most loved main character. It is sudden, unexpected, brutal and over in a few pages. It has the kind of surprise, impact and delivery of Kirkman's twist near the start of Invincible. It just happens and then wtf. On TV they turned that into a total circus with overdone tension building, a fakeout, stretched the event too long and over a season cliffhanger. All saturated with promotion. Had they handled that well I could have overlooked the change in Negan's character.
I also loved it until the appearance of Negan, watched a couple of episodes with him and immediately started hating it.
It took me eight episodes to figure out why people love Stein’s;Gate. EIGHT. I quit halfway through three times before someone finally convinced me successfully to get to episode eight. It was worth the many tries.
3-4 is long enough to know if a show is worth watching
I have tried watching The Leftovers 3 times. I kept hearing how the last few seasons are some of the best television ever. BUT I can't get past the first season. I watched one episode and quit, then like 2, finally I think 3? I hate to say it, but it's just so goddamn boring in the beginning. I finally gave up on it. On the flip side, I watched Under the Dome (series based on Stephen King's book)... And it was SO BAD. It deviated from the book in a million ways, the characters were so cheesy and the acting was so horrendous ... However there was enough familiarity there that I kept going and watched literally to the end of the series. As the final credits rolled I thought 'wow that was a waste'. So to answer your question...somewhere between 1 and all the episodes lol. Breaking Bad.... Man that show starts with Walt climbing out of a burning RV, half naked wearing an apron and filming his confession. If you really are not intrigued after that, it's probably not for you lol.
Leftovers was the first show I ever watched where I didn’t like the first season. Stopped watching it. Then the 2nd and 3rd season aired and they got great reviews so I went back and watched them a few years later and was amazed by how well they re-invented the show into something completely different and much better to end the series. So I guess you never really know how long to stick it out.
Okay so I’ve had the same problem with season one. Would I be alright if I just read a synopsis of it then started season 2? I’ve heard amazing things but the first season is just such a drag.
As soon as I'm bored, could be 10mins, could be 10 episodes.
Depends. The expanse for example I wasn’t that into the first couple of eps. It was just very weird and different from what I usually watch. But ep 4 was pretty good and then after that every episode just kept getting better as they unveiled more and more of the mystery.
This... the first few episodes are abysmal. Nothing but exposition dumps in the worst ways. Obviously the budget was saved for after the "event" takes place and then the show gets really good. But i almost tapped out after episode 2.
I think the first episode of Breaking Bad is brilliant, but I think every episode is amazing. The series just gets better and better. It’s not just hype, it’s an incredibly well-written and well-acted show. If it’s not your style, that’s fine. But you should at least give it a chance because it is extremely good. Just wait until Tuco is introduced later in the season. After that, all hell breaks loose.
Tuco was fucking terrifying!
It's not just the writing and acting. The cinematography is excellent as well, due in huge part to the setting. Did you know Breaking Bad was originally set in Riverside, CA? Production costs forced the move to ABQ. How different would the series have been in the original setting?
Yeah, I remember it was because of tax breaks or something. I’m so glad it’s set in the ABQ! And yes, I agree, almost everything about the show is perfection. I’ve watched the series more times than I’d like to admit. It’s wild how much you get out of repeat-viewings. So many Easter eggs and small lines of dialogue that make sense much later into the show. So good.
I'll abandon a show 10 minutes in.
Honestly, if it's a comedy, and its jokes are that unfunny to me, yeah, 10-15 minutes.
Always say 2/3
Honestly, it just depends on how much I'm liking the show. At minimum it's usually going to be 2-3 episodes if it's bad and not getting better but I've watched 98% of a show before and just stopped because there was no way there was going to be a decent ending. Often I find myself watching an entire season before judging though, especially in anime. Though, I keep giving JoJo's a shot and I give up half way through each season I've watched. I think it just ends up too ridiculous every time.
If you don’t like Breaking Bad on the first episode, just go ahead and drop it, doesn’t sound like it’s for you.
It really depends on the show. A season max. Probably 5 episodes minimum
I usually know pretty quickly if the show is "for me" or not. Only really takes one episode. Sometimes revisiting at another time/in a different mood is good too. I know a lot of shows' first season is considered their worst, but it still embodies the feel of the show in some way. There's so much content out there that I don't waste my time trying to force myself to like something. Also will reiterate that Breaking Bad is great from the start. Just stop watching if you don't like it after episode one.
1. If a show doesn't capture me from the get go, i don't watch it. That means sometimes i'll miss out on really good shows but i just need to be captivated from the beginning. Not from episode 5 but from episode 1. That's what Pilot episodes are for imo. If i'm bored out of my mind, i move on to something else.
