# How long before you give up on a new show? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 18, 2011, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-before-you-give-up-on-a-new-show/603376 "2011-11-18T19:06:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![amarinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3be4f8/32.png) [@amarinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarinth)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2011, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-before-you-give-up-on-a-new-show/603376/21 "2011-11-19T17:19:23Z")
I’ll watch the full pilot of almost every show. After that, if the tv reviewers that I like say good things about a show or the show has a good pedigree (actors, showrunners, writers that I like) I’ll often try another episode or two just to see if it gets better. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2011, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-before-you-give-up-on-a-new-show/603376/22 "2011-11-19T21:12:47Z")
Some shows start with a great pilot, some don’t. So just watching the pilot shouldn’t be enough … but some shows are so bad out of the gate that you can Stop Right There. Tried the pilots of ~3 sitcoms this season that were clearly bad. (E.g., _The New Girl._) Went about ~3 episodes in on _Whitney_. One episode of _A Gifted Man_. Two episodes of _The Playboy Club_. One hour dramas I sometimes try out longer: E.g., _Parenthood_ I stuck with for over a year. (Just because of the cast.) I gave up on _Modern Family_ about a month ago. Too high a ratio of predictable to fresh stuff. The later two are rare cases of something I watched for a significant time before giving up on. For sheer perversion I sometimes watch episodes of a really awful show just to be amazed at what the put on the air. E.g., _$#_! My Dad Says\* from last year. I also tried doing that with _Running Wilde_ but that was too painful to watch MST2K style. I dread the day I will stop watching _The Simpsons_. It is coming soon. _South Park_ is close behind. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Zheng](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/49beb7/32.png) [@Mr.Zheng](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Zheng)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2011, 6:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-before-you-give-up-on-a-new-show/603376/23 "2011-11-20T06:19:57Z")
**I gave up on Modern Family about a month ago.** I did that with Desperate Housewives. Followed the show and actually liked it for awhile. Then I realized I watched it because Terry Hatcher is the foxiest woman on the Planet and that the show sort of sucked. it has been on 7 more years but havent watched an episode since Angela Basset and kids were on. What happened to Bree’s son. He was a piece of shit. ---
**Author:** ![Becky2844](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@Becky2844](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Becky2844)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2011, 6:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-before-you-give-up-on-a-new-show/603376/24 "2011-11-20T06:43:09Z")
Well, Mr. Sunshine sucked. But I admire your wife’s tenacity. If I’m interested enough to try a new show I usually give it at least half a season. Seinfeld didn’t hit it’s stride until somewhere in the second year. I think it takes awhile for a show, if it has any meat on it’s bones, to become comfortable in it’s own skin. It’s kind of like falling in love; the relationships that last usually grow on you over a period of time. ---
**Author:** ![Becky2844](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@Becky2844](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Becky2844)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2011, 7:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-before-you-give-up-on-a-new-show/603376/25 "2011-11-20T07:00:17Z")
Just remembered… Months after Seinfeld ended I dreamed about an episode of my own concoction. It involved Kramer getting run over by a skateboard. When I woke up, I think I felt like an ex-heroin addict who’d got a dose of Methodone. ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_T-Cups](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Sir\_T-Cups](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_T-Cups)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2011, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-before-you-give-up-on-a-new-show/603376/26 "2011-11-20T18:02:23Z")
I didn’t mention it before but I’m also a good judge as to what I like, so I know what shows I will probably like in advance. My ultimate example of not giving up too quickly is _Bob’s Burgers_. The pilot was only so-so and even the next 2 episodes were a bit dull, but once it got into it’s own I LOVED that show. American Dad took a couple seasons but that show is gold to me too ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2011, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-before-you-give-up-on-a-new-show/603376/27 "2011-11-20T18:20:54Z")
-1 season. If it’s good enough to get to a 2nd season I’ll give it a shot, and then it has 3 episodes to impress me. ---
**Author:** ![Cartoonacy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/848f3c/32.png) [@Cartoonacy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartoonacy)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2011, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-before-you-give-up-on-a-new-show/603376/28 "2011-11-21T23:00:38Z")
Assuming that the premise sounds interesting in the first place, I’ll give a show two episodes to see if it clicks. That’s what I gave _Terra Nova_ and _Whitney_. I couldn’t even get that far with _New Girl_. I watched ten minutes of it, and didn’t even understand what the characters were talking about. When a show needs a translator, I’ll pass. The only new program this season that’s held my attention longer than two episodes is _Person of Interest_. On the other hand, when _The Big Bang Theory_ premiered, I didn’t bother watching because the premise sounded hokey. I started watching on a friend’s recommendation when season 1 was in reruns. It soon became one of my favorite sitcoms ever, up there with _The Odd Couple_, _Taxi_, and _Barney Miller._ I try not to judge a show by its pilot. In about four out of five cases, the pilot is the most atypical episode of the series. Too much time is spent setting up the basic situation to judge what a typical episode will be like, and the actors haven’t had enough time yet to develop any chemistry and timing. ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2011, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-before-you-give-up-on-a-new-show/603376/29 "2011-11-22T01:35:27Z")
