...it's like TV Tropes, but LINKED DATA!

Sophomore Slump

685 statements
125 feature instances
10 referencing feature instances

Sophomore Slump	type	FeatureClass
Sophomore Slump	label	Sophomore Slump
Sophomore Slump	page	SophomoreSlump
Sophomore Slump	comment	After a stellar first installment/season, a series has a second installment/season that either feels suspiciously like the last or just isn't as good. Tends to be more prevalent in dramas than comedies. A specific form of Seasonal Rot, though perhaps not always bad so much as just underwhelming when compared to what came before. Sophomore Slump concerns shows that make it past an awful second season and into a decent or fantastic third season. If the show doesn't survive the second season, it's a Second Season Downfall. This happens in music with depressing regularity as well. Usually, it's because after the first album (which usually has a couple of years of development under its belt and plenty of trial and error from live concerts to help the band determine what does or doesn't work), the record company wants a second album produced within a year. The second album is therefore very likely to consist mainly of the songs that were cut from the first album because they were considered inferior. Combine this with the fact that most bands popular enough to get a second album will also be constantly on tour and one can see why this happens. This term as used in sports refers to players who become breakout stars during their rookie seasons, only to follow up with underwhelming second years, whether because of injury, changes within the team, heightened expectations and publicity leading to faltering on-field performance, etc. Some of them are able to figure out how to get back on track for their third years and beyond, while others end up skidding for a few years and then disappear, with varying levels of infamy based on how highly touted they were before or during their freshmen seasons. A related term, used in computing, is the "second system effect." Freed from the tight schedule and budgetary demands of the first system, the programmers attempt to "correct" everything that "went wrong" the first time, usually with disastrous effects. This may happen when your first season is widely considered a Tough Act to Follow, but it's not a rule. Compare Oddball in the Series, Sequelitis, and Seasonal Rot. Could cause a Broken Base if another portion of the fandom disagree with the opinion that the work is going through a Sophomore Slump. If it's inverted, see Growing the Beard, Surprisingly Improved Sequel or Even Better Sequel. If it's a longer-running series that's consistently good, then bad, then good again, then bad again, then repeat, see the Star Trek Movie Curse. If there really are only three installments, it's basically Middle Child Syndrome for installments/series. Has nothing to do with what comes after the freshman fifteen.
Sophomore Slump	fetched	2024-01-28T02:36:18Z
Sophomore Slump	parsed	2024-01-28T02:36:18Z
Sophomore Slump	processingComment	Dropped link to AnimationBump: Not an Item - FEATURE
Sophomore Slump	processingComment	Dropped link to BookEnds: Not an Item - FEATURE
Sophomore Slump	processingComment	Dropped link to Boston: Not an Item - IGNORE
Sophomore Slump	processingComment	Dropped link to CreatorKiller: Not an Item - FEATURE
Sophomore Slump	processingComment	Dropped link to DeepPurple: Not an Item - IGNORE
Sophomore Slump	processingComment	Dropped link to DirectToVideo: Not an Item - FEATURE
Sophomore Slump	processingComment	Dropped link to Drake: Not an Item - IGNORE
Sophomore Slump	processingComment	Dropped link to Drakengard: Not an Item - IGNORE
Sophomore Slump	processingComment	Dropped link to DuranDuran: Not an Item - IGNORE
Sophomore Slump	processingComment	Dropped link to Europe: Not an Item - IGNORE
Sophomore Slump	processingComment	Dropped link to FallOutBoy: Not an Item - IGNORE
Sophomore Slump	processingComment	Dropped link to FranzFerdinand: Not an Item - IGNORE
Sophomore Slump	processingComment	Dropped link to GangstaRap: Not an Item - FEATURE
Sophomore Slump	processingComment	Dropped link to GiacomoPuccini: Not an Item - IGNORE
Sophomore Slump	processingComment	Dropped link to GioachinoRossini: Not an Item - IGNORE
Sophomore Slump	processingComment	Dropped link to GiuseppeVerdi: Not an Item - IGNORE
Sophomore Slump	processingComment	Dropped link to GogolBordello: Not an Item - IGNORE
Sophomore Slump	processingComment	Dropped link to GreenDay: Not an Item - IGNORE
Sophomore Slump	processingComment	Dropped link to Grunge: Not an Item - FEATURE
Sophomore Slump	processingComment	Dropped link to Haim: Not an Item - IGNORE
Sophomore Slump	processingComment	Dropped link to HistoryRepeats: Not an Item - FEATURE
Sophomore Slump	processingComment	Dropped link to HootieAndTheBlowfish: Not an Item - IGNORE
Sophomore Slump	processingComment	Dropped link to JasonAldean: Not an Item - IGNORE
Sophomore Slump	processingComment	Dropped link to JenniferLopez: Not an Item - IGNORE
Sophomore Slump	processingComment	Dropped link to KateBush: Not an Item - IGNORE
Sophomore Slump	processingComment	Dropped link to KatyPerry: Not an Item - IGNORE
Sophomore Slump	processingComment	Dropped link to KeithUrban: Not an Item - IGNORE
Sophomore Slump	processingComment	Dropped link to ManicStreetPreachers: Not an Item - IGNORE
Sophomore Slump	processingComment	Dropped link to MilliVanilli: Not an Item - IGNORE
Sophomore Slump	processingComment	Dropped link to NickLowe: Not an Item - IGNORE
Sophomore Slump	processingComment	Dropped link to PinkFloyd: Not an Item - IGNORE
Sophomore Slump	processingComment	Dropped link to PuddleOfMudd: Not an Item - IGNORE
Sophomore Slump	processingComment	Dropped link to RedHotChiliPeppers: Not an Item - IGNORE
Sophomore Slump	processingComment	Dropped link to Rihanna: Not an Item - IGNORE
Sophomore Slump	processingComment	Dropped link to Starflyer59: Not an Item - IGNORE
Sophomore Slump	processingComment	Dropped link to SupermanStaysOutOfGotham: Not an Item - FEATURE
Sophomore Slump	processingComment	Dropped link to TalkingHeads: Not an Item - IGNORE
Sophomore Slump	processingComment	Dropped link to TheB52s: Not an Item - IGNORE
Sophomore Slump	processingComment	Dropped link to TheBeatles: Not an Item - IGNORE
Sophomore Slump	processingComment	Dropped link to TheByrds: Not an Item - IGNORE
Sophomore Slump	processingComment	Dropped link to TheClash: Not an Item - IGNORE
Sophomore Slump	processingComment	Dropped link to TheJam: Not an Item - IGNORE
Sophomore Slump	processingComment	Dropped link to TheMonkees: Not an Item - IGNORE
Sophomore Slump	processingComment	Dropped link to TheNineties: Not an Item - IGNORE
Sophomore Slump	processingComment	Dropped link to TheOffspring: Not an Item - IGNORE
Sophomore Slump	processingComment	Dropped link to TheSmiths: Not an Item - IGNORE
Sophomore Slump	processingComment	Dropped link to ToughActToFollow: Not an Item - FEATURE
Sophomore Slump	processingComment	Dropped link to TropeCodifier: Not an Item - FEATURE
Sophomore Slump	processingComment	Dropped link to U2: Not an Item - IGNORE
Sophomore Slump	processingComment	Dropped link to VanHalen: Not an Item - IGNORE
Sophomore Slump	processingComment	Dropped link to WWEToughEnough: Not an Item - IGNORE
Sophomore Slump	processingComment	Dropped link to Weezer: Not an Item - IGNORE
Sophomore Slump	processingComment	Dropped link to oldshame: Not an Item - FEATURE
Sophomore Slump	isPartOf	DBTropes
Sophomore Slump / int_110f2435	type	Sophomore Slump
Sophomore Slump / int_110f2435	comment	National Lampoon's European Vacation failed to achieve the classic status of its predecessor, National Lampoon's Vacation, or its successor, National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation.
Sophomore Slump / int_110f2435	featureApplicability	1.0
Sophomore Slump / int_110f2435	featureConfidence	1.0
National Lampoon's European Vacation	hasFeature	Sophomore Slump / int_110f2435
Sophomore Slump / int_148f217e	type	Sophomore Slump
Sophomore Slump / int_148f217e	comment	The second Nancy Drew PC Game, Stay Tuned for Danger, suffered from this, since Her Interactive was still working out the kinks. It had a rather frustrating Insurmountable Waist-Height Fence (namely, you started off the game picking a lock with a credit card; later on, other doors, which are identical and in the same building absolutely have to be opened with keys), a pretty bad loophole (if you enter a certain room before picking up two necessary tools, you are unable to leave again to get them and Game Over), a final game that was so frustratingly difficult they had to release a patch to ease the frustration, a pretty clumsy overworld map (where you had to click on a location, listen to Nancy hail a cab, talk to the driver, then arrive, which is frustrating after several repetitions; the other early games all took place in one location, avoiding the problem). It's telling that thanks to Technology Marches On, the first two games were discontinued because of issues with newer sound and video cards. The first, Secrets Can Kill was later remastered and re-released in 2010, but there seems to be no indication they plan to do the same with Stay Tuned for Danger.
Sophomore Slump / int_148f217e	featureApplicability	1.0
Sophomore Slump / int_148f217e	featureConfidence	1.0
Nancy Drew (Video Game)	hasFeature	Sophomore Slump / int_148f217e
Sophomore Slump / int_14cb9f30	type	Sophomore Slump
Sophomore Slump / int_14cb9f30	comment	A Bug's Life was their second film and while it's well-liked, it tends to be forgotten. The fact that it's sandwiched between their spectacular debut Toy Story and the very much not a sophomore slump Toy Story 2 doesn't help; indeed, it's the only one of Pixar's first seven films not to have spawned a franchise.
Sophomore Slump / int_14cb9f30	featureApplicability	1.0
Sophomore Slump / int_14cb9f30	featureConfidence	1.0
A Bug's Life	hasFeature	Sophomore Slump / int_14cb9f30
Sophomore Slump / int_16aa3232	type	Sophomore Slump
Sophomore Slump / int_16aa3232	comment	Desperate Housewives had a decline in quality after season one. Some people say it returned to its premises in season three.
Sophomore Slump / int_16aa3232	featureApplicability	1.0
Sophomore Slump / int_16aa3232	featureConfidence	1.0
Desperate Housewives	hasFeature	Sophomore Slump / int_16aa3232
Sophomore Slump / int_17a21982	type	Sophomore Slump
Sophomore Slump / int_17a21982	comment	While Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon is the most divisive game in the series, it's generally agreed by even its defenders to be the weakest game in the trilogy for switching to a mission-based structure, its lack of portrait ghosts, and its Lighter and Softer art style and general atmosphere, all of which were addressed in Luigi's Mansion 3.
Sophomore Slump / int_17a21982	featureApplicability	1.0
Sophomore Slump / int_17a21982	featureConfidence	1.0
Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon (Video Game)	hasFeature	Sophomore Slump / int_17a21982
Sophomore Slump / int_192d8971	type	Sophomore Slump
Sophomore Slump / int_192d8971	comment	Homeland's second season tossed away the cat-and-mouse game between Carrie and Brody in the middle and made the latter as The Mole for the CIA at the former's urging along with some characters holding the Idiot Ball. But at least, the season finale paid off with Abu Nazir's Thanatos Gambit by killing a majority of the CIA personnel with a bomb and pinning the blame on Brody.
Sophomore Slump / int_192d8971	featureApplicability	1.0
Sophomore Slump / int_192d8971	featureConfidence	1.0
Homeland	hasFeature	Sophomore Slump / int_192d8971
Sophomore Slump / int_1aacbbc9	type	Sophomore Slump
Sophomore Slump / int_1aacbbc9	comment	Dragon Age went through this with Dragon Age II. While many consider it decent for reasons such as its excellent companions, it fell short of Dragon Age: Origins in almost every other way, with Cut and Paste Environments everywhere, tons of bugs and many of them game-breaking, overly simplified gameplay, and an extremely small world to explore. Despite some porting issues and a few other complaints, Dragon Age: Inquisition was widely hailed by critics and fans as an excellent return to form for the franchise, attempting to correct almost all of the problems mentioned above, in addition to taking numerous seemingly unimportant plot points and items from Dragon Age II and making them major plot elements in Inquisition.
Sophomore Slump / int_1aacbbc9	featureApplicability	1.0
Sophomore Slump / int_1aacbbc9	featureConfidence	1.0
Dragon Age (Franchise)	hasFeature	Sophomore Slump / int_1aacbbc9
Sophomore Slump / int_1bcc5f01	type	Sophomore Slump
Sophomore Slump / int_1bcc5f01	comment	Like the Byrds, Dusty Springfield had two big hit singles early in her career, "I Only Want to Be with You" and "Wishin' and Hopin'," and a less memorable single between them, "Stay Awhile."
Sophomore Slump / int_1bcc5f01	featureApplicability	1.0
Sophomore Slump / int_1bcc5f01	featureConfidence	1.0
Dusty Springfield (Music)	hasFeature	Sophomore Slump / int_1bcc5f01
Sophomore Slump / int_1cf9029e	type	Sophomore Slump
Sophomore Slump / int_1cf9029e	comment	DEATH BATTLE!: The first of the three "Goku vs. Superman" fights was seen as a fitting conclusion to Season 1 for the high-scale titular Ultimate Showdown of Ultimate Destiny and climactic finish, and the third was similarly praised for showcasing how much the show had improved since then with an even more grandiose animation, the Friendly Rivalry displayed between Goku and Superman, and a post-fight analysis acknowledging the open-endedness of the question of who would win between them. The second, with its far smaller scope, feeling akin to a rehash of the first, and controversial ending analysis and character portayals that many viewed as insulting to both combatants, isn't liked nearly as much, even by Ben Singer.
