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[Josephus]

His infamy on TvTropes leads me to believe that's a bad idea.

Even if tvtropes hadn't already spoiled you, the ponytail/goatee combo should be a pretty potent warning.

That hair combination signifies evil.

[kaijyuu]

*looks in mirror*


Uh oh

(well it's more stubble than a proper goatee but hey)

[Pnx]

Why does everything that is awesome only gets one or two seasons, but stupid drivel goes on for ten?

Inertia. Most the "stupid drivel" was actually good at one point, but keeps going because people delusionally think it's still as good or just on a downswing. The downswing will never end, though (see: spongebob, simpsons).

I call it the law of sequels, a new sequel or season of something is usually markedly worse than the previous one, but this doesn't stop networks or studios trying to milk a popular show or move or some such for more cash.

[Josephus]

Why does everything that is awesome only gets one or two seasons, but stupid drivel goes on for ten?

Inertia. Most the "stupid drivel" was actually good at one point, but keeps going because people delusionally think it's still as good or just on a downswing. The downswing will never end, though (see: spongebob, simpsons).

I call it the law of sequels, a new sequel or season of something is usually markedly worse than the previous one, but this doesn't stop networks or studios trying to milk a popular show or move or some such for more cash.

It works, too. You can't blame the studios for putting out 'drivel': their primary motive is always profit, and people pay for 'drivel' whether you like it or not.

Kaijyuu's got a really good point re: inertia, as well. That's one major reason people continue to pay for 'drivel'.

[Jervill]

Why does everything that is awesome only gets one or two seasons, but stupid drivel goes on for ten?

Inertia. Most the "stupid drivel" was actually good at one point, but keeps going because people delusionally think it's still as good or just on a downswing. The downswing will never end, though (see: spongebob, simpsons).

I call it the law of sequels, a new sequel or season of something is usually markedly worse than the previous one, but this doesn't stop networks or studios trying to milk a popular show or move or some such for more cash.

Be careful when generalizing, some shows only reach their stride a couple of seasons in.  The Simpsons best seasons were 3rd->6th; and even 7,8, and 9 had their share of good episodes.

Not that I disagree, of course, many sequels are worse; I'm simply getting hung up on the word "usually", and feel I need to provide exceptions.

[Pnx]

Yeah, there are exceptions, sometimes the a sequel is actually better, but it's something that seems rarer and rarer these days.

[kaijyuu]

I feel Simpsons peaked somewhere in the 4th season; 3rd is my favorite, and 1 and 2 both had lots of good episodes. It started a slow and steady decent into mediocrity somewhere in the 4th or 5th season though; that's the point I feel they said to themselves "it's just a stupid cartoon" and decided to not care about anything but milking jokes.

My favorite episodes are ones like Bart Sells his Soul, the one where Bart shoplifts the violent video game, the one where Homer meets his mother for the first time, Curse of the Flying Hellfish... The ones with heart to them, not just comedy. Don't think the producers agreed with me.

[penguinofhonor]

Avatar just keeps getting better. I don't know how.

[Leafsnail]

It definitely went downhill but 3rd season seems like a staggeringly early "peak" (the earliest I've ever seen, and I've read a huge thread on this subject).  I have season 4 on box set and it's pretty great, and I'd say it remained pretty good until... season 10?  9?  Something like that.

[Levi]

Avatar just keeps getting better. I don't know how.

It doesn't really stop getting better either. 

[kaijyuu]

@leafsnail
I own seasons 1-10, and 10 is the last I felt like buying. There were still good episodes sprinkled here or there, but no where near the density. And seasons 5-8 or so were all mostly good (definitely worth watching), it's just that they were going slowly downhill.


IE I don't think there was one definitive shark jumping moment, but rather it was dying slowly and steadily.


If it gets worse after 10, well, I guess I made a very good decision to not get more. What I've seen on TV doesn't tell me that, though (I've never felt the later stuff truly bad, just meh).

[Josephus]

Avatar just keeps getting better. I don't know how.

It doesn't really stop getting better either. 

I don't know, there are certainly some episodes I'd consider weak (that one episode where Aang goes to school, the other one with the scroll), but the really good ones (Zuko Alone, the finale episodes) obliterate their memory.

Batman the Animated Series was kind of the same way. People only remember the good episodes because they were that good, while mentally blocking out the bad/mediocre episodes.

[IronyOwl]

Anybody remember Pirates of Darkwater? That was probably one of my first experiences with network execs killing something and me left going, "But...but...WHYYYY???" 

Not very much of it, but yeah. Not enough to really judge how well they did with it, but the basic premise was pretty neat.

Avatar just keeps getting better. I don't know how.

Well, Toph helps, if you're there yet.

[Levi]

Avatar just keeps getting better. I don't know how.

It doesn't really stop getting better either. 

I don't know, there are certainly some episodes I'd consider weak (that one episode where Aang goes to school, the other one with the scroll), but the really good ones (Zuko Alone, the finale episodes) obliterate their memory.

Yeah okay, you have a point.  There were a few episodes that were pretty meh in the last season.  Overall though I think it was still great though. 

[penguinofhonor]

I just finished season 3, episode 4. Toph is my favorite. Also Itoh.

Yeah, some episodes are weak (mostly ones that are clear filler with no important character development), but as a whole it just keeps getting better. I think they probably should have done the inevitable "sokka has no powers and has a crisis over it" a bit earlier, but it was done very well anyways.