Can A TV Production Recover From Poor Initial Reception?

Almost everyone has heard the saying that you do not get a second chance at a first impression.

This saying, first found in a slogan for Botany Suits in 1966, has found wide use in every walk of life, and it is often the first piece of advice people hear before a first date, a job interview or when taking part in a social group.

It has also increasingly been applied to the world of television production, which is why directors, editors and producers work much harder on the first edition of a particular TV show than the others.

Why does the first episode matter so much? What can you do to maximise your chances of success? And is it possible to change hearts and minds if the first impression turns out to be lukewarm or even hostile?

Why Does The First Episode Matter?

Aside from relatively rare cases where a show has been cancelled following (or even during) its first episode, such as K-9 And Company, most TV series will have a handful of episodes to establish themselves, but it is essential for audiences to trust that a show is going somewhere.

By the end of the first episode, audiences should be aware of the overall setting, the central characters they should be focused on, the establishment of early plot foundations and a reason why audiences should stick around.

In many cases, particularly of serialised works, the first episode will be the most-watched of a particular series, as people gradually fall away from the narrative.

Whilst that is not always the case, introductory ratings are often seen by producers and distributors as an important benchmark for whether the show is viable.

Finally, first impressions are hard to overcome. If a first episode is unrepresentative, slow or unenjoyable, that can cause an audience to be reluctant to commit their attention to further episodes.

Why Are Introductory Episodes So Difficult?

Conversely, much like series finales, first episodes are often extremely difficult to write and produce, often being developed in very different circumstances from the rest of the series.

There are a lot of character, dynamics and storyline threads which need to be established in the first episode, which can cause the show to feel different, slower and more laden with functional expository dialogue than a show’s typical voice and tempo.

An example of this is The End, the first episode of science fiction comedy Red Dwarf, which spends two-thirds of its runtime focused on establishing an ensemble cast that by the 20-minute mark are all dead save for protagonist Dave Lister.

They are often origin stories by necessity and do not reflect how the typical episode will feel.

What Can We Learn From Poorly Regarded Introductory Episodes?

Whilst some first episodes are either excellent examples of a show’s formula or find interesting ways to establish complex narrative concepts, with the first episode of Stranger Things being particularly effective at establishing the tone, narrative and much of the central cast, other shows struggle significantly.

Here are a few noteworthy examples from well-regarded TV shows, and how they managed to reverse this initial reception.

Star Trek: The Next Generation

Whilst the original Star Trek’s first episode was famously not the first one written or produced, its follow-up series, The Next Generation, had a dedicated two-hour first episode that ultimately did not show the series in the best light.

The two-part Encounter at Farpoint was a functional introduction to the cast, crew and enigmatic Q Continuum, but it would take another series and considerable changes to both cast and crew to solidify The Next Generation as a beloved science fiction show in its own right.

The Office US

Following the extremely successful two-season (and Christmas episode) run of Ricky Gervais’ original UK series, an American adaptation was released that took the unusual step of staying extremely close to the original source material, right down to an initial run of six episodes.

Whilst even the first episode, Pilot, was commercially successful, it was criticised for being a shot-for-shot remake of the first UK episode, and the show’s writing in the first series had a remarkably cruel streak for a US sitcom.

Some retooling of several early characters, particularly Steve Carell’s Michael Scott, helped the show establish its own voice and not only become a huge critical and commercial success, but even break out of the shadow of the acclaimed original.

The Black Adder

Whilst Blackadder would go on to be one of the most beloved sitcoms in UK history and become one of three works (alongside Mr Bean and Johnny English) that define Rowan Atkinson’s career, the very first series and particularly its opening episode, The Foretelling, were less well-regarded.

The initial series of The Black Adder reversed many of the comedy dynamics, the larger budget led to extravagant outfits and setpieces on horseback, which were not particularly funny, and the emphasis on Shakespearean references sometimes got in the way of the humour.

All of this was clear to the cast and crew, and Blackadder II’s Elizabethan setting went on to erase this initial mixed reception, and its finale became one of the most beloved final episodes in television history.