Sophomore Slump / int_1cf9029e	featureApplicability	1.0
Sophomore Slump / int_1cf9029e	featureConfidence	1.0
DEATH BATTLE! (Web Animation)	hasFeature	Sophomore Slump / int_1cf9029e
Sophomore Slump / int_1f1809cb	type	Sophomore Slump
Sophomore Slump / int_1f1809cb	comment	Chumbawamba attempted to follow up their smash-hit major label debut Tubthumping with WYSIWYG, whose lead-off single ("She's Got All The Friends") was quite obviously an attempt to mimic the shouty-pop of "Tubthumping." No one cared, and Chumbawamba returned to their previous preference of independent releases. (These days, the group would rather pretend that the "Tubthumper" era never occurred.)
Sophomore Slump / int_1f1809cb	featureApplicability	1.0
Sophomore Slump / int_1f1809cb	featureConfidence	1.0
Chumbawamba (Music)	hasFeature	Sophomore Slump / int_1f1809cb
Sophomore Slump / int_2162a284	type	Sophomore Slump
Sophomore Slump / int_2162a284	comment	MS Paint Adventures: Bard Quest has the unfortunate problem of being sandwiched between the crude but enjoyable Jailbreak and the genre-busting Problem Sleuth, which was followed by the legendary Homestuck. It's the only comic where the Gamebook elements are fairly straightforward (also incidentally the only one that used the traditional Medieval Fantasy backdrop). The comic was dropped fairly quickly, as all the paths end up as dead ends sooner or later.
Sophomore Slump / int_2162a284	featureApplicability	1.0
Sophomore Slump / int_2162a284	featureConfidence	1.0
MS Paint Adventures / Web Comic	hasFeature	Sophomore Slump / int_2162a284
Sophomore Slump / int_2407cefe	type	Sophomore Slump
Sophomore Slump / int_2407cefe	comment	YouTube Poop: King Vs. Mama Luigi - The Epic Battle 3 is widely considered to be superior to YouTube Poop: King Vs. Weegee - The Epic Battle due to its much longer runtime, better editing and stronger plot. Meanwhile, YouTube Poop: King Vs. Gay Luigi - The Epic Battle 2 is widely considered to be the weakest entry in the trilogy due to the lack of epic fight scenes found in the other installments with Gay Luigi only having 20 seconds of screen time and being easily defeated with one attack after having fired a missile at Link.
Sophomore Slump / int_2407cefe	featureApplicability	1.0
Sophomore Slump / int_2407cefe	featureConfidence	1.0
YouTube Poop	hasFeature	Sophomore Slump / int_2407cefe
Sophomore Slump / int_2594ce60	type	Sophomore Slump
Sophomore Slump / int_2594ce60	comment	Deus Ex: Invisible War turned off many fans, who felt that it sacrificed much of the complexity and freedom that made the original so enjoyable. Human Revolution has been received significantly better.
Sophomore Slump / int_2594ce60	featureApplicability	1.0
Sophomore Slump / int_2594ce60	featureConfidence	1.0
Deus Ex: Invisible War (Video Game)	hasFeature	Sophomore Slump / int_2594ce60
Sophomore Slump / int_2660193	type	Sophomore Slump
Sophomore Slump / int_2660193	comment	Most critics and fans agree that Kacey Musgraves Pageant Material is not as good as Same Trailer Different Park. Many fans speculate that this is because she is trying to please country radio by releasing the two weaker but more mainstream singles, resulting in the album not receive any Grammy nomination for the singles. Golden Hour rebounds spectacularly, resulting 4 Grammy wins for her in 2019.
Sophomore Slump / int_2660193	featureApplicability	1.0
Sophomore Slump / int_2660193	featureConfidence	1.0
Kacey Musgraves (Music)	hasFeature	Sophomore Slump / int_2660193
Sophomore Slump / int_28486597	type	Sophomore Slump
Sophomore Slump / int_28486597	comment	Aladdin: The Return of Jafar, while often regarded as better than a lot of Disney's other direct-to-video sequels, is considered the worst of the Aladdin films, with the original being a modern classic and Aladdin and the King of Thieves being one of the most well-regarded of the sequels.
Sophomore Slump / int_28486597	featureApplicability	1.0
Sophomore Slump / int_28486597	featureConfidence	1.0
Aladdin: The Return of Jafar	hasFeature	Sophomore Slump / int_28486597
Sophomore Slump / int_37efe01e	type	Sophomore Slump
Sophomore Slump / int_37efe01e	comment	Twitch Plays PokÃ©mon: While the second run managed to more or less avert this, defying expectations note although it might still vaguely qualify due to being caught between the First Installment Wins group and those who believe that it didn't really hit its stride until the third run, Season 2 got hit with this hard, containing just five runs, two of which were more or less overlooked and one of which is largely considered a failed experiment in keeping things fresh (also plagued by mild squickiness for some due to the romhacks being used and some community drama).
Sophomore Slump / int_37efe01e	featureApplicability	1.0
Sophomore Slump / int_37efe01e	featureConfidence	1.0
Twitch Plays PokÃ©mon (Web Video)	hasFeature	Sophomore Slump / int_37efe01e
Sophomore Slump / int_38974f2	type	Sophomore Slump
Sophomore Slump / int_38974f2	comment	The King of Fighters: The Rugal/Orochi saga ('94 to '97, alongside the Dream Match Game of '98) is often seen as the series' high point, with it introducing both its trademark characters and 3-on-3 format. The NESTS saga ('99 to 2001) isn't looked at much fondly, what with its more gimmicky 4-on-4 and Striker combat and the newcomers being far more hit-or-miss, not helped by the temporary Channel Hop to Eolith from SNK. 2002's status as the wrap-up party allowed for the return of both the original format and several Ensemble Dark Horses from the prior saga (such as Rugal Bernstein and the Orochi Team), heralding the series getting relatively back on track, even if it continued to struggle with less compelling newcomers and the unpolished release of XII.
Sophomore Slump / int_38974f2	featureApplicability	1.0
Sophomore Slump / int_38974f2	featureConfidence	1.0
The King of Fighters (Franchise)	hasFeature	Sophomore Slump / int_38974f2
Sophomore Slump / int_3d22c14b	type	Sophomore Slump
Sophomore Slump / int_3d22c14b	comment	Mobile Suit Gundam 00 has the second season, generally considered to be weaker than the first due to it rehashing the same "protagonists fight a paramilitary force controlled by the Big Bad" plot done twice before. This caused the 2008/2009 season to be remembered as "the time Sunrise blew it all" on the seasonal plan since it aired alongside R2 above.
Sophomore Slump / int_3d22c14b	featureApplicability	1.0
Sophomore Slump / int_3d22c14b	featureConfidence	1.0
Mobile Suit Gundam 00	hasFeature	Sophomore Slump / int_3d22c14b
Sophomore Slump / int_3e5c6c5a	type	Sophomore Slump
Sophomore Slump / int_3e5c6c5a	comment	The phenomenon repeated itself with the 3D Mario games. Super Mario 64 was the most universally loved Mario game at the time before Super Mario Odyssey took that title. Super Mario Sunshine was much more divisive, stripping away the franchise's most iconic features and adding some polarizing gameplay elements. While it has become more beloved with time, it's still stuck between 64 and Super Mario Galaxy, both of which are near universally beloved games in the franchise, if not the entire platformer genre.
Sophomore Slump / int_3e5c6c5a	featureApplicability	1.0
Sophomore Slump / int_3e5c6c5a	featureConfidence	1.0
Super Mario 64 (Video Game)	hasFeature	Sophomore Slump / int_3e5c6c5a
Sophomore Slump / int_3e9e3f22	type	Sophomore Slump
Sophomore Slump / int_3e9e3f22	comment	The first season of Broadchurch was universally acclaimed by critics and audiences alike. Season 2, while not exactly bad, contained the infamous trial plotline, which was criticized for being an extremely inaccurate portrayal of the British legal system, and taking time away from Alec and Ellie's partnership and the actual mystery, two of the biggest drawing points of the show and what made it so acclaimed. Season 3 introduced a completely new case that didn't feel like a rehash of the original one, brought Alec and Ellie's partnership back to the forefront, and dialed down on Season 2's Too Bleak, Stopped Caring tone. It was largely agreed to be a return to form for the show and was received far more warmly than the previous season.
Sophomore Slump / int_3e9e3f22	featureApplicability	1.0
Sophomore Slump / int_3e9e3f22	featureConfidence	1.0
Broadchurch	hasFeature	Sophomore Slump / int_3e9e3f22
Sophomore Slump / int_3fd6b9d5	type	Sophomore Slump
Sophomore Slump / int_3fd6b9d5	comment	Castlevania II: Simon's Quest was criticized for opting for a different gameplay approach to that of the original game, but its gameplay style would later become the series's bellwether after Castlevania: Symphony of the Night perfected the formula.
Sophomore Slump / int_3fd6b9d5	featureApplicability	1.0
Sophomore Slump / int_3fd6b9d5	featureConfidence	1.0
Castlevania II: Simon's Quest (Video Game)	hasFeature	Sophomore Slump / int_3fd6b9d5
Sophomore Slump / int_3fdafaad	type	Sophomore Slump
Sophomore Slump / int_3fdafaad	comment	The first WrestleMania was a sensation that helped usher in the Rock n Wrestling Era - complete with high profile appearances from Mr. T and Cyndi Lauper. The second event was regarded as a disappointment - thanks to the poor decision to broadcast it from three different arenas - and most of the matches being short and unmemorable. With the third Mania, the event became the celebrated tradition it's now regarded as in the WWE.
Sophomore Slump / int_3fdafaad	featureApplicability	1.0
Sophomore Slump / int_3fdafaad	featureConfidence	1.0
WrestleMania (Wrestling)	hasFeature	Sophomore Slump / int_3fdafaad
Sophomore Slump / int_41b0198a	type	Sophomore Slump
Sophomore Slump / int_41b0198a	comment	The Dresden Files was kind of this way with Fool Moon. It wasn't bad per se, it wasn't as good as Storm Front, but the series certainly improves with Grave Peril. Opinions vary, though.
Sophomore Slump / int_41b0198a	featureApplicability	1.0
Sophomore Slump / int_41b0198a	featureConfidence	1.0
The Dresden Files	hasFeature	Sophomore Slump / int_41b0198a
Sophomore Slump / int_4395c193	type	Sophomore Slump
Sophomore Slump / int_4395c193	comment	The Vines got huge press for their debut album, Highly Evolved, which went platinum in their native Australia and gold in the UK and America. Follow-up Winning Days had songs written around the time Highly Evolved was recorded, that didn't make that album. Critics noticed, and while the album went gold in Australia, it fizzled out everywhere else. Not helped by the fact that the frontman, Craig Nicholls, had struggles with Asperger's Syndrome that caught up with him during the promotion of the album, resulting in an assault charge.
Sophomore Slump / int_4395c193	featureApplicability	1.0
Sophomore Slump / int_4395c193	featureConfidence	1.0
The Vines (Music)	hasFeature	Sophomore Slump / int_4395c193
Sophomore Slump / int_4737c653	type	Sophomore Slump
Sophomore Slump / int_4737c653	comment	Elementary's second season was as enjoyable as the first as far as episodic plots are involved but was marred by Conflict Ball-induced stupidity, Sherlock and Joan bickering rather than getting closer like fans wanted, and Mycroft's drawn-out plotline, and a somewhat unbelievable romantic subplot with Joan. Season three, thanks to Kitty's terrific character arc, and a saner dynamic between Joan and Sherlock was a return to form.
Sophomore Slump / int_4737c653	featureApplicability	1.0
Sophomore Slump / int_4737c653	featureConfidence	1.0
Elementary	hasFeature	Sophomore Slump / int_4737c653
Sophomore Slump / int_47dfc6f	type	Sophomore Slump
Sophomore Slump / int_47dfc6f	comment	Total Drama Action was not well-received by fans of the original series, mainly due to massive amounts of Flanderization. Most of the afflicted characters Snap Back in the third season and it seems like the writers are trying very hard to pretend none of it ever happened (to the point of creating continuity errors in later seasons).
Sophomore Slump / int_47dfc6f	featureApplicability	1.0
Sophomore Slump / int_47dfc6f	featureConfidence	1.0
Total Drama	hasFeature	Sophomore Slump / int_47dfc6f
Sophomore Slump / int_4b790c7a	type	Sophomore Slump
Sophomore Slump / int_4b790c7a	comment	While Iron Man 2 was relatively successful with audiences and critics, many felt it was not as exciting as the first or third films, and is regarded as the weakest entry in the Iron Man trilogy by the majority of viewers. It's also widely considered one of, if not the weakest entries in the entire franchise.