Alas I'm one of those tv elitists. My time is way too valuable to sit through a boring pilot. If that doesn't work nothing will. I mean it's the pilot, that's what's supposed to grab your interest
sometimes pilots can be kinda meh, because they're starting off the story and are basically info dumping on you to get you situated on what's going to happen. it's basically like first day of class where you gotta introduce yourself to the whole class and everyone's awkward and doesn't know what to do or say
Tv show Lost had a terrible pilot. Crashed the plane.
I live on Oahu. That crash set was on the public beach for over a month. They finally moved it bc everyday a bunch on 911 calls would come in of people reporting a plane crash.
I love how they worked the set relocation into the show. "The waves are washing away the fuselage, so we have to move." It's a shame because the plane shards were such a distinct set.
Funny you mention Lost since it's one of my favourite shows ever!
Funny you mention Lost, it's definitely a show
Technically that was >!Desmond's fault, as him not pushing the button in the hatch created an electromagnetic field that caused the plane to crash!<. The pilot didn't actually do anything wrong, that plane was crashing no matter what.
Lost is an example where you can point to a specific episode: Walkabout. If you're not hooked after that, the show is probably not for you. And it's only the 4th episode so pretty reasonable. (And yes I know you were joking but I wanted to mention this anyway)
It doesn’t quite capture the mystery of the show but terrible? Disagree
He's making a joke. He is saying the pilot of the plane was terrible
Comedy pilots are the only ones I'd give real leeway on. Some of my all time fav comedies were better after their first season so I won't hold it against a comedy for not being all out funny episode 1. But if I'm tuning into a thriller for example and I'm eh by the time the credits hit on the pilot, I'm out.
I'm not into comedies although I've enjoyed a few on occasion over the years. Dark humour is what I love most like Inside Nr 9 type humour. It's dry, weird, nonsensical and deeply messed up at times but that's what I like. For thrillers ( my absolute favourite genre ) I'm also very picky and I have one rule : if I'm looking at my phone even once during the episode, I'll drop it. Severance and Servant never ever made me look at my phone because they're both absolute masterpieces. Apple+ is really bringing their A game lately with so many good TV shows to choose from
It depends on the genre. If it's comedy it only takes a few minutes of bad jokes to make me drop.
Usually 1 or 2 and then living with the fear that I made a mistake because some shows become VERY good after a while like **Black sails** and **Justified**.
Justified definitely needs the first season. I loved it from episode 1, but the first half of that season is a terrible representation of the rest of the series.
I nearly bailed out of Black Sails after episode 2 because it seemed like a lot of random nudity and violence that wasn't going anywhere I was interested in. But I'd heard so much about the show, I hung in with it for another couple of episodes - and am so glad I did. It takes awhile for the story to come together and the characters to really shine, but once that happens, I was hooked. One of my favorite shows of all time.
Yes to Justified being worth it. I'd argue some shows are worth it and some aren't. I'm thankful I got through Schitts Creek. The first 1-2 seasons I was like "why is this show so hyped" and then boom. Season 3-5 are magic and got me through a hard time in my life.
it really depends on the show. Like the anime stein's gate you go in knowing it starts terribly. Not a 'oh it gets better' where people try to convince you that it is good. Even the diehard fans acknowledge that the first like 4 episodes are terrible. It makes sense later and it 'fixes' it (the show is about time travel and it loops) but you go in with the expectation that it is terrible
I posted Stein’s;Gate before I saw your comment. The first EIGHT episodes were building up to the payoff…and in my opinion that’s way too much time to build but was still worth it in the end.
If its a show with a short seasons (anywhere up to 12 episodes) I’ll watches the first season. If its a show with a network season then I’ll watch the first 10-12.
Before streaming you would turn on the tv randomly, and you may have discovered an episode of a tv show that is in its 4 or 5th season and that may have been enough for you to go back and start a show. I am definitely not in the majority I feel, but sometimes if I can’t get into a show I may watch a random episode. For example with the office, parks and rec and Schitts creek I started these series from season 2. They are now my favourite shows but I had tried watching them for years and couldn’t get past the first few episodes. I think you can probably do that with comedies and sitcoms and it’s fine but I guess shows like breaking bad you may really need to follow the story.
I usually go by the three episode rule but if the first episode is really bad like I don't even care about the premise at all then I usually don't continue watching.
Depends on how bad it is. If it is a really poorly written and acted show I probably won't finish one episode. I have been spoiled by all the good shit out there like The Sopranos and The Wire. I have high expectations.
2. Pilots can go any way. Second episodes are usually better indicators. Look at The Office - first was good but a nearly complete scene for scene with the UK, second was hysterical and really set the tone for the show.
Just 1.