I haven’t watched any of this season’s new shows, but last spring I finally gave up on _House_. Did it get better? I mean I love Hugh Laurie in all the British comedy stuff I’ve seen him in, and I liked _House_ for years, but then it got old and became a chore. But to address the subject, when I do try out a new series, I generally give it 4-5 episodes to find its place before dumping it if I think it sucks. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2011, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-before-you-give-up-on-a-new-show/603376/30 "2011-11-22T02:34:00Z")
It takes me a long time before I’ll even sample a drama. I’ve had too many of them I like get canceled on me. It depends with sitcoms. If I find the characters appealing, I’ll forgive lame writing for a couple of episodes. If the writing is exceptionally good, I may let unappealing characters slide, at least for awhile. I believe my fastest channel change for unappealing characters and bad writing was 12 minutes. ---
**Author:** ![Mdcastle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/958977/32.png) [@Mdcastle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mdcastle)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2011, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-before-you-give-up-on-a-new-show/603376/31 "2011-11-22T16:18:05Z")
I switched off “Drive” when about 20 minutes in a character made a comment about being in Florida and there were arid mountains in the background. ---
**Author:** ![iamthewalrus\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/258eb7/32.png) [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2011, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-before-you-give-up-on-a-new-show/603376/32 "2011-11-22T17:34:05Z")
Until it starts sucking for half as long as it was good. If season 1 was good, I’ll give it half a sucky 2nd season to improve. If it had a great run for several years, I’ll hold out hope for a season or two more. If the cold open sucks, that’s it. If a friend who has good taste has recommended it, I’ll give it a few extra episodes. **Opal** , I finally gave up on _House_ a few episodes ago. The last time I thought it was regularly good was a few seasons ago. ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2011, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-before-you-give-up-on-a-new-show/603376/33 "2011-11-22T17:57:26Z")
Thanks, glad to hear I didn’t drop it right before it got amazingly great or something. ---
**Author:** ![Moonlitherial](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4bbf92/32.png) [@Moonlitherial](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moonlitherial)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2011, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-before-you-give-up-on-a-new-show/603376/34 "2011-11-22T18:10:04Z")
> [@DMark](#): > > DVR has made this really easy for me. > I start the season by taping all the shows I think I will like. > Then, as the season progresses, I start to see the shows that build up on my DVR and it becomes clear which shows I am not all that excited or interested in seeing again. > Often I will delete 5 or more episodes of a show that I haven’t bothered to watch. This is how things work for me too. I usually watch at least the pilot episodes in their entirety but there were a couple this year that didn’t make that milestone. I’ve found a couple of shows this year that I was unimpressed with the pilot but that watching later ones changed my mind - Person of Interest and Prime Suspect both fall into this category. ---
**Author:** ![Cap\_n\_Obvious](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e56c9b/32.png) [@Cap\_n\_Obvious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cap_n_Obvious)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2011, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-before-you-give-up-on-a-new-show/603376/35 "2011-11-22T18:21:23Z")
It depends really. If a channel shows a commercial for the new show during every commercial break, chances are it’s going to suck, but I’ll still give it 1 episode to prove me wrong. (Bob’s Burgers, Allen Gregory, I’m looking your way.) Scifi and fantasy shows I’ll usually give it a season to get going. If I didn’t do this, I wouldn’t have watched Charmed, Buffy, Angel, Stargate SG1 and Atlantis, Eureka, Warehouse 13, etc. Cartoons I’ll usually give it 15 minutes or so. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2011, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-before-you-give-up-on-a-new-show/603376/36 "2011-11-22T18:35:02Z")
> [@Zeldar](#): > > My worst case was _The Wire_ which I gave up on before the end of the first episode. After hearing all the raves for the show after it had been cancelled I rented the DVD’s from Netflix and have since decided that it’s one of my Top 5 of all time. That was both _The Sopranos_ and _Battlestar Galactica_ for me. Watched the pilot for the former, the miniseries for the latter, didn’t feel compelled. Every critic in the world went insane for _The Sopranos_, so I gave it another shot a few years later and fell in love. _Battlestar_ was something my girlfriend sold really hard, so I decided what’s the worst? Now it’s one of my all-time favorite shows. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2011, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-before-you-give-up-on-a-new-show/603376/37 "2011-11-22T19:04:55Z")
I can usually tell by the promo that I won’t like something. My husband is more patient than I, so I end up seeing much more than I would on my own, and I have yet to be won over. He loves Bones and Criminal Minds, and I find both to be tedious and predictable, or utterly annoying when a miraculous solution pops out of thin air. He’s always loved Two and a Half Men - I barely tolerate it. Since I heard so much about Mad Men, I started watching it on Netflix. I’ve seen 2 episodes. I don’t think I’ll waste any more time with it. Honestly, I find myself more drawn to documentaries these days. Mostly they don’t insult my intelligence. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-before-you-give-up-on-a-new-show/603376.md?page=1)