Sophomore Slump / int_4b790c7a	featureApplicability	1.0
Sophomore Slump / int_4b790c7a	featureConfidence	1.0
Iron Man 2	hasFeature	Sophomore Slump / int_4b790c7a
Sophomore Slump / int_4be3aedd	type	Sophomore Slump
Sophomore Slump / int_4be3aedd	comment	Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers's first season was a cultural phenomenon, becoming one of the most popular children's shows worldwide. Even though fans recognise it isn't of the best quality, it's still enjoyed for nostalgia's sake. The second season coincided with Austin St. John, Walter Emanuel Jones and Thuy Trang leaving over a pay dispute, resulting in laughably bad Fake Shemping with stock footage, body doubles and voiceovers that barely sound like them, until they introduced their replacements. This is also the season where Tommy Oliver went from being the Sixth Ranger to The Leader, and becoming extremely overpowered and turning into the Spotlight-Stealing Squad. Season 3 would be a return to form, and is generally considered the best season from a writing point of view.
Sophomore Slump / int_4be3aedd	featureApplicability	1.0
Sophomore Slump / int_4be3aedd	featureConfidence	1.0
Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers	hasFeature	Sophomore Slump / int_4be3aedd
Sophomore Slump / int_50124490	type	Sophomore Slump
Sophomore Slump / int_50124490	comment	Trace Adkins had a hugely successful debut album Dreamin' Out Loud. His followups Big Time and More... sold far more poorly, with neither scoring a major hit. But he got back on track with Chrome, Comin' On Strong, and Songs About Me, which were far more successful and notched some of his biggest hits such as "Chrome", "Hot Mama", "Songs About Me", and "Honky Tonk Badonkadonk".
Sophomore Slump / int_50124490	featureApplicability	1.0
Sophomore Slump / int_50124490	featureConfidence	1.0
Trace Adkins (Music)	hasFeature	Sophomore Slump / int_50124490
Sophomore Slump / int_54cf3909	type	Sophomore Slump
Sophomore Slump / int_54cf3909	comment	2 Fast 2 Furious is the least popular installment of The Fast and the Furious film series. It's also the only one without Vin Diesel.
Sophomore Slump / int_54cf3909	featureApplicability	1.0
Sophomore Slump / int_54cf3909	featureConfidence	1.0
2 Fast 2 Furious	hasFeature	Sophomore Slump / int_54cf3909
Sophomore Slump / int_55abaff3	type	Sophomore Slump
Sophomore Slump / int_55abaff3	comment	Cinderella II: Dreams Come True received a rather harsh reaction, due partly to its poor animation and lack of a central plot. Its shortcomings seem even more heinous when considering that it became sandwiched in-between a movie that saved Disney from bankruptcy, and one of Disney's best-reviewed direct-to-video sequels. Dreams Come True was conceived as-is because it is a Failed Pilot Episode Disney tried to falsely advertise as a proper sequel, while both other films were produced as proper feature-length works.
Sophomore Slump / int_55abaff3	featureApplicability	1.0
Sophomore Slump / int_55abaff3	featureConfidence	1.0
Cinderella II: Dreams Come True	hasFeature	Sophomore Slump / int_55abaff3
Sophomore Slump / int_5846165c	type	Sophomore Slump
Sophomore Slump / int_5846165c	comment	Kid Icarus is respected as a Cult Classic for its Nintendo Hard difficulty, and Kid Icarus: Uprising is also majorly agreed to be a fresh modernization that introduced many Iconic Sequel Characters such as Viridi, Dark Pit and Hades. The game sandwiched in-between them, Kid Icarus: Of Myths and Monsters, largely fell under the radar despite its improvements, with a common criticism being that it was way too similar to its predecessor. No wonder it wasn't released in Japan until 2012, led to a massive 21-year Sequel Gap between it and Uprising, and the Kid Icarus representation in Super Smash Bros. is taken entirely from the original game and Uprising only.
Sophomore Slump / int_5846165c	featureApplicability	1.0
Sophomore Slump / int_5846165c	featureConfidence	1.0
Kid Icarus (Video Game)	hasFeature	Sophomore Slump / int_5846165c
Sophomore Slump / int_585e87de	type	Sophomore Slump
Sophomore Slump / int_585e87de	comment	While neither xXx nor XXX Return Of Xander Cage exactly got glowing reviews, they were both considered to be a lot of dumb fun, with the former film being an outright box-office hit and the latter doing well internationally. The film in-between then, however, xXx: State of the Union, was a critical and commercial bomb that didn't even star Vin Diesel.
Sophomore Slump / int_585e87de	featureApplicability	1.0
Sophomore Slump / int_585e87de	featureConfidence	1.0
xXx	hasFeature	Sophomore Slump / int_585e87de
Sophomore Slump / int_5b93f695	type	Sophomore Slump
Sophomore Slump / int_5b93f695	comment	I See Stars got hit with this with their second album, The End of the World Party. Their first album, 3-D, blew up almost overnight during the MySpace era thanks to them blending pop and metal in a unique way. Sumerian Records quickly signed them and were shaping to be the American version of Asking Alexandria. However, The End of the World Party leaned too much on the pop side and alienated fans who liked the metal elements (partly due to harsh singer Zach Johnson leaving). As a result, I See Stars didn't blow up in popularity as much as other MySpace bands. I See Stars maintained a fanbase, but they were never able to recapture the popularity they had during the MySpace days.
Sophomore Slump / int_5b93f695	featureApplicability	1.0
Sophomore Slump / int_5b93f695	featureConfidence	1.0
Myspace	hasFeature	Sophomore Slump / int_5b93f695
Sophomore Slump / int_5c135763	type	Sophomore Slump
Sophomore Slump / int_5c135763	comment	Revenge was considered to have a stellar freshman season which was followed by a rather sub-par second season — the biggest issue being the Kudzu Plot that involved a Greater-Scope Villain, which not only took away the focus from Emily Thorne's quest for revenge on the Graysons but led to some rather blatant Arc Fatigue that wore viewers down. It returned to form late in the season with a resurgence in quality, thanks to some well-timed Character Deaths and finishing The Man Behind the Man in time for Season 3. The third season revitalised interest with a new ongoing mystery in its opening episode and great character drama which helped make the Myth Stall less blatant, and concluded with some excellent plot resolutions and a last-episode twist that ended it on a high note — it is considered the second-best season by most. Season 4 created a Broken Base due to its questionable execution but is generally regarded as superior to the sophomore season, which was the show's weakest point.
Sophomore Slump / int_5c135763	featureApplicability	1.0
Sophomore Slump / int_5c135763	featureConfidence	1.0
Revenge	hasFeature	Sophomore Slump / int_5c135763
Sophomore Slump / int_5f6f0132	type	Sophomore Slump
Sophomore Slump / int_5f6f0132	comment	Disgaea 2: Cursed Memories is this in comparison to its beloved predecessor, Disgaea: Hour of Darkness. The characters and story of the first game are much more memorable and popular than the Cliché Storm that is the second game. At the very least, the gameplay in 2 is a step up from 1.
Sophomore Slump / int_5f6f0132	featureApplicability	1.0
Sophomore Slump / int_5f6f0132	featureConfidence	1.0
Disgaea 2: Cursed Memories (Video Game)	hasFeature	Sophomore Slump / int_5f6f0132
Sophomore Slump / int_61f0d0e	type	Sophomore Slump
Sophomore Slump / int_61f0d0e	comment	Since Appetite for Destruction is the best-selling debut albums of all time, it's only natural Guns N' Roses would have a tough time following up. Their second release, bundling an old EP with some acoustic numbers, did not reach the popularity of their first album. Even the Use Your Illusion albums were following a very tough act.
Sophomore Slump / int_61f0d0e	featureApplicability	1.0
Sophomore Slump / int_61f0d0e	featureConfidence	1.0
Appetite for Destruction (Music)	hasFeature	Sophomore Slump / int_61f0d0e
Sophomore Slump / int_67b63c75	type	Sophomore Slump
Sophomore Slump / int_67b63c75	comment	Whereas Battlefield 1942 was both a commercial and critical hit, its immediate sequel, Battlefield Vietnam got unspectacular reviews and sank without a trace in the sale charts. Nowadays, most people forget that particular Battlefield game ever existed, and those that do remember it generally rank it as the worst game in the franchise. However, the series' third entry, Battlefield 2 was a return to form, and an even bigger hit than the first game.
Sophomore Slump / int_67b63c75	featureApplicability	1.0
Sophomore Slump / int_67b63c75	featureConfidence	1.0
Battlefield 1942 (Video Game)	hasFeature	Sophomore Slump / int_67b63c75
Sophomore Slump / int_69d15cc0	type	Sophomore Slump
Sophomore Slump / int_69d15cc0	comment	Marvel Cinematic Universe: While Iron Man 2 was relatively successful with audiences and critics, many felt it was not as exciting as the first or third films, and is regarded as the weakest entry in the Iron Man trilogy by the majority of viewers. It's also widely considered one of, if not the weakest entries in the entire franchise. Phase Two is seen as the weakest part of the Infinity Saga — lacking the fun and novelty of the Phase One films and the emotional highs of the Phase Three films, and criticized for falling victim to Superman Stays Out of Gotham — the actors' contracts in the fledgling MCU meant they couldn't cross over with one another as much as they would later on — and for every film's climax being a large-scale aerial battle in an attempt to recapture the thrill of The Avengers (2012), until Avengers: Age of Ultron put a twist on it and then largely retired that routine. Of the Phase Two films, only Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Guardians of the Galaxy (2014), and Ant-Man were universally well-received. Phase Two was also when the MCU started to face criticisms of favoring White Male Leads, bland villains and too many jokes — most of which were addressed in the Phase Three films. Thor was a well-received film that provided a Breakout Character in Loki (which turned Tom Hiddleston into just as big a star as Chris Hemsworth). Thor: The Dark World was much more divisive — with criticisms hurled at it for having a Generic Doomsday Villain, too much focus on the human characters and some Mood Whiplash involved in the joking around. Much like the aforementioned Iron Man 2, it's largely considered to be one of, if not the worst entry in the MCU. Thor: Ragnarok is the best rated of the movies critically and, while it has a divisive reaction among fans (particularly for the aforementioned jokes), it has made much more of an impression on the public consciousness than the second. The Avengers was considered the high point of Phase One and received glowing praise from both critics and comic book fans for successfully connecting already well-received films into one. Avengers: Age of Ultron, while not bad, is considered to be the weakest of the Infinity Saga Avengers movies due to the controversial development of multiple characters, Executive Meddling, and generally not being able to get the same impact as the first movie. Avengers: Infinity War is better received for having an excellent villain in Thanos and a good mix of action and humor although the first movie is seen as better. Avengers: Endgame, despite Continuity Lock-Out, is praised for being one of Marvel's best movies and a satisfying conclusion to the Infinity Saga, having even higher ratings and box office than the first movie. For the MCU as a whole, the second movie The Incredible Hulk (2008) is one of the least popular thanks to the wild difference in tone and Edward Norton playing the titular character instead of Mark Ruffalo, and many finding the film's plot to be simply unmemorable, not helping with how later installments in the MCU scarcely even acknowledge the film. It was also the lowest rated movie until the aforementioned Thor: The Dark World.
Sophomore Slump / int_69d15cc0	featureApplicability	1.0
Sophomore Slump / int_69d15cc0	featureConfidence	1.0
Marvel Cinematic Universe (Franchise)	hasFeature	Sophomore Slump / int_69d15cc0
Sophomore Slump / int_6af78ff5	type	Sophomore Slump
Sophomore Slump / int_6af78ff5	comment	Metroid II: Return of Samus on the Game Boy suffered this due to some gameplay changes and a more linear progression. And until its long-awaited remake (over two and a half decades since the original's release), it felt very dated visually.
Sophomore Slump / int_6af78ff5	featureApplicability	1.0
Sophomore Slump / int_6af78ff5	featureConfidence	1.0
Metroid II: Return of Samus (Video Game)	hasFeature	Sophomore Slump / int_6af78ff5
Sophomore Slump / int_6d229244	type	Sophomore Slump
Sophomore Slump / int_6d229244	comment	A Nightmare on Elm Street Part 2: Freddy's Revenge is considered by some to be one of the worst films in the A Nightmare on Elm Street franchise, and the third film is almost universally considered an improvement, and one of the best films of the series, and the fourth has plenty of fans too. The fifth and sixth films are hated even worse than the second though.
Sophomore Slump / int_6d229244	featureApplicability	1.0
Sophomore Slump / int_6d229244	featureConfidence	1.0
A Nightmare on Elm Street Part 2: Freddy's Revenge	hasFeature	Sophomore Slump / int_6d229244
Sophomore Slump / int_71e013f3	type	Sophomore Slump
Sophomore Slump / int_71e013f3	comment	Played straight with Drakengard 3. Yoko Taro was back in the director's chair and the game is filled with all his hallmarks, but general consensus is it didn't live up to the hype of 1. 3 being released after NieR didn't do the game many favors either, essentially meaning it had two Tough Acts to Follow.