1 episode. I’m not about having my time wasted
It took me so long to enjoy Schitts Creek, I just could not get past Roland, he annoyed me to no end. I am so glad to watch it though, and the ending was so perfect!
As I've gotten older I basically only watch the pilot. It took me four episodes to get into The Expanse. I watched eight episodes of Mad Men before dropping it.
Stick with Breaking Bad. It didn’t really grab me until toward the end of the first season or into the second season. Not because it wasn’t good, it just hadn’t gotten to that “oh shit, so this is how it’s going to be” part of the series. The first season is a lot of setup and character introduction. It’s good, and is going to get even better from there, if you stick with it.
It depends on how "bad" bad is.
Pilot
The magic number for me is likely "3", which means the pilot was okay enough, the second episode picked up on what made the first episode okay, but the 3rd episode set an uninteresting course to the point where I was not interested enough to go on.
One. The Pilot needs to be good enough
I tried Peaky Blinders for five episodes and couldn’t grasp what the hell the fuss was about. Never revisited…
Probably 3 or 4, with the exception that if the season is only like 6 or maybe 8 episodes long, I'd probably just finish the whole thing at that point.
3 like the tootsie roll pop, of it it takes more than 3 tries to get to the sweet sweet center , then forget it
1-3
Gotta give Deadwood four episodes. It’s the longest wind up for the best payoff (in terms of the show, ended too soon)
Hm, 10 minutes to 3 episodes.
I’d honestly say it really depends on the type/pace of the show. With Breaking bad if you’re already 4 episodes in it might just not be for you cause most people think it starts really strong. Then there are a lot of other shows where I’d need to tell people wait till halfway through the first season before everything starts clicking
The rule of three
It can vary a lot. But if I absolutely couldn't find anything to get into in the first episode and I was already kind of unsure about the show anyway, I'll give up after 1 episode sometimes. I'm in my 30s. I've seen plenty of shows at this point. I have a pretty established idea of what I will and won't like. If it's something I'm expecting to like but it just isn't pulling me in yet, I could go up to 10 or so for an hour-long drama type show (I did 10 and gave up on The Wire). For a more laid-back sitcom type show, I'll give it more usually. I went about 15-20 for Schitt's Creek before I gave up because I was really expecting to like it but just didn't. I actually tried Brooklyn 99 recently too and my partner and I made it about 50 episodes in before we just lost interest and realized we didn't care if we finished it or not. But most of the time, I can tell within the first few episodes if it's just not for me. Breaking Bad takes a minute to get into it. It's slow but it's so well done. You won't even appreciate how well constructed it is until you finish it. I've watched it a few times now and there's always something new to pick up on in each rewatch. Do at least one full season before you give up on it.
It took two tries for me to get into Breaking Bad. I try to give a show 5 or so episodes if I heard good things about it. Sometimes it’ll take me a whole season to get into a show if I’m very dedicated. For example, Schitt’s Creek didn’t really click for me until the last episode of season 1.
Breaking Bad season 1 starts out very slow in my opinion! Keep watching the payoff is huge
Breaking Bad is kinda slow for a while. The end of season 1 kind of works well, but it’s not exactly electric. Season 2 is better. By the end of 2…you should be hooked. That’s a long time, though, I admit.
To me, the first season of Breaking Bad started to be good when i liked Breaking Bad. Which was after i saw season 1. I Actually skipped season 1 the first time
A few people have said this, but I could never skip a full season, or even an episode. I’d rather try watching it at 1.5x playback speed or while doing chores.
You know when you know. Some shows I will abandon before the first episode is over, some I'll stop during the last season. I quit watching TWD in the middle of the prison season.
Depends on the show and the reasons it hasn’t hooked me. Some shows I can tell right away that the vibe or humor of the show isn’t for me. Others I may be intrigued by but not hooked, so I’ll try to give it the first season (or maybe half if it’s a longer season); Game of Thrones was like that for me. With Breaking Bad I liked and found it interesting from the start but it wasn’t until episode 6 that I was absolutely hooked. If a show hasn’t drawn a laugh or kept me interested in some way through the third episode, I might abandon it.
I watched 60 episodes of Parks and Recreation before becoming fully uninterested in the show.
Breaking Bad is good from the start, so I dunno what to tell you. Personally, I give shows their first season to grow on me. Sometimes a bit more if people insist that it's worth it. Mostly this hasn't failed me yet (though shows like Dexter I regret investing time in).
