I used to have a bad habit of watching part of a show, or avoiding a show altogether because I thought it looked like crap, and later on, I found out the show was actually really good. Now, I usually give a LOT of shows second, third and fourth chances to grab me (if they didn't in the first episode), which allows me to find the good and the bad shows.

So, the question: did you ever watch a show, whether for five minutes or a few episodes, and hate it, then after a few months or maybe a few years, you watched it again and loved it?

A bit complicated, so let me give examples:

-The X-Files: I never used to like anything that wasn't funny. The X-Files was the first of anything that I watched on a regular basis that didn't have a laugh track. When my brother and uncle said I should watch it, I ignored their praise. Finally, after a night where I was too lazy to change the channel, I watched an episode (for those wondering, it was Season 1's "Ice") and I loved it. Before long, I had all the tapes that I could find, catching up on episodes. Now, The X-Files is in my top three of favorite shows of all time.

-Frasier: I used to HATE Frasier. I thought it was boring, unfunny, and dumb. Well... to be fair, I was only 12. Similar to The X-Files, I watched it one night, and found it hilarious. Since it was in syndication, I watched the show five nights a week for a long time, and eventually taped episodes, watching them over and over. It's still one of my favorite sitcoms, and probably one of the last good "laugh track" comedies (the other being Friends).

A few recent shows: Lucky Louie (still well below any good comedies on the air, but at least it has a few laughs from time to time, unlike early episodes); Canadian Idol (Canada has talent, too); The Amazing Race (I could never watch more than an episode or two, but now I can't miss it).

Doesn't really happen... at all, for me.

I did hate Frasier, but only because of how overrated it was. I knew the show itself was good, but beating Seinfeld every single year good? Hell fucking no.

I really can't think of a show to go with the situation you are talking about.

Survivor and Who Wants to be a Millionaire.

I used to really absolutely LOATHE Gilmore Girls, but only because it was on opposite BtVS and i felt i had to hate any competion. I don't watch GG now, but i don't hate it just for being competion for BtVS anymore. I've seen a bunch, and i think Logan is an absolute moron and if i ever hear him call Rory "Ace" one more time i'll kill someone.

In terms of a show that i once hated and then grew to love...none come to mind. I can think of a few movies that i used to hate but now lilke/love/tolerate, no shows though. I'll have to give that some thought and get back to you.

Another current example is the US version of The Office. I thought the pilot was okay, but didn't love it. Once the first season had ended and Season 2 had been picked up by NBC, I finally watched the other five Season 1 episodes and loved it.

It doesn't have to be shows you HATED. Just shows you didn't like, or that you didn't feel compelled to watch.

I hated Buffy the first time I saw it, I thought I was moronic. Absolutly love it now.

I think it was the crappy BBC ad campaign that caused my initial hate, they made it look like Clueless the TV show.

Well now that's a different story.

That 70's Show. The commercials for the first season were awful. I thought the show looked like shit. But then I saw it on syndication and loved it. Until they decided to go with love triangles and all that bullshit. But the first 4 seasons were possibly my favorite seasons of a non animated sitcom ever.

American Dad is kind of like what you're thinking. I saw the first season, thought it was just meh. Second season, though, it was better than Family Guy and I liked it quite a bit.

I didn't give the Office US version a really fair chance till halfway through this last season. I had vaguely disliked it before, thinking that the only thing it had going was the cute Pam character and Steve Carell. But once I started paying more attention I realized the show is very well made and grew to love it.

One other show is Charmed, which is obviously not aimed at my demographic and I always avoided it for years but I sampled a few episodes this last week for the first time ever and found it not bad, it's pleasant even if it's not the type of thing I'd watch regularly. But I didn't claw my eyes out like I would while watching Gilmore Girls which is what I was expecting.

Stargate Atlantis is another one that I had avoided and tried recently and found it cheesy but watchable.

Battlestar Galactica though I disliked when it started and tried it again lately and still dislike it. It's too soapy and too much about tough women and doofus guys. And too operatic. I might be biased because as a kid I had watched the original Battlestar Galactica and I miss that loose breezy confidence that that version had. The current BG takes itself way too seriously.

Sounds like I should have said "Shows you hated/didn't feel compelled to watch", because that probably opens the discussion a bit for you guys.

Or just "weren't into" or "shows you took a while to like" or "someone talk to me please now, god I'm bored, I'm in Newfoundland."

Who's in Newfoundland?!

Something that is kind of odd. I watched CSI, and Without a Trace, and other cop shows (Touching Evil) but never even looked at an episode of The Shield.