Sophomore Slump / int_71e013f3	featureApplicability	1.0
Sophomore Slump / int_71e013f3	featureConfidence	1.0
Drakengard 3 (Video Game)	hasFeature	Sophomore Slump / int_71e013f3
Sophomore Slump / int_77184a72	type	Sophomore Slump
Sophomore Slump / int_77184a72	comment	Many fans agree that season 2 of Victorious saw a noticeable decline in quality, mainly due to the massive Flanderization of Ensemble Dark Horses Cat (from a Mood-Swinger Cloud Cuckoo Lander to The Ditz) and Jade (from a Jerk with a Heart of Gold Noble Demon to The Sociopath), the Ship Sinking of Cat and Jade's popular Odd Friendship, and the excessive Character Focus on Tori, when in season 1, each of the characters had their own Days In The Limelight. Season 3 broke the fanbase — it's either funnier than ever, shows some nice development all around and doesn't just waste characters, or even worse to the point where the show has Jumped the Shark.
Sophomore Slump / int_77184a72	featureApplicability	1.0
Sophomore Slump / int_77184a72	featureConfidence	1.0
Victorious	hasFeature	Sophomore Slump / int_77184a72
Sophomore Slump / int_78d4f24	type	Sophomore Slump
Sophomore Slump / int_78d4f24	comment	Mega Man Star Force 2 was poorly received, probably due to discarding most of the first game's stellar themes. It also had much less nuanced Villains of the Week, going from sympathetic individuals possessed by manipulative beings in the first game to already evil villains who fuse with almost mindless Blood Knight entities in the second. The easily broken battle system probably didn't help either. The third game was better-received but doesn't seem to have been enough to save the series.
Sophomore Slump / int_78d4f24	featureApplicability	1.0
Sophomore Slump / int_78d4f24	featureConfidence	1.0
Mega Man Star Force (Video Game)	hasFeature	Sophomore Slump / int_78d4f24
Sophomore Slump / int_791fca45	type	Sophomore Slump
Sophomore Slump / int_791fca45	comment	Many fans consider BioShock 2 to be the weakest game in the series, as it stripped away the first game's Deconstruction of the But Thou Must! nature of video games, lacked any sort of narrative twist, and changed the genre from Horror to something more akin to a Tower Defense Game. Irrational Games apparently agrees, because no reference was made to the events of the game in BioShock Infinite's DLC Burial at Sea, which took place in Rapture and set in motion the events of the first game.
Sophomore Slump / int_791fca45	featureApplicability	1.0
Sophomore Slump / int_791fca45	featureConfidence	1.0
BioShock 2 (Video Game)	hasFeature	Sophomore Slump / int_791fca45
Sophomore Slump / int_8258e260	type	Sophomore Slump
Sophomore Slump / int_8258e260	comment	Super Mario Bros.: Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels, the Japanese sequel to Super Mario Bros., was a Nintendo Hard Mission-Pack Sequel of the first game that went unreleased outside of Japan until several years later. Super Mario Bros. 2, the US sequel, was well-received but also a Dolled-Up Installment barely playing like other titles. Super Mario Bros. 3, however, was a worldwide success, providing several positive changes while still retaining the style of the first game. The phenomenon repeated itself with the 3D Mario games. Super Mario 64 was the most universally loved Mario game at the time before Super Mario Odyssey took that title. Super Mario Sunshine was much more divisive, stripping away the franchise's most iconic features and adding some polarizing gameplay elements. While it has become more beloved with time, it's still stuck between 64 and Super Mario Galaxy, both of which are near universally beloved games in the franchise, if not the entire platformer genre. While Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon is the most divisive game in the series, it's generally agreed by even its defenders to be the weakest game in the trilogy for switching to a mission-based structure, its lack of portrait ghosts, and its Lighter and Softer art style and general atmosphere, all of which were addressed in Luigi's Mansion 3. Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time, while considered a good game in the Mario & Luigi series and is one of the darkest entries, is generally not as well-received as its acclaimed predecessor or its successor. Part of this has to do with the American version being Christmas Rushed, which explains why the difficulty in that version is higher than normal. For example, grinding is more of a necessity because the bosses' health are twice as high as they were in the Japanese and European releases, which have been nerfed in those versions. It's telling that both Superstar Saga and Bowser's Inside Story got remakes for Nintendo 3DS with their own minion-based Another Side, Another Story companion games, while Partners in Time is left out of that luxury. Virtual Boy Wario Land is considered a very worthy entry in the Wario Land series, but having to deal with the graphics of the Virtual Boy on top of being pretty short means that even the few people who have played it don't consider it better than the preceding Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3 or the succeeding Wario Land II.
Sophomore Slump / int_8258e260	featureApplicability	1.0
Sophomore Slump / int_8258e260	featureConfidence	1.0
Super Mario Bros. (Franchise)	hasFeature	Sophomore Slump / int_8258e260
Sophomore Slump / int_83f8495b	type	Sophomore Slump
Sophomore Slump / int_83f8495b	comment	On the NES, Zelda II: The Adventure of Link gets heck for being a radical departure from the rest of the series. A reason was that the usual conventions and mechanics of the franchise weren't fully defined yet, hence why the developers had tried to expand the gameplay features. Though later games returned to more classical formats, it did leave a legacy (for example, it introduced elements to the Zelda games like magic, towns, Dark Link, and character names like Saria or Nabooru).
Sophomore Slump / int_83f8495b	featureApplicability	1.0
Sophomore Slump / int_83f8495b	featureConfidence	1.0
Zelda II: The Adventure of Link (Video Game)	hasFeature	Sophomore Slump / int_83f8495b
Sophomore Slump / int_85e32df4	type	Sophomore Slump
Sophomore Slump / int_85e32df4	comment	Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels, the Japanese sequel to Super Mario Bros., was a Nintendo Hard Mission-Pack Sequel of the first game that went unreleased outside of Japan until several years later. Super Mario Bros. 2, the US sequel, was well-received but also a Dolled-Up Installment barely playing like other titles. Super Mario Bros. 3, however, was a worldwide success, providing several positive changes while still retaining the style of the first game.
Sophomore Slump / int_85e32df4	featureApplicability	1.0
Sophomore Slump / int_85e32df4	featureConfidence	1.0
Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels (Video Game)	hasFeature	Sophomore Slump / int_85e32df4
Sophomore Slump / int_86814cc3	type	Sophomore Slump
Sophomore Slump / int_86814cc3	comment	Final Fantasy II is likely the least popular game in the series. note Besides the now-defunct original version of Final Fantasy XIV and the mobile spin-off Final Fantasy All the Bravest, that is. At the time, it was one of the most experimental JRPGs, with a very intricate leveling system as opposed to the original's "EXP = Level Up" model, and the plot was very intricate for an NES game, but it had many Game-Breaking Bugs (Ultima did nothing whatsoever, most infamously) and the leveling system was so badly implemented that many players wound up ordering their characters to attack each other to train them up. The game didn't make its way out of Japan for years, which denied it even the Nostalgia Filter, and by the time it was released to other regions (thankfully fixing many of the game's faults in the process), nobody thought it especially innovative anymore. Final Fantasy III is much more favourably looked upon for its world design, more upbeat story, and for introducing the job system. The only knock generally held against it is its brutally unfair difficulty.
Sophomore Slump / int_86814cc3	featureApplicability	1.0
Sophomore Slump / int_86814cc3	featureConfidence	1.0
Final Fantasy II (Video Game)	hasFeature	Sophomore Slump / int_86814cc3
Sophomore Slump / int_869c1356	type	Sophomore Slump
Sophomore Slump / int_869c1356	comment	Bad Boys (1995) was a well-received by audiences in spite of middling reviews. Bad Boys II was also financially successful, but got a heavily negative reaction from critics, while audiences were ambivalent at best. The years since have rehabilitated its reputation somewhat, albeit only to the extent where it's gone from being seen as a crappy sequel, to one that's decent, but not as good as the films either side of it, given the third was widely considered a very Surprisingly Improved Sequel.
Sophomore Slump / int_869c1356	featureApplicability	1.0
Sophomore Slump / int_869c1356	featureConfidence	1.0
Bad Boys (1995)	hasFeature	Sophomore Slump / int_869c1356
Sophomore Slump / int_882f1fdb	type	Sophomore Slump
Sophomore Slump / int_882f1fdb	comment	Bugs Bunny's second appearance, Elmer's Pet Rabbit, is commonly regarded as one of the worst in the series, owing to Bugs' extreme Jerkass behavior, Off-Model use of yellow-colored gloves, a voice that doesn't sound anywhere close to his iconic semi-Brooklyn accent, as well as the sloppy timing that Chuck Jones' earlier efforts suffered from. This can't be chalked up to Early-Installment Weirdness either, since Bugs had his iconic trickster personality and voice in his first cartoon.
Sophomore Slump / int_882f1fdb	featureApplicability	1.0
Sophomore Slump / int_882f1fdb	featureConfidence	1.0
Bugs Bunny	hasFeature	Sophomore Slump / int_882f1fdb
Sophomore Slump / int_89c084b2	type	Sophomore Slump
Sophomore Slump / int_89c084b2	comment	The Rolling Stones had this on both sides of the Atlantic with The Rolling Stones No. 2 in Britain and 12x5 in the US. Though both albums are pretty good, they basically follow the format of their debut album, mostly comprising covers of songs over original material.
Sophomore Slump / int_89c084b2	featureApplicability	1.0
Sophomore Slump / int_89c084b2	featureConfidence	1.0
The Rolling Stones (Band) (Music)	hasFeature	Sophomore Slump / int_89c084b2
Sophomore Slump / int_89dd130e	type	Sophomore Slump
Sophomore Slump / int_89dd130e	comment	For the MCU as a whole, the second movie The Incredible Hulk (2008) is one of the least popular thanks to the wild difference in tone and Edward Norton playing the titular character instead of Mark Ruffalo, and many finding the film's plot to be simply unmemorable, not helping with how later installments in the MCU scarcely even acknowledge the film. It was also the lowest rated movie until the aforementioned Thor: The Dark World.
Sophomore Slump / int_89dd130e	featureApplicability	1.0
Sophomore Slump / int_89dd130e	featureConfidence	1.0
The Incredible Hulk (2008)	hasFeature	Sophomore Slump / int_89dd130e
Sophomore Slump / int_89f61c67	type	Sophomore Slump
Sophomore Slump / int_89f61c67	comment	Mission: Impossible II is the most reviled of the Mission: Impossible Film Series, while the third was received better and each following movie was considered an improvement.
Sophomore Slump / int_89f61c67	featureApplicability	1.0
Sophomore Slump / int_89f61c67	featureConfidence	1.0
Mission: Impossible II	hasFeature	Sophomore Slump / int_89f61c67
Sophomore Slump / int_89f6bbe1	type	Sophomore Slump
Sophomore Slump / int_89f6bbe1	comment	A Shot in the Dark is actually a good movie, but aside from starring Peter Sellers as Inspector Clouseau, being directed by Blake Edwards and featuring music by Henry Mancini, it has very little in common with The Pink Panther (1963). However, people usually see it as where the series actually started Growing the Beard.
Sophomore Slump / int_89f6bbe1	featureApplicability	1.0
Sophomore Slump / int_89f6bbe1	featureConfidence	1.0
A Shot in the Dark	hasFeature	Sophomore Slump / int_89f6bbe1
Sophomore Slump / int_8a836c90	type	Sophomore Slump
Sophomore Slump / int_8a836c90	comment	The second season of The Walking Dead (2010) is often considered its weakest due to a considerably slower pace and little plot development, with most of the episodes confined to Hershel's farm. Most people agree that Season 3 was a significant improvement.
Sophomore Slump / int_8a836c90	featureApplicability	1.0
Sophomore Slump / int_8a836c90	featureConfidence	1.0
The Walking Dead (2010)	hasFeature	Sophomore Slump / int_8a836c90
Sophomore Slump / int_8d817ccb	type	Sophomore Slump
Sophomore Slump / int_8d817ccb	comment	The second season of Lost has its strengths, most notably introducing fan-favourite characters like Desmond, Ben, and Mr. Eko, but also suffers from many stalls in the plot with little to no questions being answered. The writers apparently picked up on this, as although the third season had a rough start, the remainder of it really started kicking up the plot twists and actually started answering some major plot threads. It still has its detractors but is often agreed to at least be a step up from season 2.
Sophomore Slump / int_8d817ccb	featureApplicability	1.0
Sophomore Slump / int_8d817ccb	featureConfidence	1.0
Lost	hasFeature	Sophomore Slump / int_8d817ccb
Sophomore Slump / int_8eb018a3	type	Sophomore Slump
Sophomore Slump / int_8eb018a3	comment	Shovel Knight has an interesting example with its second released campaign, Plague of Shadows. While it is regarded as a solid experience and the writing is generally well-liked, its main points of contention are the more erratic gameplay of its protagonist and the reuse of levels from the first campaign, Shovel of Hope. While all four campaigns reuse the same locations, the ones that followed it, Specter of Torment and King of Cards, changed the layouts of said levels entirely and introduced various new enemies and mechanics taking in mind the abilities of their protagonists, and are considered fresh new experiences better than the original campaign in a number of regards, making Plague of Shadows as generally the least liked campaign in terms of gameplay and level design.
