The first season of Blockbuster didn't end up being as successful as Netflix was hoping with lukewarm reviews for the new comedy. A first season is hard for any show, but sitcoms seem to particularly struggle with this as they need to introduce and endear the characters to viewers while also finding the show's particular sense of humor.
Even classic sitcoms like Seinfeld and Parks and Recreation struggled in their first seasons, but there were also some shows that were immediately firing on all cylinders. While these shows may have improved further or dropped in quality, they helped to establish themselves as sitcom classics with some of the best first seasons.
10 Futurama (1999-2013)
Coming from the minds that gave the world The Simpsons, it is not surprising that the first season of Futurama immediately cemented the show as one to watch. While the sci-fi animated comedy never reached the heights of The Simpsons, it certainly delivered laughs right from the beginning.
The show follows Philip J. Fry, a delivery boy from the 20th century who is accidentally frozen and wakes up in the 30th century. Right away, there is so much material to mine for comedy with this premise. But while such a high-concept idea could quickly get weighed down with too many ideas, Futurama's early episodes wisely grounded the show in solid jokes and wacky characters.
9 Community (2009-2015)
Fans are excited to see their favorite running gags return in the Community movie but many of those began in the show's excellent first season. Starting off with a pitch-perfect pilot, the first season leaned into the terrific ensemble and their wacky adventures at Greendale Community College.
Even with a more irreverent sense of humor, Community seemed to establish its voice early on and realize which characters paired well together. It all led to the famous paintball episode late in season 1 that proved Community was something special in the sitcom world.
8 Fleabag (2016-2019)
Though some might argue against Fleabag being classified simply as a sitcom, few would argue against the exceptional nature of its first season. With only six episodes, the series told a hilarious and personal story that resonated with audiences while making them laugh.
Season 2 is when the show really found its audience and became one of the most talked about shows on television. But that was only possible from the first season laying the groundwork for this character study, its unique voice, and the complex titular character.
7 How I Met Your Mother (2005-2014)
Sometimes an intriguing premise is enough for a show to coast on in its early seasons. The idea of a story told about how a man meets and falls in love with the future mother of his children is a great idea to explore the usual sitcom dating world.
How I Met Your Mother set this idea up while also throwing in some unexpected twists. The mystery quality added a fun element to go along with the likable characters and fun recurring jokes. While the premise may have run dry later on, the first season really helped make the show something worth watching.
6 Abbott Elementary (2021-)
With only one complete season so far, Abbott Elementary has already made a huge impression on television. Taking the fake documentary style seen in so many sitcoms and applying it to a public school setting, it has set itself apart with excellent writing and performances.
Abbott Elementary's funniest quotes from season 1 highlight the cleverness of the show while the characters have quickly become endearing and charming. The show often finds a terrific balance between humor and messages that is always something sitcoms have struggled with.
5 Friends (1994-2004)
Seen as one of the greatest sitcoms of all time, Friends wasted no time in becoming a hit with its solid first season. While many fans would argue that later seasons really solidified its greatness, Friends found its groove much faster than other sitcoms as well as attracting an audience.
It is another example of an ensemble that instantly clicked and helped guide the show in those early seasons. Watching these characters together was a joy and the added central romance between Ross and Rachel gave the show something to grow on.
4 Frasier (1993-2004)
It is rare for a TV spinoff to be better than the original, but some fans feel as though Frasier succeeded in that regard. Kelsey Grammar took his terrific supporting player from Cheers and effortlessly put him into the spotlight in his own show.
Rather than attempting to glide off the same things that worked for the original show, Frasier quickly established its own voice with a more intellectual brand of comedy that was never excluding fans. Backing Frasier up with a wonderful supporting cast made this a fast success that stood out on its own.
3 Arrested Development (2003-2019)
Arrested Development was a show that always struggled to find an audience, but the first season proved why everyone should have been watching this odd sitcom. It followed the Bluth family and its many eccentric measures as they dealt with their patriarch in prison and mounting legal issues around their business.
The first season of the show brilliantly set up jokes, featured some of the best writing on television, and created bizarre characters who were entertaining in so many scenarios. The show was also never afraid to make these people unlikable or go to some strange places with the story. While that might not have helped it find an audience, it made the first season one of the best shows on television.
2 Modern Family (2009-2020)
It is not too many shows that can pull off a plot twist in the pilot episode, but that helped set Modern Family apart. From there, the show took a very simple premise of three families within a larger family all dealing with their own stories that are connected and share themes.
Each personality of the characters shines through almost immediately and is used to great comedic effect with sharp writing making each episode of the first season a crowd-pleaser with plenty of laughs. The show gradually dropped in quality but that first season remains impressive.
1 Cheers (1982-1993)
The first episode of Cheers is a masterclass in sitcom writing as it introduces its ensemble of characters, establishes intriguing relationships to be explored and delivers solid laughs. With such solid groundwork laid, the first season sailed along brilliantly.
The will-they-wont-they relationship between Sam and Diane was the compelling overarching story of the season that kept viewers hooked, but the show had plenty of charm beyond that. It told breezy, fun and smart stories in each episode, all of these taking advantage of the show's roster of colorful characters and its simple setting.
Source:gamerant.com