10 TV Shows Where The First Episode Was The Best
6. True Detective: Night Country
The fourth season of crime anthology series True Detective started off so damn well, with an opening episode which succinctly established its uniquely chilly Alaskan setting, introduced audiences to the key players - played with gusto by Jodie Foster and Kali Reis - and teed up an enticing mystery for the rest of the season.
But Night Country's five remaining episodes failed to sustain that suspense and intrigue, increasingly relying upon contrived writing, goofy supernatural elements, and hamfisted references to True Detective's beloved first season, ahead of a wildly unsatisfying finale.
That first episode posed so much promise, though, and while Foster and Reis absolutely gave it their all throughout, they were ultimately left at the mercy of lackluster writing which made this feel like a standard crime thriller series with the True Detective branding lazily slapped on it by HBO.
Yet Night Country proved to be a solid ratings hit regardless of its sharp drop-off in quality, prompting HBO to renew True Detective for a fifth season, with Night Country showrunner Issa López set to return.