Sophomore Slump / int_8eb018a3	featureApplicability	1.0
Sophomore Slump / int_8eb018a3	featureConfidence	1.0
Shovel Knight (Video Game)	hasFeature	Sophomore Slump / int_8eb018a3
Sophomore Slump / int_8ec33a87	type	Sophomore Slump
Sophomore Slump / int_8ec33a87	comment	Xenoblade Chronicles 2 is a generally very well regarded game, but it tends to be considered the most controversial among fans of the franchise, due to ditching quite a few well liked elements of the first game, such as the Affinity Chart (in the first game, it showed the relationships between various groups and NPCs as well as how they shift, in the second one, it is simply a skill tree), as well as having a plethora of Scrappy Mechanics, like a gacha system to obtain new Blades and very uninformative tutorials. The third game of the main series, in comparison, fixed up a lot of the problems fans had with the previous games, both gameplay and story-wise (such as Tamer and Chaster designs after the inpractical outfits of the second game), which made it far more warmly received by the fanbase.
Sophomore Slump / int_8ec33a87	featureApplicability	1.0
Sophomore Slump / int_8ec33a87	featureConfidence	1.0
Xenoblade Chronicles 2 (Video Game)	hasFeature	Sophomore Slump / int_8ec33a87
Sophomore Slump / int_8f49c5f5	type	Sophomore Slump
Sophomore Slump / int_8f49c5f5	comment	Mogwai's second album, Come On Die Young received lukewarm reviews upon release in opposition to the universally acclaimed Mogwai Young Team.
Sophomore Slump / int_8f49c5f5	featureApplicability	1.0
Sophomore Slump / int_8f49c5f5	featureConfidence	1.0
Mogwai (Music)	hasFeature	Sophomore Slump / int_8f49c5f5
Sophomore Slump / int_91209b29	type	Sophomore Slump
Sophomore Slump / int_91209b29	comment	Xenosaga Episode II was hit with a bad case of They Changed It, Now It Sucks! in addition to numerous technical issues that weren't present in the first game. So much so that many of the changes were reversed in Episode III, including the voice acting.
Sophomore Slump / int_91209b29	featureApplicability	1.0
Sophomore Slump / int_91209b29	featureConfidence	1.0
Xenosaga (Video Game)	hasFeature	Sophomore Slump / int_91209b29
Sophomore Slump / int_93acba01	type	Sophomore Slump
Sophomore Slump / int_93acba01	comment	Fire Emblem Gaiden was very ambitious for an NES title, but it wasn't very well-designed and remained an Oddball in the Series for years, with most of its new mechanics not being revisited until Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones six games later. The fact that it never got a Western release didn't help its popularity. The games before and after were the original (which was even more primitive, but gets a mild pass for being the template for everything after), then a refined version of the original which was widely praised, and the next original game was generally seen as the high point of the Shouzou Kaga games (and, in several camps, a strong contender among the Fire Emblem series as a whole). Its remake, Echoes: Shadows of Valentia, did a lot to help its perception, though.
Sophomore Slump / int_93acba01	featureApplicability	1.0
Sophomore Slump / int_93acba01	featureConfidence	1.0
Fire Emblem Gaiden (Video Game)	hasFeature	Sophomore Slump / int_93acba01
Sophomore Slump / int_9431bab8	type	Sophomore Slump
Sophomore Slump / int_9431bab8	comment	Sleepy Hollow, after a popular first season, suffered from a rankings downturn during its second season that sidelined Ichabod and Abbie's relationship in favor of family drama and Base Breaking Characters. The series was still renewed for a third season, but the ending of that season killing off Abbie caused many viewers to permanently abandon the show and it was canceled after the fourth season.
Sophomore Slump / int_9431bab8	featureApplicability	1.0
Sophomore Slump / int_9431bab8	featureConfidence	1.0
Sleepy Hollow	hasFeature	Sophomore Slump / int_9431bab8
Sophomore Slump / int_987ae286	type	Sophomore Slump
Sophomore Slump / int_987ae286	comment	Cars was, upon its release, considered the weakest film they had ever put out, which still meant it had a fairly warm reception. Cars 2, a Mater-centric spy flick, became the first Pixar film to have a critical and audience response that was downright bad, and is still considered the company's worst film. Cars 3, which stuck much closer to the first film's tone, was much more appreciated.
Sophomore Slump / int_987ae286	featureApplicability	1.0
Sophomore Slump / int_987ae286	featureConfidence	1.0
Cars	hasFeature	Sophomore Slump / int_987ae286
Sophomore Slump / int_9888e7c2	type	Sophomore Slump
Sophomore Slump / int_9888e7c2	comment	Dan Vs.: Season 2 is disliked by a lot of fans for having less Black Comedy and focusing more on Elise. Season 3 is considered an improvement, but there are still some fans who dislike it.
Sophomore Slump / int_9888e7c2	featureApplicability	1.0
Sophomore Slump / int_9888e7c2	featureConfidence	1.0
Dan Vs.	hasFeature	Sophomore Slump / int_9888e7c2
Sophomore Slump / int_9908ca47	type	Sophomore Slump
Sophomore Slump / int_9908ca47	comment	Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is generally seen as the weakest of the bunch. Itâ€™s heavy on exposition and follows the same basic plot structure as the first one without adding too many new elements or characters. While itâ€™s definitely an Innocuously Important Episode in setting up things like horcruxes and Voldemortâ€™s backstory, it doesnâ€™t pay off until much later which makes it come off as slightly boring. According to Word of God, she intended to include more Foreshadowing for later books as well as exposition about Voldemort's backstory, but her editor insisted she cut them (as she had yet to achieve her Auteur Licence). As a result, many fans have It's the Same, Now It Sucks! reactions. Itâ€™s also regarded as the weakest of the films, though Daniel Radcliffe claims it's his personal favourite.
Sophomore Slump / int_9908ca47	featureApplicability	1.0
Sophomore Slump / int_9908ca47	featureConfidence	1.0
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets	hasFeature	Sophomore Slump / int_9908ca47
Sophomore Slump / int_998cbda3	type	Sophomore Slump
Sophomore Slump / int_998cbda3	comment	While not bad, it's generally agreed that season 2 of Daredevil (2015) is weaker than the first and the third one. The popular villain Wilson Fisk is Demoted to Extra and the second half focus on the divisive Hand organization. Season 3 is generally considered to be a return to form with Wilson Fisk as the main antagonist again as well as introducing Bullseye.
Sophomore Slump / int_998cbda3	featureApplicability	1.0
Sophomore Slump / int_998cbda3	featureConfidence	1.0
Daredevil (2015)	hasFeature	Sophomore Slump / int_998cbda3
Sophomore Slump / int_9b891ef2	type	Sophomore Slump
Sophomore Slump / int_9b891ef2	comment	Though Scary Movie 2 isn't considered the worst film in that series, with nearly everyone agreeing to the fifth film to be far worse, it's still generally seen as inferior to the first and third films, with even creators the Wayans Brothers being on record as disliking it due to the rushed writing and filming process.
Sophomore Slump / int_9b891ef2	featureApplicability	1.0
Sophomore Slump / int_9b891ef2	featureConfidence	1.0
Scary Movie	hasFeature	Sophomore Slump / int_9b891ef2
Sophomore Slump / int_9db1766a	type	Sophomore Slump
Sophomore Slump / int_9db1766a	comment	While the vast majority of the mainline Devil May Cry games were highly praised, Devil May Cry 2 is heavily criticised for its unsatisfying combat, and forgettable story. These days, Capcom has taken to pretending the second game never happened: 3 was a prequel; 4 is set between the first and second note though as of Devil May Cry 5, that has since been changed to take place after 2; the recap of the series in 5 gave it a blink-and-you'll-miss-it appearance with no detail about what its story was (by comparison, even the anime was referenced more extensively in and had more of an impact on the fifth game); and the characters frequently comment on having no memory of the second game when they appear in other media (such as Viewtiful Joe or Marvel vs. Capcom 3), the only exception being Dante's guest appearance in Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne Maniax (based on his DMC2 appearance, as it was the most recent release at the time of the game). Neither Hideki Kamiya (the creator of DMC) nor Team Little Devils (Kamiya's personal dev team for DMC1) were involved with 2, the project instead going to a different team under the direction of Hideki Itsuno (director) and Tsuyoshi Tanaka (producer)—and the 3142 Graphic Arts artbook revealed that Itsuno himself wasn't brought on board until there were only six months left in the game's development period with little to show for it; the original director of the project remains unknown. That being said, this same group of developers was responsible for the third game, which handily proceeded to Win Back the Crowd (critically, at least; sales were hurt somewhat by consumer wariness due to the second game's poor reception).
Sophomore Slump / int_9db1766a	featureApplicability	1.0
Sophomore Slump / int_9db1766a	featureConfidence	1.0
Devil May Cry (Video Game)	hasFeature	Sophomore Slump / int_9db1766a
Sophomore Slump / int_9f997b2b	type	Sophomore Slump
Sophomore Slump / int_9f997b2b	comment	Quantum of Solace for the Craig-era James Bond. It suffered from the writers strike and didn't have the success of its predecessor, Casino Royale (2006), mostly because of the grimmer tone and being so different in style from other Bond films. The next installment, Skyfall, was much more critically acclaimed.
Sophomore Slump / int_9f997b2b	featureApplicability	1.0
Sophomore Slump / int_9f997b2b	featureConfidence	1.0
Quantum of Solace	hasFeature	Sophomore Slump / int_9f997b2b
Sophomore Slump / int_a183d57f	type	Sophomore Slump
Sophomore Slump / int_a183d57f	comment	The four Futurama Direct to Video movies suffered this. The first one, Benderâ€™s Big Score, is very well-regarded. The second one, The Beast With a Billion Backs, tends to get the worst reception because of the fact that the antagonist Yivo was Easily Forgiven for using tentacles to unwittingly mate with everyone in the universe. The final two get more varied reception, but are both generally seen as better than The Beast With a Billion Backs.
Sophomore Slump / int_a183d57f	featureApplicability	1.0
Sophomore Slump / int_a183d57f	featureConfidence	1.0
Futurama	hasFeature	Sophomore Slump / int_a183d57f
Sophomore Slump / int_a485ad0f	type	Sophomore Slump
Sophomore Slump / int_a485ad0f	comment	The Angry Video Game Nerd features an in-universe example with its pilot episode, a negative review of Castlevania II: Simon's Quest. The Nerdnote Originally, this review was just James Rolfe speaking as himself, but he later retconned the video as being part of his AVGN persona starts off by remarking that while Castlevania (1986) and Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse are excellent NES games, "the game designers obviously were not thinking straight" when they worked on Simon's Quest, remarking on what he considers Scrappy Mechanics unique to this game like a lengthy and unskippable transition between daytime and nighttime, hints from villagers that don't make sense or are outright lies, and Dracula being an unsatisfying Anti-Climax Boss with the right items.
Sophomore Slump / int_a485ad0f	featureApplicability	1.0
Sophomore Slump / int_a485ad0f	featureConfidence	1.0
The Angry Video Game Nerd (Web Video)	hasFeature	Sophomore Slump / int_a485ad0f
Sophomore Slump / int_a4a6b86a	type	Sophomore Slump
Sophomore Slump / int_a4a6b86a	comment	The first half of Code Geass R2 was a rehash of many elements of season 1, going so far as to have Lelouch reuse plots in suspiciously similar circumstances. It was purposely done this way to appeal to the new audiences in R2's new time slot. Fans such prefer R1 and the second half of R2 to it by a wide margin.
Sophomore Slump / int_a4a6b86a	featureApplicability	1.0
Sophomore Slump / int_a4a6b86a	featureConfidence	1.0
Code Geass	hasFeature	Sophomore Slump / int_a4a6b86a
Sophomore Slump / int_a4ea0cb2	type	Sophomore Slump
Sophomore Slump / int_a4ea0cb2	comment	Kaos Studios was formed out of the core developers for the "Desert Combat" mod of Battlefield 1942. They went on to create Frontlines: Fuel of War, which was an extremely mediocre effort that didn't rise to any great heights, certainly not anything close to the love their Desert Combat mod inspired.
Sophomore Slump / int_a4ea0cb2	featureApplicability	1.0
Sophomore Slump / int_a4ea0cb2	featureConfidence	1.0
Frontlines: Fuel of War (Video Game)	hasFeature	Sophomore Slump / int_a4ea0cb2
Sophomore Slump / int_a7bb27f5	type	Sophomore Slump
Sophomore Slump / int_a7bb27f5	comment	Mega Man II for the Game Boy was derided due to its easy level design, flawed soundtrack, and generally half-hearted feel. The following three Game Boy entries, however, got successively better, to the point that V is often held in same regard as Mega Man 2 and Mega Man 3 by the fandom.
Sophomore Slump / int_a7bb27f5	featureApplicability	1.0
Sophomore Slump / int_a7bb27f5	featureConfidence	1.0
Mega Man II (Video Game)	hasFeature	Sophomore Slump / int_a7bb27f5
Sophomore Slump / int_a7bb29af	type	Sophomore Slump
Sophomore Slump / int_a7bb29af	comment	Mega Man X2 borders on being this. While certainly not a bad game overall, it added virtually nothing to the first game's gameplay, dropped its dark, stylish visuals in favor of a style more akin to the Classic series, and was just generally somewhat forgettable. Mega Man X3, while a Contested Sequel, made more of an effort to distinguish itself from the first game, and then Mega Man X4 ended up being a major return to form.
