If you need a newer example, the fourth episode of Ted Lasso’s first season resolved two characters’ major conflict and shed light on an antagonist’s personal struggles-putting the Apple TV+ series on track to become TV’s “ nicest show.” Brett Goldstein, one of Ted Lasso’s writers and stars, even explained in an interview that he felt the show came together during the making of that episode. But binge-watching shows on streaming services only began in earnest in the 2010s, and in that context, I’m convinced. Maybe it’s all confirmation bias, and maybe I should look more closely at shows that aired before the 2000s. Read: When a show about kindness gets darker As I did, a logic emerged: If a pilot has to introduce the show’s world, and the second and third episodes must prove that the series can sustain itself, then by Episode 4 the cast and crew should be comfortable enough that their ease will translate to viewers. I kept writing about shows that were all over the map in terms of genre, network, and release strategy ( Alias, 24, New Girl, Modern Family, The Crown, House of Cards, Jane the Virgin-I could go on). Glee-don’t judge, this was Season 1-had a fourth episode that revealed a teen pregnancy and incorporated a revolutionary-for-its-time coming-out scene. Breaking Bad’s “Cancer Man” ramped up the series’ overarching tension between its criminal protagonist and his DEA-agent brother-in-law. (Apologies for any spoilers.) Lost, for example, revealed a key twist in “Walkabout,” which informed the show’s faith-versus-science mythology. I quickly noticed that fourth episodes tended to include major character development, shocking narrative swings, or moments that would go on to define the series as a whole. When I first started my admittedly unscientific pursuit, I assessed my favorite ongoing shows. But if you, like my friend, are overwhelmed and just need a number, I have good reasons for my recommendation. (Exceptions include limited and reality series, as well as shows with very short seasons, such as Fleabag.) Of course, you should watch as much or as little of a show as you want.
This is exactly enough to know whether any new TV series is worth your time. Still, since that conversation with my friend 10 years ago, I’ve dwelled on his question so much that I finally have an answer: Watch four episodes.
“It is easier to just give up and say you’ll catch up when the entire season is out, but good luck trying to remember you were interested in that show in the first place.” “It’s harder than ever to keep up with new TV shows,” Linda Ge, a writer on the CW’s Kung Fu, told me over email. After all, taste is subjective, people watch different shows for different reasons, and everyone’s viewing stamina varies. Usually, I resist giving a straightforward answer. The question of how long a viewer should stick with a new show before giving up on it-or before it “gets good”-is one I’m asked a lot, given how many TV recaps and binge-watching guides I’ve written over the years. But giving him an exact number? I called him and spent an hour explaining why this was an impossible decision for me to make on his behalf. Both had excellent first episodes that could presumably hold my friend’s attention. The other is a thriller about a dying man who cooks meth. Although both are modern classics, the two series couldn’t be more different: One is a stirring drama about a high-school football coach in a small Texas town. Specifically, he wanted to know how many episodes he should watch of each to see which would hook him faster. What feels like eons ago, a friend asked for my advice on an important subject: He was trying to decide whether to start Friday Night Lights or Breaking Bad, both of which had recently become available on Netflix.