Season one: 10/10 genuinely the perfect show executed perfectly.
Season 2: 8/10 Still very strong overall. But, the fact is once there is a protagonist you can't just alter the dynamic so radically. Sure in season 1 it had strong ensemble elements, but things needed to keep on that path. Simon then Susan as the second lead should've stayed the primary focus. A genuine wasted opportunity as Simon Casey, what a character. You can really see the making of Andrew Lincoln in this role. And it's a real shame that (I suspect, anyway) that the producers gave up on his character. Once the focus stops being on Simon (as he leaves at the end of season 2) the quality begins nose diving, rapidly.
Season 3. Average. Simon's brief return causes the show to soar once more, albeit very briefly. But his reappearance only underlines that two of the other leads (Jenny and Susan) just disappeared at the end of season 2 without any explanation, or without *any* of the other characters seeming to notice or even mention it. Season 3 is just average over all.
Season 4: Jumping the shark is all that needs to be said. Still enough charming characters that you've long liked, but a real mess.
Season 2: 8/10 Still very strong overall. But, the fact is once there is a protagonist you can't just alter the dynamic so radically. Sure in season 1 it had strong ensemble elements, but things needed to keep on that path. Simon then Susan as the second lead should've stayed the primary focus. A genuine wasted opportunity as Simon Casey, what a character. You can really see the making of Andrew Lincoln in this role. And it's a real shame that (I suspect, anyway) that the producers gave up on his character. Once the focus stops being on Simon (as he leaves at the end of season 2) the quality begins nose diving, rapidly.
Season 3. Average. Simon's brief return causes the show to soar once more, albeit very briefly. But his reappearance only underlines that two of the other leads (Jenny and Susan) just disappeared at the end of season 2 without any explanation, or without *any* of the other characters seeming to notice or even mention it. Season 3 is just average over all.
Season 4: Jumping the shark is all that needs to be said. Still enough charming characters that you've long liked, but a real mess.