Sophomore Slump / int_a7bb29af	featureApplicability	1.0
Sophomore Slump / int_a7bb29af	featureConfidence	1.0
Mega Man X2 (Video Game)	hasFeature	Sophomore Slump / int_a7bb29af
Sophomore Slump / int_af583f46	type	Sophomore Slump
Sophomore Slump / int_af583f46	comment	Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney â€“ Justice For All didn't quite match up to the first game, mostly due to its widely despised third casenote in the West anyway, as Turnabout Big Top is more popular among Japanese fans, the new health system being rather punishing at times, and the lack of an overarching storyline to tie the game's cases together. Fortunately, the next game, Trials and Tribulations got the series back on track, mostly thanks to having a better overall storyline. On the other hand, Justice for All has Chapter 2-4, "Farewell, My Turnabout", widely considered to be one of the best cases in the series.
Sophomore Slump / int_af583f46	featureApplicability	1.0
Sophomore Slump / int_af583f46	featureConfidence	1.0
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney â€“ Justice For All (Visual Novel)	hasFeature	Sophomore Slump / int_af583f46
Sophomore Slump / int_b0fc9724	type	Sophomore Slump
Sophomore Slump / int_b0fc9724	comment	Saturday Night Live has had numerous ups and downs over the years, but if one considers it in terms of eras rather than seasons, the "new cast" era of the sixth season definitely represents a sophomore slump. Gone was the entire cast from the first five years, gone was show-runner Lorne Michaels, gone was the house band, heck, even the writers were mostly different. New producer Jean Doumanian, who had previously been responsible for booking musical guests, didn't know comedy at all, and the new cast was uneven, some very talented and some not so much, but unable to gel into a cohesive comedy unit like the first cast. Instead of Dan Aykroyd or Bill Murray naturally rising to the top, Charles Rocket was forced into the "star" role and utterly failed to connect with audiences, while Eddie Murphy was shoved into the background, not experiencing his break-out status until the following year.
Sophomore Slump / int_b0fc9724	featureApplicability	1.0
Sophomore Slump / int_b0fc9724	featureConfidence	1.0
Saturday Night Live	hasFeature	Sophomore Slump / int_b0fc9724
Sophomore Slump / int_b30ae4db	type	Sophomore Slump
Sophomore Slump / int_b30ae4db	comment	The second season of Game of Thrones was, while still good, generally more uneven than the first season, since while the first book was mostly linear (with basically three main plotlines- the Wall, the East and Kings' Landing/related subplots) with a strong focus character (Ned Stark) and Driving Question (why was Jon Arryn murdered?), the second book A Clash of Kings suddenly had an explosion in the number of plotlines which were increasingly divorced from each other, and many which were not TV-friendly, which led to the TV writers making deviations that didn't quite work (Jon, Robb and Dany's plotlines were big offenders). These problems were mostly solved in the third and fourth seasons, as splitting the third book A Storm of Swords allowed the show to breathe, the writers became more confident with reducing the number of plotlines per episode, and the quality of TV original material improved massively.
Sophomore Slump / int_b30ae4db	featureApplicability	1.0
Sophomore Slump / int_b30ae4db	featureConfidence	1.0
Game of Thrones	hasFeature	Sophomore Slump / int_b30ae4db
Sophomore Slump / int_b370ddd1	type	Sophomore Slump
Sophomore Slump / int_b370ddd1	comment	Thor was a well-received film that provided a Breakout Character in Loki (which turned Tom Hiddleston into just as big a star as Chris Hemsworth). Thor: The Dark World was much more divisive — with criticisms hurled at it for having a Generic Doomsday Villain, too much focus on the human characters and some Mood Whiplash involved in the joking around. Much like the aforementioned Iron Man 2, it's largely considered to be one of, if not the worst entry in the MCU. Thor: Ragnarok is the best rated of the movies critically and, while it has a divisive reaction among fans (particularly for the aforementioned jokes), it has made much more of an impression on the public consciousness than the second.
Sophomore Slump / int_b370ddd1	featureApplicability	1.0
Sophomore Slump / int_b370ddd1	featureConfidence	1.0
Thor	hasFeature	Sophomore Slump / int_b370ddd1
Sophomore Slump / int_b6172f9c	type	Sophomore Slump
Sophomore Slump / int_b6172f9c	comment	MGMT tried to avert this by following up the synth-heavy, well-received Oracular Spectacular with a totally unexpected surf-rock inspired album, Congratulations. However, this got slightly more mixed reception precisely because of this.
Sophomore Slump / int_b6172f9c	featureApplicability	1.0
Sophomore Slump / int_b6172f9c	featureConfidence	1.0
MGMT (Music)	hasFeature	Sophomore Slump / int_b6172f9c
Sophomore Slump / int_b637553	type	Sophomore Slump
Sophomore Slump / int_b637553	comment	The Lion King II: Simba's Pride tends to be regarded as the weakest entry in that series. Somewhat like The Return of Jafar it's actually considered to be decent (or even fairly good) in its own right, but has the bad luck of being sandwiched between the original, one of Disney's all-time classics, and The Lion King 1 Â½, which is seen as one of the more memorable and unique Disney sequels.
Sophomore Slump / int_b637553	featureApplicability	1.0
Sophomore Slump / int_b637553	featureConfidence	1.0
The Lion King II: Simba's Pride	hasFeature	Sophomore Slump / int_b637553
Sophomore Slump / int_b7c3d6c5	type	Sophomore Slump
Sophomore Slump / int_b7c3d6c5	comment	Prince Caspian is often viewed as the weakest of The Chronicles of Narnia, chiefly because of its slow pace, and secondly because it rehashes the plot structure of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (an evil ruler has taken over Narnia, and the four Pevensie siblings are called upon to overthrow them, leading to a climactic battle), which the later books refreshingly avoid.
Sophomore Slump / int_b7c3d6c5	featureApplicability	1.0
Sophomore Slump / int_b7c3d6c5	featureConfidence	1.0
Prince Caspian	hasFeature	Sophomore Slump / int_b7c3d6c5
Sophomore Slump / int_b7db5642	type	Sophomore Slump
Sophomore Slump / int_b7db5642	comment	While the second season of Stranger Things was still warmly received, a number of fans and critics saw it as meandering, awkwardly paced, lacking in real stakes, and too sprawling for its own good, with the episode "The Lost Sister" (which even the Duffer Brothers described as a Poorly Disguised Pilot for a Spin-Off) coming in for particular criticism for breaking the show's pacing right on a cliffhanger. By contrast, the third season was an Actionized Sequel and more tightly focused on the main characters, and while fan consensus still ranks the first season as the best, the third is regarded as more or less a return to form.
Sophomore Slump / int_b7db5642	featureApplicability	1.0
Sophomore Slump / int_b7db5642	featureConfidence	1.0
Stranger Things	hasFeature	Sophomore Slump / int_b7db5642
Sophomore Slump / int_b86b5220	type	Sophomore Slump
Sophomore Slump / int_b86b5220	comment	Spartacus: Blood and Sand is a curious example. Its second season produced was a prequel miniseries set six years before the first (created after lead actor Andy Whitfield needed to seek treatment for cancer). The show's canonical season season Vengeance saw two major recastings - Liam McIntyre having to take over from Andy Whitfield after his passing and Cynthia Addai-Robinson replacing fan-favourite Lesley-Ann Brandt as Naevia (and the latter soon became a huge Replacement Scrappy). In addition to this, the show suffered from changing the familiar setting of the ludus to the rebels now being on the run; not helped by a change in the writing team making it feel like a different show. The decision to undo Lucretia's death at the end of Blood & Sand was poorly received (and blatantly said to keep more familiar faces around to help with the aforementioned recastings), especially the resulting arc attempting to make the viewer sympathise with Lucretia over Illythia. The show ramped up the Anyone Can Die nature seemingly for shock value, with eleven main characters dying across the season, and many bemoaning the wasted potential of some. That being said, the season is praised for incorporating the Ensemble Dark Horse Gannicus from the Gods of the Arena prequel into the main cast, as well as introducing many characters such as Nasir and Saxa who would become fan-favourites, Mira's well-received Character Development into Action Girl, and Craig Parker getting to shine with more screen time as the season's Big Bad. The season was still critically acclaimed, meaning this was rather downplayed overall.
Sophomore Slump / int_b86b5220	featureApplicability	1.0
Sophomore Slump / int_b86b5220	featureConfidence	1.0
Spartacus: Blood and Sand	hasFeature	Sophomore Slump / int_b86b5220
Sophomore Slump / int_b8e7bb8	type	Sophomore Slump
Sophomore Slump / int_b8e7bb8	comment	The very first Super Sentai series, Himitsu Sentai Gorenger, is still the highest rated entry in the franchise even after several decades and with 84 episodes, is also the longest. The second entry, J.A.K.Q. Dengekitai ran into problems from the get go, failed to get a foothold rating wise and eventually got cancelled, lasting only 35 episodes (the shortest run of all Sentai shows note Hikonin Sentai Akibaranger is actually the shortest sentai show with 26 episodes but as an "unofficial series" it doesn't actually count as far as the main franchise is concerned.)
Sophomore Slump / int_b8e7bb8	featureApplicability	1.0
Sophomore Slump / int_b8e7bb8	featureConfidence	1.0
Super Sentai (Franchise)	hasFeature	Sophomore Slump / int_b8e7bb8
Sophomore Slump / int_bc18062d	type	Sophomore Slump
Sophomore Slump / int_bc18062d	comment	In the Anne of Green Gables series, Anne of Avonlea tends to be considered the weakest book, being blander and more cutesy than the others, and having mainly been written because of public demand for a sequel. Unsurprisingly, its few adaptations tend to combine it with the more popular third book, Anne of the Island.
Sophomore Slump / int_bc18062d	featureApplicability	1.0
Sophomore Slump / int_bc18062d	featureConfidence	1.0
Anne of Green Gables	hasFeature	Sophomore Slump / int_bc18062d
Sophomore Slump / int_be492827	type	Sophomore Slump
Sophomore Slump / int_be492827	comment	Metroid Prime 2: Echoes is considered a bit of a slump for the Metroid Prime Trilogy. While it's generally agreed to be a good game, the brutal difficulty, key collection, and ammo system tend to draw ire. It's also criticized for having many of the same upgrades and weapons as the original, with the only really new upgrades being the Seeker Launcher, Screw Attack, and the Echo Visor. Another point of debate is the multiplayer mode. Most, if not all of these issues were fixed when the game was ported to the Wii as part of the Metroid Prime Trilogy.
Sophomore Slump / int_be492827	featureApplicability	1.0
Sophomore Slump / int_be492827	featureConfidence	1.0
Metroid Prime 2: Echoes (Video Game)	hasFeature	Sophomore Slump / int_be492827
Sophomore Slump / int_bee7440	type	Sophomore Slump
Sophomore Slump / int_bee7440	comment	The original was hit with this backwards. In a lot of respects, Drakengard 2 is a better game than 1; better gameplay, better graphics, much better music, and a less soul-crushing, totally idiosyncratic plot. But that's not what (most) Drakengard fans wanted. The first game's director, Yoko Taro, was not as heavily involved in the development of the second game (only serving as the cutscene director), leading it to have a fairly standard, idealistic JRPG plot as a result in stark contrast with the first game's Crapsack World setting and nihilistic tone.
Sophomore Slump / int_bee7440	featureApplicability	1.0
Sophomore Slump / int_bee7440	featureConfidence	1.0
Drakengard (Video Game)	hasFeature	Sophomore Slump / int_bee7440
Sophomore Slump / int_bf471bbe	type	Sophomore Slump
Sophomore Slump / int_bf471bbe	comment	Men in Black II is generally considered the worst of the first three MIB movies, although not nearly as bad as the fourth.
Sophomore Slump / int_bf471bbe	featureApplicability	1.0
Sophomore Slump / int_bf471bbe	featureConfidence	1.0
Men in Black II	hasFeature	Sophomore Slump / int_bf471bbe
Sophomore Slump / int_c25b1f2f	type	Sophomore Slump
Sophomore Slump / int_c25b1f2f	comment	Friday Night Lights had a number of implausible developments in its second season (including a murder perpetrated by two of the main characters) that did not fit at all with the realistic, muted tone of the show. The move to cable in the third season helped it to return to its previous feel.
Sophomore Slump / int_c25b1f2f	featureApplicability	1.0
Sophomore Slump / int_c25b1f2f	featureConfidence	1.0
Friday Night Lights	hasFeature	Sophomore Slump / int_c25b1f2f
Sophomore Slump / int_c43df4d8	type	Sophomore Slump
Sophomore Slump / int_c43df4d8	comment	The Doctor Who revival: The second series wasn't bad, but it was one of the most uneven. It gave us a few wonderful episodes like "School Reunion", and "The Girl in the Fireplace" but also had some of the show's bigger clunkers, like "Love & Monsters" and "Fear Her". There was also a story arc that didn't give as great a reveal as other Series, and which many fans felt was there for Russell T Davies to set up his own show. Also despite many fans loving the Doctor/Rose romance, there is quite a group that felt it was becoming a Romantic Plot Tumour, even those who liked Rose in the first Series felt she became unlikeable here. The sixth series is this, being the second season of Steven Moffat's tenure as showrunner (with a new Doctor, new companion, and a lot of new people behind the scenes), after an outstanding first season. Again, some of the show's best ("The Doctor's Wife", "The Girl Who Waited"), were alongside some of the show's biggest misfires ("The Curse of the Black Spot", "Let's Kill Hitler"). Additionally, many felt like Moffat was trying to do a little too much and the plot got tangled, and the characterization of River Song took a big hit. In a season review from the Nerdist (one of Doctor Who's biggest cheerleaders), the writer even uses the term Sophomore Slump to describe it.