Then my brother said he had been watching it, and that got me to watch it. Couple reasons why. Usually, if my brother likes something, it's right up my alley, too. The other is that... he doesn't watch drama shows. Ever. If he actually spent time watching The Shield, it got me thinking that it was probably really good. Which it turned out to be. Now Im caught up on the first 3 seasons, with season 4 starting to come in the mail via netflix this week. Got into the show real late, it kind of sucks that I'll only be able to watch 2 seasons of the show while they air, since season 7 will be its last. But I guess it's a good thing that they will stop before the show gets tired.

Mr X, isn't he? I assume that is why Rusty is always calling him a "goddam newfie" and other terms of endearment.

Conan Obrian started out as the worst late nite talk show ever in the first 2 years but started to improve into the best late nite talk show ever with its ever funny skits

Other than The Office, I can't really think of any. There are shows that I resisted checking out at all, and then found I liked them, but I usually start out liking shows and then grow to despise them and everyone on them.

I believe I caught a couple episodes of Scrubs in its first season and just thought it was... dumb. I must have seen a really good episode three seasons ago or so, because it's been one of my favorite shows ever since.

I wasn't especially enamored with the Alias pilot; I thought it was interesting but a little confusing. I just happened upon the show in subsequent weeks, and it became one of my favorites. (I wouldn't say I hated the show initially, though.)

The first episode of The Office I saw (I believe the second episode of the first season) I liked but didn't think was great. I actually tuned into the season two premiere (Dundies) about half-way through, thought it was hilarious, and stuck with it through the season.

There are probably a few more. I was a bit bored by the premieres for both The Sopranos and Deadwood, but I've since become big fans of both.

Alias grew on me, took a while.

Sex and The City season 1 was a complete mess. Once they dumped Chip and stopped breaking the 4th wall, I began loving the show.

Big Brother. Yep I hated it then watched season 2 and got HOOKED!

And I am ashamed of this but I did not like Deadwood when it started. But after like the 3rd episode it became one of my favorite TV shows.

Aye, the first season felt like a low-rent Family Guy. But somewhere along the line it found its feet and took off. Meanwhile Family Guy came back with its weakest season yet... I still chuckle at this:

<embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/VeJK4lrbsZI" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="425" height="350"></embed>

I've never really been into 24, but this last season was bloody awesome. Also BSG. I found the first half of the first season a bit dull, but something compelled me to stick with it, and now I'm well and truly hooked.

BUFFY is a good example for me. Simply because i disliked the shows name, then one night as i antcipated the next episode of FRIENDS, my younger brother pulled the remote out of my hand, and a screaming match began. My mum ruled, BUFFY we would watch. Then that Halloween episode from Season 2 of BUFFY remained with me forever. Simply the next best 5 years of my life, from that point on. Luckily the network that screened BUFFY moved it to late nights a few weeks later. I've been in a similar situation with the GILMORE GIRLS as well.

I actually didn't get into ALIAS until a week before the second season premiered over here. Simply because I caught 1 or 2 episodes and then got washed up in my life, then i bought the DVD a week b4 season 2 premiered, it was the best shit ever.

I really loathed the pilot episode of the US version of THE OFFICE, but I saw an episode on a flight the other week, and I enjoyed it immensly.

I forgot about 24, I sampled it before this season several times but never liked it. This last season was pretty good.

Also House, I had sampled in parts and avoided and finally watched an entire episode last winter and to my surprise it was a very well made show.

All in all, I'd say we're going through the best period of US TV since the 60s. Maybe all it takes is a long drawn out pointless war to bring the best out of Hollywood. If so, we need to have one of those every decade.

I wasn't as smart as I thought I was when Futurama first premiered in 1999 (22 years old at the time). I also didn't know what to expect, would it be like The Simpsons? Not that I disliked it, but I didn't get it, the way I get it now.

Suffice to say, it's writing is at a level greater than any other animated show and most live action comedies.

Just 24. Which I didn't really hated, just haven't payed attention to before.

Have a few "Loved them, now almost hate them" shows though. Well, just one actually. Stupid Lost.

I would say Lost and Grey's. I didn't buy into the hype at first, but later caught them on DVD and loved them.

The Amazing Race, Star Trek: Enterprise, and Friends.


There are shows that have gone the opposite way for me too:

The Apprentice, My Name is Earl, and Law & Order

Sex and the City, The Apprentice, and Big Brother as well.

I can't believe I hated Big Brother when I started watching it during season two. By the end of the season though, I was hooked.