Acclaimed TV shows are avoiding the dreaded Season 2 “sophmore slump”

Variety

Stranger Things, This Is Us, Better Things, The Good Place and Master of None all followed up on their stellar debut seasons with critically acclaimed second seasons. “This season especially, we’ve seen something of a television miracle: The end of the dreaded ‘sophomore slump,’” says Debra Birnbaum. “Top contenders for the awards circuit include a lineup of dramas and comedies that burn even brighter in their second seasons.” She adds: “Perhaps no series had a higher bar than Stranger Things, which burst onto the screen relatively unknown. It might have turned into a ‘80s tribute series, but instead found resonance as it delved even deeper into the characters’ search for belonging.”