Sophomore Slump / int_c43df4d8	featureApplicability	1.0
Sophomore Slump / int_c43df4d8	featureConfidence	1.0
Doctor Who	hasFeature	Sophomore Slump / int_c43df4d8
Sophomore Slump / int_c489a759	type	Sophomore Slump
Sophomore Slump / int_c489a759	comment	Digimon Adventure 02 is infamous for its Distant Finale, and in part due to a Kudzu Plot that left a lot of threads dangling. Also, having one of the most famous Big Bads in Digimon history be defeated by talking left a bad taste in many fan's mouths.
Sophomore Slump / int_c489a759	featureApplicability	1.0
Sophomore Slump / int_c489a759	featureConfidence	1.0
Digimon Adventure 02	hasFeature	Sophomore Slump / int_c489a759
Sophomore Slump / int_c6cc5148	type	Sophomore Slump
Sophomore Slump / int_c6cc5148	comment	The subject of the podcast Sophomore Slumps, primarily about famously slumpy second albums, though the April Fool's 2021 episode was about a video game (The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass).
Sophomore Slump / int_c6cc5148	featureApplicability	1.0
Sophomore Slump / int_c6cc5148	featureConfidence	1.0
Sophomore Slumps (Podcast)	hasFeature	Sophomore Slump / int_c6cc5148
Sophomore Slump / int_c6e646e5	type	Sophomore Slump
Sophomore Slump / int_c6e646e5	comment	Darius II is generally regarded as the weakest game in the series, having even more unfair respawn penalties than the first game (First game? Revert back to your equipment's last major upgrades. Darius II? Loses all of your upgrades.) and obnoxiously large Silver Hawk sprites and hitboxes coupled with a nonsense difficulty curve. Its successor Darius Gaiden is often credited with fixing a lot of the flaws of the first two games by using only one screen and giving players access to powerful weapons sooner, as well as adding some fantastic innovations of its own like unique designs for every level, amazing visual effets that take full advantage of the game's hardware, and a wide variety of new bosses.
Sophomore Slump / int_c6e646e5	featureApplicability	1.0
Sophomore Slump / int_c6e646e5	featureConfidence	1.0
Darius (Video Game)	hasFeature	Sophomore Slump / int_c6e646e5
Sophomore Slump / int_c9a98ba0	type	Sophomore Slump
Sophomore Slump / int_c9a98ba0	comment	True Detective had a critically adored first season with its dark mystery and atmosphere, but the second season was widely considered to be weaker in comparison seemingly abandoning those very elements. After a three-year hiatus, Season 3 returned the show to form and earned renewed acclaim.
Sophomore Slump / int_c9a98ba0	featureApplicability	1.0
Sophomore Slump / int_c9a98ba0	featureConfidence	1.0
True Detective	hasFeature	Sophomore Slump / int_c9a98ba0
Sophomore Slump / int_cb6abef3	type	Sophomore Slump
Sophomore Slump / int_cb6abef3	comment	The Avengers was considered the high point of Phase One and received glowing praise from both critics and comic book fans for successfully connecting already well-received films into one. Avengers: Age of Ultron, while not bad, is considered to be the weakest of the Infinity Saga Avengers movies due to the controversial development of multiple characters, Executive Meddling, and generally not being able to get the same impact as the first movie. Avengers: Infinity War is better received for having an excellent villain in Thanos and a good mix of action and humor although the first movie is seen as better. Avengers: Endgame, despite Continuity Lock-Out, is praised for being one of Marvel's best movies and a satisfying conclusion to the Infinity Saga, having even higher ratings and box office than the first movie.
Sophomore Slump / int_cb6abef3	featureApplicability	1.0
Sophomore Slump / int_cb6abef3	featureConfidence	1.0
The Avengers (2012)	hasFeature	Sophomore Slump / int_cb6abef3
Sophomore Slump / int_d2050b4c	type	Sophomore Slump
Sophomore Slump / int_d2050b4c	comment	Prince of Persia: Warrior Within is considered by many to be an example of Darker and Edgier Gone Horribly Wrong. The Two Thrones goes so far as to retcon the Prince's behavior in that game into being a curse.
Sophomore Slump / int_d2050b4c	featureApplicability	1.0
Sophomore Slump / int_d2050b4c	featureConfidence	1.0
Prince of Persia: Warrior Within (Video Game)	hasFeature	Sophomore Slump / int_d2050b4c
Sophomore Slump / int_d3bc03fe	type	Sophomore Slump
Sophomore Slump / int_d3bc03fe	comment	One Tree Hill is a fine example of this trope. After a powerful first season, the second season gave us the undoing of Lucas and Nathan's close relationship, two Scrappies in the form of Felix and Anna, little to no progression with the Brucas or Leyton ships, Haley becoming a rock star for no reason and Keith (once again) allowing himself to be screwed over by his younger brother. If not for the introduction of Chris Keller and Brooke's Character Development, most people would consider the season a complete write off.
Sophomore Slump / int_d3bc03fe	featureApplicability	1.0
Sophomore Slump / int_d3bc03fe	featureConfidence	1.0
One Tree Hill	hasFeature	Sophomore Slump / int_d3bc03fe
Sophomore Slump / int_d3d31349	type	Sophomore Slump
Sophomore Slump / int_d3d31349	comment	Last Man Standing did well in the ratings in the first season, but the producers and writers decided to retool the show to help it stand out more against other sitcoms. They recasted Kristin Baxter and amplified her Granola Girl characteristics and aged her son up. They also made her son's father Ryan a much more prominent character, changed him into a Soapbox Sadie and went with an All in the Family political angle by contrasting the conservative Mike with Kristin and Ryan's ideals (the twist being that Mike's opinions generally tend to be more reasonable). The ratings managed to stay stable and warrant a third season but most of the changes were met with backlash by the show's fan base (aside from the introduction of Ensemble Dark Horse Chuck Larabee). The writers began fixing it in the third season by giving Kristin some much-needed Character Development to put her more in line with her season one characterization, reducing the number of appearances Ryan made and toning down the political aspects so they became more of an undercurrent to the character relationships.
Sophomore Slump / int_d3d31349	featureApplicability	1.0
Sophomore Slump / int_d3d31349	featureConfidence	1.0
Last Man Standing	hasFeature	Sophomore Slump / int_d3d31349
Sophomore Slump / int_d4e1e661	type	Sophomore Slump
Sophomore Slump / int_d4e1e661	comment	Dizzy II: Treasure Island Dizzy is rampantly the least popular of the series, due to the extraordinary Fake Difficulty of Dizzy spending the entire game as a One-Hit-Point Wonder.
Sophomore Slump / int_d4e1e661	featureApplicability	1.0
Sophomore Slump / int_d4e1e661	featureConfidence	1.0
Dizzy (Video Game)	hasFeature	Sophomore Slump / int_d4e1e661
Sophomore Slump / int_d583dd44	type	Sophomore Slump
Sophomore Slump / int_d583dd44	comment	Exorcist II: The Heretic is seen as the worst film in the Exorcist series. The first film is considered an all-time classic, and the third an underrated cult hit, but the second suffers from a Genre Shift away from horror as well as a generally bizarre and unintentionally funny storyline. Opinions on the two attempts at a prequel film (Exorcist: The Beginning and Dominion: Prequel to the Exorcist) tend to vary, but very few consider them to actually be worse than the second film.
Sophomore Slump / int_d583dd44	featureApplicability	1.0
Sophomore Slump / int_d583dd44	featureConfidence	1.0
Exorcist II: The Heretic	hasFeature	Sophomore Slump / int_d583dd44
Sophomore Slump / int_d68c2bb4	type	Sophomore Slump
Sophomore Slump / int_d68c2bb4	comment	The second season of Top Chef was, to put it lightly, not great. The majority of the problems came from the cheftestants being one of the most argumentive group of the early seasons, including accusations of cheating in front of the Judge's Table and the infamous head-shaving incident. The negative reception caused Bravo to cancel a potential reunion episode, but surprisingly, the show was renewed, and it still continues to this day. The one positive out of this season is the inclusion of Padma Lakshmi as the new host, which people agree to be an improved one over Katie Lee Joel.
Sophomore Slump / int_d68c2bb4	featureApplicability	1.0
Sophomore Slump / int_d68c2bb4	featureConfidence	1.0
Top Chef	hasFeature	Sophomore Slump / int_d68c2bb4
Sophomore Slump / int_db30cf92	type	Sophomore Slump
Sophomore Slump / int_db30cf92	comment	Most of the Warrior Cats fandom declares that The New Prophecy, the second arc, just isn't as good as the original series, though many admit that the writing quality, if not the story as well, improves at the third arc.
Sophomore Slump / int_db30cf92	featureApplicability	1.0
Sophomore Slump / int_db30cf92	featureConfidence	1.0
Warrior Cats	hasFeature	Sophomore Slump / int_db30cf92
Sophomore Slump / int_db96ded4	type	Sophomore Slump
Sophomore Slump / int_db96ded4	comment	"Book Two: Spirits" of The Legend of Korra received polarized reception from fans and critics due to its poor writing (the villain was seen as dull; the narrative was unfocused, with the Raava and Vaatu conflict quickly overshadowing and sidelining the entire "civil war" conflict; the continuation of the Korra/Mako/Asami love triangle wasn't welcomed) and animation (due to scheduling issues, the animation for the first half of the season was done by Studio Pierrot, rather than the show's usual vendor Studio Mir). Overall, it is generally agreed upon to be the weakest season of the show by even its most die-hard fans. The following two seasons were much better received, and many of Book 2's events would be made fun of in the final season (such as Toph calling the Water Tribe Civil War "nonsense", or the simplistic, uncharismatic Big Bad getting hilariously lambasted in a recap episode by Varrick).
Sophomore Slump / int_db96ded4	featureApplicability	1.0
Sophomore Slump / int_db96ded4	featureConfidence	1.0
The Legend of Korra	hasFeature	Sophomore Slump / int_db96ded4
Sophomore Slump / int_de6659ec	type	Sophomore Slump
Sophomore Slump / int_de6659ec	comment	The second season of Once Upon a Time was considered a major step-down from the first, particularly in the second half, due to a sudden glut of new plotlines and characters reducing focus from the plotlines and characters the show already had.
Sophomore Slump / int_de6659ec	featureApplicability	1.0
Sophomore Slump / int_de6659ec	featureConfidence	1.0
Once Upon a Time	hasFeature	Sophomore Slump / int_de6659ec
Sophomore Slump / int_e15a3879	type	Sophomore Slump
Sophomore Slump / int_e15a3879	comment	Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time, while considered a good game in the Mario & Luigi series and is one of the darkest entries, is generally not as well-received as its acclaimed predecessor or its successor. Part of this has to do with the American version being Christmas Rushed, which explains why the difficulty in that version is higher than normal. For example, grinding is more of a necessity because the bosses' health are twice as high as they were in the Japanese and European releases, which have been nerfed in those versions. It's telling that both Superstar Saga and Bowser's Inside Story got remakes for Nintendo 3DS with their own minion-based Another Side, Another Story companion games, while Partners in Time is left out of that luxury.
Sophomore Slump / int_e15a3879	featureApplicability	1.0
Sophomore Slump / int_e15a3879	featureConfidence	1.0
Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time (Video Game)	hasFeature	Sophomore Slump / int_e15a3879
Sophomore Slump / int_e211a865	type	Sophomore Slump
Sophomore Slump / int_e211a865	comment	Virtual Boy Wario Land is considered a very worthy entry in the Wario Land series, but having to deal with the graphics of the Virtual Boy on top of being pretty short means that even the few people who have played it don't consider it better than the preceding Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3 or the succeeding Wario Land II.
Sophomore Slump / int_e211a865	featureApplicability	1.0
Sophomore Slump / int_e211a865	featureConfidence	1.0
Virtual Boy Wario Land (Video Game)	hasFeature	Sophomore Slump / int_e211a865
Sophomore Slump / int_e2964820	type	Sophomore Slump
Sophomore Slump / int_e2964820	comment	Episode two of Mystery Show centers on a book written by Starlee's client that sold terribly and is almost impossible to find. Starlee mentions that this was her second book however, and that her first book did okay, even being written up in People Magazine.
Sophomore Slump / int_e2964820	featureApplicability	1.0
Sophomore Slump / int_e2964820	featureConfidence	1.0
Mystery Show (Podcast)	hasFeature	Sophomore Slump / int_e2964820
Sophomore Slump / int_eeb170e3	type	Sophomore Slump
Sophomore Slump / int_eeb170e3	comment	Spy School: Spy Camp, the second book, is often seen as doing less with the characters, setting, and worldbuilding than either the first book or Evil Spy School and Spy Ski School, the two after it (both of which sometimes get seen as Even Better Sequels to the first installment).
