1. Heroes
Heroes is the ultimate example of a show that started off amazingly strong only to tumble from its heights all the way to audience disinterest and cancellation. Considering what we got in Chapter One, we should have had four years of phenomenal television but alas it wasn't to be. But in the context of this article, Heroes has to be number one, because while other shows end with many unanswered questions at the end of season one, Heroes first year tied everything up perfectly. It all came down to that ultimate showdown with Sylar in Kirby Plaza, a battle that would alter the terrible events presented in the stunning episode 'Five Year Gone' (and surely the ultimate tribute to X-Men's Days Of Future Past story line). Hiro, Peter, Nikki and Claire fulfill their roles as heroes and save the city of New York from destruction. Take out the whole 'Hiro gets flung back into Feudal Japan' cliff hanger and there are virtually no big unanswered questions. Heroes ultimately failed in its master plan. It didn't deliver on the promise of Genesis, partly due to the writer's strike of 2007 derailing season two and the schizophrenic 'throw everything into the pan' nature of season three. As great as he was, Sylar just kept turning up again and again, Hiro (incredibly) became annoying, we never truly got the super hero versus super villain showdown we were waiting for. Season four just couldn't hit those season one heights despite a solid attempt. Had Heroes ended with season one, fans would have lamented its passing but it would have been remembered with praise not disappointment. I guess the moral of this article is that sometimes be careful what you wish for. While some shows continue to build and build on the strengths of season one, others never deliver on their promise. Do you agree with my choices or do you think they never stumbled from the greatness of their first seasons? Perhaps you feel they just weren't that great to start with and there other shows that would have made better one-season wonders? I'd love to know your thoughts so please feel free to comment below.