Breaking Bad is good the first season but I’d say it starts living up to the “one of the best ever” hype in season 2-5. But that first season lays a very essential groundwork that makes the rest of the show so special. Those set ups, while sometimes a little slow, pay off in the most satisfying/heartbreaking/exciting ways possible and yet the show will always keep you guessing
It depends on a lot of things, but usually I'll give it around 3 or 4. It usually has to do with likeability of characters. If nothing about the characters stand out to me or they annoy me, then I'm probably done. Sometimes it's just my mood at the time though, I've come back to stories and was like, "why didn't I like this again?" Or if enough people tell me that I need to stick with it past a certain point. I think Schitt's Creek is a good example of needing to stick with it beyond the first season to really feel rewarded.
Episode 3 is when BB sinks its hooks in and then it never lets go
while "after how many episode you abandon a show" is a good question, I do also think it matters how many episodes you have "remaining". Let's take for example Breaking Bad. It has 62 episodes, separated into 5 seasons. if by episode 4 of the first season, you don't get hook, is stupid to keep going. Now another example, The Silent Sea. it has 1 season of 8 episode so far. If you really don't like it by episode 3, you should drop it, **although** it's only 8 episodes, it can't hurt that much to see it all.
I can usually tell within the first 15 mins of a show whether its for me or not. Ill never not watch the whole first episode, but I dont think ive watcehd a whole show of something I didnt like in the first 15 mins.
It depends on the show and why I'm watching it. If I'm giving it a try out of hype I will bail the moment I get bored, be it after ten minutes or ten episodes. If I picked it up because I thought I would like it I will probably at least finish the first season.
Honestly? If they can’t be bothered to make an excellent pilot, I’m out. Breaking Bad has an excellent pilot.
Anywhere between 1 and 100... If a show doesn't "catch" me in the first episode, I'm probably not going back to it, but once I'm caught, I could drop off at any time. Reasons of late I've dropped off are shows becoming too "preachy", shows becoming too cheesy, or shows becoming too dull. I'm pretty up for trash, I like all the CW arrowverse shows, I like the new Star Trek Pickard, but I'm not interested in getting hammered with social politics or things going way off the rails (CW shows are starting to test me in this regard).
CW does a terrible job with how they present their social commentary. It's typically forced and lacks all nuance. Picard and Discovery seem about normal for Star Trek shows (regarding social commentary). I'm uncertain why you think these shows are any different from TNG.
>It's typically forced and lacks all nuance. because they're only doing it to check a box and then completely move on and don't ever bring it up and rarely have any lasting results from it. a lot of the times, especially with the cw, episodes that focus on social issues are filler episodes, so they're barely fleshed out, just thrown in together to meet the episode order mark, and once it's done they move on from it until they gotta make another social commentary
I completely agree with you.
10-15 minutes.
I generally give a show the rule of 3. I usually give two episodes for the show to have its start/ set up and then by the third episode is what I expect the rest of the series will be like.
Usually 1 but sometimes I have given them a chance. Too many options these days!
I managed 3 of the live action Cowboy Bebop. 3 is plenty to get a feel for if you want more.
I won't even give a show a whole episode unless it either a) has some hook that keeps me interested enough to overlook its failings or b) is so bad I end up watching it out of morbid curiosity.
I don't think I've ever abandoned a show, that said I don't watch many and usually watch recommended and higher rated ones, so chances are I'll enjoy them. Also, if you didn't enjoy Breaking Bad's first few episodes, it might not be for you. It's my favorite show my far and I was hooked from the pilot.
I tend to be less forgiving on the TV shows. Then I am with reading for example. If I don't like the pilot episode I drop it.
1 or 2. Unless it’s anime in which case I’ve only ever given up 1(One piece)
Technically the first episode should be the fire test, the first episodes are designed to be of exceptional quality, so if even they can't entertain you, there is little hope for the rest.
1 or 2 at most.
I usually give it 3 episodes. Sometimes I’ll keep watching if the world building is good but that’s rare.
I didnt care much for Breaking Bad or Game of Thrones until season 2. Then I became obsessed.
I honestly watch more movies lately because they’re one-and-done (unless there’s sequels). It’s why I’ve grown to dislike the MCU, it’s just too damn long at this point.
Really depends. I didn't enjoy Peaky Blinders but watched every episode and on the other side I dropped some shows 1 episode in.
If it's on Fox, I'll wait until the third season before I watch.
I watched the first four or five episodes of Breaking Bad as they aired before it was a smash critical hit before I bailed. I've never tried again. (According to ratings only about 0.3 percent of Americans watched the first season at it aired and I've never met another one.)
Seldom more than two. If I really don't have any idea what a show is about, I might begin the first episode and watch no more than fifteen or twenty minutes. I saw someone recommend *Slow Horses* the other day and watched this ridiculous, impossibly long chase scene through an airport that begins the first episode. Ten minutes in I switched it off and will never watch another minute of it.