Sophomore Slump / int_eeb170e3	featureApplicability	1.0
Sophomore Slump / int_eeb170e3	featureConfidence	1.0
Spy School	hasFeature	Sophomore Slump / int_eeb170e3
Sophomore Slump / int_ef076a36	type	Sophomore Slump
Sophomore Slump / int_ef076a36	comment	The second seasons of both Star Trek: Voyager and Star Trek: Enterprise are generally regarded as their weakest. While neither show's first season is regarded as especially good, they're usually seen as at least So Okay, It's Average, and their flaws are considered more forgivable considering the writing staff needed to find their feet. By contrast, the second seasons are considered regressions in quality and contain several episodes regarded as the bottom of the barrel for both shows ("Twisted" and "Threshold" for Voyager, and "A Night in Sickbay" and "Precious Cargo" for Enterprise). The second season of Voyager also suffers from the writers doubling down on Status Quo Is God, after the first season had shown more conflict between the Starfleet and Maquis crewmembers, and had the crew more willing to bend the rules to deal with their desperate situation.
Sophomore Slump / int_ef076a36	featureApplicability	1.0
Sophomore Slump / int_ef076a36	featureConfidence	1.0
Star Trek: Voyager	hasFeature	Sophomore Slump / int_ef076a36
Sophomore Slump / int_ef8bd4a5	type	Sophomore Slump
Sophomore Slump / int_ef8bd4a5	comment	Mega Man: Mega Man II for the Game Boy was derided due to its easy level design, flawed soundtrack, and generally half-hearted feel. The following three Game Boy entries, however, got successively better, to the point that V is often held in same regard as Mega Man 2 and Mega Man 3 by the fandom. Mega Man X2 borders on being this. While certainly not a bad game overall, it added virtually nothing to the first game's gameplay, dropped its dark, stylish visuals in favor of a style more akin to the Classic series, and was just generally somewhat forgettable. Mega Man X3, while a Contested Sequel, made more of an effort to distinguish itself from the first game, and then Mega Man X4 ended up being a major return to form. Mega Man Star Force 2 was poorly received, probably due to discarding most of the first game's stellar themes. It also had much less nuanced Villains of the Week, going from sympathetic individuals possessed by manipulative beings in the first game to already evil villains who fuse with almost mindless Blood Knight entities in the second. The easily broken battle system probably didn't help either. The third game was better-received but doesn't seem to have been enough to save the series.
Sophomore Slump / int_ef8bd4a5	featureApplicability	1.0
Sophomore Slump / int_ef8bd4a5	featureConfidence	1.0
Mega Man (Franchise)	hasFeature	Sophomore Slump / int_ef8bd4a5
Sophomore Slump / int_f01bece9	type	Sophomore Slump
Sophomore Slump / int_f01bece9	comment	Jam is seen as this compared to the author's other works. Mogworld was generally well received, though with some criticisms that it had many hallmarks of being someone's first novel, and both Will Save the Galaxy for Food and Differently Morphous were spun off into successful series, each with there own small fandom. Jam, by comparison, has been mostly forgotten about by Yahtzee's fans, and is generally the least well liked of his novels for several reasons, including the sluggish pacing, borderline Random Events Plot, and Pinball Protagonist.
Sophomore Slump / int_f01bece9	featureApplicability	1.0
Sophomore Slump / int_f01bece9	featureConfidence	1.0
Jam	hasFeature	Sophomore Slump / int_f01bece9
Sophomore Slump / int_f04b4111	type	Sophomore Slump
Sophomore Slump / int_f04b4111	comment	Metroid: Metroid II: Return of Samus on the Game Boy suffered this due to some gameplay changes and a more linear progression. And until its long-awaited remake (over two and a half decades since the original's release), it felt very dated visually. Metroid Prime 2: Echoes is considered a bit of a slump for the Metroid Prime Trilogy. While it's generally agreed to be a good game, the brutal difficulty, key collection, and ammo system tend to draw ire. It's also criticized for having many of the same upgrades and weapons as the original, with the only really new upgrades being the Seeker Launcher, Screw Attack, and the Echo Visor. Another point of debate is the multiplayer mode. Most, if not all of these issues were fixed when the game was ported to the Wii as part of the Metroid Prime Trilogy.
Sophomore Slump / int_f04b4111	featureApplicability	1.0
Sophomore Slump / int_f04b4111	featureConfidence	1.0
Metroid (Franchise)	hasFeature	Sophomore Slump / int_f04b4111
Sophomore Slump / int_f2041376	type	Sophomore Slump
Sophomore Slump / int_f2041376	comment	Charmed opened with a strong enough first season, but its second is much more divisive. It chose to downplay the supernatural aspects of the sisters' lives — featuring a Romantic Plot Tumour involving Piper's love life and general bad quality of writing. It's regarded as the weakest of the Prue seasons. Seasons 3 and 4 are the most beloved of the show. Interestingly enough within the Paige seasons, Season 5 is the second of those and falls into this too — with a Lighter and Softer tone and a reliance on standalone episodes, as well as making Phoebe Took a Level in Jerkass.
Sophomore Slump / int_f2041376	featureApplicability	1.0
Sophomore Slump / int_f2041376	featureConfidence	1.0
Charmed (1998)	hasFeature	Sophomore Slump / int_f2041376
Sophomore Slump / int_f3cb77c7	type	Sophomore Slump
Sophomore Slump / int_f3cb77c7	comment	The Maze Runner (2014) was a Sleeper Hit that was praised for being smarter and better made than a lot of other YA sci-fi dystopia films. Its second film, Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials, was viewed as a real step down - one critic even calling it "a typical middle movie" — and especially for radically differing from the book. When the third film, Maze Runner: The Death Cure, was released, although critics were lukewarm to it, audiences were a different story, calling it the best film of the series.
Sophomore Slump / int_f3cb77c7	featureApplicability	1.0
Sophomore Slump / int_f3cb77c7	featureConfidence	1.0
The Maze Runner (2014)	hasFeature	Sophomore Slump / int_f3cb77c7
Sophomore Slump / int_f7a1fa09	type	Sophomore Slump
Sophomore Slump / int_f7a1fa09	comment	The first Peanuts special is A Charlie Brown Christmas and the third is It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, both of which are holiday staples, while the second is the relatively obscure Charlie Brown's All Stars.
Sophomore Slump / int_f7a1fa09	featureApplicability	1.0
Sophomore Slump / int_f7a1fa09	featureConfidence	1.0
A Charlie Brown Christmas	hasFeature	Sophomore Slump / int_f7a1fa09
Sophomore Slump / int_f81101f2	type	Sophomore Slump
Sophomore Slump / int_f81101f2	comment	PokÃ©mon: The Original Series if one counts Kanto/Orange Islands as the first series and Johto as the second. The Johto arc was more or less a total rehash of the first, except with even more Filler and Suspiciously Similar Substitute PokÃ©mon on Ash's team that just didn't live up in power, personality, or appeal to the ones he Put on a Bus after the Orange Islands. Of course, the Orange Islands arc itself has its own problems as well and is frequently accused of being a filler arc, so regardless of which is the sophomore the trope applies, with the recovery occuring either during the last third of Johto (if the slump was the Orange Islands) or some point in the Hoenn saga (if the slump was Johto.)
Sophomore Slump / int_f81101f2	featureApplicability	1.0
Sophomore Slump / int_f81101f2	featureConfidence	1.0
Pokémon: The Original Series	hasFeature	Sophomore Slump / int_f81101f2
Sophomore Slump / int_f8391add	type	Sophomore Slump
Sophomore Slump / int_f8391add	comment	Cat Stevens' second album, New Masters, fared so poorly that he wouldn't release his third album, Mona Bone Jakon, until 1970 (although his musical absence was due to contracting tuberculosis and not the album's failure). Then again, New Masters has one of his most famous (and frequently Covered Up) songs, "The First Cut Is the Deepest."
Sophomore Slump / int_f8391add	featureApplicability	1.0
Sophomore Slump / int_f8391add	featureConfidence	1.0
Cat Stevens (Music)	hasFeature	Sophomore Slump / int_f8391add
Sophomore Slump / int_f887e82f	type	Sophomore Slump
Sophomore Slump / int_f887e82f	comment	Beneath the Planet of the Apes is widely considered a huge step down from a sci-fi classic, due to its cheap production, overly bleak and nihilistic feel (specially the Downer Ending), clunky political commentary, and the mutants feeling far too bizarre and off-the-wall even for this series. However, the third one is widely considered an improvement.
Sophomore Slump / int_f887e82f	featureApplicability	1.0
Sophomore Slump / int_f887e82f	featureConfidence	1.0
Beneath the Planet of the Apes	hasFeature	Sophomore Slump / int_f887e82f
Sophomore Slump / int_f8f51b13	type	Sophomore Slump
Sophomore Slump / int_f8f51b13	comment	The second Unreal Tournament game, Unreal Tournament 2003 was such a disappointment that Epic gave out rebates to owners who traded it in for the much better Unreal Tournament 2004. With Unreal II: The Awakening, Epic outsourced it to a third-party developer, and ended up being so badly received that it was an outright Franchise Killer for the single-player Unreal games.
Sophomore Slump / int_f8f51b13	featureApplicability	1.0
Sophomore Slump / int_f8f51b13	featureConfidence	1.0
Unreal Tournament (Video Game)	hasFeature	Sophomore Slump / int_f8f51b13
Sophomore Slump / int_fab472d2	type	Sophomore Slump
Sophomore Slump / int_fab472d2	comment	While Dark Souls is generally considered a fantastic game, its sequel is very divisive among the fanbase and often thought to not be as good, having a number of issues the first game didn't with things such as level design, enemy placement, and boss fights. While the Updated Re-release Scholar of the First Sin fixed many of the issues, it also brought along some of its own and still left in many of the Scrappy Mechanics of the original release. Dark Souls III, along with the series' Spiritual Successor Bloodborne, are considered to be returns to form, bringing back what fans loved about the original Dark Souls and ironing out the issues of II. It's notable that the head director of the series, Hidetaka Miyazaki, did not work on II, which is thought to explain some of its problems.
Sophomore Slump / int_fab472d2	featureApplicability	1.0
Sophomore Slump / int_fab472d2	featureConfidence	1.0
Dark Souls (Video Game)	hasFeature	Sophomore Slump / int_fab472d2
Sophomore Slump / int_fd7de151	type	Sophomore Slump
Sophomore Slump / int_fd7de151	comment	Psycho-Pass Season 2 was derided for being mediocre and rushed with a boring storyline which is a rehash from Season 1 storyline and new characters which the viewers don't care much, particularly with the new Inspector, Mika Shimotsuki. Season 3 managed to fix some of the damages such as new characters that made the viewers care while it reworked with Mika's personality and an interesting storyline.
Sophomore Slump / int_fd7de151	featureApplicability	1.0
Sophomore Slump / int_fd7de151	featureConfidence	1.0
Psycho-Pass	hasFeature	Sophomore Slump / int_fd7de151
Sophomore Slump / int_ffbcb90e	type	Sophomore Slump
Sophomore Slump / int_ffbcb90e	comment	The Temple of Doom was this in the original Indiana Jones trilogy, with some fans finding it less memorable than Raiders of the Lost Ark, not having the fun or heart of The Last Crusade and just being generally mean-spirited, squicky and not in style with the other films.
Sophomore Slump / int_ffbcb90e	featureApplicability	1.0
Sophomore Slump / int_ffbcb90e	featureConfidence	1.0
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom	hasFeature	Sophomore Slump / int_ffbcb90e
Sophomore Slump / int_ffe07d64	type	Sophomore Slump
Sophomore Slump / int_ffe07d64	comment	Suffocation's Breeding the Spawn, which is almost entirely down to the production — and hoo boy, is it a mess. The reason is that the band got a pittance from Roadrunner Records, who were too busy chasing mainstream success to give a crap about Suffo or any of their other death metal bands. As a result, not only could they not get down to Florida to do another session at Morrisound (where they recorded Effigy of the Forgotten), they apparently didn't have enough money to get a half-decent production job. This led to other complaints, namely that they failed to evolve in any meaningful way from Effigy (although either a really good ear or a listen to any of the re-records placed on later albums debunks this and reveals the album as being one of the most technically complex albums not only of their catalog, but in the genre as a whole). Mercifully, they came back with a vengeance on Pierced from Within, which paired the complexity of its predecessor with far better production, courtesy of a return trip to Morrisound.
Sophomore Slump / int_ffe07d64	featureApplicability	1.0
Sophomore Slump / int_ffe07d64	featureConfidence	1.0
Suffocation (Music)	hasFeature	Sophomore Slump / int_ffe07d64

The following is a list of statements referring to the current page from other pages.

Sophomore Slump	processingCategory2	Audience Reactions
Sophomore Slump	processingCategory2	Seasons
Sophomore Slump	processingCategory2	Sequel
Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping / int_c0e09374	type	Sophomore Slump
The Master / int_c0e09374	type	Sophomore Slump
DarkerThanBlackTwinsOfTheMeteor	seeAlso	Sophomore Slump
Casablanca Moon (Music) / int_c0e09374	type	Sophomore Slump
NewWave	seeAlso	Sophomore Slump
Only Murders in the Building / int_c0e09374	type	Sophomore Slump
The Spoony Experiment (Web Video) / int_c0e09374	type	Sophomore Slump

Copyright of DBTropes.org wrapper 2009-2013 DFKI Knowledge Management. Imprint. - Thanks to Bakken&Baeck for hosting. Contact.
Copyright of data TVTropes.org contributors under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported License.